Nordkapp RM^

[steve-m]

I had a chance to paddle a composite boat (Alaw Bach) last night for the first time, just up and down the local canal but good to try one out. Oh dear that seat! the original pain in in the *@*#. With that on my mind or rather another part of my anatomy it was difficult to be objective, it was a bit faster then my plastic boat but I did not become an immediate composite boat convert.
However, picking up on a comment from a previous thread on boats and boat length I have re-considered my garage planning and I guess on a slant and a diagonal I could squeeze in a longer boat. Having regard to the times my present boat has been bounced around on a tractor and trailer on a portage, heaved onto a Cal-Mac ferry bouncing around a few feet off the jetty and crash landed on to bouldery beaches, I am still keen on the resilience of plastic boats.

So I am looking at the Nordkapp RM and have found a US review
http://www.paddling.net/Reviews/showRev ... ?prod=2011
and understand that Ocean Paddler reviewed it a few months back, so I will need to try and find a back copy.
Meanwhile, does anyone here have any thoughts on the Nordkapp RM?

[Boots]

Bought mine from Mike Thompson Scottish supplies last July very pleased with it, and its fairly fast, but you need to try one out some people find them a bit tippy. If your in south lakes your more than welcome to come and try it, I live two minutes from a lake.
Cheers Boots

[StuartA]

I got mine in July too from AS Watersports. I too am extremely happy with it and am impressed with its cruising speed - much better than other RM boats. I haven't found it at all tippy but do have a K1 racing background so used to wobblier things!

My only minus point is the back rest (my wife's Dagger is much better) although this has been improved by the addition of an airbag behind it. I've also added some closed cell sticky-back foam under the deck to give my knees a better grip but that's the kind of personal outfitting I'd expect to do to almost any boat.

Its a great boat and inspires confidence when it gets choppier.

[adrian j pullin]

I borrowed one to try and then bought one. Unfortunately since buying it I haven't had time to try it.

[daviesgj]

I've had one now for about 18 months and love it. I found it a bit tippy at first but am now comfortable in all conditions. The boat is very fast and responsive and tracks very well in a following sea.

See the attached link for some reviews.

ukriversguidebook.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16786&highlight=

[rija]

I havn't paddled the Nordkap RM but I am the proud owner of the Composite version. A nice boat but fast? Well if you by fast mean that it doesn't create much drag in normal cruising speeds (3-4 knots) then yes, it doesn't take much effort to keep up with others cruising along at that speed. But as soon as you push it a little bit further and start hitting 4,5 knots it doesn't feel that fast any more. Compare the feeling of paddling a Nordkap to an Epic 18, QCC 700, Inuk etc. Still seaworthy sea kayaks buy all means, no tippy racing boats but completely different hull design. You will experience a clear difference trying to paddle a Nordkap for any distance at around 5 knots compared to the boats mentioned.

I really like the Nordkap and have never really thought of it as tippy. A nice allround kayak that I felt I could develop in when I once bought it. But fast? No way.

/Rickard

[CaptainSensible]

I'm curious. I've never had any issues with the (unpadded) seat in my Alaw; what was wrong with it?

edit: Oi, I'm not fat!

[capsized8]

I'm curious. I've never had any issues with the (unpadded) seat in my Alaw; what was wrong with it?

Not enough meat!

[Jim]

I havn't paddled the Nordkap RM but I am the proud owner of the Composite version. A nice boat but fast? Well if you by fast mean that it doesn't create much drag in normal cruising speeds (3-4 knots) then yes, it doesn't take much effort to keep up with others cruising along at that speed. But as soon as you push it a little bit further and start hitting 4,5 knots it doesn't feel that fast any more. Compare the feeling of paddling a Nordkap to an Epic 18, QCC 700, Inuk etc. Still seaworthy sea kayaks buy all means, no tippy racing boats but completely different hull design. You will experience a clear difference trying to paddle a Nordkap for any distance at around 5 knots compared to the boats mentioned.

I really like the Nordkap and have never really thought of it as tippy. A nice allround kayak that I felt I could develop in when I once bought it. But fast? No way.

/Rickard

Not many sea kayak racers in the UK, only a couple using the forums. Generally when we refer to boats as fast, we mean fast in heavily loaded cruising terms... :-)
Compared to just about every other high capacity cruising boat, they are fast.

[Owen]

Has anyone any thoughts on the Nordkapp Rm against the Avocet RM. I'm thinking more of the room in the cockpit; not so bothered about speed/manoeuvrability. I've tried the Avocet and found I got deadlegs after a couple of hours; not unbearablely so but a pain non the less. I tried the Nordkapp LV and lasted about two minutes.

I was think of getting a second hand Avocet, as a second boat, just for rock-dodging and playing in. But if the plastic Nordkapp has a bit more room one of those might be better.

P.S. I too am mystified as to what you found so bad about the Alaw seat, I think their the most comfortable kayak I've paddled. They do splash a lot though.

[capsized8]

Nordkapp has more room.

[Windowshade]

The Nordkapp is (a) fast (b) low stability (c) a terrific kayak. In calm conditions the Nordkapp is very efficient. In a following sea it surfs beautifully. It has low stability, but this is a good thing when conditions get rough; that said, it takes getting used to. Overall, it is a remarkably responsive and seaworthy kayak. Very, very maneuverable.

The RM has a similar hull shape to the fibreglass version. My only concern with the RM is that the forward bulkhead is too far forward, decreasing the volume of the forward compartment and making the cockpit volume larger than necessary. This is a minor point. It's a great boat!

