Hi Ted,

I remember reading a review somewhere where someone wrote that the Outer Island has a problem with LEECOCKING. They said this was really the fatal flaw in the OI design, because you can't fix it by putting down the skeg. In fact, because of the leecocking, it didn't make any sense for the OI to have a retractable skeg at all. Did you find that to be your experience paddling the OI?

Andrew

: I paddled the Impex version of the OI last weekend extensively and I would
: have to say that it does not turn, not ever. Not laid on it's side, not
: edged, not swept around. It is probably the most firm tracking general
: purpose kayak I have ever been in. It excels at going in a straight line
: efficiently and quickly, very quickly. I would not want to take into a
: rock garden with swells washing in and out. It might be a good boat for
: club racing though.

: I doubt that a minor rocker tweak could get it anywhere near the handling of
: a Night Heron, Petrel, Redfish King, or Redfish Golden. Making anything
: more than minor design changes can easily lead to compromising other
: characteristics like weather cocking and such. Unless you feel like
: throwing a bunch of time at an experiment, there would less risk of not
: liking the results by getting the plans for a design that more closely
: meets your needs.

: Ted