: Cunningham says to set the gunwale angle to 73 degrees (17deg from vertical).
: I paddled a SOF I like with gunwales set at 22 degrees from vertical. I've
: read accounts from builders setting them at 25. Now to the questions: How
: does the gunwale angle affect performance and stability? This is my first
: SOF... In terms of gunwale angle, should I follow the instructions or do
: my own thing.

Hi Chip

I was reading Cunningham this morning and remember seeing a picture of what happens when the gunwales are angled. I think it was in the Getting Started section. It compared the gunwales sitting flat and angled.

The angle seemed to make the kayak narrower and also lifted the bow and stern, which would presumably increase the rocker. I would expect that increasing the angle further would further reduce the beam and increase the rocker.

I'll let others comment on the actual impact on stability since I don't have a clue

Peter