Last year I found this Think Legend surf ski on Craigslist. Poor guy had bought it because he wanted a fast kayak and didn’t realize there is a skill progression required. I’m almost a good enough paddler to manage it. Last year I paddled it a lot, trying to master it. But this year I’ve hardly touched it. You see, last year my other surf ski was a ancient V10 Sport in club layup, so the fact that the Legend was their cheap layup and was heavy as hell didn’t bother me. After all, it was narrower and longer than the V10 Sport so I knew if I ever mastered it I’d be faster in it. And by the end of the year I could handle it in a straight line and on flat water. I used it in a couple of races on the canal and did ok with it.
But this year I’ve had a change of plans. I got a V10 Sport in ultra layout, and it’s so light it makes the weight of the Legend seem like paddling a brick. A tippy unstable brick. Plus I’ve become really enamored of paddling on the lake, with all the waves and boat wakes and other stuff I used to hate. Plus I signed up for the Lighthouse to Lighthouse (L2L) race, my first ocean race, and I’m committed to paddling the Blackburn Challenge next year. So I’ve been all about the V10 Sport this year and neglecting the Legend.
But I did do a bit of a time trial one against the other on the canal and it appears that the Legend might be a tiny bit faster on the flat. And when I’ve hit a bit of a wake, it seems like the Legend has the potential to be really fast in the surf. If only I could keep it upright. If and when that day happens, I’m seriously thinking of getting a light high performance boat, either another Think Legend (if I can find one) or a V12 or whatever turns up on the used market.
I paddle the Legend one night a week – Mike and I call it “tippy boat night”. I guess after l2L I should up that to two or three times a week. Unfortunately last time I dropped it on the dock, putting a rather deep looking crack in it. It’s probably repairable, but I fear it will be a bad idea it paddle it until it’s fixed. Plus the patch will make my heavy boat even heavier. So I guess no tippy boat night until it’s fixed.