I have a few questions, if you please, Mr. Beav. I hope I am not getting too deep into the weeds here, and I'll focus on the Sea Wind.

Which seat heights did you find most comfortable and use the most? Any comments or difficulties with or about the seat/yoke? Who made the spray skirt? What length carbon bent paddle were you using.

I am amazed at how tough the boat, paddle (and paddler for that matter) proved to be. I sure appreciate your accomplishment, attitude, and willingness to share.

The seat hangers for the Sea Wind have 4 positions the highest of which is for turning the seat upside down for a yoke.

You'd think in 5000 miles of tripping, I would have tried all 3 sitting heights but I didn't. The highest position is the most comfortable while the lowest is the least. The highest position is the least stable while the lowest is the most. Therein is the tradeoff. I wanted the most comfortable position that I felt stable in. I started with the highest and was stable (with a heavy load) so never ever tried any lower. If I was going out in rough seas without a load, I would surely go lower to find stability but never have.

The seat/yoke combo is great! This is the first boat I've used with a tractor seat. The issue I have with this tractor seat is how smooth it is which in rough seas allows your body to shift at the wrong moment. I kept a seat pad on to prevent this.

The spray skirt was purchased from Kruger Canoes. The skirt has a zipper and Velcro. It works almost too good. I quit using the zipper after the second near drowning in the Cook Inlet. Cook Inlet is a dangerous water to paddle- I didn't show any of that in the Movie.

The paddle is 50" long and is just right for me. I normally use 52 or 54"'s when paddling other canoes.

So interesting. Thank you very kindly.

thanks for adding that comment about cook inlet. here is a random youtube video of the cook inlet tide. the video is showing a little one in the turnagain arm, they get much bigger than this. it is an amazing thing to witness. i would not want to be out there in a big tide in a canoe.

quote jwartman59: "thanks for adding that comment about cook inlet. here is a random youtube video of the cook inlet tide. the video is showing a little one in the turnagain arm, they get much bigger than this. it is an amazing thing to witness. i would not want to be out there in a big tide in a canoe."

I never knew stuff like this happens. BeaV, wear a go pro next time for us ok? :)

quote jwartman59: "thanks for adding that comment about cook inlet. here is a random youtube video of the cook inlet tide. the video is showing a little one in the turnagain arm, they get much bigger than this. it is an amazing thing to witness. i would not want to be out there in a big tide in a canoe."

I've fished Cook Inlet a half dozen times or so... the tide makes it feel like a river. You need 4-5 POUND weights to keep your line on the bottom at about 200 feet of water.

I was wondering how it was to paddle. I imagined you only paddled as tide was coming IN toward Anchorage. And that you might not have to do anything except "rudder", lol, at the strongest part of it.

I've never seen a tidal bore in the large Inlet proper - did you experience one? Our large fishing boats just basically swung around as tide changed direction, no "surfing" required. I have seen the bore tide in Turnagain Arm though - but the video was way cooler than seeing it from land at a roadside overview.

quote BWPaddler: "I was wondering how it was to paddle. I imagined you only paddled as tide was coming IN toward Anchorage. And that you might not have to do anything except "rudder", lol, at the strongest part of it.

I've never seen a tidal bore in the large Inlet proper - did you experience one? Our large fishing boats just basically swung around as tide changed direction, no "surfing" required. I have seen the bore tide in Turnagain Arm though - but the video was way cooler than seeing it from land at a roadside overview."

Tidal Bore?- No, did not see or experience them. I believe they don't occur in Cook Inlet but are common and predictable in Turnagain Arm Inlet that is a bay off Cook.

How was Cook Inlet to paddle?- Difficult. 4th highest tidal swings in the world, windy, tidal mud flats in some areas, and cold water. Like you said, the tidal currents produced by the water level changing 30 feet in elevation every 6 hours can either help or hinder progress. I think it only stopped me once and I just went to shore to wait for better/lesser currents. The last couple days before Anchorage, I timed my paddling to be with the incoming tide or slack tide. Nice scenery though.

I never seen a boat less than 500 feet long in Cook Inlet. When I was in Anchorage, I met a fishing charter boat captain and asked him "where are all the boats?". He said "it's too dangerous especially when we have Prince William Sound nearby where it's much safer to fish"