Tuesday, June 30, 2009

*Day 75 - Valley 'Nordkapp RM'

It was another private lesson on Mission Bay today. I had worked with this student a couple times before, so this time, to keep things interesting, we did a tour around the bay working on skills as we went. The squirrely boat she was in combined with a brisk wind offered a good opportunity to practice a variety of techniques to prevent weathercocking and track straight across the wind. While my student worked on holding her course I was in our plastic Nordkapp which didn't seem to notice the wind and held ran straight without any fuss. The Nordkapp is an excellent touring boat, a little light on initial stability, but straight tracking, fast, nimble, and just the right size to fit my 5'-10" 160 lb. frame. While this boat excels at long hauls loaded with gear it's lively enough for us to take it rock gardening in Baja. Of all the plastic touring boats in our fleet this one is one of my first picks when I need a boat that fits well and performs like I want it to especially when I want to put in some distance.

Nordkapp RM Review

Manufacturer = Valley
Brand = Valley
Model = Nordkapp RM
Material = Plastic
Type = Touring
Length = 17'-9"
Width = 21"
Weight = 56 lbs.

Location = Mission Bay (private lesson)
Time = 11:30 AM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 2:10
Avg. Speed = N/A
Conditions = Breezy and clear overhead with marine layer offshore

Monday, June 29, 2009

*Day 74 - Mega 'Airforce'

This boat came to our store in a round about way years after it was already considered a bit dated in it's design...it's too long apparently. We put it up for sale at a ridiculous discount and few people expressed any interest and many of those that did just didn't fit it. After a year of watching such a beautiful boat collect dust, Jen sent it to Mexico with a bunch of folks from the San Diego surf group to let them give it a go, and hopefully have someone fall in love with it. It turned out that the waves were too big and people were afraid to take the boat out for fear of getting it beat up, so it came back to us unused.

After that weekend however, the precedent had been set that this boat would be allowed to be paddled, so I had to give it a try. I had been in finned surf boats prior to this one, namely the Storm and Rush from Valley, but after I caught my first couple waves on the Mega I couldn't contain my whoops of excitement in the sheer speed of the boat. I had found by surfing match. It's a bit of a story of how it came to be, but thanks to no interest in the boat from customers and the generous actions of a very good friend, the Airforce is now mine.

Speed is the word I use to best describe the kind of performance you get from the Mega Airforce. It's just plain fast. With that speed I can beat out sections that used to catch me and try to turn me inside out. Big waves, little waves, steep waves, slow waves, whatever... I can ride them all in this boat. It's not as zippy and maneuverable as the shorter squash tail boats that are tearing it up now days but I'm loving the way this boat rides and that's ok with me.

Today my friend Thom and I were up at Tourmaline surf park wearing ourselves out riding one awesome wave after another. Once again (for reasons that I'll never understand) We had a wave all to ourselves while dozens of board (I should say boring) surfers crowded on the wave to our south. I'm starting to believe that board surfers don't really go out to ride waves. It appears as though they are out there to act tough, talk, wait, paddle furiously, carve two turns, and fall off their tiny little boards. The way I see it those guys should; shut up, sit down, grab a paddle, and start surfing. The first time they're faced with a head high wave that's about to dump on them - and they can't duck dive - they'll learn just exactly what tough is. Then again let them stay perched on their undersized boards giving me the hairy eye ball, it just means more waves for me.

Mega Review

Manufacturer = Mega
Brand = Mega
Model = Airforce
Material = Carbon/Kevlar hull - glass deck
Type = Surf Kayak
Length = x
Width = x
Weight = x

Location = Tourmaline
Time = 6:30 AM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 1:30
Avg. Speed = N/A
Conditions = 3'+ waves with a few chest+ sets slight offshore breeze

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Day 73 - Dagger 'Euro X 16.8'

It seems like many kayak manufacturers have decided that ruddered plastic sea kayaks need to be super stable and have couch-like comfortable seat systems. Those two things often don't allow good body contact, posture, or movement thus limiting how far a person can expand their paddling skills. The Dagger Euro X 16.8 is a ruddered plastic boat that goes the other way as far as performance and dares to challenge people a bit rewarding them for their efforts.

