"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.

But I was wondering what people do to compensate for that when they don't
really need any gear, such as just an exercise paddle. It would have to be
something that was easy and quick to load and unload as keeping the boat
loaded is impractical for lifting it on and off the car, and I don't want to
spend a lot of time packing the boat with stuff I don't need other then for
ballast. It would also have to be something that didn't shift around and
screw up the balance. I've thought off (but have yet to try) using adhesive
Velcro strips inside the front and rear compartments to hold ankle weights
in place, it wouldn't be a great expense to try as I already have the
weights for PT. Now that I read what I have written it sounds a little
silly but...

--
-Don
Ever had one of those days where you just felt like:
http://cosmoslair.com/BadDay.html ?
(Eating the elephant outside the box, one paradigm at a time)