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Enlarging Arctic Hawk Cockpit Rim
On 4-Dec-2003, (KAYAKFAN) wrote:
I am interested in purchasing a used Wilderness Systems Arctic Hawk. The boat
performs well, but is hard to wet exit/reenter. The problem lies largely in
the height of the deck. It is 11-inches vs. the 12-inches of my current boat.
When I read this, I thought - here's a newbie - then I looked at the name,
Mike Goodman, and said, no... I know you've paddled lots, so I'm surprised
you're having a problem with this one.
Mike, I found the Arctic Hawk cockpit to feel large! Of course, I'm comparing
it to an Ellesmere with an ocean cockpit. It certainly isn't large compared
some WW kayaks I've been in.
I think that you should just practice with the kayak before you start cutting
or changing things. You should have no real problem with this kayak. I
don't know what you're used to, but the AH isn't a tight fit.
When you wet exit, do you pull your knees out between the thigh hooks or
do you just slide out with your legs relatively straight. If you do the
latter, you can slide out of almost any kayak, even a squirt boat.
Think "reverse somersault" for exit and somersault for entry.
Mike
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