: There have been several threads up lately about cockpit sizes.
: I was down at the local kayak shop again last night annoying them with
: questions again and got into a discussion about cockpit size, shape, etc.
: The man told me to call John at Mountain Surf, I guess a designer, who
: would like to standardize cockpits and has some definite ideas about size,
: shape, rim dimensions, etc.
: I scanned a letter he has distributed to dealers of which the jist was:
: rounder is better, recessed provides protection to the skirt, rim should
: provide 1/2 to 3/4 inch clearance from deck and 1/2 to 3/4 inch projection
: from the coaming. The idea of standardizing sizes/shapes would allow
: someone with a lost or damaged skirt to replace it at any shop instead of
: having to wait for custom built. I presume it would also permit dealers to
: carry less inventory from fewer suppliers.

: I will probably try to contact this person but first thought I'd toss it out
: there to get comments. Maybe not such a burning issue but it is hard to
: replace a skirt with something off the shelf just about anywhere? How big
: a problem is it to keep a skirt on certain shapes? Any other thoughts?

I think it's a brilliant idea, but I'm not sure it's practical. There are still many, many different size people who must be accommodated by the shape of their boat's cockpit--tall, skinny dudes like me want long, narrow cockpits. Big guys want long and wide. Some shorter people like the small, narrow "ocean" cockpits, and then there are the big-@$$ "rec kayaks" that people think need sprayskirts so they can be just like a "fer-real" sea kayak, even though they're so huge a breaking wave would implode them in a heartbeat.

Still, I'd think that manufacturers of boats and sprayskirts could agree upon about 6 "standard" shapes and sizes to fit universally.

: I have to also believe his comments relate to neo decks, nylon will fit just
: about anything reasonably close, right?

He's probably talking about neo decks. Neoprene decks actually fit better within a close range, but a too-big nylon skirt has a better chance of fitting on a too-small coaming than does a neoprene skirt. If a nylon skirt is too small, it will never stretch enough to fit, where a neoprene skirt can, (in a pinch) although entrapment of an inexperienced paddler could be a risk.

Shawn