I had a fun c2c in 2008 after learning – slowly – that the lovely lightweight sprinter I had been using occasionally for a few years before eventually entering the coast was too low in the water under me (80kg). At the last moment got a cheap slow plastic Cobra viper so that I could follow through with my plans to race the longest day – as a first attempt at the race – since I had my boss offering to pay half my entry. In my view its an awful thought to stop half way only to get going in the morning cold, so may aswell just keep moving downstream and get on a bike. Plenty of rogaines had shown me I had nothing to worry about in terms of completing the race, but the kayak section required a boat which was not fragile (my sprinter was a featherweight version from a friend) and with more time being spent on repairs than out on the water, something had to change if I wanted to complete the paddle with a floating boat. I entered the paddle about 16th-18th and exited about 26-28th. The rest was academic.

Having played in short boats with the CUTC at uni, I failed my grade 2 cert (a fail incurred no cost) prior to the Mt Cook to CHCH race (2006) with Topsport on my first occasion out in the estuary mouth from monks bay – tipping out of the sprinter – and went back to the guys at the club and had them write up a cert for me – since they took me through a course a year before. After that I practiced my roll in the sprinter and took on the 400mm waves and chop exactly as you mention here. Followed that with a race down the Rakaia, above the gorge (in which I won after rolling up after tipping over in a boil) It was a handicap race….heh. Still a good boost. I survived the 3 day Mt cook race on my own but the sprinter had a very hard time in the Rangitata. Hence the Viper was a welcome option, unused for $450 because they really are not cool and it was given away as a spot prize – many were. lol

I hope there is still some demand for your stable boats and they are being made. They really have their place with all those out of control “sea kayakers” playing it “safe” and spinning down rapids on the two day. The bulk of the entrants who do it just the once to say they did it.
Sadly I guess most of these folk come from Jafa country where coffees on the harbour waterfront are a high priority and the coast to coast is some exotic dream, where the myth that you have to have done the two day before even comtemplating the one day race is still a law/rule firmly written in place – and long may they continue to believe that! I was glad the waters were clear ahead of me when I set off down that river on the sunny day in feb. Most of my runs were done solo just for that self sufficiency peace of mind because you can bet no one will be holding your hand come race day!
I happen to be in the Yukon territory right now, staking lease land claims in the boreal forest of the north. I am working with some part Inuit people. My room-mate in this hotel is training to take part in the eskimo olympics in a couple of weeks and has taught me some of the games with basic rig-ups in the hotel room here. Interesting.

Happy boat building

Joe