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Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
By:Steve Solomon
Date: 10/21/2016, 4:35 pm
In Response To: Re: Review: Choosing a design to build (JohnAbercrombie)

Those would be a 'definite', not 'maybe' for me..Check your Coast Guard requirements for small craft.
You need (legally) some sort of light if you are out after dark or in fog, but your visibility in a kayak is so low (too close to the water- you may have noticed kayaks when you were boating in your sailboat?) that probably lights are not very useful. Check your Coast Guard requirements for small craft. If you choose the 'wood look' your daytime boat visibility will be low (compared to a boat with a bright color deck/hull) so having a high visibility set of paddle blades (i.e. not black) is even more important.

I meant maybe a fixed-mounted compass and bilge pump. Definitely portable ones. For lighting, I know they sell removable all-in-one nav lights on short masts for kayak use, so seems like incorporating a mounting bracket, or at least a strongpoint in the deck to enable you to add a mounting bracket later if you chose, would be a good idea. Further, and this is probably getting ahead of myself, given the advances in LED technology, I was kicking around some thoughts about how some small, waterproof LED fixtures and a light battery pack might be incorporated into the construction to help improve daytime visibility. I suppose that sort of thing could ruin the looks - but then again, if it's a design that would be ruined by features like safety lines then it's probably not a good design for my purposes.

Anyway, I was checking out the Redfish site and they offer a bunch of features that seem potentially cool - integrated water supply, stuff like that. Seems to me that one of the key benefits of building your own boat, is you can customize it with whatever sort of custom "furniture" you see fit. And since it's just wood and fiberglass, you can paddle it around for a while first, see how you're actually using it, and then come back with a saw any time you like.

Being able to put your knees 'up' in the center of the cockpit while paddling can help get more leg drive into your stroke.
For me, the cockpit length (and coaming inclination, and seat position) determines whether I can do a 'bum first' entry - which I prefer. It also makes getting out of the boat easier - it's embarrassing to roll on your face when getting out!

Not being able to get out would definitely be a negative :-)

Messages In This Thread

Review: Choosing a design to build
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/21/2016, 2:34 pm
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
Steve Solomon -- 10/21/2016, 2:47 pm
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
Mark N -- 10/22/2016, 7:10 am
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/21/2016, 3:06 pm
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
Steve Solomon -- 10/21/2016, 4:35 pm
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/21/2016, 7:08 pm
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/21/2016, 7:36 pm
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
Etienne Muller -- 10/22/2016, 5:50 am
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build *PIC*
Etienne Muller -- 10/22/2016, 6:21 am
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/22/2016, 12:39 pm
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
Thomas Duncan -- 10/23/2016, 8:55 am
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
Bill Hamm -- 10/23/2016, 11:42 pm
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/21/2016, 7:41 pm
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
Bill Hamm -- 10/22/2016, 2:20 am
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/22/2016, 12:02 pm
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
John Messinger -- 10/22/2016, 2:06 am
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
Etienne Muller -- 10/22/2016, 7:53 am
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/22/2016, 1:15 pm
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
Nick R. -- 10/22/2016, 2:23 pm
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/28/2016, 5:21 pm
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
Etienne Muller -- 10/28/2016, 5:40 pm
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
Nick R. -- 10/22/2016, 11:50 am
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
Etienne Muller -- 10/22/2016, 12:54 pm
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/22/2016, 1:17 pm
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/22/2016, 1:59 pm
Re: Review: Choosing a design to build
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/22/2016, 4:29 pm