: Greetings!

: In the Lo-Volume Cirrus thread it has been stated that most yakkers are out
: there blatantly paddling around with more volume than they need for most
: trips. I wish to learn the ramifications of such behavior, and not knowing
: where else to turn I put it to this most excellent board. My first guess
: is that a high volume boat without a load in it gets blown around by the
: wind more. Second guess is that first guess is only part of it, if part of
: it at all. Thank you all for adding to my knowledge, easy as it is to do.

: Cheers,
: Kurt Maurer

This is where one has to realistically evaluate what types of paddling he/she will be doing most of the time.
If you are not going to need the volume for long trips most all the time, have a lower volume kayak and borrow, rent, steal for that long trip (or learn to pack as a minimalist.)

I have a variety of boats in my instruction fleet. I carry poly bags and can always load up a higher volume boat with a couple of bags of beach gravel or rock and suck it down for increased stability and less windage.

Even day paddling up here involves first aid kit, repair kit, hypothermia kit and thermos, signal kit, bailout/emergency survival kit, signal and communications kit, bivy bag/possible overnight kit, extra snack/food kit, immersion suit or clothing on or carried if conditions warrant it, displacement air bags or sto-floats; so the kayak has some bulk and weight in it every paddling outing.
Saturday I taught in 60 degree air temp, sunny, warm, blue skies, flat calm.
Sunday was 50 degrees, windy, some rain, low clouds.
Today it has snowed about 1.5 inches in the last few hours, all is white, 100 yard visibility.
Water temps are in the upper thirties.

Your area and conditions will help decide size/space questions. If you can have more than one kayak, that is great. If only one, I think safety first,
then the balance between fun and practicability

Randy