On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 16:02:27 +0100, "Charlie"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .

Don't buy too small a boat.

Have fun.
Ewan Scott

Why not too small a boat? I mean, what's a good indication of the right
length for your size?

How long is a piece of string?

I take kids out on flat water to train 1/2/3 Star. They usually paddle
Whippits or Whiplashes, not long boats, but longer than my old Riot
Glide or Inazone 232. If they make any effort to paddle I can't keep
up with them (different hull shape too).

When I was learning I used an Odysee (a veritable barge with a keel).
It ran straight and none of the instructors could keep up with me -
forward or reverse paddling.

If you get too small a boat, say, for argument's sake a Sub 6 190 (I
think), you can have great fun playboating, but try river running and
you may find yourself having to utilise rolling skills quite
frequently.

Look at the boats, and think about your own ability. If the front deck
falls away and the rear deck also falls away, the boat will have
little volume. Check the hull shape. My Glide has a cross-hatched flat
keel, ideal for playing and possibly river running, maybe even
surfing, but it creates a lot of resistance on flatter water.

Something else you might not be aware of. It might not matter to you.
Every boat has a built in maximum speed. Longer narrower boats tend to
be faster, their stern wave is further behind them than it would be on
a short boat. We demo this for the kids by paddling a short boat as
hard as we can. They soon see the stern wave build up and suck the
rear of the boat down.

I'd never tell anyone what boat to buy, I'd possibly advise caution
though. I'm fortunate in that our Scout Group has access to a wide
range of boats, and our pool of Coaches means that there are always
different boats around to play with.

Play with other peoples' boats for a while before you buy. If you
don't and you pick the wrong boat, expect to lose a good 25 per cent
in value in six months. Pick the right one and you have something that
can last for years if you wish.

You maybe also want to consider your paddle too...

Best of luck.

Ewan Scott