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History question- early Perception K-1/C-1 conversion
Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 6:59 pm
by ezwater
I used to paddle a Sage, and I recall that back then, Perception marketed a boat that was essentially a Quest or Spiit or something, converted into a c-1. I think it was called the Spectre. Any old-timers remember the boat, its name, and when it was marketed?
Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 10:22 pm
by Bob P
Gawd, what an awful boat.
They called it the Spectrum. I don't know what kayak it was converted from (maybe Quest...). It had very little rocker and was fairly round-bottomed. It came out about two years before the GyraMax - roughly 1982. It was so bad that I replaced it with a converted Dancer when they came out. Much better boat.
spectrum
Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 8:04 pm
by boathead
Bob is correct. Ding,ding,ding,ding. It was 1982 and its cousin was the Eclipse K-Boat. I had the C1, my other half, the K1. It took me exactly 2 weekends worth of paddling this god-awful contracption that i called Perception and they sent me the Eclipse K1 outfitting to convert my C-Boat to a Kayak.............Now what is wrong with this thought process? A year later I got smart and traded them both in on a Mad River Courrier solo canoe that later became
the Guide. I think it was close to the last Perception boat I ever owned. The exception being their open boat, the HD1.......................The Boathead.........................
Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 9:24 pm
by Sir Adam
If any of y'all need to relive those painful times, I have a Sage sitting in the boatrack. In GREAT shape for it's vintage...but in the end...it's still a Sage....
Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 10:25 pm
by Bob P
Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 3:23 am
by ezwater
Bob P., I love that Hi Float PFD. Did you make yours from a Walbridge kit like I did?
Still have mine, but when I sewed it, I didn't allow for growth.
Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 1:01 pm
by Bob P
That was a looong time ago, but I think it was from a kit. Somehow I talked someone else to do the sewing (fortunately).
I haven't tried to get into it for at least 15 years, but I suspect it's shrunk just like yours.
And how about that Iliad paddle? That enormous blade would probably rip my shoulder apart now. We were real men back then.
Had the boat also
Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 10:31 pm
by Berkshire Jack
I had the Spectrum also, and I agree with all the other responses. Even though it was my first C1, I could tell it was a piece of cr___ and it wasn't just my technique. It was so rounded, it felt perfectly at home on any side and up side down. I felt like I was paddling a cigar. After one season, I ordered the kayak out-fitting from Perception like Boathead and turned it into a yak and sold it as fast as I could without leaving an address.
Bob, I am amazed you could balance in the play hole at Tariffville in that boat. That is the play hole with Pencil Sharpener behind it? It must have been a fast shutter on that camera to catch you upright.
Jack
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 1:59 am
by Sir Adam
Funny you mention Illiad.
For guide-sticks I alternate between my Norse and Illiad:)
I can't imagine using either with most of my C1's (though with a Hahn, Sage, or Czech I suppose it would feel "comfortable" )
Re: Had the boat also
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 11:52 am
by Bob P
Berkshire Jack wrote:...
Bob, I am amazed you could balance in the play hole at Tariffville in that boat. That is the play hole with Pencil Sharpener behind it? It must have been a fast shutter on that camera to catch you upright.
Jack
I've always found that round-bottom boats are easier for side surfing - at least in deeper holes. In the Eighties I spent so much time in that hole that I was known as The Mayor of T'Ville.
Ever see anyone surf the hole in an open boat - standing up?
Of course Jim M holds the record for juggling.
Gyramax Surf
Batmax?
Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 6:05 pm
by John Coraor
Great photo Bob!
I still have my original hand-sewn Waldbridge Hi-Float. However, I was paddling kayak at the time so I made it as the short version, without the lower set of cells. I've also got the matching one that I made a couple years later for my fiance (now wife) with whom I was paddling C-2. Unfortunately, both have miraculously shrunk over the years.
We used Norses rather than Illiads, and I still have several. Although the first one or two I used in open canoe had full-size blades, while we were racing with PSOC we would order them with the blades cut-down by the manufacturer. The standard slalom size blade was the "John Sweet" cut, and the smaller women's blade was the "Barb McKee" cut. Those full-size blades must have been sized for Charlie Waldbridge!
John