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wrote:

They are a very fast streight line boat, a little tippy, they have a
built in permanent following skeg affair that I have seen cut off to
accomodate handling. You have to lean pretty well to turn this
creature.

The built-in skeg is the HM, or Hull Modified, version. These days
current production have dispensed with that in favour of a more
conventional upswept rear keel and retractable skeg, But AIUI it's
still not a beginner's boat, and possibly in the lineup at least in
part because it keeps selling on fame and familiarity.

For prices of second hand boats, I bought my boat, a Valley Selkie
quite a few years old, for £350. That price included glassing in
an oval hatch at the back for me in place of the original round
one, though I had to provide the hatch so effectively £400. And
that was a good price from a pal.
Looking at the second hand market there's quite a price jump if the
boat has oval rather than round hatches. They're a damn site
easier to pack through, so it's fair enough, but Valley or Kajak
Sport oval hatches can be retro-fitted by folk that know what
they're at so unlike a plastic boat you're not stuck with what it
comes with. Similarly bulkheads can be moved and additional
fittings and equipment added.

Pete.
--
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/