Comments on: 8 Easy Ways to Go Lighter http://www.paddlinglight.com/articles/technique/8-easy-ways-to-go-lighter/ Lightweight canoe and kayak travel Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:32:42 +0000 hourly 1 By: Bryan Hansel http://www.paddlinglight.com/articles/technique/8-easy-ways-to-go-lighter/#comment-197 Bryan Hansel Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:11:48 +0000 http://www.paddlinglight.com/?p=1121#comment-197 I agree, racing can be a different ball game, but Rob Mack was relating that to building touring kayaks. Really, it's about paddling your own paddle. I agree, racing can be a different ball game, but Rob Mack was relating that to building touring kayaks.

Really, it’s about paddling your own paddle.

]]> By: Seth Dent http://www.paddlinglight.com/articles/technique/8-easy-ways-to-go-lighter/#comment-196 Seth Dent Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:28:01 +0000 http://www.paddlinglight.com/?p=1121#comment-196 Racing is a different ball game. Those designers build the boat to be paddled empty. The aspect of handling is where I feel a loaded boat excels. I don't like the way an empty boat gets tossed about the waves. A loaded boat feels more predictable. However, I will say that I am a light guy (150lbs, 6') so that may be why I like a loaded boat better. Glad to have some paddling debate :-) Racing is a different ball game. Those designers build the boat to be paddled empty. The aspect of handling is where I feel a loaded boat excels. I don’t like the way an empty boat gets tossed about the waves. A loaded boat feels more predictable. However, I will say that I am a light guy (150lbs, 6′) so that may be why I like a loaded boat better.

Glad to have some paddling debate :-)

]]> By: Bryan Hansel http://www.paddlinglight.com/articles/technique/8-easy-ways-to-go-lighter/#comment-194 Bryan Hansel Fri, 20 Feb 2009 01:31:05 +0000 http://www.paddlinglight.com/?p=1121#comment-194 In my experience, a heavier boat does perform worse, and that experience is reflected in the numbers and by kayak designers. In a recent remark kayak designer Rob Mack, he said, "Every racer knows the lightest boat takes the least energy to paddle and maneuver." The context he used this remark in was in a discussion on why he tries to build his boats as light as he can. To me, that pretty much sums it up. A couple of years ago, after a long online discussion about this topic, I went out, ran a few tests with my kayak loaded, unloaded, keeping my cadence the same for some of the tests, and heart rate the same for others, I found that an unloaded boat is by far faster. My subjective opinion is that in lumpy conditions, I make better ground in a lighter kayak, because I can correct for the waves easier. At some point, directionally stability may effect efficiency, but since most sea kayaks draft only 1/8" to 1/4" different for each 25 pounds, and the loss in efficiency from the loss of directional stability is so much lower than the loss of efficiency from extra displacement the trade off isn't worth it. John Winters in the Shape of the Canoe writes a bit on this topic. The reason that I lighten my boat is for better performance on the water and if I'm canoeing, which I haven't done much of in the last few years, it's nice on the portage also. I don't consider that lost sight. :) In my experience, a heavier boat does perform worse, and that experience is reflected in the numbers and by kayak designers. In a recent remark kayak designer Rob Mack, he said, “Every racer knows the lightest boat takes the least energy to paddle and maneuver.” The context he used this remark in was in a discussion on why he tries to build his boats as light as he can. To me, that pretty much sums it up.

A couple of years ago, after a long online discussion about this topic, I went out, ran a few tests with my kayak loaded, unloaded, keeping my cadence the same for some of the tests, and heart rate the same for others, I found that an unloaded boat is by far faster.

My subjective opinion is that in lumpy conditions, I make better ground in a lighter kayak, because I can correct for the waves easier.

At some point, directionally stability may effect efficiency, but since most sea kayaks draft only 1/8″ to 1/4″ different for each 25 pounds, and the loss in efficiency from the loss of directional stability is so much lower than the loss of efficiency from extra displacement the trade off isn’t worth it. John Winters in the Shape of the Canoe writes a bit on this topic.

The reason that I lighten my boat is for better performance on the water and if I’m canoeing, which I haven’t done much of in the last few years, it’s nice on the portage also. I don’t consider that lost sight. :)

]]> By: Seth Dent http://www.paddlinglight.com/articles/technique/8-easy-ways-to-go-lighter/#comment-193 Seth Dent Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:17:53 +0000 http://www.paddlinglight.com/?p=1121#comment-193 I agree with the notion of lightening your load when paddling and simplifying you gear, but the statement "but a heavier boat perform worse on the water" is simply not true. In a loaded sea kayak, the boat handles better. Now, there are limitations. A sea kayak with 150 lbs of gear will not paddle very well, but an empty sea kayak will not paddle as well as one that has 50 lbs. of gear in it. Those are the facts. A boat may even be faster once it has been loaded with gear. Sea kayaks are designed to be loaded down. If you paddle the boat empty, it will ride higher in the water than what the designer intended. With that being said, I agree with all of the gear suggestions that you made. I love my OR Helium dry bags, I have used MSR's PocketRocket numerous times, and I repackage food relentlessly. However, people lose sight of the fact that the reason you lighten your load is for the portage. I agree with the notion of lightening your load when paddling and simplifying you gear, but the statement “but a heavier boat perform worse on the water” is simply not true. In a loaded sea kayak, the boat handles better. Now, there are limitations. A sea kayak with 150 lbs of gear will not paddle very well, but an empty sea kayak will not paddle as well as one that has 50 lbs. of gear in it. Those are the facts.

A boat may even be faster once it has been loaded with gear. Sea kayaks are designed to be loaded down. If you paddle the boat empty, it will ride higher in the water than what the designer intended.

With that being said, I agree with all of the gear suggestions that you made. I love my OR Helium dry bags, I have used MSR’s PocketRocket numerous times, and I repackage food relentlessly. However, people lose sight of the fact that the reason you lighten your load is for the portage.

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