No one ever mentions the challenge of geography and logistics. You could have a great boat at your disposal but it only works if you can get it in the water.
An advantage with the Finn Gadget 'kayak' is that it is easily managed to and from the water. At 18 kilograms and 2.4 metres long, with enough hand holds to get your up Everest, porting the craft is much easier than other carrying experiences I have had.
Since one of my launching points is just over 2 kilometres away , getting to and fro was going to be a challenge.
But the Gadget on its first run pulled nicely behind a bicycle ( as seen in the image to right).
In fact the Gadget 'just fits'. Anything bigger would be a problem.
Maybe you don't all have bike carts ... but it is the thought that counts.
I wasn't very bippy today, being handicapped by stiffness and fatigue, but I peddled the craft down to the river and paddled along the shoreline. Paddling asks the body to do things it may not be used to... and I really felt the strain across the hips, at my bum wiggling core. I need to notch up more paddling time to get my bod into paddling mode especially as the Gadget seems to be very stroke dependent. It tracks fine but the 'glide' isn't huge especially forging against the outgoing tide.
My guess is that once I master my 'core' -- the engine room below the waist -- I'll have this critter house trained. Shoulder work dragging the paddle through the water is only one part of the forward motion business.
Nonetheless, its deck is a very stable platform upon which to captain. With a few furnishings and ancillary hardware, you could spend all day messing about, fishing and gawking at the riparian scene.
