This video is a perfect example of the negative effect that an undersized kayak with too little bow rocker has on downwave performance.
I’ve been expanding the size range on my LPB design and this is the prototype of the new 125 pound size. It has 1/2 inch less bow rocker than it should have had (and which I put into the plan version).
Normally this kayak is ‘fast and floaty’ down wave and you can keep it on line with edge turns paddling normally and with edge turns combined with sweeps when surfing; but as you can see in this video it’s pretty sluggish getting onto a wave and immediately broaches, maneuvering like absolute crap.
Like all of my modern skin on frame kayaks, it doesn’t weathercock even a tiny bit but this is still far from what I would consider acceptable kayak performance.
Part of the problem here is that I’m just overloading it. It’s not designed for my weight and at 170 pounds it’s sitting low in the water and that combined the bow rocker, combined with being a pretty weak paddler (I have a chronic illness) makes it a pretty miserable ride.
This is why with the exception of my traditional Greenland Kayaks I’m never going to be a fan of the “low volume” boat trend: anything a low volume kayak can do for you a properly sized sea kayak can do much better.
My properly sized version is only a half inch wider with a little more bow rocker, but the difference in handling is like night and day. That kayak is out on loan right now but once it gets back here I’ll make a video to show you the difference.
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