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Test Flight, Wife's Vardo


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First trip to the pond for a test run, no deck rigging yet no float bags yet, but the wife couldn't  wait.

It floats and no leaks and she loves it. You know just carrying it to the waters edge I was stopped by a guy and got thirty questions. I don't know how I will handle all the celebrity. "you made that"? "looks cool"? whats this ? whats that? How?  me - "go to KUDZU CRAFT dot com, it's easy".

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I got a camp pad (sleeping bag pad) from amazon it fits nicely in the cockpit from the frame at my feet to the frame behind my back  it is 5/8 thick closed cell foam, there is enough material to fold it over for a nice seat.

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This is me varnishing the Long shot I am building for my son the Fire fly is overhead, yes I am using the living room no garage,  basement is too small.  I should start to skin the fire fly this weekend.  I hope to be all done with the three in a week or so. 8 months start to finish 3 kayaks. I am really pumped, we are going to try every body of water in and around cape cod with these. Anyone want to buy two slightly used plastic kayaks?    http://s850.photobucket.com/user/John_Casanova/library/?sort=3&page=1

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If you find you enjoy these as much i expect you will. You will find that you spend a lot of time in them too. NOTHING beats a really good seat and I think the best are those from RedFish kayak. They beat the heck out of anything I have tried. I make no money off these, I am just 100% sold on the product. They are kind of pricey but they are all day comfort and that is well worth the price!

 

I use Joe's seat bases in mine with my  backbands. Since I paddle so many different boats I have never had a full seat made. But If I ever get one boat that I know I am going to keep as mine I am going to get one of his complete seats with the backrest.  

 

One thing that concerns me about the pad is, is there any chance of it getting you hung up in the boat? I mean ANY CHANCE??  I don't like anything loose in my boat that might catch my feet or legs. If you have to bail out you want NOTHING in your way.

 

If I had pads in my boat they would have to be glued down. I have thought about heel pads for years but just never convinced myself they were worth the hassle to install.

 

Oh, and the boat looks great!

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If you find you enjoy these as much i expect you will. You will find that you spend a lot of time in them too. NOTHING beats a really good seat and I think the best are those from RedFish kayak. They beat the heck out of anything I have tried. I make no money off these, I am just 100% sold on the product. They are kind of pricey but they are all day comfort and that is well worth the price!

 

I use Joe's seat bases in mine with my  backbands. Since I paddle so many different boats I have never had a full seat made. But If I ever get one boat that I know I am going to keep as mine I am going to get one of his complete seats with the backrest.  

 

One thing that concerns me about the pad is, is there any chance of it getting you hung up in the boat? I mean ANY CHANCE??  I don't like anything loose in my boat that might catch my feet or legs. If you have to bail out you want NOTHING in your way.

 

If I had pads in my boat they would have to be glued down. I have thought about heel pads for years but just never convinced myself they were worth the hassle to install.

 

Oh, and the boat looks great!

Thanks for the tip on getting caught up in the boat. This pad is pretty stiff and is securely (?) wedged under the foot pegs, it is also wedged at the center frame section at the cockpit. I hear you though, anything could happen in a capsize. They do not move at all when the boat is upright and dry.  I doubt they will last long , as soon as they wear out I will get a good seat. I bought three of them. I need to get three sets of float bags for now, that is next.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Spent the weekend at the lake with my 87 year young father in law

These are pics of us getting back from a 3 mile (slow) sprint, I don't know which one of us was more tired. Dad is in Vardo with a 40 year old all wood one piece kayak paddle, blades are off set and the blades are larger than normal.

He was picked by the Olympic committee in 1948 as first alternate for canoe singles he also competed in "Double Blade" races

Unfortunately back then you had to pay your own way to the Games, he didn't make it,

he paddles almost every weekend in his 1930s Charles River Racing canoe.

  87!   I will never complain about my age.

 

 

 

 

 

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