Presumably no one will deny that our C2 ”SITKA” up till now has been an excellent boat. It has been greatly represented at the races in 1965 and has obtained fine placings. Sometimes, it is, however, possible to make a good boat even better, and in order to avoid confusion, the new model of the “SITKA” has got the name “ASPIDA”.
The changes we have made can be seen at the first glance. A lower and more slender C2 has never been built, and yet the “ASPIDA” moves dryly and smoothly through the waves. Other changes are less conspicuous but are not less valuable to the canoeists. Thus we have always endeavoured to improve the steering qualities of the Canadian canoes and to reduce the wind drift. Experience shows that even the fastest hull shape is useless if the canoe is difficult to steer.
The demands for manoeuvrability and course stability counteract each other and the hull shape must therefore be adapted to the experience made with canoes.
Even minimal variations in the rocker make great differences in the steering qualities and also the shape of the section and the draft near the stems are essential factors. Gradually, with changes of few millimetres, our canoe types C1 “DELTA” and C2 “ASPIDA” have developed so fine steering qualities that the canoeists can trust these boats in any situation.
In the “ASPADA” the freedom of movements has reached a maximum which only straight gunwale edges can give. It may be a little wrong to speak about edges as the “ASPIDA” like the C1 “DELTA” has become curved freeboards in a way that hull and deck form a rounded unity. The advantage hereof is recognized on kayaks as well as Canadian canoes:
1. Good buoyancy in spite of the small width at the gunwale.
2. Small winddrift.
3. Lower bow wave.
4. Almost no loss of speed under wave conditions.
The actual hull shape below water line is almost unchanged from “SITKA”, only the cross section of the fore body has a lower and more rounded shape while the aft body has become deeper and a little sharper at the keel.
From the above all canoeists will recognize features of the construction of Jørgen Samson´s masterpiece, the single canoe “DELTA”. The changes have been made according to his designs and the last correction according to Franz Johannesen´s directions, while a West German team of canoeists tested the boat in Struer.
The tests of the C2 “ASPIDA” turned out extremely satisfactorily and it is now in production. It is laminated in a noble light cedar, a particularly light and strong type of wood which all boat-builders dream of obtaining. Thus there is no risk that the boat will surpass the permitted minimum weight even after several years´ daily use.
The smooth lines of the “ASPIDA” secure 100 % efficiency, on weight until 175 kilos.
Paddlers: 175 kg
Length: 650 cm
Width: 75 cm
Weight: 20 kg
Designer: Jørgen Samson
