Tom and I took an F1 and the new river boat down to the water today for more testing. The tugboat waves were way too small to surf but that didn’t stop us from trying! Note: I added GPS speed data to some of these clips and left the sound on so you can hear our real commentary.
In spaces narrower than a paddle length, The F1 (shown in the beginning) works a lot better because it holds its course and I can make corrections with edge turns. The river boat on the other hand wants to veer like a white water boat and there’s no room to make the necessary corrective strokes.
The two kayaks are totally different despite having almost identical decks. The F1 has a lovely smoothness in the water and tracks straight until you want it not to, responding aggressively to edge turns. The river boat takes a little more effort to keep on course but can spin on a dime although it has no response whatsoever to edging and won’t track unattended. Speed is completely acceptable for both kayaks making for an easier than usual 3.5 to 4 mph cruising pace, but really starting to drag once you approach 5 mph. The F1 isn’t much faster but I do think it has a nicer paddling feel.
My gut feeling is that unless there’s some reason I need the maneuverability (basically white water rapids) I would still rather be in an F1, but it’s early days and my opinions on things change with every trip. The big test will be filling this with gear and taking it on whitewater.
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