Kayaks?

[Al Agnew]

Ham, while I haven't spent days upon days in a Tarpon, I HAVE paddled one. I also know the specs and the shape of the hull below the waterline, so I think I can make a pretty good comparison. The Tarpon is 30 inches wide. The Vagabond is 29.75 inches. The Pack is 32 inches. The Tarpon is a little narrower below the waterline than either canoe, however, so I suppose that under some circumstances it would fit between the rocks better. The rather narrow entry lines of the Tarpon also seem to make it somewhat better tracking than the Pack...at least that was my impression when I paddled one. On the other hand, I actually found it a little less nimble than the Pack due to those same narrow entry lines. It was roughly comparable in speed and tracking ability to the longer Vagabond when both are paddled with a double blade.

Dang it, we need to get together and spend a day in each other's boats! We might both learn something, or at least have a lot of fun.

Gavin, I agree on the limitations of the Vagabond in running whitewater. If I'm running something like Mary Decker on the Eleven Point in spring water levels, I'm looking for sneak routes that avoid the bigger waves. But places like that are pretty few and far between in the Missouri Ozarks. It's been a long time since I've gotten much water in the boat from waves or ledges in Missouri. There is an un-named rapid on the St. Francis about halfway between the Cedar Bottom bridge (Hwy. E) and the Dug-out Bridge (Hwy. N) that will generate some fair sized waves in the spring, and I've run it both in the Vagabond and in the Pack and stayed fairly dry.

The Wenonah Wilderness looks like a great boat for carrying more stuff and running more wave trains. I've been kinda salivating over it ever since it came out.

[Ham]

No doubt Al. I'm sure I could learn a lot from you and I'd love to talk fishing.

I'd bet I could turn that solo canoe over a lot faster than you would roll my Tarpon.

I halfway expect to stumble across you in Montana BEFORE I run into you in Missouri.