Question for Hairy | SouthernPaddler.com

Question for Hairy

hairymick

Well-Known Member
Dec 8, 2005
2,107
2
Queensland, Australia
G'day Ron,

Good question mate.

A rudder is not necessary on this boat. I originally built the rudder as an experiment and was justtoo lazy to be bothered to take it off. When John paddled her at 1770, he never used the rudder and that was good enough for me.

The boat tracks like its on rails. :D
 

tx river rat

Well-Known Member
Feb 23, 2007
3,043
2
Waco Tx
Thanks Mick
Darrel and I are looking hard at the Northwind, and yours was the closeset boat that had been built. I started thinking about the hull and that boat really doesnt have over a couple inches in length of water line than my Duck and I dont need a rudder on it.
What length was your canoe on the trip with John?
Ron
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
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Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
tx river rat said:
What length was your canoe on the trip with John?
Ron

Personally I think the best boat I have built from Matt's designs is the Sasquatch.
Mine is the 14 x 30 and shorter then Micks but it sure handled nicely on the Brazos and especially when we paddled out in those big waves and the 55 mph wind pushing us. Actually paddling is the wrong term....... Being blasted from the back side with the wind and using the paddle as a rudder with a death grip on it.
There is no way I could of paddled that fast or that far in flat water. If you will recall , I told you ... Look out Ron here I come and I'm not paddling and don't have a sail up as I coasted past you...... :lol:

As far as I am concerned that canoe made the difference between floating out with all my camping gear or swimming out without anything. :D

Chuck.
 

hairymick

Well-Known Member
Dec 8, 2005
2,107
2
Queensland, Australia
G'day Ron,

Sasquatch is 16.5 feet X 33 inches

Southwind is 17feet, 9 inches X 28 inches.

Sasquatch is a very fast canoe but southwind is noticeably faster. Both are superb boats in their own right and I just don't have enough good words to say about them.
 

tx river rat

Well-Known Member
Feb 23, 2007
3,043
2
Waco Tx
Chuck
Your boat handled great, but I have a question, you know how the wind is down here ,I am not talking about the storm. How would the boat have faired going into that wind?

Mick Thanks Mate , I figure the Northwind will be a fast crusier , but my question is on the handleing part between the 2.
The water you were paddling is a lot like where I paddle.
Ron
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
tx river rat said:
Chuck
Your boat handled great, but I have a question, you know how the wind is down here ,I am not talking about the storm. How would the boat have faired going into that wind?

Ron

Going into the wind , that is why I got out and lined it along the one bank till the wind was to our back. Grant you that was a strong wind and all of us had to do it. Look out here it come's.......... BUT...... The canoe does have a higher wind signature then your boat has , the canoe sits higher and is open to the wind.
That is one reason I could just coast along and let the wind push me faster then you were paddling when it was to our back. Personally .... I have found that an canoe or any open boat is hardener to paddle against the wind then one that is decked over.

A good example was when we came down that west stretch and then turned into the wind so it was hitting us face on.... You were not having the problem with it or paddling as hard that the rest of us were while paddling against it to get to the bank to line the boats.
If I would of had to paddle that stretch , I would of set up camp and waited till the storm passed.

Chuck........
 

tx river rat

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Feb 23, 2007
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Chuck
I know your and Bills canoes handled the ole Brazos well. the reason for my question about the wind is the 90 inch cockpit on the Northwind. I may have to make me a snap on cover.
Ron
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
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Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
If I would of been in my kayak ..... No Problem , just keep paddling since I have done that with it in the past. Dang , I even launched it for a trip on the St.Johns River when the guys in the power boats would not put them in the water. Plus I never put on the spray skirt which covers the cockpit and the upper part of myself. It has a 17 by 33 cockpit.

Just a matter of different boats for different use's or paddling conditions.

The Kayak......
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1935
 

tx river rat

Well-Known Member
Feb 23, 2007
3,043
2
Waco Tx
Chuck
A cover on a several day trip might be the answer ,I noticed Verlan made a fiberglass cover for his that could be removed.
Ron
 

hairymick

Well-Known Member
Dec 8, 2005
2,107
2
Queensland, Australia
Ron,

My Southwind is more like a true kayak than a decked canoe. Low boat signature above the waterline and is superior in strong wind to an open canoe, yet she still has similar load capacity to a canoe. :D

Where she falls short is in skinny water where her lack of maneuverability can makethings interesting. John had little problem however.

I think Mr KRUGER's concept is a stroke of genius but his boat with more boat above the waterline makes a rudder necessary in that particular design. Likewise Matt's northwind.

Northwind and Southwind, while they may look similar, are two very different boats. I love my Southwind and would happily and with confidence, take her anywhere that I would take my expedition sea kayak - and quite a few places that I wouldn't dream of (taking my sea kayak) Southwind is probably the most versatile boat in my shed.
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
tx river rat said:
Chuck
A cover on a several day trip might be the answer ,I noticed Verlan made a fiberglass cover for his that could be removed.
Ron

Ron...

That is a easy thing to do , I made a travel cover for the Freedom out of glass.

Run a string from the front center of the cockpit to the back center of it. Cover it with a double layer of plastic and tie the plastic around the splash railing ( underside of it ) from the front along the sides to the back.
Overlap the back just a little to hold the plastic since it needs to be cut flush with the top of the back splash rail. This way it can be slipped on from the front of the boat and removed the same way.
Put a layer of glass over the plastic and wet it in ( carefully ) then wet in the edges under the slash railing. When it cures pull it off and trim the underside edge nice and smooth.