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Ravenswood or Vardo?


JPower210

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Hi All-

 

I am trying to decide between Vardo and Ravenswood.  I am an intermediate paddler, mostly doing sounds, etc. in coastal NC.  I am currently paddling a CLC 17, so I have a boat for camping, but do end up caught in some chop and boat wakes now and then.  I am about 200lbs with a size 11 shoe.  I am leaning towards the Ravenswood so that I have a shorter boat in the collection and it could be dedicated to day paddles.   I don't race, but I like to paddle fairly fast sometimes to make some distance.  I also spend a fair amount of time in the marshes where an extra two feed can sometimes be a hindrance.   Thoughts from folks that are familiar with both?

 

Thanks all!

 

JP

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I have not paddled both, but I have paddled lots of kayaks, including a few 20 footers (3 arm spans is a lot for a guy like me! :)), and I think the Ravenswood is right in the sweet spot.

Just like sailboats, the longer and bigger your kayak is, the less you use it. Usually.

That said, the vardo ain't all that much bigger and harder to move. I think a little lean and turn will get any of these boats turned quickly enough for any marsh exploration.

But, you said you already had a largish volume 17 footer.

Okay, I decided. Build a Ravenswood. ;)

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I am thinking more and more the castaway is the most versatile boat in the line. Even if you don't fish, you might like to camp or picnic or anything else you might do that you might want to carry stuff in a crate handily in a little corral in your little open cockpit kayak...

Plus, some people won't even get into a large coaming hole, so more people might could use it, too.

Maybe one day I'll get to finish my firefly, then I'll need to build another kayak...

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I am thinking more and more the castaway is the most versatile boat in the line. Even if you don't fish, you might like to camp or picnic or anything else you might do that you might want to carry stuff in a crate handily in a little corral in your little open cockpit kayak...

 

I've been thinking the same thing lately.  Castaway quickly went to the top of my "next" to build list weeks ago, but I got distracted by baby kayaks for the littlest of the household.  I'm a form follows function kind of guy though...

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Jeff- based on my description of use, is there another design of yours you would point me towards? 

 

I hesitate to make recommendations but I paddle the marshes up at Wallops Island when I teach up there so I am sure the waters are similar. I have taken a couple of boats up I like my Curlew in those areas. The Ravenswood was based on the Curlew hull and just more traditional styling so are so very similar.

 

As many as we have built in the classes I have never dared ask a student to let me paddle his/her new boat. We usually have to pry them out to get them to go home!

 

But I think it would be a good choice for those water.

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