I'm not much for doing out and back trips where you cover the same water twice but that's pretty much the kind of route I paddled tonight. The wind was up a bit all day and folks coming back into the store were reporting rough water outside the harbor. I figured I'd go have a look so I paddled the Euro X out the channel and straight off shore for a half hour. Then I took a little break and came right back. The Euro handled pretty well as I paddled out into the wind riding smoothly over the choppy waves. When I turned around and surfed my way back I did have to work a bit with stern draws to stay on track but that's to be expected in following seas. On the flat sections the Euro glided nicely and when I laid it way over on edge the boat turned easily.

The Euro X is (or should I say was) one of Dagger's last runs at a full touring kayak. When Confluence, wisely, reorganized their brand structure to place Dagger as their "moving water" line they phased sea kayaks out of the Dagger line. Unlike the super stable and ultra comfortable Tsunamis from Wilderness (Confluence's touring brand), this boat is a much more serious touring kayak complete with a recessed compass mount on the deck. The Euro has a relatively low primary stability, excellent secondary, loads of storage space, and moves pretty fast. The cockpit outfitting is more performance oriented than you see in many ruddered boats as well with a simple back band that supports you but doesn't encourage bad posture or impede torso rotation altogether. As far as I know Confluence isn't distributing the Euro X through any of its brands. It'd be nice to see them bring out some kind of touring kayak that turns it up a notch or two for folks that are up to it.

Euro X 16.8 Review

Manufacturer = Confluence
Brand = Dagger
Model = Euro X 16.8
Material = Plastic
Type = Sea Kayak
Length = 16'-10"
Width = 23.2"
Weight = 65 lbs.

Location = Mission Bay offshore run
Time = 7:00 PM
Distance = Aprox 5 miles
Duration = 1:00
Avg. Speed = Aprox 5 mph
Conditions = Brisk wind partly cloudy 2-3' wind waves

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Day 72 - Seaward 'Legend'

It was a quiet night on Mission Bay while I led four people in two tandems on a roundabout route from our dock up to Sea World to watch the fireworks. Paddling the Legend for a short slow paced trip like this is kinda like taking a thoroughbred to a petting zoo. The Legend is built for moving, and moving fast. It's initial stability is on the lower end of most touring boats but when you edge it on to it's hard chine you can experience the solid feel of it's secondary stability. That solid secondary allows this 18' speed machine to carve tighter turns than one would expect.

I've owned a Legend since the days that Walden sports sold them which was about 6 or 7 years ago. Since Seaward took over they made slight changes to the hull shape, carrying the hard chine all the way to the bow and stern, but it's pretty much still the same boat. I've taken my Legend on numerous extended trips and can attest to the large amount of gear that it can comfortably carry. The hatches on my Legend are so bone dry that I never used to carry dry bags all I needed was stuff sacks to keep my gear organized. On the water, loaded or not, the Legend handles rough water like a dream. I feel that it actually paddles better in 1-2 foot chop than on flat calm water. The one thing that tends to turn people away from the Legend is it's low primary stability. I must admit that it is a boat that keeps you on your toes when you're trying to get into the day hatch in bumpy water.

Legend Review

Manufacturer = Seaward
Brand = Seaward
Model = Legend (Nigel Foster)
Material = Fiberglass
Type = Sea Kayak
Length = 17'-10"
Width = 21"
Weight = 57 lbs.

