From: tkaczuk.apple.com (Rick Donnelly)
Newsgroups: rec.boats.paddle
Subject: Re: Choosing a SeaKayak: Spectrum S?
Date: 13 Apr 92 16:36:34 GMT
Organization: Apple

In article <1992Apr10.214037.1@hamp.hampshire.edu>, ycheah@hamp.hampshire.edu writes:
> 
> I am thinking of buying a sea kayak. My situation is as follows:
> 
> 	I am presently in Bar Harbor, Maine. and I plan to use this boat I buy
> for paddling in lakes and the sea around here. This boat will be a single
> seater. I don't plan to do trips longer than 2 days. Since I most probably
> won't be paddling in groups, is there a boat that is "safer" than others? I
> have had previosu experience in white water kayaking using a Dancer in CLass3-4
> comfortably. I have also extensive open water experience in a fiberglass kayak
> of unkown make paddling in Malaysian waters (read "Real warm waters"). Given my
> planned use, and my previous experience, what would be a good boat for me to
> get? I have donw a 4 day trip in a Chinook and liked it. I feel that the
> Chinook tracks well to the point that it is a pain to steer. I also feel that
> it might be geared more toward a multi day expedition which I won't be doing. I
> am now looking at Aquaterra's Spectrum S. Is that a good boat? I didn't, and
> won't, get to try it out. Also, I cannot find any other brands around here. Are
> there any other boats (I am sure there are) equivalent to the Spectrum? If
> there are, how do they compare? What are the critical safety equipment I should
> get together with the boat? I am planning on a partial wet suit (just the top).
> Is that enough? As you can tell, cold is a big problem for me. I was brought u
> in warmer waters. :-)
> 
> Any, and all, responses are most welcome.
> 
> Yin-chai
> 
Yin-chai,

I haven't any experience with the Spectrum, but I think you should try more boats
before making any decision. It is really important that the boat you buy fit both
your body, the expected conditions you will be in, and your own expectations for a
boat. You would do well to rent a few (many outfitters will take some of the rental
costs out of the price of the boat if you let them know you are interested. I 
imagine that some will even let you try several boats out before buying - twice a
month, Monterey Bay Kayaks does this here in Calif., there must be others as well).

As to the safety issues you raise, I strongly recommend that you either use a full
wet suit or a dry suit when paddling. It may seem expensive and unwieldly to dess 
in this fashion, but after a few minutes exposure to 45-55 degree water, you'll 
really appreciate this. Since you mention that cold is an issue for you, I strongly
make this recommendation. Cold water immersion (especially if you are paddling 
alone) is tremendously likely to be fatal - don't take unnecessary chances. When I
paddle in Calif. coastal waters (temperatures between 49-55 - depending on location
rather than time of year - I've never seen it over 55) , I wear the following for
warmth:

1/8" farmer john
Capilene shirt beneath
Wool Sweater
Spray jacket
GoreTex/Pile Hat (strange ugly hat from Outdoor Research - I love it)

On hot days, I may strip down to the capilene or, more often, roll the boat. It is
amazing how quickly one can cool off that way. Fortunately, hot days on the Calif.
coast are fairly rare. To quote Mark Twain - "The coldest winter I ever felt was
the summer I spent in San Francisco." Most of our northern coast is cool, foggy, and
often windy. In any case, I recommend similar thermal protection, for the water off
Maine is pretty chilly most of the year (or so I hear). By the way, I wear all this
gear even though when I was younger, I used to play for hours in the water in the
beaches. I am not very succeptible to cold, but I am conservative and dress for it
anyway.

Rick
 
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