Don Freeman wrote:
"Brian Nystrom" wrote in message
news:zDwOg.1536$gN1.752@trndny08...
Don Freeman wrote:
"Brian Nystrom" wrote in message
news:vgcOg.2407$SQ1.867@trndny09...
Drew Cutter wrote:
I'm looking to do some paddle (sea kayak) on lake Huron. For 3-5 days
worth of camping. Should i buy a 17 foot (overnight kayak) or go for
expedition size (19') kayak ?
Expedition boats are good for one thing, expeditions. Their length and
high volume tends to make for an ill-handling boat when they're paddled
without a load of gear inside.
I have a 17.5 Eddyline Nighthawk, which is a high-volume expedition boat.
And even though it does handle better loaded I am not dissatisfied with
it's handling while empty either. I live in the SF Bay area so have used
it under windy conditions, though I do have to drop the skeg down in
those conditions.
Although the Nighthawk 17.5 is a boat designed for paddlers that "shop at
big and tall shops" according to the Eddyline site, I wouldn't put it in
the expedition boat class.

How would you defined expedition class then? I can easily pack enough gear
for two (probably more) weeks of kayaking/camping. It is well constructed
for the long haul, and it can handle pretty much all conditions that a sea
kayak is meant to handle. I am curious as to what other criteria are
involved?

Please don't take my comments the wrong way, I wasn't insinuating that
it's not a very capable boat or besmirching Eddline's stellar reputation
for quality. Expedition boats are real battleships, typically over 18'
long with very high volume. They're meant for extended voyages with a
heavy gear load. OTOH, many major expeditions have been done with much
smaller boats, like the VCP Nordkapp and the NDK Explorer, so defining
the category is somewhat arbitrary. I guess that any boat that one uses
on an expedition is technically an "expedition boat", but Drew asked if
he should get a 19' boat or a 17' boat, so he's apparently thinking in
the same terms I am.

As far as the "Big and Tall" part, all I can say is that I am not tall G.

Then I would assume that you probably don't need ballast, either. ;-)