Location = Mission Bay Fireworks Tour
Time = 8:30 PM
Distance = Approx 5 miles
Duration = 2:00
Avg. Speed = N/A
Conditions = Slight breeze with clear skys

Friday, June 26, 2009

Day 71 - Necky 'Looksha IV' plastic

This morning, in a 71 consecutive days of paddling inspired quest for variety, I paddled up to the north end of Mission Bay toward the Catamaran Resort with a set of kayak wheels in the back hatch of a Looksha IV. My plan was to see if I could find an easy way to portage across to the ocean and come back down on the outside. Not having scouted it beyond looking at maps I wasn't sure what to expect. It turned out to be a remarkably easy and short walk from the bay side to the ocean straight down San Rafael Place making the portage wheels almost unnecessary. A quick launch through knee high surf put me two miles north of the pier on the glassy smooth ocean. I kept things lively by dabbling inside the surf zone keeping an eye out for larger waves that might break early and catch me. As I neared the jetty I noticed a small pod of dolphins hunting along the rocks as I drew near and made the turn around the end of the jetty they apparently had the same idea and surfaced a couple times within twenty feet of my left side. As I paddled into the bay they continued south across the channel entrance.

The Looksha IV plastic is no longer being produced. I'm not sure if it's true but I thought I'd heard the reason is that they wore out the mold from making so many. That's too bad because I think that boat handles better than many of the newer models Necky produces in that line. The Looksha IV fits me pretty well and moves along fast enough. The boat also turns quite easily flat on its hull and especially on edge. Not a bad boat for day touring or short camping trips if you can get your hands on one.

Looksha IV Review

Manufacturer = Johnson Outdoors
Brand = Necky
Model = Looksha IV
Material = Plastic
Type = Sea Kayak
Length = x
Width = x
Weight = x

Location = Mission Bay to San Rafael portage and back on coast
Time = 6:10 AM
Distance = Approx 5 miles
Duration = 1:15
Avg. Speed = N/A
Conditions = Calm w/ high think marine layer

Thursday, June 25, 2009

*Day 70 - Dagger 'RPM'

I was back up in La Jolla this morning for a private surf lesson/orientation for a gentleman that just moved into the neighborhood up there. Nothing like showing someone the house you use as a range to keep yourself lined up on one of your favorite waves then have him say, "Oh yea, the house to the right of that one is mine." Seriously, all this guy has to do to check the surf is open his bedroom window and look. The waves were small but had a good shape and my student caught several nice rides on his Necky Jive. I spent most of my time either outside the surf zone or next to the beach so I could keep an eye on what he was doing. Occasionally I did sneak a ride or two in and was able to pull off a diagonal run and some measure of a cutback with the RPM. It's round bottom doesn't allow for holding the wave very well but those rounded lines make the boat very forgiving. We use the RPM's mostly as rolling boats but also for the once a year run we make to the river for a basic whitewater lesson. The RPM has been around for quite a while now and is known to be one of the best selling whitewater boats of all time. It's versatility and ease of handling are the main reasons why.

RPM Review

Manufacturer = Confluence
Brand = Dagger
Model = RPM
Material = Plastic
Type = White Water
Length = 8'-11"
Width = 24"
Weight = 39 lbs.
Capacity = 110-230 lbs.

Location = La Jolla Shores private surf lesson/orientation
Time = 7:00 AM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 1:30
Avg Speed = N/A
Conditions = Mostly cloudy w/ 1'-2' west swell

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

*Day 69 - Wilderness Systems 'Tsunami 165'

We had the largest group of the year on today's Wednesday Morning Paddle with twelve of us kayakers taking to the water from the Aqua Adventures dock. Or normal route took us out the jetty and around the OB pier and back. I paddled the Tsunami 165 which is one of the Tsunamis that actually fits me fairly well. It's not my preferred style of boat but I do find it quite stable and comfortable which are two of it's main design features. It does edge a turn fairly well although you must be patient as it's a bit slow to respond to maneuvering strokes.



Tsunami 165 Review

Manufacturer = Confluence
Model = Tsunami 165
Material = Plastic
Type = Touring
Length = 16'-6"
Width = 23.75"
Weight = 66 lbs.
Capacity = 350 lbs.

Location = Wed AM paddle to the pier and back
Time = 7:00 AM
Distance = about 5 miles
Duration = 1:30
Avg. Speed = N/A
Conditions = High thin marine layer, warm, and glassy

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Day 68 - Ocean Kayak 'Yak Board'

Honestly I was not looking forward to paddling this boat, but this morning I was pleasantly surprised. I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but with this boat I'm afraid I had. It doesn't look like much, kinda dumpy actually, on flat water it's a slow and wet ride for most folks. But flat water is not what this boat is really designed for.

