finkenmeister in the u.s.

bearboater · Post by **bearboater** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 4:42 am

part of the thing about being forward in a boat like that is speed, and being able to use all of the lines that the hull has. once you sit back, and the bow doesn't engage, you have a harder time making really fast tight ferries. and when you need to throw the bow into a wicked tight eddy, you can't. you have to really reach, and use the colosal bow of the boat to your advantage. it works, I just didn't have the time for it...
cheers
-isaac

Taniwha · Post by **Taniwha** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 6:21 am

What I found too is that the Fink' becomes really unstable when you lean back and get the lower volume backdeck caught by current or waves.

The first time I paddled a Fink' (it was a friends boat) I felt from the start, that I had to sit more forward. Not that I wasn't comfortable in his outfitting (nicely done and secure with straps etc.) but for a better performance of the boat.

With a demo boat from Robson that I paddled afterwards I taped a 1 1/2" block of foam on the backrest, the pads to the hipgrabbers and some wedges into the bulkhead: that felt okay and I had a good enough contact with the boat. I left the saddle at factory height, although I don't know the measurements.

the great gonzo · Post by **the great gonzo** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 11:08 am

Kelly-Rand wrote:I tried a Fink briefly two weeks ago and found the forward position with knees high on the chines severly uncomfortable. Maybe that would be different if the saddle was higher than the six inches it was. For me I would want to be back in that boat. I'm lighter than the boats owner I'm 170 #'s. What characteristics make it necessary to sit forward?

Jim

Jim, for me the 2 main things that made me move that saddle forward was that A) the stern was less grabby, as it is significantly less volume than the bow, and B) getting better stern release for carving really tight eddy turns.

martin a.k.a. thegreat gonzo!

Bruce Farrenkopf · Post by **Bruce Farrenkopf** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 4:24 pm

Wow, there is alot of good advice about the Fink posted here! I've been actively paddling my Fink for three years now, and it is my main boat for difficult water. I am very happy with the boat....but if this was the kayak world (and I know it can never be) ....there would be a second generation Fink and it might have the following changes:
1) Softer chines. The chines now are very hard and could be rounded off a little. This would soften any side impacts and glancing blows that occur.
2) Reduce the bow volume somewhat. The big bulbous bow is great for resurfacing at the bottom of steep drops, but does get in the way a little with stroking and rolling. I like volume in the bow, but a little less would flatten the bow deck and make stroking (particularly cross-stroking) easier.
3) Increase primary stability. Chine to chine it is 19" or so across the bottom. Perhaps this could be increased to 20 or 21 or 22".
4) Include thigh straps. With respect to Der Thomas Finkenmeister, us mere mortals probably paddle better when securely locked into the boat.
That is a wish list for the Fink II - in another land, another time, another circumstance

.
SYOTR,
Bruce

Taniwha · Post by **Taniwha** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 6:07 pm

Bruce, I'd buy a boat like that!

Sounds like reasonable improvements. Have you contacted Robson (robert.sommer@robsonpaddle.de) with them?

I'd say, do it, and everyone else who supports a second generation Fink'! Maybe....

the great gonzo · Post by **the great gonzo** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 1:39 am

Bruce Farrenkopf wrote:Wow, there is alot of good advice about the Fink posted here! I've been actively paddling my Fink for three years now, and it is my main boat for difficult water. I am very happy with the boat....but if this was the kayak world (and I know it can never be) ....there would be a second generation Fink and it might have the following changes:
1) Softer chines. The chines now are very hard and could be rounded off a little. This would soften any side impacts and glancing blows that occur.
2) Reduce the bow volume somewhat. The big bulbous bow is great for resurfacing at the bottom of steep drops, but does get in the way a little with stroking and rolling. I like volume in the bow, but a little less would flatten the bow deck and make stroking (particularly cross-stroking) easier.
3) Increase primary stability. Chine to chine it is 19" or so across the bottom. Perhaps this could be increased to 20 or 21 or 22".
4) Include thigh straps. With respect to Der Thomas Finkenmeister, us mere mortals probably paddle better when securely locked into the boat.
That is a wish list for the Fink II - in another land, another time, another circumstance .
SYOTR,
Bruce

