fitness paddling: exercise, train, race by kayak & canoe

Phil is designing a new multisport kayak for the US market:

I've taken the plunge and started PXT Kayaks to bring New Zealand style fitness and racing kayaks to the US paddling community, and to facilitate the development of performance paddling.

Recently, on the Midwest Performance Paddlers forum, he responded to a question about stability of the Thundebolt-X kayak in rough water and surf. His response is providing some more general insight:

It's very subjective as no two paddlers have the same center of gravity, and a small shift in this makes for big differences in the feel of a kayak's stability. Also the experence of a kayaker is important. A K1 paddler may consider a Thunderbolt a stable and easy kayak, where a new paddler will find it tippy or impossible to start with.  

The Thunderbolt-X has a 4 inch waterline beam of 15" and a beam overall of 18". That gives a 1.5" increase each side to deck level, or next to no secondary stability. This kayak will roll fine I think. No wide deck to resist the righting motion, but the cockpit is very large so it is likely to be hard to keep water out and the spray deck secure, and finding good bracing for your legs.  

The 15" beam is also going to feel tippy. This is not a beginner's kayak for any rough water, and I have my concerns at the 36" cockpit for rough water paddling. This is a huge hole in the deck of a kayak. I've tried a Thunderbolt in rough water and it took a lot of water over the deck and without a very strong spray deck this is an issue.  I would recommend a footpump at for any racing to help drain the cockpit while paddling. The X version has a narrowed bow section to improve speed, but this has to result in a loss of bouyancy in the bow, so it'll not climb over waves but will tend to pierce through them.

As far as surf control goes, the underhull rudder is located in the right place, but it may be on the small side. It's much smaller than a surfski rudder, I would look at this with concern for control in a surf situation.

Reading the Westside Boat shop website info for the Thunderbolt-X, I take an issue with their speed claims, which may well be true, but the problem is not many people, and Eric will tell you this also, can sustain speeds over 7 mph without a lot of fitness and strength.

I personally paddle a K1 style racing kayak, and for me to get to 8 mph requires near sprint level effort and 9 mph requires full sprint effort. Most "average" racing people will sustain a paddle speed at 5 to 6.5 mph in flat water. Very fit and strong paddlers will get 7 to 8 mph over a distance, and only the very fit and strong will get 8 plus mph and in fast kayaks. In most races I do here in the Midwest, down stream, I don't often see 8 mph even with the current helping out. Eric probably does! (A bit of science here, for the same boat, to double the speed, requires 4 times the horse power, or to get your kayak from 4 mph to 8 mph requires you to put out a 400% increase in effort.)  

I think that's a fair measure of things.

Phil

Related posts:

• Outfitting Thunderbolt Racing Kayak - Tiller Bar Footrest and ONNO Gas Pedals
• Outfitting Thunderbolt Racing Kayak - Sliding or Guerney Gears Bumfortable Seat?
• Suction Cup Mount for Garmin Edge GPS on Thunderbolt Deck
• Thunderbolt-X Kayak on South Platte River - Very First Impressions
• Valley Kayaks Rapier 20 and WSBS X-par Missile: Can I Fit My Butt into a Narrow Racing Kayak?
• WSBS Thunderbolt-X Racing Kayak Arrived to Colorado
• Paddling WSBS Thunderbolt-X Racing Kayak - 1 Minute Video Clip

Technorati tags: Thunderbolt T-bolt West Side Boat Shop kayak racing rough water