I got my Finkenmeister!

[oregonmatt]

Five months after ordering it, I finally picked up my Finkenmeister at the boating shop this morning. The pictures I've seen do not do this boat justice - it has really interesting lines. The front end looks like it'll really surface quickly off a big drop, and the boat as a whole looks like it has enough volume to keep the sharp stern edges out of the water for the most part, even for someone my size (200 lbs). I probably won't be able to get it on the water until next weekend, but I'll post a review once I have a chance to paddle it.

Matt

p.s. It's yellow with red swirls - very cool.

[chuck naill]

enjoy

[Boise Bob]

I am very interested in your experiences with the Fink

[Bruce Farrenkopf]

Matt,
Congratulations! I should be getting mine this week. We should try to keep each other informed about the boat's performance.
SYOTR,
Bruce

[Bruce Farrenkopf]

Matt,
What skirt are you using?
Bruce

[dillonpro]

Can we have pictures from all the angles?

[oregonmatt]

Bruce - I don't have a skirt for the boat yet. I'm going to try my atom/cascade skirt, and maybe my old gyramax skirt and see which works best as a temporary fix. I'm also going to trace the cockpit and try to order a custom skirt - I think Snapdragon will do custom orders. Martin - what skirt are you using for your Fink?

Regarding photos, i'll take some from various angles and try to make them available in the near future, although it may be a week or so before I can get to it.

Matt

[Jim]

I have 3 skirts from Mountain Surf (http://www.mountainsurf.com/ ) and recommend them. This winter I ordered a custom skirt from a tracing and they were fast. They also called me and discussed it because the wanted to accommodate the hip pads, and they got it perfect.

Good luck,

Jim

[Bruce Farrenkopf]

Jim,
Is that you Mr. Michaud?
SYOTR,
Bruce

[Jim]

Bruce:

This is Jim Smith. The JIM in Connecticut for OC is Jim Michaud, and he is an occasional visitor to this site (I think he is too busy paddling to get on much). I used to tag along and try to keep up with him on rivers, and he introduced us once upon a time.

Jim

[Bruce Farrenkopf]

Hey Jim,
I'm glad to be reintroduced.

I just got my Finkenmeister and it is a very unusual looking C1! Practically the entire cockpit is filled with minicell. This is obviously done to allow the boater to tailor the fit. The boat is definitely innovative and it is great to see that someone who knows about C1's is doing some serious thinking, designing and implemeting in the plastic C1 arena. My hat is off to Robson! Just how it paddles I've yet to find out, but I will stay in touch about that. I wonder how this thing is going to roll?

It seems to be designed for two purposes: 1) serious whitewater/ creeking, and 2) to more gently introduce newby C1ers into a rather difficult discipline (the Fink looks like a forgiving, predictable boat). Right now fledgling C1ers are being introduced into converted kayaks that make marginal C1's and this has to be discouraging.

I hope this boat makes a difference.

SYOTR,
Bruce

[the great gonzo]

Cool that you guy's finally got your boats ! I hope you guy's will like yours as much as I like mine!

Matt/Bruce, I am currently using the factory Dagger skirt from my Atom, and despite the very different shape of the cockpit, it fits really well and thight.
Ihave ordered a new custom fit skirt from Mountain Surf, should get in a few weeks.

Matt, I haven't gone off any big drops, but it definitely resurfaces very nicely .

Bruce, I had a hard time rolling it initially, but I was too loose in the boat. Once I thightened the outfitting and was secure in the boat, rolling it was not a problem any more.

Enjoy your boats!

martin