Today I went up to La Jolla with the Dagger Axiom for my friend Greg to try out, and much to the annoyance of all the board surfers, I brought along the Ocean Kayak Yak Board to shred things up. My experience with the Yak Board up to this morning was the poky wet ride it gives on flat water. Because of that I didn't expect much when I launched into the nice little surf we had at 'The Shores' this morning. I came equipped with thigh straps so I could stay connected to the board and hopefully give the boat a fair shake. It wasn't until I caught my first wave and found myself doing bottom turns, top turns, and a nice (wave holding) diagonal run that I realized that this little boat CAN surf. Before the morning session was through I had managed to pull off nice cutbacks, a few easy rolls, and got air off the back of a couple waves while paddling out. I must say that I was pleased with the Yak Board's performance.

The one complaint I have, and it's a major one, is that the seat well on that kayak is lousy. It seems like the designers made it as low as possible (to lower the center of gravity to keep it stable I suppose) and in so doing your but ends up at, or below, the level of your feet. This hardly encourages the upright posture that is absolutely necessary for balance and torso rotation which are two of the fundamentals of dynamic surfing and kayaking in general. While seated in the seat I found that I needed to do a huge and continuous stomach crunch to stay in anything that resembled a proper paddling posture. This strain quickly tightened up my legs and became unbearable. My solution was to put my feet in a foot well that was one size too short for me then extend my legs forcing my rear against the back of the seat well. This allowed me to hover my butt an inch and a half above the seat at a level where it belonged, thus allowing me to paddle like god intended. I think if I was to paddle this boat more often the simple solution would be to shape a piece of foam to raise the seat up to where it belongs, then this little boat would be up to snuff.

If folks are OK with the seat or don't mind rigging it to work like it should, I think the Yak Board is a fun little surf boat. In some ways it allowed for more dynamic surfing than many of the other SOT surf boats I've been on.

Congratulations to Greg by the way for his first short boat experience outside of a swimming pool. He managed an hour in the surf catching several waves without getting dumped once.

Yak Board Review

Manufacturer = Johnson Outdoors
Brand = Ocean Kayak
Model = Yak Board
Type = Sit On Top
Material = Plastic
Length = 8'-0"
Width = 30"
Weight = 40 lbs.
Capacity = 225-240 lbs.

Location = La Jolla Shores
Time = 7:00 AM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 1:10
Avg. Speed = N/A
Conditions = Calm and mostly cloudy smooth 2'+ swell

Monday, June 22, 2009

Day 67 - Dagger 'Alchemy 14 S'

Eric Disque our Confluence rep had planned on picking up his two demo Alchemys today so I made sure I took the smaller version out this morning while I had the chance. It turns out that Jen took the 14 L to La Jolla for a guide training and told me that if Eric wanted it back he could "come and get it"... so we ended up with the boats for an extra day. Eric promises me that he only needs them for a couple days and that they'll be back for others to try out next weekend. Good thing because folks need to give these boats a test drive, they're fun.

The 14 S is the smaller of the two boats measuring in an inch narrower and 5 pounds lighter than the 14 L. I felt that with my weight the smaller boat sat a little further in the water and tracked straighter, because of that I never felt any need to use the skeg this morning. After spending several hours in a flat water lesson with the 14 L, I was itching to take the smaller version out in the surf. So once again I cruised out the channel and around the corner into Dog Beach. The surf was a bit sloppy and closed out which didn't make for nice long rides but it did give me a chance to test out the Alchemy in rough water. As can be expected, the maneuverability of the boat allowed me to wiggle out of broach situations and spin around to catch or paddle back through the waves with ease. The Alchemy didn't produce any magic when riding waves but it was certainly easier to hold a line with this boat than a longer sea kayak. The next and greatest test for these boats will be in rock gardens. I'll keep you posted.