I agree with what Bruce said, although ever since I added thigh-straps and added 2 " to the back of the saddle, the high bow volume does not really bother me any more, my roll is very solid not, and due to my long arms, crossbow strokes were never really an issue.
I would add one more thing to that, increase the volume in the stern somewhat, so that the stern can be better used for storage of gear on multi-day trips. I had to put most of my stuff in the bow, since the stern is so long and narrow, which really messed up the trim of my boat somewhat.

And yes, I would definitely strongly consider getting an updated Finkenmeister 2

!

martin a.k.a. the great gonzo!

bearboater · Post by **bearboater** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 2:33 am

i know that this wouldn't be a great creeking additive, but the one trip I did in it, it would have been really nice to have it in a composite layup... so that I wouldn't have had to paddle that much weight around... when you have 80 lbs of gear in that boat, any thing makes a difference...
cheers
-isaac

Larry Horne · Post by **Larry Horne** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 5:44 am

isaac my friend, with 80 pounds of gear...i doubt you were feeling the weight of the boat!

Bruce, why not make your own FII. all those changes would be easy with the help of a friend...and a heat gun..maybe a torch..and a big hammer.
i would gladly make the trek to reno for a weekend of finkenmeltinfun.

Post by **sbroam** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 11:11 am

bearboater wrote:i know that this wouldn't be a great creeking additive, but the one trip I did in it, it would have been really nice to have it in a composite layup... so that I wouldn't have had to paddle that much weight around... when you have 80 lbs of gear in that boat, any thing makes a difference...
cheers
-isaac

80 pounds of gear? Taking a minibar and a gas grill?!

Even on a plush-deluxe sea kayak or canoe expedition, I don't carry more than 40. Well, except for that time we took a full cooler of beer and the cast iron cookware and didn't consider the two portages...

bearboater · Post by **bearboater** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 1:30 pm

well, when you are out for a while, and 60lbs is food, because the other boat you are with is a playboat... it got the job done.
and true, I may have been noticing other influences as well...
cheers
-isaac

Larry Horne · Post by **Larry Horne** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 1:55 pm

isaac
rule#1 . don't do camping trips with bonehead playboaters. tell them to have their mommy get them a real boat.

c1swim · Post by **c1swim** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 2:18 pm

60lbs. of food!!! Who'd you boat with? Joey Chestnut?

Bruce Farrenkopf · Post by **Bruce Farrenkopf** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 11:54 pm

Larry,
You will not be getting near my beloved Finky with a blow torch, hammer or melt gun

. I am not sure I trust your intentions. No Finkenmeltifun for you.
P.S. I am currently working over the Pyranha H3 255 shell you generously donated to my cause. Maybe when I get done I can consider that a Finky II

?
SYOTR,
Bruce

Mike W. · Post by **Mike W.** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 2:10 pm

I stopped in at Endless Rivers last week & thanked them for getting Finks. Even though I don't plan to get one, I'm very happy that Endless Rivers is getting the boats. I was told that they have 3 sold & are ordering 6

That's pretty awesome support for the C-boating community.

Juliet also mentioned that Robson bought Lightning paddles. She is interested in stocking some single blade sticks, but isn't sure what folks want. I gave her the C-Boats address & told her to come here. I also told here that I learned of them getting the Finks through this site. Hopefully she'll see the exposure & consider being a sponsor.

Bruce Farrenkopf · Post by **Bruce Farrenkopf** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 1:59 am

It sounds like the Finkenmeister is getting recognized as the very capable C1 it is. Good news for the C1 boating community in general. We may someday stand a better chance of getting additional C1's developed - like a second generation Fink

. In the meantime, I wouldn't WAIT for it to happen. Act now, buy a Fink - it out-performs most conversions in difficult water

.
SYOTR,
Bruce