: If you're not comfortable
: in the Chessy at times, the issue is not the boat, it's more likely your
: skill level. If you're relatively new to the sport or to paddling in ocean
: conditions, that's absolutely normal. What you need to do is to spend more
: time paddling in those conditions so you learn to be comfortable in them.

I found the best approach was to get a LESS stable boat (a low rocker hard
chine boat, built at a fraction (24/25.4) of its design size, at 53 cm beam).
Paddle that in conditions which feel uncomfortable, then return to the more
stable boat which now feels like an aircraft carrier. Take that out in the
rough, then back to the tippy boat in rougher conditions than last time.
The skill level and balance builds up much quicker than just paddling the
same boat all the time.

The great advantage of building skill in a less stable boat is that your
companions will all be feeling quite comfortable and able to carry out
rescues if necessary. Whilst pushing the envelope in a big stable boat
means that everyone else will be at or near their limit too, so you can
far less afford to capsize. That makes for a big psychological pressure,
which makes it all the more likely that things will go wrong and an epic
will ensue. If you are happy that capsizing will not cause an epic, then
you can get a lot nearer the envelope and maybe find that nothing goes
wrong after all, which is great - your limits are pushed back and your
confidence is built.

Andy