I launched my new boat today!

[Wraithwrider]

I picked up the new boat yesterday, all bright and shiny with everything done to my personal specification.

It was a bit rough to launch at St Bees so a detour to Derwent Water was planned in today. There was ice on the water's edge!

For those of you into sea kayaking she's a Valley Avocet with fitted footpump and strum box, doughnut bulkhead and compass. There's a diolen strip on the keel too!

Fot those of you not into sea kayaking it's a yellow canoe!

And a once only never to be repeated shot of Wraithwrider and his other pride and joy:

It's got great secondary stability and edges and turns like a dream. It has a very low rear deck so rolling was really easy but the ice cream headache that came with it wasn't so good

My lady got flumoxed by the digital camera (my fault) so all on water/upside down photos are taken with my friends film camera.

A great fun day, lots of beautiful sunshine and now I'm totally knackered

 

[CONDORPILOT]

"A bit rough" surely thats why you got one with the turny up sharp bit at the front as opposed to one of the wee short flat stumpy ones
Seriously Lovely boat..thinking of selling off windsurfing kit and getting back into Kayaking some great places to paddle up here on the west coast.
Got a website for your supplier WRAITHWRIDER?
Assume its GRP as opposed to Pvc type

 

[Wraithwrider]

I bought the boat from Knoydart in Keswick. They are one of the few specialist sea kayaking shops around, there's one in Perth I think though.

http://www.knoydart.co.uk/

To be honest it was just the launching that would have been difficult today - didn't fancy trashing the boat trying to be brave!

I must get my plastic fantastics out for some exercise too!

Ahh, found that other website:

http://www.kayak.co.uk/boats/sea.htm

Peter

 

[CONDORPILOT]

Thanks Peter This will give me some additional web time viewing if I can beat the kids onto it.
Memories of the first boat I made at night school with my dad..a Strand Glass "Pawnee" I think.
£30 all in..Ottersports lifejacket and paddle included in the price...indestructable and weighed a ton!

 

[Rob Farmer]

Always liked sea kayaks but never had one. I used to take my White Water kayak off the Lincolnshire coast but it was fecking hard work compared to having the right bit of kit...Unfortunatly with the weight I've put on over the past couple of years i'd only fit in a canadian canoe now