: Practice Bill ! I paddle a Pyranha H2 all winter on rivers - that's under
: 10' (has to be to go inside my car!) and I can paddle it in a straight line
: just paddling on one side without looking where I am going (in flat water:)
: Needs a bit more attention and strokes on both sides in fast moving water ...

: from Mike's original post

: It's not clear from that pic whether you are talking about a keel strip in
: or outside the boat. If it's inside, there is a risk it will come free of
: the bottom panel(s). If it's outside, it will give you tracking, but will
: catch on rocks in a river and capsize you at every opportunity. River boats
: need flattish or gently rounded bottoms to avoid sudden surprises. The
: controls comes from the chines which you aim to catch water, but be clear
: of rocks ... However, a forgiving river boat (suitable for a relative
: beginner) wants soft chines - hard chines (such as you get in a stitch
: and glue boat) give you great leverage to carve turns on eddy lines, but
: do require considerable skill to get the balance right. They are pretty
: vulnerable to abrasion, too.... especially at the ends where the stem and
: stern meet the bottom panel !

: Andy

Hi Andy,

Yes I can paddle it in a straight line, but it takes effort. This boat has a lot of rocker, it's the orriginal poly sneak boat, can do tricks I can't

Bill H.