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Years before I wrote a study about the Argonaut and Aquanaut; I travelled over de WWW and collected as much opinions as I could. It was interesting to see a general positive opinion gradually started to grow around this kayak. I did this survey for a friend who wanted to know more about these kayaks.
Later I tested the Avocet, a famous kayak being the starting point for the designs of the Aquanaut. "Today" Valley combined Aquanaut an Argonaut in one family: Aquanaut in 2 extensions LV and HV.
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To repair or not to repair
You noticed perhaps that I did not write very much during the last two months.
Yes, that's right but there was a reason. Being a bit impulsive, I bought this NDK Greenlander which was punctured during a surf session and declared total loss. A nice project to improve on repairing kayaks; that's what I thought.
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Yesterday I joined the club KVU playing in surf at the coast near Bakkum.
As I am reviewing the Romany-S, I took this kayak for today.
Circumstances at sea were a bit rough as the tide was lowering in combination with a NW-wind that was blowing at 4-5Bft for some time already .
The results were steep dumping waves. At first I had been accompanying a member who wanted to stay closer to shore. But when I was going to accompany the other members, who were at the outer banks, I could not reach them anymore as the dumping waves were grown so strong that they let me flipping backwards on every attempt.
If this flipping backwards is a characteristic of the Romany-S or that it’s just the waves during this session, I don’t know yet. So I will have to go for another surfing session to investigate this.
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Wow, that´s something!
I just found, at www.qajaqusa.org, pictures of Ken Taylor and Duncan Winning: The two man where the roots of the AnasAcuta started.
As I look at it, it´s those two man who, together with Derek Hutchinson, initiated the development of modern seakayaks until now; well done my boys!
Looking at the pictures, these man, being in there 60-70ths, are still looking very fit.
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Bonnie made me remember some pictures where the AnasAcuta is compared with a replica of Ken Taylor's kayak.
So it seems a good idea publishing them underneath:
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Introduction
As I paddle an AnasAcuta (VCP - Valley Canoe Products) for years already, I think it´s just about time to write a review on her. :wink:
The interesting fact about the AnasAcuta, being introduced in 1972 already, is that she is still in production. Which is remarkable because that gives her a history of 36 years!
A kayak with such along history is interesting because we can learn from a kayak that appeals so long to paddlers.
The reason could be that there are enough paddlers who appreciate the beautiful and original Inuit-look of this kayak. But certainly it has also something to do with the capacities of the kayak. Often heard are positive comments on her playfulness and rough water handling: it is just fun, paddling an Anas Acuta. That’s what they say. And I can only agree with that.
KLIK hier om verder te lezen en een grotere foto te bekijken
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Having not paddled the Romany S rm before, the evening of 8 Oct. was an ideal occasion to collect my first paddling experiences with this kayak and to get used to her.
Conditions were very mild on the Alkmaarder-lake (NL: Alkmaardermeer): 8okt 2008, 20.00 h, wind 1-2Bft, no waves above 10cm.
Stability
When fumbling around in the dark to close the zipper of my jacket, while leaving the club, I completely forgot I was sitting in a kayak. Maybe that tells something about the stability.
Edging the kayak felt very natural and did not give you any unstable feelings. In fact the capsizing point is very far away.
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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:
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Paddling the Fjord in the tideraces around Anglesey seemed an ideal opportunity to learn more about here capacities. We went in sept´08 with a group of 7 kayakers (mostly from Kayakclub Uitgeest) to Holy Head in Wales.
Axel Schoevers was our guide (Click for his weblog) and we had a perfect paddling-week. Axel guided us to Puffin Island, North Stack, South Stack, Skerries and Penrhyn Mawr.
To be honest, being at sea the combination of strong currents and waves was a bit intimidating at first. But as Axel slowly increased the level, the learning-curve was perfect.
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In addition to the first dry impression that I wrote before, I now looked for the design-briefing which NDK followed in designing this Romany, as well as for some more technical information.