iHop therefore iHuli...or Half A Dry Suit is NOT a Semi-Dry Suit

Justin, become a yakin' evangelist and create your buddies, it's a win-win! I know you're kind of far away from here but it's worth talking to folks about it. Maybe you can convert a bank or PB angler to come into the light.

I'm working on it.  The PBers don't want to lose speed and the Bankers don't want to spend the $$$.

Glad you're okay H! that high seat looks like a terrible design. Maybe okay on a flat day with no wind.

Actually Noah,

The high seat is the coolest thing about that boat besides being able to stand and cast from it.  You just have to get a good feel for the boat before you use it that way.  H did really well on the Sandy river in  the low seated position and I think we got a little cocky putting the seats way up for that glassy little lake. Gorge gusts can be ugly and we felt it in full force.

H did great though and we learned a lot that day.

 
Derek
www.kayakshed.com

Great post IHOP!  "Smart men learn from their mistakes, wise men learn from other's mistakes" Not that I'm smart or wise but that post was a great teaching tool. I was paddling in the Siletz bay this wknd thowing out crab gear and trying some different exposure suit options for paddling. I tried my diving drysuit which worked fine for a little while until I got so hot in it I had to jump in to cool off. It was good re-board practice though. I like DEMONIC'S "stirrup" idea. Practicing reboarding solo cannot be done too much. I have been in and out of my boat a lot since I use it while diving. Easy to board with fins but a different story without.  The tendency is to try to reboard while your body is in a verticle position, using a big scissor kick and clawing over into your boat. That may work for some but getting your body horizontal as possible and kinda stroking over top your boat and pushing down on the near side works best for me. Once on the boat the rest is easy to figure out. While at Depoe Bay I stopped by the USCG station and they told me about someone they rescued last year out by the bell buoy fishing solo who couldn"t reboard hs boat. It was good he had a working radio to call for help though. To be safe and responsible everone should have a dependable solo reboard technique worked out with gear they plan to use. And practice to find out what gets in the way. Thanks again for sharing!

Actually Noah,

The high seat is the coolest thing about that boat besides being able to stand and cast from it.  You just have to get a good feel for the boat before you use it that way.  H did really well on the Sandy river in  the low seated position and I think we got a little cocky putting the seats way up for that glassy little lake. Gorge gusts can be ugly and we felt it in full force.

H did great though and we learned a lot that day.

 
Derek
www.kayakshed.com

I'm sure it's a nice boat but I just don't understand the need to be 3-4 inches higher while paddling. I could see how standing would be cool at times, but it seems like the tradeoff of 3-4 inches of increased height wouldn't be worth the loss of stability. I've never paddled the boat, but am I missing something?

Just my two cents on practicing re-entry.  So my fiancee and I just got our new Oasis a month ago and have been practicing wet re-entries each time we are out.  One thing I noticed for her is that when we start paddling she does just fine getting back in but after hours on the water she gets more tired and has a harder time with the re-entry.  So definitely practice after you have been out for a full day so you can do it when you are exhausted.  My next teaching moment will be to flip the boat when she isn't looking 

I'm sure it's a nice boat but I just don't understand the need to be 3-4 inches higher while paddling. I could see how standing would be cool at times, but it seems like the tradeoff of 3-4 inches of increased height wouldn't be worth the loss of stability. I've never paddled the boat, but am I missing something?

Yep, makes it easier to spot fish and easier to stand and sit.  Seriously, those couple inches make it a LOT easier to stand up and sit back down.  The boat is essentially designed around bass fishing with a hull that is also decent for rivers.  It has excellent primary stability and is very easy to stand in.  Casting from a standing position is even easy. 

It has virtually no secondary stability though, so once it starts going over, there is no stopping it.

No worries, Noah.

That's a legitimate question. The boat was designed around the bass fishing conditions of the Sout East. As a white water boat that performs great in both moving water and lakes the boat has a lot of range in terms of the types of water it can be paddled in. Most will use the seat in the lower position but for those of us casting 60 feet of fly line or for the guys site fishing reds and bass in the south it is very nice having the option of the higher seat.    My 65 year old father does not use his high seat and feels more comfortable in the lower setting. That's the beauty of the boat. You can choose how you want to be seated.  Let Ihop know if you want to try it out for yourself. He really loves his! We just made a series of stupid mistakes and it cost us. 

The Cuda is the 14' flat water version that would probably suit most of those who want maximum stability in flat water conditions.

Derek
www.kayakshed.com

That makes more sense, thanks for clarifying.

Ah well, it happens!  Kudos for sharing. 

Looks like a really cool kayak.

Just my two cents on practicing re-entry.  So my fiancee and I just got our new Oasis a month ago and have been practicing wet re-entries each time we are out.  One thing I noticed for her is that when we start paddling she does just fine getting back in but after hours on the water she gets more tired and has a harder time with the re-entry.  So definitely practice after you have been out for a full day so you can do it when you are exhausted.  My next teaching moment will be to flip the boat when she isn't looking 

After you perform your next "teaching" moment, tell your future ex that I will buy the oasis from her

Seriously man.  You pull that and we might get a new Lifetime movie out of your 'teaching moment'

The "tireness factor" was probably in play here, I just recounted my physical activity last week when a much younger member of my tennis team tried to wimp out on a big match next Saturday by having his wife email me. I had to put a little tough love on the boy:
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Did Larry injure himself in his match or is he just sore?

Our next match is really an important one, he's a young guy, he should be fine by then. Here's my schedule from last week:

I played 3 1/2 hours Monday night after working out for over two hours Monday morning.

I kayak fished Tuesday for six hours in the Sandy River then I played three hours of tennis that night.

I worked out two hours Wednesday morning and played a league match at 1 that day.

I played two hours of singles Friday at noon then played the first round three set match at 7 that night.

I played at 8 am Saturday then drove to Hood River and went kayaking Saturday afternoon and got dumped in the water while he played your mixed match (here's the link to my YouTube video: ).

I worked out over an hour this morning and will be playing 3 hours tonight.

Will probably play 3 hours tomorrow night and will be kayak fishing 4-6 hours on the Sandy River on Wednesday.

Will probably play singles on Friday to get ready for the Saturday match.

I'm old enough to be his dad. I'm planning to either play #2 singles or #1 doubles this Saturday because we really need our strongest team. Larry is a very valuable member of the team. He and Mark play great together.

I seriously need him to play #2 doubles with Mark. Tell him to suck it up! I'll give him a massage if he's sore after he wins Saturday!
=====================================

Was I too mean...TOUGH IT OUT, CHUMP!!!

  My next teaching moment will be to flip the boat when she isn't looking 

Holy crap. Men are from Mars....Women? Don't do it or you may have to peddle the Oasis
alone or end up on an episode of Dateline NBC's " Kayak Murder".

... when a much younger member of my tennis team tried to wimp out on a big match next Saturday by having his wife email me.

Man card revocation is in order for this.