Alchemy 14.0 S Review

Manufacturer = Confluence
Brand = Dagger
Model = Alchemy 14.0 S
Material = Plastic
Type = White Water/Touring Hybrid
Length = 14'-0"
Width = 23"
Weight = 50 lbs.
Capacity = 275 lbs.

Location = Dog Beach surf/rough water session
Time = 6:00 AM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 1:10
Avg Speed = N/A (my GPS is broken but I did clock a 13 minute mile)
Conditions = Partly cloudy 2' SW swell mixed w/ 2' NW wind waves

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Day 66 - Dagger 'Axiom'

Our friend Greg has been looking for a surfable white water boat that he can fit into for quite some time. I had heard that when he noticed this boat outside the store yesterday he sat in it and fit it just fine. I knew he'd be wondering how well it surfed so I figured I'd beat him to the punch and took it out for a quick surf session this morning at Dog Beach. Rather than drive I paddled the Axiom down the San Diego river to the beach. Along the way I was pleasantly surprised at how quick the boat is, I completed the 3/4 mile paddle in only 10 minutes. In the waves the boat surfed as well as you can expect a high volume river boat to surf. I was a little disappointed at how I couldn't seem to get the boat to do spins on the foam pile of broken waves which is so fun with non finned boats in the surf. I had to surf fairly conservatively because the medium skirt I brought along kept blowing off making for a swamped boat that I discovered can be paddled in backward to the beach much easier than forward. When the skirt did stay on I enjoyed a few nice rides.


Axiom Review

Manufacturer = Confluence
Brand = Dagger
Model = Axiom 8.5
Material = Plastic
Type = White Water
Length = 8'-6"
Width = 25.5"
Weight = 36 lbs.

Location = Dog Beach surf session
Time = 6:00 AM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 1:00
Avg Speed = (about 3.5+mph on 3/4 mile paddle down river to the beach)
Conditions = Mostly cloudy

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Day 65 - Dagger 'Alchemy'

Dagger is the brand that Confluence is using to market all of their "moving water" boats. White water boats are the most obvious, but this division also covers the Kaos surf kayak and now the brand new Alchemy. To try to label this boat as a white water boat would be a mistake, yet you can't quite call it a sea kayak either, it sits wonderfully on the fence between these two worlds. On rivers it is seen as a very long, fast, straight tracking boat for extended down river expeditions. On the ocean it is seen as a short, extremely maneuverable, rough water play boat. All I know after paddling it today (even just during a lesson) is that the Alchemy is fun to paddle and I can't wait to get it out in the surf and in some rock gardens.

Fourteen feet long with insane amounts of rocker it's not surprising that the Alchemy is easy to turn. In fact, relative to sea kayaks, that is an understatement. For many the boat would be a little squirrely when paddled straight the nice thing is that all you have to do is drop the skeg a bit and it paddles like it is on rails. It moves pretty quick for a 14 foot boat and the adjustable seat, thigh, and hip outfitting makes for a very comfortable and good fit.

Four hours on the water in a lesson today whetted my appetite to want to take this boat in rough water. For experienced folks coming from the sea kayaking world I believe this will be the ultimate second or third boat that will allow people to get into rock gardening and other rough water ocean paddling where they're afraid to take their glass boats. Other people paddling big rivers will love the Alchemy's speed and tracking for long flat sections and ability to still handle a fair amount of white water. I personally can't wait to get the Alchemy in the waves to see how it surfs. This much maneuverability on a boat that still has relative speed should be a treat.

I couldn't help but think that this boat is very similar to the Point 65 North "Whisky 16". I've loved the handling of that boat since day one and longed to take it rock gardening, but fear of busting up a glass boat has kept me in clean surf or flat water. The plastic Alchemy gives all the performance in a bomb proof plastic shell that says "Let er' rip!"

Alchemy Review

Manufacturer = Confluence
Brand = Dagger
Model = Alchemy 14.0 L
Material = Plastic
Type = White Water/Touring Hybrid
Length = 14'-0"
Width = 24"
Weight = 55 lbs.
Capacity = 300 lbs.

