Here's one for you - what sea kayaks would make good c-boat conversion candidates? In addition to the potential ignominy of being seen in a butt boat, I get nervous as a absolute beginner in conditions that would phase me not one iota in a proper boat. My kayak roll is sketchy at best, while my C-roll is pretty reliable. My kayak braces are darn near sissified, while my C-braces are pretty reliable (though some of my deeep low braces have been mistaken for rolls).
I've got a pretty nice sea kayak - one of those Greenland style Brit boats - but don't paddle it near often enough to be comfortable in it. And like your higher performance sea kayaks, it's a bit on the narrow side, which has skeered me off from trying it out C-style before now. Has anybody taken a wider rec-boat and set it up suitable for C-rolling? How about an outrigger canoe? I think Walden makes/made a rotomolded outrigger - not rollable, but you wouldn't need to.
Just thinkin' and trying to avoid work...
Scott
unusual conversion question
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Craig Smerda
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Mike W.
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Hey Scott, I dont' know much about butt boats. The fast ones look kind of narrow for kneeling though 
. A freind of mine has a Savage River solo outrigger canoe. It's 24' long, 13.5" wide, weighs 24lbs. & is pretty quick. http://www.savageriver.com/outrigger.html
The difference with outriggers is that you sit up with your feet in front of you like in a marathon boat. Also don't get too comfortable about the stability of outriggers. It depends how you set the ama (sp). If you set it too aggressively the boats are pretty tippy
. Ever see a 43' long OC-6 outrigger flip 
?
I have swapped paddles with 'yakers & figured out how to roll with it. Just hold one blade as you would your t-grip
. It rolls very easily that way.
Craig, I saw a guy do a pirouette in a sea kayak . He was coming in & the wave was faster than he was. The wave lifted the stern & drove the bow down. The guy thought quickly enough to pull the cross-bow stroke to make it pirouette when he was vertical. Even if it was a 'yak, that was a cool move.
. A freind of mine has a Savage River solo outrigger canoe. It's 24' long, 13.5" wide, weighs 24lbs. & is pretty quick. http://www.savageriver.com/outrigger.htmlThe difference with outriggers is that you sit up with your feet in front of you like in a marathon boat. Also don't get too comfortable about the stability of outriggers. It depends how you set the ama (sp). If you set it too aggressively the boats are pretty tippy
. Ever see a 43' long OC-6 outrigger flip ?I have swapped paddles with 'yakers & figured out how to roll with it. Just hold one blade as you would your t-grip
. It rolls very easily that way.Craig, I saw a guy do a pirouette in a sea kayak
. He was coming in & the wave was faster than he was. The wave lifted the stern & drove the bow down. The guy thought quickly enough to pull the cross-bow stroke to make it pirouette when he was vertical. Even if it was a 'yak, that was a cool move.I tried puting a gyramax saddle in my CD Solstice HV.
I figured the 24" wide hull would be somewhat stable.
I didn't realize that the round bottom would force my knees to the center which was really uncomfortable as well as not very stable.
I was able to keep it up through a few power boat wakes but it felt like a moments inattention would guarantee a swim.
Paddled it for 3 hrs on the Sudbury River, took it home, took out the saddle and put back the buttpad.
Didn't get as far as thighstraps or rolling.
It would be interesting to try again with a flatter bottomed hull, maybe a hard chined boat.
Tommy
I figured the 24" wide hull would be somewhat stable.
I didn't realize that the round bottom would force my knees to the center which was really uncomfortable as well as not very stable.
I was able to keep it up through a few power boat wakes but it felt like a moments inattention would guarantee a swim.
Paddled it for 3 hrs on the Sudbury River, took it home, took out the saddle and put back the buttpad.
Didn't get as far as thighstraps or rolling.
It would be interesting to try again with a flatter bottomed hull, maybe a hard chined boat.
Tommy
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sbroam
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intention?
Certainly not enders! Just to go where I go now in the sea kayak - intracoastal water way, some exposed crossings, surf launches/landings. But to do it in the familiar mode, the one I can roll and brace and feel comfortable in. Of course, it needs to be fast and have some load hauling capability. If wind and breaking waves were not an issue, a canoe would do...Craig Smerda wrote:Scott ....what is your intention for this boat?
Can you imagine getting an old-school "ender" in a sea kayak?.... now there's one for the video collection...
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Maybe you know that Western Clipper makes a sea canoe, a little wider than sea kayaks but still fast. It appears to be for paddling in a sitting position, but could be changed for kneeling. Also, from the pictures, I can't figure out what the skirt arrangement is for the cockpit.
They also make a composite version of the Viper 12, so they must know something.
They also make a composite version of the Viper 12, so they must know something.