G
Guest
Guest
I'm going to make some sensitive comments here, so bear with me... I don't want a battle to start but I'm darn confused...
I'm having some trouble really understanding why the symmetric Eagle/Northstar canoe seems to do much better in wind and waves than, a similar, yet asymmetric Keewaydin. Most will contest that the modern design will be better all around. I keep finding the opposite.
I thought part of the issue may have been an adjustable bow slider vs. a fixed bow seat causing weight ballast issues.
I had a chance to paddle in some pretty heavy wind and waves this past weekend and tried a lot of different stuff with the bow slider. It worked out, in every case, that the position we had always been using was the best. That is, the most weight off the bow.
Now here's where I lose it. Same two humans, in the same positions yet the Eagle has the seat fixed farther forward.
The other big difference is weight and material. Eagle is glass, Kee is Kev. There is about a 25lb difference in weight as well as a noticeable difference in stiffness. Compared to our body weights, 25lbs seems pretty negligible. Is it possible it is just extra flex in the hull that is really contributing to it's darty, or drifty behavior in the wind and waves?
I've paddled a Carbon/Kev Eagle is some pretty good chop on a demo and I didn't notice much of what I experience in the Kee, but it was a short paddle, so maybe I just didn't notice it.
My theory thus far has been the asymmetry causing unbalanced forces on the bow and stern from the wind, as well forces from the water due to rocker differences. It may be quite possible that it is just easier for ME, in the stern, to correct those movements due to less stick. But I'm still a bit baffled by the fact that adding more weight to the front of the Kee makes it worse while the bow seating position is more forward on the Eagle. I would maybe have expected the opposite.
I also had the chance to talk to a couple last year who were renting a Kee. I don't know what their paddling experience is but I distinctly remember the comment that they didn't like the way the boat tracked. I didn't have a ton of experience with the boat at that time in windy conditions, so I didn't put much stock into what they said... I had never noticed it myself.
The classic line I hear these days is that assymetric boats track better than symmetric ones. I could see that being the case in calm water, but is it true in rough water as well? Or is there something else at play here?
I'm having some trouble really understanding why the symmetric Eagle/Northstar canoe seems to do much better in wind and waves than, a similar, yet asymmetric Keewaydin. Most will contest that the modern design will be better all around. I keep finding the opposite.
I thought part of the issue may have been an adjustable bow slider vs. a fixed bow seat causing weight ballast issues.
I had a chance to paddle in some pretty heavy wind and waves this past weekend and tried a lot of different stuff with the bow slider. It worked out, in every case, that the position we had always been using was the best. That is, the most weight off the bow.
Now here's where I lose it. Same two humans, in the same positions yet the Eagle has the seat fixed farther forward.
The other big difference is weight and material. Eagle is glass, Kee is Kev. There is about a 25lb difference in weight as well as a noticeable difference in stiffness. Compared to our body weights, 25lbs seems pretty negligible. Is it possible it is just extra flex in the hull that is really contributing to it's darty, or drifty behavior in the wind and waves?
I've paddled a Carbon/Kev Eagle is some pretty good chop on a demo and I didn't notice much of what I experience in the Kee, but it was a short paddle, so maybe I just didn't notice it.
My theory thus far has been the asymmetry causing unbalanced forces on the bow and stern from the wind, as well forces from the water due to rocker differences. It may be quite possible that it is just easier for ME, in the stern, to correct those movements due to less stick. But I'm still a bit baffled by the fact that adding more weight to the front of the Kee makes it worse while the bow seating position is more forward on the Eagle. I would maybe have expected the opposite.
I also had the chance to talk to a couple last year who were renting a Kee. I don't know what their paddling experience is but I distinctly remember the comment that they didn't like the way the boat tracked. I didn't have a ton of experience with the boat at that time in windy conditions, so I didn't put much stock into what they said... I had never noticed it myself.
The classic line I hear these days is that assymetric boats track better than symmetric ones. I could see that being the case in calm water, but is it true in rough water as well? Or is there something else at play here?
Last edited: