: I got a spray skirt given to me the other day, and since I don't
: have one and want to learn to roll this is a good thing.
: The boat I have is a guillemot with the standard size coming, I
: believe it is 30x17.
: The spray skirt is a brooks neoprene and the size on the tag says
: " for cockpits 35x19.5"
: I have tightened the bungee as much as I can and it is a tight fit
: front and back
: The center of the skirt, like above my lap is droopy, and if I push
: down on it I can pop the sides off the coaming.
: is the center supposed to be tight side to side?
: I don't know anything about how a skirt is supposed to fit or how
: tight it should be along the sides on the coaming, so I would
: like some knowledge instilled on me if you all don't mind.
: I have not been on the water with it on the boat yet.

Judging by the dimensions of your coaming and the ones provided by Brooks, I'm thinking that skirt is WAY to big for your boat. You really need it tight all the way 'round. I'm guessing that it will leak like a sieve if you're rolling. It might work to keep spray and paddle drips off you but will not stand up to immersion. If you paddle in waves, you run the real risk of the thing imploding under the weight of the water.

If you can release the skirt by pushing down on it, it's way too loose. I personally like my skirts "bar tight". The one on my Black Pearl takes two hands and just about everything I have to get it on. It keeps out a lot of water. YET, it pulls off pretty easy - thankfully.

Brookes, Snapdragon and Seals will make a skirt for you. I had Snapdragon make a skirt for my Black Pearl and it's working great. Seals' quality has been suffering lately. I've returned two Shockers that leaked where the neoprene failed - and only after 1 dozen or so uses. I have an older Shocker (3 years old) that actually weighs 1/4lb heavier than my new one - that's how much lighter the neoprene is in the new ones compared to older. Just my findings.

Sean

: I hope this will work for me cause I can't afford to buy one right
: now and would really like to learn how to roll and whatnot, but
: I don't want to be unsafe while trying to learn.

: Thanks
: Dave g