We had an extremely successful wrap test of the new 250 pound size F1 frame. This version is 15‘8“ long and 25 inches wide (but paddles like it’s 23 because of my hull shape) and the paddler is 6’5” 265 lbs. The extra 15 pounds is useful because it shows me what this kayak will look like on the water at its final weight with the paddler, dressed in paddling gear.
I couldn’t be happier with what I’m seeing here, the trim is perfect, and the kayak was noticeably faster and more maneuverable than the same paddler in the 275 pound version. This is NOT to say that smaller boats are better, but rather that perfect sizing allows you to minimize wetted surface area which translates into less drag and more maneuverability.
Every boatbuilding technology has advantages and disadvantages but sizing and iteration are massive advantages in skin on frame if one is just willing to put the time in to figure it out.
For example, if kayaks were shoes most kayaks would come in a size 9 and may be a size 7 and 11 if you’re lucky. And yes, you can put on a bunch of socks to fit into a size 11 or force your poor foot into a size 7, But if you’re not gonna have nearly the running experience, you could with an ideal fit. I was really blown away by the difference between the 1.10 scale F1 and this 1.14 scale F1 with the same paddler.
Thank you again to Brian for coming down to help us with testing these larger sizes. I’ll get a skin on this within a couple weeks and post some video. I will probably have this version and the 275 pounds size available as plans within a month. It’s extremely rare that I put a prototype on the water that needs no additional work, so I’m pretty stoked here. The frame on this one also weighs 3.5 lbs less than the 275 which is nice.
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