Cruising in a K3

Last night at the Dabs time trial I paddled for the first time in a K3. My boat partners were Amy (driving) and Steven (piggy in the middle). Amy's a very experienced paddling and she drives up a storm so we were often in the thick of things. We logged a 55min time trial for the 10 laps, which Amy says is "very respectable". There were five K3s on the dam - a good number.

The first time I saw a K3 was in about 2003 when I was taking photos at a river race (Liebensbergvlei). I took a really great photo of paddlers with a lovely tree behind them - it took a while for me to realise that there were three people in the boat, not two. I've seen K3s at time trial recently and wanted to give it a try. Awesome!

Ant Stott and company dropping
down Cradock Weir

Searching the web I see that Ant Stott paddled Fish River Canoe Marathon last year in a K3 Yeti, which he says is "an extended, high-line Accord" made by Pope's Canoe Centre. He adds that he "was very impressed with the boat's handling; the rudder responds at the same speed as a standard K2 making it really easy to control through the rapids. As a result we had perfect runs through Keith’s flyover, Salt pans rapid and over Cradock weir". There were 40 K3s at this race last year!

I do hope to paddle this K3 more often - it's just good fun.