: I traded emails with Eric on the subject of menuverability and we did discuss
: the Shearwater vs Merganser Hulls. He said the Shearwater has a softer
: more rounded radius where the Stems meet the keel.

: Added menuverability can be obtained and refined by softening or hardening
: the radius of the angle of the stems and the keel and of coiurse changing
: the rocker. Kit built yaks will have consistantly similar performance,
: Plan built will probably have more variations. When I put my Merganser up
: for a refit this winter I'll probably soften the bows entry a bit to give
: a bit more menuverability and soften up my Mergansers stiff tracking.

When you say radius of the stems do you mean looking at the hull from the side? The other aspect to maneuverability is the depth/length of the v section in the water,,check out the development of the hull shape of a Cirrus to see what I mean. Going forward the side/bottom panels develop as rounded a shape as possible with the stern chines being more sharp and squared off although for a shorter length.

IIRC the Shearwaters have temporary forms in the ends that should reduce the sharpness of the ends at the wateline. On the Merganser 17W I made there aren't end forms but he said the Mergansers now have them.

I'd be curious to see how a Merganser 17W made with end forms turns out. I took out(3/16" at bow, arc over 6") some of the bottom panels curve at the bow which made for a fuller bow at the water line and conceivable a wide entry angle to make it turn from the bow more easily. It actually didn't make a difference. Theorectically that should have made the hull more easy to turn and reduce weathercocking. The 17W is more maneuverable than the Merganswer 17,18 and Shearwater 17 but I think most of that was from less draft and the extra beam allowing more of the ends to lift up on a lean. But compared to the Merganser 16,17,18 and Shearwater 17 the 17W weathercocks more with more of sense that the pivot point is forward of the paddler so it doesn't respond as well to a lean.