"Greg Pavlov" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 5 Mar 2004 10:46:07 -0600, Kevin Vang
wrote:


That's a matter of some debate. One article I read finally settled
on rolling as the criterion. If you can roll it, it's a kayak. If
you can't, it's a canoe.


That would nake most SOTs canoes, no ? SOTs are a different breed,
actually: they're basically fat surfboards with hollow interiors.
This does make them more suitable for ocean fishing than canoes:
if you flip over, launch through surf, etc, the SOT yak floats &
requires much less effort to get going again. I would say that the
primary differences betw a sit-inside yak and a canoe are
rollability coupled with the ability to pretty well seal the interior
with a skirt and a much lower center of gravity.

Except there are those of us who can roll open canoes. And what about C1s,
which are decked canoes?

Traditionally, the difference has been a combination of the paddle (single
blade vs double blade) and the position you sit in them (kayak = low on your
butt, canoe = one or both knees down). Hence, decked canoes are still canoes
(C-1s) and open topped kayaks (like the WeeTwo) are truly kayaks.

-riverman