I haven't done a seakayak tour before, though I've paddled quite a bit
for decades. But I'm going to do a modest one with short legs up at
the Straits of Mackinaw, Michigan, next week.
I own a Seda Glider (a woodstrip version of one, anyway) and have been
borrowing a Valley Pintail. What different boats, huh? : )
I'll paddle the 3.5 mi hop from St. Ignace to Mack Is. then the less-
than-a-mile hops over to Round Is and Bois Blanc Is. and around parts
of their coastlines. I'll be carrying a light load, 20 lbs. I'm 6',
175#.
If it's bad weather I won't go but the Straits have sizeable swells.
The Seda would make short work of the distances. The Pintail seems
more at home in the swells. I like the wave friendliness of the
Pintail but dislike it's stodginess for pace. Also, this is an
Expedition layup model---darn, must be 80# empty. The long Seda is a
fair bit lighter and can hold more of a load and would paddle any load
with less notice.
My main thing is that I'm wondering how the Seda will do in the
Straits swells. It's known for "stability" but with no rocker I
personally can't quite tell how this is---seems like it would be a bit
of a log ba****ng thru the waves. I've done plenty of flatwater
raceboat (of several kinds) paddling in waves and things don't always
seem what I'd call "stable." I haven't tipped over in years, though,
and can easily keep anything upright. I've mostly paddled the Seda on
a lake and only paddled it in sizeable waves once. I'm not sure I'd
call it wave-friendly. It seems like it required more attention. I'd
really like to get to know it better, though. It's a great boat, a
real character boat this one. I'd rather paddle it---but the Pintail
seems to my hunches to be much more wave-friendly, if half as fast.
I've finally gotten my roll down, thanks to the Pintail---I had a good
"breakthru." I'd been shaky with the roll in the Glider previously but
I'm going to try it again now and I think I'll be fine with it. I've
been fine on the paddlefloat re-entries with the Glider (and Pintail,
too). For the next week I'll practice in both boats.
Wonder which I should take on the tour...
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