Jump to content

Jeff - Curlew or Short Shot? Why + pros / cons?


Abyssdncr

Recommended Posts

Title was a pretty fair synopsis, but nonetheless...  Jeff, if you had to pick between Short Shot or Curlew (might as well throw in Ravenswood if you want), and that's the only boat you get to paddle for the next year - which one are you going to choose?  And, of course, why? (Ah heck, throw in whatever boat your want, it'll still make for good conversation...   :))

 

That said, what do the losing offering(s) have that the winner doesn't, and why didn't that sway your vote?  

 

I'm going to build one more kayak and then give up boats to go build an airplane.for the next 1-4 years.  Without adding any more spoiler alerts, I'd really like to know what you, as the designer and experimenter par excellence, find advantageous and why.

 

I'll spill my personal motivations and "what do you want to do with it" reasoning soon enough.  Regardless of the answer, I'm hanging my "last" build (for any reasonably foreseeable future, at least) on one of your designs.  Pat yourself on the back, you've earned it! ;)

 

As always, thanks!

B)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I could be happy with either one. I have narrowed my fleet down to a modified Curlew that I have had for a long time and a Short Shot.  I rotate between them depending on where I am going and who I am paddling with. Curlew is lighter because of the hard chines so less wood and it is shorter. That is a advantage in some locations. 

 

I like to paddle the Short Shot a little better. Its hard to say why because the differences are subtle and not something that you can explain. It is slight easier to paddle as in less resistance but again, very subtle.  Most people wouldn't really notice it unless you paddled one and then the other. But the longer length and extra weight are a draw back when tossing it on a roof of the car. Turning around in tight places in narrow creeks.

 

It would be a hard choice but I think if I had to pick one it would be the Ravenswood or Curlew, Ravenswood is very similar to Curlew and paddles the same just different styling. Since I paddle a variety of places and conditions I think the lightweight would win. But then again, I really like the way the Short Shot paddles. I think I could be happy with either one of them.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jeff,

Thanks for your reply. I've accumulated a number of yaks this past year - half built, half bought. What I'm missing is a faster-ish boat for me. Built three SOFs for the littles (Tadplole & 2 Kidyaks); bought two plastics for the bigger kids (Prodigy XS & Ocean Kayak Venus). Bulit / bought 2-3 that "fit" me, but none are very slippery ( FreeB, Wallops Island, Fusion 10, Perception Swifty 9.5, & Ocean Kayak Prowler).

I REALLY like the Prowler, especially for fishing (go figure...), and it's still quite maneuverable for its size...but it's a tank! I still want something quicker-ish for the river trips that isn't a royal PITA to toss on the topper racks.

I'm about to "finish" my first build project, a CLC S&G Wood Duck Double (really, I swear!), but it's an ugly SOB; I have absolutely no skill in varnishing... This will be nice for letting the littles tag along with me on the river (oh yeah, we just finalized their adoptions right after Christmas!), but I fully expect it to be a barge on th water, especially as loaded. I'd say I'll cry when the finish eventually (immediately) get scarred, but I'd be lying (my gorgeous bride already lost her grip on it maneuvering it through the house and the gunwale edge is already scraped..right through the accent paint stripe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

Supporting Members

Supporting Members can create Clubs, photo Galleries, don't see ads and make messing-about.com possible! Become a Supporting Member - only $12 for the next year. Pay by PayPal or credit card.




×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.