JEM Watercraft

Do most of you find that you need to sit very low in this boat?

Yes

tx river rat wrote:Yes

Try to keep it a bit shorter next time will ya Ron?

Ron's right of course but the seat doesn't have to be right on the bottom of the hull. Mine is as per plans and has about an inch of foam padding. The only time I rolled it was when trying to surf.

A lot of people describe the Laker as "tippy". True, it doesn't feel rock solid when upright but there is a good amount of secondary stability, by which I mean it won't capsize easily. Stability is a very subjective thing and depends on the paddlers experience, both recent and long term. The more time you spend in a tippy boat the more stable it becomes. I fish, take photos and hope to go camping with it so I still reckon the Laker is a good little all rounder.

The first times you try this boat, it feels real shaky. I started with a platform seat about even with the chines, and still felt "tippy". After I paddled and found it was really hard to tip, I put a foam pad in there to cushion the bones. My legs would go to sleep after about 30 min. paddling, so I built a curved seat base, sorta following the seat from Uncle John's site. It raised me another inch or so, but the more I use the boat, the more stable and less tippy it feels. I think its magic!! I haven't rolled the boat while using it, but I have fallen out getting in and out of it!!! Put a cushion under your bum, paddle some and try again. I think you will find some of that Magic.

yes sir
Ron

This is kind of what I thought I would hear. Being a long time boater and second time builder and yet I never had paddled before, I just needed to be sure it wasn't
completely because of being new to paddling. Without a doubt I would have felt a little tight in the bum getting into any kayak for the first time. I wasn't expecting
to be so tight down there that another pair of parts of me were sore from all the clinching though. Like it has been said practice makes familiarity.

Thank You for your responses and any more are welcome.

One thing that can help when you get into any new kayak is to have a bit of a wriggle before you start off. Once in and afloat use your hips to make the boat rock side to side, just a few degrees but fairly fast so it churns the water a bit. Then, without the wriggle, lean out to each side enough to make the hull tilt each way. It doesn't need to be extreme but certainly significant is good. I've found I can lean mine to the point of having the shear under water - but you do need to be careful at that stage so wait until you have some more experience before trying that.

This exercise seems to give your body the confidence to relax. If you do this each time you go out you should have no problems.

Thanks Bob for the explanation, at first I thought maybe a wriggle was like a shot of Aussi Jack Black or something. I am here to tell you that I did do some wriggling
but it wasn't controlled or even close. Once I did lean on purpose just to see and that is when I almost shot out the other side of the kayak. I will try your suggestion
when I reach the 2 ft. water.
Thanks Again