A trip with the Legend

Yesterday I took the Legend on a longer trip. Wind was a 4 Bft with gusts to 5. Good circumstances to get more familiar with the Legend and to check how it performs in the wind with the fixed skeg.

The first track was in a following sea. The Legend felt quick and I managed to get it surfing sometimes over multiple waves. Afterwards I checked the log and I am happy to report a speed of around 10 km/h. However, the Legend did not surf spontaneously, I think the Explorer is more eager to surf. Tracking is sufficient and with some edging you can make some corrections. However it broached several times.

Then a track followed with wind from aside. I could feel the Legend wants to weathercock a little. Normally I would put some skeg down but now I had to manage it with some edging and sweep strokes. It worked but I prefer a vario skeg.

Rest at isle Hooft

After a rest on isle Hooft I went on to IJburg. The last track between Muiden and IJburg the wind was on a beam. Being on leeshore the north eastern wind has created some big swells, some waves even breaking. I almost got the impression I was on sea! The Legend behaves well in waves. However, stability is not that reassuring as it would be in the Skarabee, Orion or Seajett. On that moment I remembered I still had to put some knee or thigh bracing in it. A positive remark is that the weathercocking in the waves wasn't noticable anymore. Or may be the corrections could be easier to make.

The way back had some tracks against the wind and it proved to be a good workout for me. No issues with weathercocking. I can imagine there are paddlers that don't need or want a retrectable skeg on a Legend as it behaves mostly very neutral. But I think I would rather prefer one, just to have more options in all kind of different situations with wind and waves.