Madeline 16

We had a great day today out on Lake Superior. No, we didn't take an epic journey. Instead, my family and some friends went to the beach with the Madeline 16 and the Greenland Style Kayak.
My family had all been paddling for the past year. Of our friends, one had never even sat in a kayak before and the other, their 16 year old son, had only been paddling once before. These two guys hopped in the Madeline 16 and loved it.

I spent the afternoon paddling around in the Greenland, practicing bracing, and racing with my 10 year old son, paddling the Madeline. I love how responsive the Greenland is to my movements. This could become my favorite, and, judging by the response of people that I meet at the beach, they like it too.

I'm still getting used to the Greenland and still feel like I'm just getting the hang of it. Before we left the beach, I took my old favorite girl, Madeline, for a spin. I am so at home in this kayak that I don't think that I'll ever get tired of paddling it. When I want a leisurely paddle, it fits the bill. When the weather gets rough and I get nervous, Madeline takes it in stride. If I want speed, Madeline keeps an even keel and stays rock solid when I get on the stick.

I'm currently working on the second prototype of Madeline, addressing the few things that need to be improved. The second edition is a bit more streamlined at the bow, with a slightly lower profile, following the lead of our Tandem/Triple Cerberus 21, which grew out of the original Madeline 16.

I can't wait to get this kayak on the market. It's going to be such an asset to the field of touring kayaks that are available. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced paddler, when you build one and paddle it, I know that you are going to love her as much as I do.

Joel

New News

The blog database on our server went away a couple of days ago, so, rather than wrestling with WordPress again, trying to get it reset, I decided to start posting our news here at blogspot.

Check back for news.