smithcorp wrote:
How do people get themselves forward, with the Mirage drive pedals sticking up? Each time I have tried moving around the cockpit (especially while wearing a pfd) it gets very tippy and I feel if I continue, I will end up in the drink.
This isn't a silly question at all, it's a great question, and it's going to be a bit different for you than it is for other Mirage Drive boaters. The Revolution 11 is a new boat, and the design really is quite a bit different when it comes to stability as you move forward.
Moving forward on the Adventure (red boat) is still going to keep you in the wider section of the boat where it is the most stable.
Moving forward in the Revolution 11 (yellow boat) puts you into a much narrower part of the boat. So the further that you move forward, the less stability you're going to have.
I'm sure it will take practice, but part of that feeling of instability comes from the design of your boat, and the other part just comes from getting used to how to do it.
I'd still follow the basic principles. Remove the drive, so that you can keep your centre of gravity low. I would probably scoot forward with your legs over the sides of the boat, and rest your butt either on the hatch, or where the mirage drive sits. That keeps your weight low, having your feet over the sides, and in the water, also acts to give you more stability. Another thing to keep in mind is that as the stern of the boat rises from the water, you will be balancing on the bow of the boat which is designed to pierce waves, not add stability. Keeping something heavier in the back as you move forward will keep the bulbous part of the boat sitting in the water. That bulbous part is what keeps things stable on a boat like yours.
It's probably going to take some practice, and it's also going to take some getting used to. With any kayak, sometimes it just feels a bit more tippy than it is, sometimes it really is that tippy.
I'm sure you'll get more comfortable with time!