[applejack]

Does this mean you will be selling the Seayak then ?

[steve-m]

I'm curious. I've never had any issues with the (unpadded) seat in my Alaw; what was wrong with it?

For me the whole cockpit area was too big and loose fitting. With the seat I guess I could pad the seat itself but the worst bit was the raised edge at the back it just dug in in a very painful way.
Doubtless if I had one I could work at padding it out but in the end I decided that, having regard to how I need to transport and store my boat, it was worth seeing if a plastic boat could fit the bill.

[steve-m]

Does this mean you will be selling the Seayak then ?

If I actually end up buying a Nordkapp then yes but I am not sure when I am going to find the time to try out and, if OK, buy a new boat. The weather keeps being to good and I end up too busy kayaking to go looking at boats!

[capsized8]

Does this mean you will be selling the Seayak then ?

If I actually end up buying a Nordkapp then yes but I am not sure when I am going to find the time to try out and, if OK, buy a new boat. The weather keeps being to good and I end up too busy kayaking to go looking at boats!

Are you a cut paddler?

[CaptainSensible]

That raised edge shouldn't dig into anything, and the backrest should be on top of it so that the two together create a bucket shape.

[RichardCree]

Low Stability? or ability?

[CaptainSensible]

Aren't they the same thing?

Several of the veterans in our club have nordkapps (mostly HMs, but someone has an LV). They obviously have the skills to handle a more tippy design, but one of the relatively less experienced paddlers (and his partner - both much more experienced than me) is still getting used to his.

[RichardCree]

They are linked, so how can someone describe a boat as unstable without telling us if they are any good or what they are comparing this lack of stability to?

I use a Knorkapp RM for absolute beginers, if I tell them its unstable they fall out, if you dont tell them about stability they rarely fall out.

[Jim]

I use a Norkapp RM for absolute beginers, if I tell them its unstable they fall out, if you dont tell them about stability they rarely fall out.

Hmm, reminds me of something very funny I witnessed once. Some of the ventures/leaders were mucking about with a marathon racing K1 - no-one could keep it upright. The favoured technique was to have a couple of people hold the boat whilst someone got in, then hold them steady whilst they built up a stroke rhythm for balance and then let go when requested. One of the guys was actually quite good, they let him go early, he was a good 10 yards away (further than anyone else got) before he shouted for them to let go, at which point he fell in. Much of it is in the head! Enough that I didn't even dare try it, I was happy enough pootling around in the back of a K2, they are Ok on your own but 2 up is something else, just dont' stop!

I'm sure if it hadn't been hyped up they would all have been fine!

[markpawley]

Mike Webb of Rockpool provides a selection of seats for the Alaw / Alaw Bach (and Menai) boats. I'm supposed to be too big for an Alaw Bach at 6', 15St but mine's perfect for me even with the small seat. (It fits me well, as it should)

Are you trying to paddle with straight legs?

Mark

[CaptainSensible]

They are linked, so how can someone describe a boat as unstable without telling us if they are any good or what they are comparing this lack of stability to?

I should have said relative stability. I know that there are boats that feel a bit more twitchy than my Alaw (like the Avocet [RM]), and I've assumed that the nordkapp must feel even twitchier (not that knowing that would make more likely to capsize in one or be afraid of paddling one [i'm more wary about being uncomfortable in one]).

[RichardCree]

Avocet and Twitchy??

[CaptainSensible]

Compared to my Alaw it is, or maybe it just feels that way (could be a comfort = confidence thing)

[RichardCree]

You are right it is a confidence / ability thing so why use the term? Road kill is more twitchy than the Avocet.

[capsized8]

av·o·cet (āv'ə-sět') Pronunciation Key
n. Any of several long-legged shore birds of the genus Recurvirostra, characterized by a long, slender, upturned beak.


Now thats got to be twitchy -- or is that twitching? hmm

[CaptainSensible]

Where would the Alaw sit on some objectively measured tippiness/wobble scale then? All I know is that paddling my Alaw = comfy and happy, but paddling a plastic Avocet = not so comfy and constantly nervous.

Does the nordkapp need more to skill to paddle successfully than other boats or not? If it does, then surely it must have some relative attribute that is worse than (alongside a whole load that are better than) other boats when it comes to staying upright in some conditions?

[Jim]

Depending on how relaxed you are, Nordkapps are difficult to sit still in, and more difficult to sit still in and fiddle with things other than using the paddles for balance. I am not an especially good paddler, but I am relaxed enough that I can sit in a Nordkapp HM, retrieve my camera dry bag, take the SLR out, take pictures, and put it all away again, without undue worry (in calm conditions). I had to concentrate, but don't confuse concentration with tension! I was concentrating and confident, so I could stay relaxed.

Most of the problem with "tippy" boats is that people hear they are tippy, or find the initial stability a bit lower than they are used to and it plants the seed of doubt, confidence ebbs away, they expect to capsize, and really don't want to so they get tense, then they can't roll their hips with the natural motions of the boat, instinctively fight against it and over they go.

In many many ways sea kayaking is about self belief - if you have enough, it is easy, if don't have any, you will probably die. (You are all alive so you have some!)

[Ceegee]

Capsized8 wrote:

long-legged shore birds

I have to disagree, this one doesn't look in the slightest bit twitchy - extraordinary sense of balance I'd say.



(sorry and humble apologies to all in advance)

Steve