...continued from here For a few years, I dropped the question of what kind of boat might get me back on the water, but this fall the lake began to call me and I started looking. What I found was a delightful surprise. There is a new generation of small boats powered by pedals attached to high efficiency propellers. This drive system has been adapted to many uses from canoe auxiliaries to canal barges. The variety is fascinating to anyone interested in the outer reaches of human inventiveness. Among the racing set, there is a current speed goal of 20 knots for a pedal powered boat and I suspect some of the sleek hydrofoil models will pass it soon. Speed wasn’t my dream, however, I wanted a boat I could take out on Lake Champlain in weather from dead calm to 20 knot winds, a boat that would be stable in the waves that often build on the lake even in a moderate wind, a boat that would give my body a chance to participate in the experience more fully, and a boat that would be fun to use in at least two of our seasons. The Escapade did it all and then some. I liked the boat the first time I saw its picture on the web. I found out later the hull was designed by Garry Hoyt, which helps explain its pretty lines. It also explains the boat’s performance when the wind rises. At 12’ long, with a 20” draft, 100 lbs. of ballast, and overall weight of 325 lbs., this is no canoe. It actually seems to like the waves. And I certainly enjoy riding them in it. The Escapade is no barge in the speed department, either. I find it easy to cruise all day near hull speed, which is more than I could do most of the time I was sailing. Distance made good is much better too, since I don’t have to tack. I’ve made a few trips on routes I sailed in my Gloucester 16 and was surprised to arrive at the lunch cove early every time. Needless to say, my body loves the boat. I pedal for five or six hours at a time. In the interest of honesty, I have to say this is not as impressive as it might sound: Water hasn’t the resistance a Vermont hill offers a bicycle, so the pedaling doesn’t require much torque. Nevertheless, it’s a great workout, and, when I want to move more blood, I just raise the rpms and push the bow wave a little. The final bonus is that the Escapade turns out to be a three season boat. Actually, it might be a four season boat, but the launch ramps were starting to ice over on November 20th when I finally gave it up for the winter. However, I didn’t stop because I was cold. The boat’s windshield wraps around and over the cockpit in such a way that it gets warm quickly with no wind and lots of calories burning on the pedals. I’ve got Burlington friends watching the lake for me; give me an open channel in the ice and a thawed launch ramp and I’m out there! The Escapade is made by Nauticraft in Muskegon, Michigan. They are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. My trip out there to pick up the boat was the beginning of a great new relationship to messing about on the water. Steve
Hinds,
The Yankee Pedaler, Montpelier, BT ...continued from here |