ChipsCheeseandMayo wrote:
I love my new boat, however the deck is quite hard to get off and this
makes me nervous.

Not unreasonably! Faced with a similar problem a couple of years ago
when I supplemented my sea boat with a playboat that I could get my
existing deck on with a struggle, I threw some money at the problem and
bought a second, slightly larger deck. Problem solved.

p.s. I know the real solution is to roll

All very well saying that, but if you've lost your blades in surf or
whatever it can be a bit of a moot point.

Recently, at a training evening a pal was practicing rolls and it All
Went Horribly Wrong. Having missed a couple, George decides it's time
to eject, so he leans forward for the grab loop. Ooops, hasn't bled the
dry suit before zipping it up, can't physically get far enough forwards
to get a good hold on it, and it is a *tight* deck! Doesn't notice the
bow there for a rescue, and just before the coach was about to go under
himself to pull the paddler out the boat George decided it really was
Time To Leave, pulled up his knees and popped the deck by pushing out
with his feet. If you *need* to eject then you usually can (barring
being pinned by rocks/trees/whatever), but you might as well make it
easy for yourself with a deck that fits properly.

And if you're less nervous because your deck fits well and you know you
can easily get out then the presence of mind to get your roll in is
easier to come by.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/