Glass or Plastic!

[Mac50L]

Mac50L have you ever noticed a performance difference with ply kayaks over composite hulls

Very hard to judge. If you mean speed that needs to be over a timed course as it is too easy to introduce "it feels faster", "it handles better" etc. Glass hulls - I was paddling a Nadgee and an un-named in Australia last year and the year before, both possibly both slower than my ply kayak. The Seaward Tyees in BC, Canada that we were paddling were simply poor design, especially when there was a bit of a chop, they pounded where as a Mac50 cuts through and lifts only enough to keep dry. In similar conditions I watch/study my partner's Mac50 and know how it handles.

I did own a glass kayak for a couple of years, got it free vs royalties. I was happy to get back into my ply boat as there were no worries about hitting rocks with wood where as it is too easy to ding a glass boat and crack the gel coat.

My own kayak is the narrow Mac50 (Mac50L) and because it is only 510 cm beam it should be really quick. The previous kayak (totured ply) looked like a K1 racing hull if inverted. Down the Wanganui a few years ago I had a drag race with someone in a Penguin and he was using a Wing paddle. He didn't have a chance, my kayak and a Greenland paddle just took-off like a rocket, despite both being loaded for a 3 day trip.

[yakman]

A few years ago out paddling I came across a guy in a ply kayak he had built himself, was such a beautiful looking boat Would love to give building one a try sometime.

[YakSolo_333]

Here is a good write up on the Antarctica expedition on Polar Bear the bigger brother of the Sea bear.

http://www.adventurephilosophy.com/imag ... cstory.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mac50, did you talk to Mark? I would like to confirm that statement because I am sure as an outdoor pursuit and risk management teacher he had more than just storage in mind .

[Mac50L]

Mac50, did you talk to Mark? I would like to confirm that statement because I am sure as an outdoor pursuit and risk management teacher he had more than just storage in mind .

They gave a talk at the Town Hall. The lights went up and the 3 of them were standing there naked, paddles across the "naughty bits". That excited a few of the women who fainted in the aisles - OK maybe not quite that. The lights went off and they eventually returned dressed and gave a talk about the trip including how, lying naked on a beach at the end of nowhere, around the corner comes a cruise ship. !!!! (Sorry about mentioning the naked bits twice.)

They talked to those who wanted to talk to them after the show and (I think it was Mark) made the comment to me, when asked, that indicated that the design could be better and at least they were good load carriers.

Confirming that statement - No, it was a not enthusiastic tone when commenting on the kayaks when I asked him what he thought about them.

Remember Paul Caffyn and Conrad Edwards when paddling down the east coast of Greenland were in just much if not more of a remote area and had as far if not further to go so the required loads should have been similar. C & E were after light, fast, efficient kayaks (Nordkapps) of the type that came from the Arctic waters and which would have worked just as well in Antarctica.

As said before, paddle as many types as possible and pick what suits you and the job you intend to use it for.