On 5-Sep-2003, "Susanne Jerome" wrote:

I like the idea of using sponsons to make a kayak stable enough to get
easily in and out of and to move around on a boat in calm water.

I don't know anyone who needs sponsons to get in or out of a kayak. Perhaps
you need to learn how to do it right. If you straddle the kayak and drop your
backside into the seat and then lift your legs in, you should be plenty stable
unless you're in an extremely tippy kayak.

If you can't fit your legs in (too tall), then you'll have to resort to using your
paddle to brace. Hold the paddle behind the cockpit coaming and place one
blade of the paddle on something solid (like the shore, a rock, etc). Sit
on the kayak behind the cockpit and place your legs in (do _not_ sit on
the paddle!). Then slide into the seat and you're done.

In calm water you'd have no need for sponsons. If the kayak is too tippy
in calm water, get another kayak. Sponsons should not be used to mask
the deficiencies of a kayak. They are a self-rescue aid and should be used
as such.

I saw a
picture of a guy standing up in a sponson equiped kayak is this realistic?

You mean Jack on Timmy-boy's or the White Squall web site? Certainly it's
realistic, however, as others have pointed out, you can do that without sponsons.
I can't see why you'd want to. It purports to prove how stable kayaks are with
sponsons, but IMNSHO, it's whitewash.

BTW - one of Jack's compadres at White Squall in Nobel ON has been seen
doing headstands in kayaks _without_ sponsons. Sorry, I can't find that
picture online.

Mike