Rick wrote:
...stuff deleted
This design would not sit well with most modern paddlers who think that
getting wet is not what kayaking is all about (poor confused beings).
Maybe not with modern sea paddlers, but modern playboaters tend to spend
quite a lot of time in or under water instead of just on it.


Wilko,

Since the original poster was commenting upon the history of the roll (which
had nothing to do with play boating, since none of the native paddlers even
imagined a design as radical as the modern river kayak), and I am completely
bent (and you can take that any way you wish) in the direction of sea
kayaking. I was taking a jibe at the sea kayaking population, where the
novice/intermediate sea kayaking population is a bit more casual, in both
skill development and boat handling than ww folk. So don't feel my quip was
aimed in your general direction.

Don't worry Rick, I didn't take it as that. I was just remarking about
the wetness experienced by other kayakers (with a little wink...),
without taking anything away from your valid points with regard to sea
kayaking.

Personally, one of my favorite boats to use was the wettest ride I've ever
experienced in a kayak. The early Solstice (current designs) had such a low
volume bow that it tried to dive, and often succeed, under ripples. Waves
swept the deck more often than not, and the boat was at least 1/2 submarine.
It wasn't as popular as such a sweet handling boat should have been because
most sea kayakers didn't seem to understand the joys of being constantly
spalshed with icy water (go figure). I loved the ride, even in rough seas,
though I think it probably should have been equipped with a mask and
snorkel.

big grin I know that feeling from surfing in the sea surf!


--
Wilko van den Bergh wilkoa t)dse(d o tnl
Eindhoven The Netherlands Europe
---Look at the possibilities, don't worry about the limitations.---
http://kayaker.nl/