: Has anyone paddled a Dyson 5.28M (17.32 ft) one hatch baidarka? I am
: considering building one and was wondering about its carrying capacity. I
: would be using it for day and weekend paddles. I am six ft and weigh 215
: lbs......????? I currently use a North Star and find it great, but the
: compulsion to build is once more upon me.

: Etienne Muller - Ireland.

215lbs should be no problem for the Dyson. If you scroll down the page to the
(Sabre-Saw Thread) there is a hull pic of a wood frame 5.28 Dyson I built many
years ago. It's a very good paddling design. I found the first one to be
somewhat limited in SOF storge space so I built 2 more of them with 1" taller
gunwales, plus an additional 1" taller deckridge. That solved the gear
storage issue.

I built 3 of the 5.28's in all, one an aluminum / wood frame, and 2 all-wood
frames (one a folder). I also built 2 Dyson doubles, one a woodstrip and the
other an alum / wood folder. I especially liked the Dyson Baidarka doubles
due to their great rough water handling and their comfy 7 feet between
paddlers.

Probably more than you wanted to hear Your boats look great by the way !

Regards,

Tom