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Launching
the Hindeloopen
The launching of the Hindeloopen replica was a profound experience—I
returned a 300-year-old form to the water, and it reciprocated
by taking me back 300 years in kayak history. It was like nothing
I'd ever paddled before. It was tiny and seemingly very far below
me because of the low deck. The fit was snug and comfortable and
gave me excellent heeling control. Its expected instability proved
to be very manageable and even comfortable in a short time. I'd
be hard-pressed to recommend the type to anyone, as the patience
and perseverance I'd acquired from paddling other tippy kayaks
has certainly given me an advantage in learning to paddle these
two narrow replicas. The stability curves featured in typical
Sea Kayaker kayak reviews would only barely appear in the positive
range for this kayak, if at all.
The
overall performance was very pleasing. It tracked very well, even
in high winds, yet turned easily. These seemingly contradictory
qualities may be explained by a combination of having a low freeboard,
a moderate rocker, and a fairly distinct keel. It's a very wet
ride, however; it is inevitable that a kayak that makes you feel
so much a part of the water would also more or less soak you.
The
Hindeloopen kayak had a paddle associated with it, which was reconstructed
for use with the kayak replica. The blades are quite parallel
and they make a quick transition into the shaft, the bone-edging
(hardwood on my replica) acting as a bit of a shoulder. The tips
of the original paddle are whale bone, mortised to the wooden
blades.
A
powerful stroke in a 22"- wide kayak is phenomenally powerful
in a 15 5/8" kayak. The acceleration is astonishing, especially
with the replica paddle; the pull of its narrow blades so finely
tuned to the kayak's resistance. Cruising speed is not only easily
maintained but is substantial. Greenland kayak champion Maligiaq
Padilla paddled this replica in 1999 and remarked very favorably
as to how fast it was—the fastest he'd ever been in.
I
took this replica to the surf for trials and found it to be very
capable getting through breakers. Its low buoyancy made for an
especially wet ride, and I found it best to be capsized when meeting
the breaking 5' waves. Its acceleration was very handy, and its
maneuverability gave me little to worry about. Surfing back in,
I found it very prone to submarining and pitchpoling—I would
have preferred broaching. When it did broach and surf sideways,
I found the kayak firmly attached to me, whereas in bigger kayaks,
I've experienced the sensation of being pulled out as the larger
hulls are yanked away from me. The Hindeloopen has such a small
overall surface area, much of it fairly rounded, that it is quite
at home in waves and wind.
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