As I wrote in my first post about the Umnak Icefloe Fjord, Derek designed her on request of the Norwegians. He used the Icefloe-design which he modified by taking away the integral skeg. As Willem Molengraaf understood from Derek the hull and deck of the Fjord are equal to the Icefloe.
I quoted in this first post that Derek once talled Willem that he did not like the Fjord.
Just now I found a discussion on the Sea&Surf-forum where Owen wrote something similar on the 26th april 2007:
As I understand from the discussion which was going on, this was due to difficulties holding her on course in a quartering sea.
Probably this was exact the result of the design-target for the Fjord to improve on the Icefloe which holds course well in quartering seas but was difficult in a beam wind; probably because of leecocking.
So what´s the truth??
- Is Derek disappointed because he had to change his favorite Icefloe design for the Norwegians?
- Is the Fjord-design really that bad?
- Did P&H sell only few Fjords because of the image the Icefloe created the years before?
- Is the Fjord not suited to novices in seakayaking, despite her stability being very good.
- Or do you need to have perfect boatcontact before she obeys the "captain".
Personally, having paddled the Fjord in some heavy conditions, I don´t understand Derek´s disappointment about the Fjord.
I thinks she looks good. I can understand however that a quatering sea can knock her of course, but the adjustable skeg will fix this easily as the Fjord will react as the Icefloe once you drop the skeg.
At the end, my feeling is that the Fjord is an improvement of the Icefloe.
But: I will continue paddling the Fjord while trying to understand Derek´s disappointment.