skin on frames

[Lbeale]

For those who own a Greenland skin-on-frame kayak, does your boat tend to weather cock? I've been reading reviews of skin-on-frames and am wondering how much of an issue it is with this design. I have also seen designs with detachable skegs and am wondering if this is a viable option.

Les

[EEL]

For those who own a Greenland skin-on-frame kayak, does your boat tend to weather cock? .... I have also seen designs with detachable skegs and am wondering if this is a viable option.

Question 1. Yes, but it is also my favorite, go to day boat.

Question 2. I don't think so.

I wrote a very detailed answer, but settled on above.

Suffice it to say there is no simple answer overall and it raises many issues.

If you are thinking of getting one, do it. You will not regret it.

Ed Lawson

[jdkilroy]

When you ask that question about weather cocking Leslie, are you actually meaning: weathercock excessively? I think many designs of kayaks whatever their construction are designed to wearthercock inherently as a means to control the craft in winds. This trait is usually tempered by changing the distribution of load, edging or using a skeg. I'm not sure why a SOF constructed boat should behave significantly different from a glass boat of the same design. That said, I have never paddled a SOF so I cannot speak from experience; only from a theoretical reference.

Ed, what is it that you like about your SOF that is different from a glss boat (aside from weight)?

Jon

[grl]

SOFs are NOT created equal. There are as many different SOF frame designs as there are hull designs of composite "sea kayaks" and each performs differently. The paddler's size and weight influences the performance of a SOF far more than it does a composite layup, and good fit is essential to good performance/control. Yes, they weathercock; some are evil and some are easy to deal with. It all depends on you and the design of the frame. External skegs are available for SOFs, and there are some paddlers that use them, but neither Ed nor I have ever used one.

If we are going to be at the same pool session, you can try mine. Email me at glawson@metrocast.net

Gail

[Brian Nystrom]

It all depends on how the boat is designed. Weathercocking is not a foregone conclusion on any kayak and SOFs are no different. A detachable skeg is certainly a viable option if the boat needs it, but if the boat is designed right and loaded properly, it won't be necessary.

[EEL]

Ed, what is it that you like about your SOF that is different from a glss boat (aside from weight)?

I don't know if I can articulate it appropriately. Obviously there are compromises and no doubt some cognitive dissonance is involved. However, the lighter weight is a large issue on and off the water. It makes the boat much more sensitive and "alive". This might in part be due to the flex which also makes it "softer" when in rough water. It is much quieter than a FG boat. These factors not only make the paddling experience nicer from an aesthetic point of view, but less tiring.

One way to describe it is the boat disappears or becomes an extension of yourself. You are traveling upon the water in a more direct manner and with a greater sensory input from the water. It is as if the boat responds to your will or thoughts without hesitation or any conscious effort. When I get in a FG boat, even one which is regarded as a responsive boat, I am immediately aware of the greater effort I must make to get the boat to do what I want and the delay between input and effect. Since you are closely fitted, but not uncomfortably confined, you learn to stay relaxed while paddling and that has many benefits.

Of course some of the things I like might be seen as negatives by another.

Ed Lawson

[Brian Nystrom]

While I can't speak directly about Ed's boat, one of the biggest differences with a custom-built SOF is the fit. It it literally tailored to the paddler and fits like a pair of well-broken-in jeans. Until you experience a boat that's fit like that, it's hard to appreciate the difference it makes in responsiveness.