I have a new composite freestyle kayak. It has yet to meet water, since I am allowing a few weeks of curing time, as a precaution. Toby, the builder, assured me that this was no longer necessary these days, as his epoxy boats are oven cured at the optimum temperature for maximum strength development. However, I remember instances in the 80s and 90s in which new boats split and delaminated if they were used too quickly, which caused caution this time. It is, of course, very tempting to try the boat out, but it is not really needed yet, as I bought it primarily to use when travelling.
My wife and I drove from the Scottish Borders to North Wales to collect the boat. The workshop lies in an impressive setting, set into the side of a rising bluff beside the Mawddach Estuary, with a view across to the North aspect of Cadair Idris, the second highest mountain in Wales.
Toby had asked me to come down in person, so that he could fit the boat exactly to me. Part of this process was slightly alarming; I needed to sit in the boat in paddling position, whilst he drilled down towards my legs with a power tool, in order to precisely position the thigh braces!
He has done a superb job and produced an object of beauty as well as utility. I believe that I will not wish to paddle anything else once I actually use this craft, except perhaps for my competition slalom boat at actual races.