C-Forum

Hi
A new idea came to me from no where.
It was to cover up the air bags of an OC like a spanish fly that has a big exposed bit of the air bag with a sheet of plastic cit to the size with a hole in near the valve so you can still pump it up or let it down.
Would this make it easier to roll because you only have a small area and also make it dry or will it just not work.

I havent tried it but i have thought of it.

Increasing the decking of your boat will definitely make it drier, I would at the same time also install a v-shaped wave deflector (use some foam for that) onto thedeckplate.
As far as ease of rolling is concerned, I don't think that increasing the decked area will change that significantly.

martin a.k.a. The Great Gonzo!

Grinner be careful. The next thing you know you will be wanting to wear a skirt.

I have heard that putting some holes in the minicel below where you sit will make rolling easier. I am sure Craig S or someone can comment with more authority, but it makes sense not to dam up the water on one side of the foam block.

Chas

Kool
I have this thing at the front of my boat that is like a upside down J that goes at the bit where the airbag goes under (I cant remeber what its called.) Would you have to put some minicell foam on top so you dont bang your head.
I cant roll yet and i have no straps mainly because i'm 14 and not that tall. My thought for making it easier to roll would be that water goes down by the side of the airbags so surely if you've got some foam in it should make the area for water to come in less.


As for wearing a skirt i wont be doing that for a long time. I had a small accident with not pulling the sprey deck and i couldnt roll. So a sprey deck seems a stupid thing at the moment and i also look kooler when i'm paddling a open boat in the winter and everyone else is in a stupid kayak.

Not only are you kooler, you are cooler.

I am confused about the upside down "J".


Chuck

I saw a guy with a peice of the deck of an old kayak or c1 or something like that attached to the bow of his phantom, and it definatelly looked a lot drier after wavetrains or going through a hole.

But I don't think it'll change rolling very much, as when you roll most of the water comes into the boat through the cockpit area, (where the pedestal is) not around the edges of the airbags.

I'm not sure what you mean by the "J" shaped thing, but as to hitting your head, if you mean on one of the thwarts I don't think it's necessary to put minicell on them. I'm also 14 and just leaned to roll a couple weeks ago in the pool, and have not had that be a problem in the least.

Nate

Hi
The upside J thing is hard to describe. Its on a savage skeeter and at the front of the 'cockpit' theres the bit that looks like a upside down J.
The idea for foam would have to go on the plate, just incase something hits you because plastic can be unforgiving.

Sadly my parents dont think i will be able to roll the skeeter so they wont let me take it to the pool. I had a go at it in a CU fly but poped out when i put pressure on.But i am tighter in the skeeter then i was in the CU fly.

Accept your boat is an open canoe. It is getting the technique right and practicing that gives you a good roll; not adaptations to the integrity of the open boat ethic.

Rolling a Spanish Fly is much easier than many gunwale boats. Try getting in touch with a gunwale boater from the UK who can advise you. canoecafe.co.uk is a good site.

If you are still using the factory outfitting try carving the side walls so you can get your knees in the corners of the boat. It will give you more overall control and will improve your rolling.

Stay out of the Skeeter; it is a rubbish boat!!

Ken

Accept your boat is an open canoe. It is getting the technique right and practicing that gives you a good roll; not adaptations to the integrity of the open boat ethic.

Rolling a Spanish Fly is much easier than many gunwale boats. Try getting in touch with a gunwale boater from the UK who can advise you. canoecafe.co.uk is a good site.

If you are still using the factory outfitting try carving the side walls so you can get your knees in the corners of the boat. It will give you more overall control and will improve your rolling.

Stay out of the Skeeter; it is a rubbish boat!!

Ken

Hey, I'm just happy to know that there are 14-year olds paddle ww canoes!!

I sure don't see that much. Stick with it and bring your friends!

P.

There aren't very many kids interested in oc1 from what I've seen.
I was at a slalom race in September, and there were 3 guys in my age group, me (14) and two other 16 year olds, as opposed to maybe a dozen or so kayaks (kids).

Grinner,

My Phantom has an oversized bow deck plate, and I like it. I used 1/8 ABS and a minicell foam splash rail. The deck plate comes all the way back to the thwart that's just forward of the paddler, at the position it came in from the factory. I got the idea from a picture on either Bob Foote's home page or Mike Yee's. (I looked for it to post a link, but can't find it).

To be honest, I've never paddled the boat without it, but it must be a fair bit drier than without. The splash rail is important, and needs to be as tall as you can make it without it interfering with cross-forward strokes.

Thoughts:

1/8 ABS doesn't weigh that much, but it's probably not worth doing the stern as well- unless you run lot's of drops backwards

I think it makes it somewhat harder to roll- but not significantly.

It's a far cry from paddling a decked boat with a skirt! I appreciate the skill required to paddle an open boat (wish I had more!). I probably wouldn't bother with a big deck plate on a boat that handled okay when partly full- say for instance an Ocoee.

Unless you are doing OC-1 Slalom, there are no rules as to the "legal" size of your deck plates. Try it- you might like it. Consider getting an electric bilge pump too! If the Canoe Police ever hassle you about it, tell 'em they can suck the water out themselves.

-Kevin

Consider getting an electric bilge pump too! If the Canoe Police ever hassle you about it, tell 'em they can suck the water out themselves.

I installed an electric bilge pump in my new canoe and it's the cat's meow. Nobody has yet made any sort of derogatory remark about it. Almost everyone think that it's really cool, especially the kayakers. One of the big advantages is that the decked boaters don't have to wait for me while I pull over to dump my boat or scoop water with a bail bucket. Now I just flip a switch and keep on paddling while the water pumps out.

Jim

Hey Grinner,

Now I understand the the "j" thing. Best to put a peice of minicel there for protection.

My son is 24 now and has always been a c-1 paddler like you. Stay with it and improvise all you want.

Also, try not to allow the opinions of others tell you what you should paddle. As long as it works for you, that's all that matters.

Regards,

Chuck

Hi
I'm beeing lent the skeeter. It means that i can still paddle on white water. I cant paddle a boat with a sprey deck because of what happened.

Because i'm learing white water the skeeter is the best boat for me. I like occees but i cant find a dealer in England near Nottingham.

I did paddle a spanish fly and really liked it but it wouldnt let me progress in the back channels when i started. Then the person wonted it back because someone else wanted it.

All i need to do is to try and persuade my parents to let me take it to the pool but its only a small pool ( about 15 meters) and there are lots of boats in there so the skeeter isnt a too good of a fit apparently. Personally i like it because i'm above everyone else and i look cooler because people havent seen one before.

So if anyone has a pyranha prelude or such boat and could take it to the pool near me ( probably need to live in Nottingham( in England) then i would love to have a go)

Also any suggestions of what boat would be good for me that i could have a go at rolling in and isnt too cheep ( even better if someone has one i could have a go in) then please say because i might be selling one of my boats that i have to wear a skirt for.

Thanks