new to me solo

[kona]

I owned a zephyr when I was fairly new to solo canoes and about 180lbs. I found it quite tender and I never got as comfortable with it as I wanted. Now that I’m significantly further along the learning curve, I’d love to have one again. I have owned four blackhawks and still own a starship. I think most blackhawks are kneeling boats, which works for me since I kneel over 90% of the time.

As a 200lb paddler, I would think you’d want to be an intermediate or expert solo canoe paddler looking for a high performance, highly responsive boat. Or one who is ambitious to learn, likes to kneel, and doesn’t mind an occasional capsize. Zephyr is not good for fishing or outings with a dog.

Hope that helps

 

[Fredb]

thanks Kona, the advice and experience is much appreciated. I kind of would like the challenge, but also at 57 yo and with bad knees i really need to be able to sit most of the time and kneel with plenty of room for my big feet and inflexible ankles. Center height on the Zephyr is 11.5 which makes getting my legs under a seat very difficult along with the danger of not being able to get out if i tip. I would install a pedestal seat if sitting were an option.
thanks again, frederick

 

[Foxyotter]

Fredb Kona is spot on his description of the Zephyr. A friend of mine has one and I have paddled it a number of times. She is a sweet little boat that almost feels like she can plane under a fast sit and switch paddle. Not sure where you are located but if near Michigan and would like to try one I can see what I can do. She is a little small and tender for 200 but it is doable if you feel up to it.

 

[Fredb]

Fredb Kona is spot on his description of the Zephyr. A friend of mine has one and I have paddled it a number of times. She is a sweet little boat that almost feels like she can plane under a fast sit and switch paddle. Not sure where you are located but if near Michigan and would like to try one I can see what I can do. She is a little small and tender for 200 but it is doable if you feel up to it.

Western MA so not an option, but the offer is very kind. Thanks for confirming Kona's view.

btw, is this a good or bad thing,

feels like she can plane under a fast sit and switch paddle

 

[Fredb]

I built a small mold and made my own seats. The pedestal, once constructed, is simply fiber glassed to the hull. A small dab of thickened epoxy to hold it in place and then, once that's setup, I add a filet around the feet and then small patches of fiberglass.

Alan

Thanks Alan,

btw is there any reason ( i can think of one ) why all the pedestal variations are made where the structure is attached to the boat, with the seat placed on top, rather than a stool design where the structure is attached to the seat and the rails or velcro strips are attached to the boat bottom. The main reason i can see is that any structure you placed on the bottom would get wetted often and need to be proofed against that, as well as sand and dirt etc. Still it could be on raise rails just off the bottom.

love to know and thanks for all the suggestions.

sorry if this is off topic of the original thread.

take care, fred

 

[Foxyotter]

I think it is a good thing. The more power you put into the paddle the more speed you get. It is restricted by waterline length like any other displacement vessel but the length to width ratio along with surface area allows the paddler to exceed or at least appear to overcome that limitation. Usually hull speed is defined as 1.34 X Square root of water line length. It is definitely more complicated especially when considering very narrow long hulls. I am not saying the Zephyr breaks the laws of physics just seems to push a little farther past theoretical then other canoes.

 

[Fredb]

I think it is a good thing. The more power you put into the paddle the more speed you get. It is restricted by waterline length like any other displacement vessel but the length to width ratio along with surface area allows the paddler to exceed or at least appear to overcome that limitation. Usually hull speed is defined as 1.34 X Square root of water line length. It is definitely more complicated especially when considering very narrow long hulls. I am not saying the Zephyr breaks the laws of physics just seems to push a little farther past theoretical then other canoes.

thanks, i really just did not know what "plane" meant but in the context of the sentence i assumed it was good, just was not sure. Sounds like a zephyr will be a great, future, acquisition!