Wrong, wrong, wrong!

I recently picked up the June copy of Sea Kayaker Magazine. Sea Kayker is always an interesting magazine. I rate it just behind Ocean Paddler, and Adventure Kayak on my lists of favourite kayaking magazines.

While flipping through the issue I notice something odd in one of the photos of the Eskimo 16 CRX 3G DX. One of the lines that controls the rudder extends across the starboard side of the cock pit and appears to be cleated down just to the right of the forward section of the cock pit. I immediately thought entanglement.

But not one word was mentioned about it in the entire article. Very strange. At the very least the line is going to interfere with putting on a spray deck. Even stranger was the reference to being able to store a split, or two piece paddle inside the hatches. Wow!

What's that about. If you break or lose your primary paddle, you're going to wet exit, pull off a hatch cover and pull out your paddle. No coach I know would endorse such a foolish practise. That's just nuts.

Even if the paddler is part of a group pulling off forward and aft hatches at sea is a risky operation. Never put your spare paddle inside a hatch.

The only time anyone would want to do such a silly thing would be if they did not want to carry the paddle in the car on the way to and from the launch.

Finally to the third Wrong. Recently I was up to Comox Valley Kayak and had a quick look (too quick it seems) at the new plastic Romany S from Sea Kayaking UK, formally known as NDK. I erroneously reported that the forward and aft bulk heads appeared to be welded into place. They are not. I got it wrong. If you want to publicly flail me you can do so the next time you see me on the water. But, you can only do so if you can pull a spare paddle out of your hatch without leaving your boat.