Jayno55 wrote:

I agree with Peter that the Valley Avocet RM offers a lot for someone w=
ith
my brief. In fact, I may eliminate the Vela from my list (and instead
include the Easky or Capella RM) because it is a composite and I think =
all
the evaluating I am doing here and elsewhere tells me a good plastic bo=
at
would be more sensible than a composite for my first purchase, given so=
me
of the inland settings in which I expect to paddle.=20

I threw in the Avocet as just another option to show it's rather=20
difficult using paper to narrow things down. Add it to the list to try, =

don't take things off until you try them. But I wouldn't put the=20
Capella on your list, it's a big boat and a bit of a tub unladen (TSKC=20
has one).

Plastic boats are great for rocky landings. OTOH they're difficult to=20
customise much if you want to change things in future (which you might=20
as you don't know what you want yet) and they're also harder to maintain =

and repair. A white water boat getting furry doesn't matter much, a=20
tourer will get slower and harder to paddle.

I realise I need to go for as narrow a boat as I can fit into comfortab=
ly
(to make the regular paddling angles as easy on my arms and shoulders a=
s
possible).

It's not that simple. A broader boat will probably be more stable and=20
until you have more experience keeping it up with your hips you'll have=20
to do more work with braced strokes to keep a narrower, more tippy boat=20
upright. So if the conditions are less than perfect you may end up=20
doing /more/ work in a narrower boat.

I realise some of you might think I'm being too 'theoretical' and need =
to
get in a damn boat!=20

No, you need to get in several damn boats and find out if what you like=20
in theory is the same as you like in practice. For example, the broad=20
vs. narrow issue. Glass boat vs. plastic. etc.

this thought process of mine is taking place. Plus, I like working thin=
gs
out as well as I can before buying things.

So do I. but over the years I've come to learn that what I want on paper =

does not necessarily work quite as well for me in practice. I bought=20
the boat I did because it was a steal and I knew it would do what I=20
wanted, even if it wasn't my perfect boat "on paper". I'm very glad I=20
bought it, because paddling it showed there were things I'd decided I=20
wanted that turned out not to matter, and things I hadn't thought about=20
that did.

Getting out there and paddling different boats is the best way to select =

them.

And don't rule out second hand. My gf bought a nice McNulty sea boat=20
for =A3200 earlier this summer. A bit of gelcoat filler and sanding cure=
d=20
a leak and some cosmetic damage, and this winter we'll glass in an oval=20
hatch. Then she'll have a good glass touring boat for less than half=20
the price of a new plastic one.

Pete.
--=20
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/