BALLAST
Some boats feel more stable when weighted down with gear, and some track better when lower in the water. For day paddling it makes no sense to pack your tent and pots and pans aboard just to improve your ride. So, a local fellow came up with the Paddlers Partner tm, a portable and adjustable method of trimming or adding ballast to the boat. First you insert the bracket (athwart ship) shown above. This one is in a NDK Greenlander's day hatch. Next...
add the bottle which locks into place (so I am told) with or without the (optional) ball bearings. And, there you have it. I am told by users that it stays in place, even when rolling; and it is never permanently attached. You may want to give it a try.Paddle safe...
DS
7 comments:
I agree that most boats will handle better ballasted. I think the ballast is better placed low at the sides, next to your butt as opposed to in the center.
Tony ;-)
I see your point, however that would require two weights. I would welcome a discussion on that...as I don't know. I think I will try Carl's system in my Cetus if it doesn't calm down :)
Silbs, I find some kayaks to be more stable with weight added.
My rather narrow and round hull on the Seabird Designs is a good candidate for some "added weight" while the Impex Assateague does not feel any more "stable" with ballast.
While I found the Seabird very tippy initially, after a year in it, it has "settled down" a fair bit :-)
If I want a calmer ride I add a water bladder (10 liters) that is anchored to the hull's bottom so it does not move around when rolling.
Silbs, the weight in the center will help some but placed low at the sides, the ballast will act as counterweight and will be more effective, especially in active water.
Tony :-)
I get the splitting the weight to the sides. Intuitively, it should make for a stable ride. I also like the use of water for ballast. One could empty the container and fill it as much as needed at the launch site. The BB pellets are not as flexible an option. thanks guys.
From Carl who makes it: I have found the paddlingpartner is most effective when it is centered in the back hatch immediately behind the cockpit. It gives me the stability to go out in conditions that are more challenging. I like the fact that I can adjust the weight of the ballast system by adjusting the weight I put in the canister. This option allows me to adjust the weight of the paddlingpartner for different conditions, the wind, wave height and wind direction.. The paddlingpartner can also be used to adjust the waterline of the kayak. This allows the kayaker to get the optimal performance out of his or her kayak
Interesting idea indeed. Now I'm contemplating tinkering around with my Epic Endurance a bit more.
http://bit.ly/detroitkayak
Post a Comment