Got a Yak ......at last
Sept 12, 2006 17:54:30 GMT -1
Post by clouser on Sept 12, 2006 17:54:30 GMT -1
Well it's happend ..........i finally got my Yak 
It had to be a compromise, room for Wife or Grandson had to be allowed for.....so after much looking on the web and at Kayak shops, i eventually opted for a FeelFree Gemini.
This is slightly different from the Perception Gemini.
Early days for me , so i can't make an informed or expert judgement yet.....It floats , doesn't topple me out, seems easy to paddle...so far so good.
At 12' 9" x 32" and 57 lbs it would seem to be managable .....except when you try to hump the damn thing up on the roof of a Discovery.....arkward , slippery little sucker doesn't quite seem enough to describe the slapstic comedy of me trying to get it there, while the wife stood by laughing, untill i gave up and asked for help.
The fun started when i tried using a broom handle as an outrigger ..........seemed to be holding , but as i hoisted the rear in the air...the bugger would fall off at the front.
Anyway i'm afloat and i /we enjoyed the experience...but allready i can see more expenditure on the horizon...
How long before i get something sleeker/faster ......solo...., more suited to fishing or play ....i can see at least two more kayaks might be needed ! ;D
And in between i gotta get better at paddling......we were on the water at least two hours and had alot of fun, but except for the odd hundred yards or so in a straight line the rest of the time was spent paddling in a series of arks (not quite circles) each ark curving a different way to compensate.
And alot of the time we would clash paddles, which really slows you up.
Further exploits will follow as i progress or not with the Yak.
Got a few pics, but as the wife started taking them.... the camera packed up !
going out
coming back
Dave
It had to be a compromise, room for Wife or Grandson had to be allowed for.....so after much looking on the web and at Kayak shops, i eventually opted for a FeelFree Gemini.
This is slightly different from the Perception Gemini.
Early days for me , so i can't make an informed or expert judgement yet.....It floats , doesn't topple me out, seems easy to paddle...so far so good.
At 12' 9" x 32" and 57 lbs it would seem to be managable .....except when you try to hump the damn thing up on the roof of a Discovery.....arkward , slippery little sucker doesn't quite seem enough to describe the slapstic comedy of me trying to get it there, while the wife stood by laughing, untill i gave up and asked for help.
The fun started when i tried using a broom handle as an outrigger ..........seemed to be holding , but as i hoisted the rear in the air...the bugger would fall off at the front.
Anyway i'm afloat and i /we enjoyed the experience...but allready i can see more expenditure on the horizon...
How long before i get something sleeker/faster ......solo...., more suited to fishing or play ....i can see at least two more kayaks might be needed ! ;D
And in between i gotta get better at paddling......we were on the water at least two hours and had alot of fun, but except for the odd hundred yards or so in a straight line the rest of the time was spent paddling in a series of arks (not quite circles) each ark curving a different way to compensate.
And alot of the time we would clash paddles, which really slows you up.
Further exploits will follow as i progress or not with the Yak.
Got a few pics, but as the wife started taking them.... the camera packed up !
going out
coming back
Dave
