About and Why

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By Carl Vopal, Inventor of the PaddlingPartner^®

Greetings Fellow Kayakers,

The Paddling Partner® Stability System was launched in June of 2009 and has been featured at kayak symposiums from coast to coast and Jersey Island,UK. It is a new product so naturally we get a lot of questions. The most frequently asked questions and comments are: "How effective is 9½ lbs.? Is it enough to make a difference in my boat? I think I need more than 9½ pounds, probably more like 20 lbs."

My reply is, it doesn't take much ballast to steady a lively hull if the weight is centered in the bottom of the hatch immediately behind the kayaker, below the waterline.  A concentrated weight below the waterline adds to the Center of Gravity (CG). Center of gravity is the total weight of the paddler and boat pushing down, and it is supported by an equal and opposite force called Center of Buoyancy (CB) pushing up. On flat water, the CG is straight down and the CB is straight up and the forces will be aligned, one directly above the other.

When a kayak tips to the side, the equilibrium is disturbed and the CG moves in the direction of the tipping. In a stable kayak, the action of tipping will move the CB in the direction of the tilt beyond the CG. In a stable kayak the CB moves side to side faster than the CG. In a kayak with a lively hull, adding ballast immediately behind the kayaker slows the movement of the CG, allowing for a more comfortable ride.

The Canister is designed to hold a maximum of 9 ½ lbs. The total weight of the unit including the rubber Center Post and urethane Base Mount is approx. 12 lbs. The weight is boat friendly, portable and should be sufficient to notice a difference. 

In windy conditions, on Lake Michigan, I like to use a full Canister in the day hatch and an additional half canister in the stern hatch next to the bulkhead.  I stuff a plastic bag in the half canister so the BB's stay in place. Because of the length (19ft.), the trim is not affected. If more than one Canister is used, the hull trim should be checked.

My story is that 6 years ago I purchased a 19ft. sea kayak because I was looking for speed and lots of leg room. After two weeks I was ready to sell it because the kayak was just too hard to control. I was advised to use dromedary bags, bags of lead shot and even rocks. They provided the weight but they were a problem when it came to leaning, edging and rolling. Now, after 5 years of R&D, I'm able to enjoy my long boat and the lively hull with the help of the Paddling Partner®.         

 If you have reservations on how a small weight can make a difference, try the Paddling Partner® for a month. At the end of the month if you are not satisfied send the complete unit back and your purchase price will be refunded. Your cost will be shipping and BB's.

So far, no one has tested the return policy. Please take time to read the testimonials and see how others feel about the PP's performance.

Thank you and good paddling,

The information on Center of Gravity and Center of Buoyancy was taken from an article posted on the web by Guillemot Kayaks titled "Kayak Stability" (guillemot-kayaks.com).

 Carl Vopal holds United States Utility Patent No. 7,146,924 B1 filed on June 30, 2005 and issued on December 12, 2006 and Canadian Patent No. 2,613,077. Trademarks Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 3,730,105, 3,677,872, 3,732,812.