Well . . . I have a slightly different take on Kayaking . . . I've had them
aboard in the Pacific Northwest, Northern and Southern California and New
England . . . They are on of my favorite means of exploring . . . . I also
bring mountain bikes whenever possible.

I tow Kayaks at high speed all the time . . . well behind my dink at upwards
of 20 mph . . . . there are two tricks - tow them fairly far back and
careful slowing down . . . a dink slows much faster than a kayak . . . slow
down gradually, come off plane . . and then give then as they approach abit
of throttle and you are good . . . with a bit of practice it works like a
charm . . . wakes can be a bit tricky as well but near perpendicular
crossings make it work nicely . . . This extends my kayak range by miles .
. . and sometimes I drop the kayaks and crew off somewhere and they return
on the tide . . . If you can't get the hang of towing . . Kayaks come with
skirts and "plugs" cockpit covers with no holes . . . these are great for on
deck storage as well a towing. They keep the water out and on deck keep all
the goodies that can be stored in them orderly and out of the way - noodles,
fishing poles, paddles . . .

Sit-on-top kayaks are great in rough surf where it is really warm. . . no
place for lunch etc . . . and you really have to want to be part of the
experience . . .been there done that and moved on . . .

Inflatable kayaks in my opinion are a very bad choice because of windage . .
.unlike other kayaks sometimes you simply can't paddle where you want to go
because of the wind . . . and they can be exhausting even in a light wind .
. . there is enough uncertainty in adventuring without wondering if they are
going to blow off the beach, get holed in brush or not get you home through
high wind or surf . . .

the best solution I have found . . . but have been unable to purchase are
featherlight kayaks . . . a combo of a kleper type design with an inflatable
. . . very rigid . . . low profile . . . good in the wind . . stiff, track
well . . . sea worthy . . . all around a great performer except . . . it
takes 45-60 minutes to assemble . . . they do fold up into a backpack sized
unit . . . definitely the next generation but with their problems . . . In
my

Humble opinion Kayaks with rudders not just skegs perform significantly
better, are more seaworthy, easier to use and in my view safer . . . been
there done that and love it!

As for landing on beaches . . . well a dingy with large flip down wheels
will trump getting ashore in surf in a kayak every time . . . as with all
things it requires a bit I of practice and being flight of foot helps . . .

Other than these minor difference I agree with Harvey about safety equipment
and the joys and adventure . . .

We get in and out of the kayaks via the swim ladder all the time as . .
tricky in a good swell . . but then we use the dink as a dock . . .

Happy Easter . . . . best Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-baba-l@ballreich.net [mailto:owner-baba-l@ballreich.net] On
Behalf Of Harvey J. Karten
Sent: Sunday, April 08, 2007 2:39 PM
To: baba-l@ballreich.net
Subject: [Baba-L] P.S. But I don't recommend towing a kayak

Hi Don,
Several other thoughts come to mind.

1) DO NOT TOW A KAYAK. If it is a "sit-inside", it will fill and drag your
boat until you lose it completely. A kayak really isn't designed to be towed

at the speed of a "fast moving" (Ha, ha) sailboat. You will probably pull
out the attachment point. If filled with water, you will definitely pull it
out.
Might not be too bad with a sit-atop. A decent double kayak can weigh about
80-90 pounds when empty. You should plan on hoisting it onto the deck. I
haven't seen it in practice, but the Garhauer kayak rack doesn't seem like a

sensible way to store a kayak. A boarding sea is likely to rip off the
brackets and sweep away the kayak. Might also rip out your stanchions and
lifelines.
2) Consider an inflatable kayak. West Marine markets a single and a double
that is re-branded. Can't remember the name of the actual manufacturer, but
it is of very good quality. You can convert the double to a single so that
it provides proper balance in each configuration. Stores easily on deck or
in the lazarette.
3) If you choose a single or a double, hard or soft, consider adding
stabilizing sponsons - air chambers that attach to each side. Provides
additional buoyancy and reduces "tippiness". Even highly experienced
kayakers can have problems boarding from a sit-inside onto a sailboat when
the waters become turbulent. The advantage of a sit-on kayak is that it has
a good deal of buoyancy. It's a bit more stable than the sit-inside units,
but not as easy to paddle for hours on end when exploring. However, center
of gravity is higher, and you will be much colder in the Pacific NW than
with a sit-inside kayak.

A well designed kayak can haul about 250 pounds of gear in addition to the
kayaker. That is quite substantial, and groceries in a dry bag in the
compartments are more likely to survive a dumping in the surf than in a
dinghy. A kayak, with practice, might be much better when landing on a beach

with moderate surf than a dinghy.
A kayak provides essential exercise, goes where you point it, you are
looking forward as you paddle - unlike a rowing dinghy. It is quiet, and
provides a great sense of solitude and satisfaction.
The only drawback is that it is difficult to carry a cello, piano or
accordion on a kayak. Stick with a safety whistle or a piccolo.

Get a really good paddle and a life jacket that is comfortable. NEVER use an

inflatable PDF in a kayak. Carry a bailing pump, sponge, and spare paddle.
Wear a helmet when you are going through surf.
Take a class in paddling and self rescue methods.
Practice entering the kayak and then getting back on the sailboat on a warm
day, with a wetsuit, and close enough to the beach so that if you have
trouble you can rest on land.

Amongst the many wonderful aspects of kayaking is that you can get much
closer to wildlife by paddling upwind of birds and otters, and then sit
absolutely still as the wind carries you downwind towards the birds. If you
have a kayak with a rudder controllable with foot paddles, you can steer
towards the waterbirds without alarming them. We have paddled amongst killer

whales and they will come within a few feet of you.
regards,
Harvey
----- Original Message -----
From: "Harvey J. Karten" <hjkarten@ucsd.edu>
To: <baba-l@ballreich.net>
Sent: Sunday, April 08, 2007 10:33 AM
Subject: Re: [Baba-L] Tenders, Dingys, and Kayaks

> Hi Don,
> Getting into and out of a kayak from a double ended sailboat is not
> trivial. You will need a stabilizing platform, possibly made of canvas
> that you can attach to the stanchions/caprail. If you are interested in
> the design I'm dreaming up, let me know.
>
> But kayaks are absolutely the best way to explore quiet little coves in
> the Pacific NW.
> regards,
> Harvey
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Don Van Valkenburg" <valkenburg@verizon.net>
> To: <baba-l@ballreich.net>
> Sent: Sunday, April 08, 2007 9:56 AM
> Subject: [Baba-L] Tenders, Dingys, and Kayaks
>
>
>>I don't have a tender for my Baba, and I am thinking of perhaps a kayak.
>>Any thoughts, besides the obvious that a kayak is smaller and could at
>>best hold two (if you got a two person kayak)? I am thinking it might be
>>more streamline in the water for pulling behind. For now my boat will be
>>in and around the Puget Sound.
>> Don
>>
>>
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Received on Sun Apr 8 13:38:09 2007