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> Hard Chine vs Multi Chine - What I read leads me to believe that leaning a
> multichine is like slipping on a banana peel. It's a smooth ride side to
> side but going over, you can't so easily stop once you get going. And hard
> chine allows the boat to go over on its side, not as smooth, so you know
> it. Then it takes a little more lean to go all the way over.
> Can someone clarify in newbie non-tech speak?
> I plan to rent boats of each type before deciding what to build.
hi rick take that link and rent those boats. my two cents is that initial stability is apples and "secondary stability" is oranges. and that a lot of it is subjective, especially when you take the boat out of the graph and into the water.
I would prefer that secondary stability was called something else as it requires the paddler to have the skill to feel comfortable bracing while the kayak is leaned way over. I have heard folks use the phrase " and that secondary kicks in.." or "it's a bit tippy but as you get it over that secondary stability is right there" There is no stability "right there" if you stop bracing, over you go. Therein lies my problem with "stability". Rotationally responsive sounds nice to me.
So a skinny four panel boat (hard chine) tips over easily,a skinny arched bottom boat tips easily, either boat with lots of freeboard will tip over more slowly once you lean past the point of no return,in other words if you weren't bracing over you go,but the boat with a little more freeboard (in this example) doesn't take you over as quickly so there is a little more time to respond or the effort in bracing is a little less. Thats one of the characteristics for secondary stability.
If you are new to paddling you don't want a skinny boat with "great secondary" in the waves. It's more important the boat fits. I came back from a paddle this morning with 8 people,3had boats with "great secondary" the also were straight tracking british boats that these folks had a very hard time steering in the waves. A couple other paddlers had a Loon and a necky tornak, they were much more stable and these people had much less dificulty steering as they felt comfortable leaning into paddle to steer.
paddle the boats, ask around, the terms don't mean much if the seat is uncomfortable or you don't like the way the boat looks.
have fun, there's lots of good opinions on this board , when in doubt..paddle
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Guillemot Kayak - High
Performance Wooden Sea Kayak Designs
