hi speed kayak need input

[JosephT]

The Garmin e-Trex is what a lot of paddlers use. The waterproof model is what you want. I display the distance log & speed in large letters. That's all you need.

http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-eTrex-H.../dp/B000PDV0CE

The surfskis are the way to go...they glide across the water and are a pleasure to paddle. Re-entry takes 2 seconds and the water automatically siphons from the footwells in the cockpit out of the boat via a venturi drain system. The carbon layups are lightest. In a race, with all things equal the lighter carbon weight (~20lbs) can make a difference. If you're not racing, a fiberglass hull (~30lbs) will do just fine and leave potential competition well behind you.

[nwahs]

ya i liked the etrex, (battery leaked and took it out a few years back) learned a lesson there!
i have a magellen now, and seems a little more of a pain to use- i think it dose more stuff that i dont need, and seem to freeze up on shutdown. i wish i had that ex-trex back.

of course id prefer the less weight, and i really want to build something- but ill be in the used market if i buy and ill see whats around. been kinda looking at the huki sx-1. anything info/ oppionions you want to share on any surf skis i would be eager to hear

[LP]

Here is a link to a product and review that I am in no way endorsing or promoting. It has various photos that should give you a good baseline for a performance kayak and it's hull proportions. Looking closely at the profile view you can see that the paddler CG is very near midships and most likely CoB.

http://www.surfski.info/reviews/item...ajda-orca.html

[JosephT]

LP, that is an nice surfski...bears all the hallmarks of the best designs. What separates the best skis from copy cats is the reputation of the manufacturer. The best manufacturers are actually actively involved with the racers & help sponsor races. Epic & Fenn do a great job in this area. They also pay extremely close attention to ergonomics and product quality. Some of the best manufacturers are:

Epic
Fenn
Huki
Think
Nelo (just started making a line of nice skis)

In my opinion the Epic boats are built the best. I say that coming from an aerospace background, because their layup & build methods resemble those in aerospace. Think boats are built well too. The quality of the others tends to fade a bit, but are great boats nonetheless. Huki boats are built quite well & offer the best colors & artistic touches hands down. That's why I like the Huki's so much...they look cool.

These surfskis are the next generation ocean & flatwater racing and in my opinion will be in the Olympics in due time. Racing these boats offers an excellent low impact cardio workout that burns off belly fat like no other exercise. The result are well toned, strong core muscles. They also help fine tune core balance. After all you're paddling a needle on the water. They're an all over good workout for the body & a blast to paddle. Below shows an Epic V10 in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaJc8B_cCcI

Hit that ergometer & get a ski. If you don't have funds for a new one, there are a lot of used ones on the market for a good price.

[nwahs]

thx for the gold mine or info!!!! its exactly what i was thinking towards except all the frontal free board, but then again it is a surfski- i just dont have much surf here, thxagain shawn.