wisenber

The new site rendered fine on my Samsung Note 3. Fairly quick too.

There is not set rocker, each design is different. Off the top of my head I don't remember what each boat has but the new Short Shot, Long Shot and Firefly will be closest to what you have in mind. I am very impressed with the new Short Shot and I am about to start a new boat based of it with some minor changes. The new design is going to have a retractable skeg. I have been working on this idea off and on for at least two years and finally have it to a where I am happy with the design. I don't like rudders. They just complicate a simple design, but I understand the advantage in certain conditions. That is why I am working on the drop down skeg. As for changing the design I offer no support for modifications. When you start making changes I have no control or idea of what you will do so I have no idea what the results will be. it is no longer my boat, but a new boat. Your changes could do nothing and it could be deadly, so I have had to adopt a 'you are own your own when you change it" policy. Jeff, Thanks for your reply. I definitely understand your position on any modifications to your designs. The Long Shot and the Firefly do look like the closest match to what I was mentioning. The jpeg files you use on Kudzucraft.com appear to indicate the amount of rocker, but I cannot make out the numbers on the bow and stern when it is blown up. Do both of those have 2-3 inches of rocker already? If so, I think it's pretty much what I had in mind rocker wise. I also understand the desire to avoid rudders. That being said, I know that when I was paddling on the Gulf with 20 knot winds, using a rudder to maintain course allowed me to focus on forward strokes rather than corrective strokes or leans. A rudder may reduce speed, but I find corrective strokes and leans to take away more than a rudder. I'm not claiming to be "right" as much as saying that I prefer to focus on a forward stroke and moving forward given a choice. Rudders don't tend to help win any beauty contests, but they do help.

A few months ago, I posted a "which Kudzu is best for me" thread. Since then, I've been paddling more open water ocean along with other types of water. I've paddled in an old Dagger Seeker sea kayak, my Folbot Greenland II and even a Wave Sport crossover. That experience has helped me fine tune my notion of what I'd like in a kayak. I'd like something in the Fast Sea Kayak range or a Sea Kayak that is nearly a FSK. QCC and Epic seem to be the hardshells of choice for such endeavors. Both make rather fast and comparatively stable watercraft with ample storage for longer trips out. In just looking at the lines and measurements, the Long Shot and Firefly look like they are pretty close to what I'd like, but i do have a coupe of questions. How much rocker do most of the Kudzu Craft designs have? I don't mean rake or overhang but actual rocker. The reason that I ask is that I've looked at the QCC and Epic designer statements and they both promote a fair amount of rocker with less bow rake or overhang to afford less bobbing in waves and chop. If there is not appreciable rocker, how difficult would it be to modify the keel to have more curve between the center and bow/stern? Also, how difficult would it be to modify the stern to better accept a rudder? I understand that paddling technique and hull design play a significant role in reducing the need for a rudder, but I'm thinking more of 20 knot quartering winds and such. Thanks in advance for your input.

If it helps you design better boats, I'd be happy to do it.

You mentioned some design changes on the Short Shot from the original. How does it differ from the description on kudzucraft.com,or do you have a link to prior discussion to share?

That one actually did catch my eye. It looks great! Will those be available in kit form any time soon? February looks like a good month for me to try and tackle building one.

That's just it. I already have two boats, and I was hoping to find a "go to" design between the two rather than having something overly specialized. I have a river running 10 footer and a 17 foot folding tandem sea kayak. Both are slow- one as a result of length and the other as a result of beam. I suppose I overemphasized the river part, as I'm not looking for another whitewater boat (the Ethos 10 is capapble of more than I ever will be in that area). I'm looking more for a faster boat that can manage sea conditions, has a bit of storage and is nimble enough to cope with waves. Finding a clear cut answer is made more difficult by ALL of them looking pretty good. All that being said, I'm leaning more towards the Curlew or Ravenswood for their compactness and relative quickness but do appreciate the spaciousness of the Vardo and the speed of the Long Shot. I am about 6' tall, 195 lbs with a size 13 foot, would the Curlew of Ravenswood work for a person that size, or do I need to move up to a Vardo or Long Shot to handle my Fred Flinstone feet?

Thank you for the reply. I have read the FAQ and your boat descriptions a few times and they did help me understand the relative stability, speed and size of your models. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a very talented paddler. I've paddled around the Panhandle of Florida along with some coastal areas of the Carolinas. However, my "local" waters are mostly TVA lakes and the numerous rivers and tributaries in Tennessee. I'm all too familiar with both of my current kayaks being on the slow side. The 10' crossover is more for river running than open water and it does provide some dry storage. The Folbot is 17' with a 34" beam. It will carry weeks worth of gear and is quite stable, but accomplished both at a substantial speed and manuverability penalty. While the speed potential of the Long Shot is quite attractive, I really like the length of the Curlew and Ravenswood to make it easier for running down some of the bigger rivers (by East Tennessee standards) and avoiding rocks and such. The resistance is what gets me on the Curlew or Ravenswood as I'd like to be able to sprint to beat a tide or weather change when needed (and keep up on group paddles). The Vardo looks like a REALLY comfortable cruiser with good storage and speed, but I wonder about the length penalty and how well she'd do in coastal waters. The Short Shot also looks like a good compromise. Have you had much feedback on owners using your designs in coastal waters? It sounds like they all do well in TVA lakes and rivers. I'm sure you've already answered most of my questions in your FAQ section, but I'm having trouble mapping the resistance charts and stability factors to how it applies to a quick boat that can manage some 3-4 foot swells of the coast while also being nimble enough to navigate shoals and such while inland. I think about any of your kayak designs could manage to store 40 liters of gear with the aid of a hatch for access?

I’m having a bit of difficulty choosing which Kudzu best meets my needs. Your selection guide information does a good job of telling me the speed, handling and stability characteristics. That being said, I think I need a bit more guidance. What I actually want is a kayak that is capable of”: 1.) sea kayaking and big rivers 2.) an ability to sprint for a bit at 5 knots 3.) maneuverable enough to handle swells and obstacles 4.) enough room for about 50 liters storage for unsupported travel. 5.) Stable enough to let me spend more time on forward strokes and less time on bracing strokes. I currently own a Folbot Greenland II that more than meets 1,4 and 5, but is sorely lacking on 2 and 3. I also own a Wave Sport Ethos 10 that meets 1, 3 and 4, but at 10 foot struggles with 2 and 5. I know no kayak does all things and all incorporate compromises of some sort, but I am trying to figure out which gets close enough to the four requirements I need. Something that appears to fit the bill is Cape Falcon’s F1, but I’m looking for the Kudzu style of construction rather than steaming and bending wood. Apologies for such a basic question. I'm just having trouble seeing how some of the descriptions map over to my requirements. Any guidance would be much appreciated.