Location = Mission Bay -Sea Kayaking 1 lesson
Time = 9:00 AM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 4:00
Avg Speed = N/A
Conditions = Mostly cloudy w/ misty rain

Friday, June 19, 2009

Day 64 - Necky 'Manitou II'

I started the day at the lumber yard at 7:00 AM buying wood for a shade structure to cover the kayaks on our dock. Thirteen working hours later I took a quick twenty minute dinner break before launching and guiding (along with two other guides Mike and Chris) sixteen people on a two hour night tour to see the fireworks at Sea World.

The group consisted of two families all of whom were great folks which made for a fun evening. One of the families brought along their 78 year old matriarch who wasn't up to the task of paddling but was certainly interested in joining in on all the fun. I'm always looking for partners to paddle tandems for these reviews so I asked her to join me in the Manitou II from Necky. The large cockpit opening in the front of the Manitou made it very easy for my co-pilot to enter the boat and she was quickly settled in and ready to go. I climbed in the back seat adjusted the foot braces and we were off.

I like to compare the Manitou II to a minivan. Just like a minivan it can haul dad, mom, and the baby in comfort. Seriously, the center support on the Manitou II actually works as a jump seat so a small child can sit in the rear cockpit just behind the front seat facing backward toward the paddler in the back seat. Not only can the Manitou haul the whole family, it's also designed to allow the seats to be moved so it can be paddled solo from a center position. This kind of versatility makes this boat excellent for families. While Necky probably didn't have a lot of camping in mind when they came up with the design, I know of a young couple that loaded up their Manitou II and did a week long kayak camping trip on Lake Powell.

After a long day of work I was happy to be in a very roomy boat that would allow me to stretch out and relax as the group found it's way to the bay behind Sea World. I must admit that when we stopped to watch the show I took a (one eye open) cat nap trying to ward off the fatigue of fourteen hours of work. Soon the fireworks show was over and we all cruised back to our dock with a heaven sent ebb tide pushing us along. After getting the boats and gear put away I ended my work day at 10:45 PM nearly sixteen hours after it started. I didn't bother rinsing my PFD though I didn't figure it'd have time to dry before I came back at 8:00 AM the next morning to get rolled out and ready for a kayaking lesson.

Raise your hand if you want to be a guide.

Manitou II Review

Manufacturer = Johnson Outdoors
Brand = Necky
Model = Manitou II
Material = Plastic
Type = Recreational Tandem
Length = 14'-8"
Width = 28"
Weight = 75 lbs.

Location = Mission Bay - Aqua Adventures Fireworks Tour
Time = 8:30 PM
Distance = Approx 4 miles
Duration = 2:00
Avg. Speed = N/A
Conditions = Slight breeze and overcast

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Day 63 - SKUK (NDK) 'Romany S RM'

While gearing up for our 'Thursday Evening Paddle' my friend Mike drew from the bag o' boats tonight and came out with the Romany S RM. This is the long awaited plastic version of the Romany that came on the market just last year. Finally a Romany that mortal paddlers can take around rocks without worrying about doing loads of damage to a composite hull. Like the composite counter part the Romany S RM is a solid easy handling kayak that gives back every ounce of effort you put into maneuvering it. It's not going to take home any prizes for speed but for a boat designed to handle rough water it's at the top of its class. NDK's first attempt at a plastic boat surprisingly has a fiberglass combing that is glued and riveted to the plastic deck. At first I worried about a chance for leakage around the seam but we have not had any problems with ours. I personally like the minimalist back support provided by the bucket seat but many folks complain that the seat back doesn't give much support. If a person chose to an after market back band could easily be added to provide extra support to those that need it. The Romany S deck has knee bumps allowing the boat to fit larger paddlers but even with that space I feel completely comfortable and in control in the boat.

