Thanks Jasper. You make the point about overall weight of the boat.
I am short and thick. Not fat but just thick. I weigh 190 and I am only 5'6"
df66414e290077c82295dba1f837fdd9 by
Steve Zihn, on Flickr
I have been told (how accurately I can't say) that short and solid is a good "build' for kayaking. Is that true?
I can see how being short could help a little bit by placing the center of gravity lower and giving less momentum if you get rocked side to side, but I'd have to bet skill would trump any slight advantage one may have from lack of height.
As far as the solid core goes, I can't see how it would really help, but again I don't really know. Paddling correctly I just can't see how larger arms back or chest could help. The lower torso is where most of it come from, so being strong there would be good, but only for endurance as far as I can tell. However without years of experience behind me (which I do not yet have) I am just guessing. What do you folks think?
When I go out I always have some rope,(wet about 3 pounds) a few basic things in my kit like fire starting and communications gear, (about 2 more pounds) knife, (only a few oz) and I always carry a 6"X 24 Line Float, (about 2-1/2 pounds) more as a tool for use in rescues and to give me a bit to "stand on" (rope with a short loop around my leg) to help jack me up a bit more in the water if the surface is choppy. In addition I often have a rifle (10 pounds) and some food and about 1/2 gallon of fresh water. (together about 5 pounds)
So if I start with 190 pounds, add the weight of a wet-suit and PFD,(6 pounds?) and all the gear food and water above I am going to guess my kayak's load is about 220-225 pounds. In colder weather I'd have maybe another 10 pounds.
So if any of those 3 kayaks were to carry around 225 to maybe 250 on the very heavy side, would that change the answer at all? My boat's fully loaded weight is going to be towards the bottom of that spread probably 19 times in 20.
I have a possibility of getting the Fathom, but that depends on a trade that may or may not happen. Only 2 men are talking to me about that as of right now. The Chatham is something I could buy myself in about 1 week, and I think I may do that, but I don't want to buy boat after boat. I don't have money to throw around that way. If I can get the one that will serve me and that I will not "outgrow" I'd prefer to get 1 that I can learn to use to it's potential even if that takes me a few years and not have to worry that I'd "need something better" later on.