Romany S RM Review

Manufacturer = SKUK (formerly NDK)
Model = Romany S RM
Type = Touring
Material = Plastic
Length =16' 1"
Width = 21"

Location = Mission Bay - Thursday Night Paddle
Time = 6:00 PM
Distance = Aprox. 5 miles
Duration = 2:00
Avg. Speed = N/A
Conditions = Warm, light breeze, partly cloudy

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

*Day 62 - Necky 'Eliza RM'

I started the day with the Ocean Yak Board during a private kayak surfing lesson up at Tourmaline. As it went I didn't get close to the one hour minimum I promised to paddle each boat so I had plans to go out after work and shred things up at Dog Beach. That was before I was reminded that our Wednesday Night Skills Sessions were starting up last night and I was on duty. Hence the Yak Board was saved for yet another day and I ended up in the plastic Eliza from Necky.

The skills session went well with the first lone skills session attendee becoming perhaps a bit overwhelmed with an over zealous coach trying to dump a bit too much info in on a single session. We worked on a bunch of strokes in our usual practice area then went for a loop around Quivira Basin putting the newly refined strokes to use.

Like it's composite counter part that I reviewed early on, this plastic version of the Eliza is touted as being designed for women. Never mind that, or the fact that I was actually wearing a PFD also designed for women, I say "If the shoe fits wear it." The Eliza is great for any smaller framed person looking for a boat that actually fits. It's not as long as many other touring boats but it still keeps up fairly well and tracks straight without any fuss even without using the rudder with which it's equipped. At only 49 pounds it's also much lighter than many plastic touring boats which makes moving it off the water much easier. The Eliza is a great pick for anybody (woman or man) looking for a good handling day tripping or short overnight touring kayak that will fit a smaller person.

Eliza RM Review

Manufacturer = Johnson Outdoors
Brand = Necky
Model = Eliza RM
Material = Plastic
Type = Touring
Length = 15'-3.5"
Width = 22"
Weight = 49 lbs.

Location = Wednesday night skills session
Time = 6:30 PM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 1:30
Avg. Speed = N/A
Conditions = Slight breeze and partly cloudy

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Day 61 - Valley 'Storm'

You gotta love when the surf is good and you start getting phone calls from folks looking for private surf lessons. Like I need an excuse to get out there anyway. Today I was on the water with a young man named Devin who is in town with his family on a college campus touring trip for his older sister. After a few days of touring local schools, today was Devin's day, and he wanted to surf. Smart kid...never mind college...kayak surfing is where it's at. Devin has been whitewater kayaking for a few years with his father in Colorado. After a quick interview I had a sense that he might be able to handle the (no pretty sand beach so don't come out of your boat) surfing that is to be had at Sunset Cliffs. At the cliffs you launch off of rocks and come back in onto rocks, if you end up out of your boat things can get interesting. I put Devin in the carbon kevlar Rush thinking the lighter boat would help him maneuver while I jumped in the plastic Valley Storm.

It was obvious that Devin has handled rough water before and he picked things up in a hurry. Like many river boaters in the ocean for the first time he tripped up the edging a bit at first but got that figured out and was on his way. A few of the sets were over head and moving fast which proved to be a bit too much for one who is trying to learn so we concentrated on the smaller sets or reformed waves further inside. Devin caught several nice long rides, and like so many young people I've worked with, he didn't need instruction so much as gear and someone to point him in the right direction.

Most of the better waves went to Devin but I would catch one now and then giving me a chance to put the Storm through its paces. The Storm is the first finned surf boat I ever paddled and because of that it's the first boat I ever really surfed. It is patterned after the composite Rush and has the potential to do some pretty lively maneuvers on the waves. The only thing that holds it back is its weight but that's the price you pay for a boat that you don't have to worry about around rocks. Staying alert and prerotating is vitally important in the Storm so you maintain all the speed you can. Once you're doing that you can have a lot of fun in the Storm.

Storm Review

Manufacturer = Valley Sea Kayaks
Brand = Valley
Model = Storm
Type = Surf
Material = Plastic
Length = 7'-10"
Width = 24.5"
Weight = 30 lbs.

Location = Sunset Cliffs (private surf lesson)
Time = 9:00 AM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 2:00
Avg. Speed = N/A
Conditions = Partly cloudy, little wind, 2'-3' waves

Monday, June 15, 2009

Day 60 - Prijon 'Seayak'

The first kayak I owned was a Seayak. It was the first purchase I made when I moved to South Florida from Wisconsin ten years ago. At the time my apartment was sparsely furnished with items loaned to me by friends, even my bed was a borrowed mattress on the floor. I didn't have a microwave, and my dishes consisted of a single complete setting of bowl, plate, knife, fork, and spoon. But having just completed a long canoe trip down the entire length of the Wisconsin River the summer before, there was nothing I wanted more than to get back on the water. Somehow all of the things most folks consider necessities took a back burner to a new kayak.

After finding a local kayak shop in the phone book (Atlantic Coast Kayak Company) I stopped by for a visit and timidly demoed a couple of kayaks sharing space with alligators in the freshwater canal next door to their store. I quickly realized that some instruction would be a good idea so I booked a class. The next weekend I found myself in a basics class taught by an energetic instructor (suffering from a terrible cold) his name unfortunately I have long forgotten. I was hooked on the Seayak though and shortly there after spent the better part of the first three paychecks from my new job to take a brand new yellow Prijon home to my empty apartment. The rest is history.

Today my brother Aaron has that very kayak and is still using it with his wife to explore the small lakes, rivers, and Lake Michigan shore line near their home in Manitowoc WI. When I climbed into the cockpit of the new Prijon on our dock this morning the fit brought back memories of that old boat, but things have changed with the Seayak over the last ten years. They've added a front deck day hatch which is an excellent idea, the bow seems to be fuller volume than I remember, and the rudder is a new and improved design. My outing for today was a two hour private lesson with a gentleman named Steve. We did a review and tune up of strokes he's learned over the last couple weeks and then paddled over to Mariners Cove to work on solo capsize recovery techniques. Paddling the Seayak brought back memories of my first outings in the canals behind my place in Fort Lauderdale but one thing I didn't remember is the Seayak edge turning as well as this one did today. Of course I didn't know how to edge much back then either. I still enjoy paddling the Seayak but the depth of the cockpit (and resulting height of the seat back) are much deeper than I prefer these days. I also prefer a kayak a bit narrower than the beamy 24" that the Seayak measures at it's widest point. It should be said though that anybody looking for a stable, easy edging, super tough, comfy kayak shouldn't turn their nose up at the Seayak.

Seayak Review

Manufacturer = Prijon
Brand = Prijon (imported by WildWasser)
Model = Seayak
Type = Touring
Material = Plastic
Length = 16'-1"
Width = 24"
Weight = 58 lbs.

Location = Mission Bay (private lesson)
Time = 9:00 AM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 2:00
Avg Speed = N/A
Conditions = Partly cloudy and nice

Sunday, June 14, 2009

*Day 59 - Feelfree 'Corona'

The surf was still up so this time I caught up with Otto and Larry (Otto's dad and driver) up at Torrey Pines where there was nothing happening with the surf so we doubled back to Tourmaline where the south facing beach was catching what remained of the south swell and where my friend Thom was waiting for us. Again I surfed my Mega and Otto got his first chance at real kayak surfing in a Valley Rush. Otto picked things up fast and within twenty minutes was catching waves with ease. His rolling abilities allowed him to challenge himself with some of the bigger sets that came in. But again this hour in the surf was all for fun and neither of these boats was on the list to be reviewed today.

This afternoon we needed to go over to Bonita Cove on the north end of Mariner's Cove to pick up a couple of SOT tandems that we rented to a church picnic for the day. Rather than take the time to drive over, find parking, load up, drive back, and unload, we decided to paddle over and tow the boats directly back to our dock. I had one last Feelfree boat to demo so I opened up Sean's trailer and pulled out the Corona tandem for the job. Thankfully this boat has a wheel built into its stern and we didn't have to lug it down to the dock, instead I pulled it down like a 13' long wagon. After grabbing a couple tow lines out of the shed we were off to collect our cargo.

The Corona paddled OK with Otto in the front seat and we made the one mile run to Bonita cove with twenty minutes of steady paddling (about 3 mph). After we reclaimed our rental boats Otto had the idea of paddling one of them back solo allowing me to test how the Corona paddles solo. (Of course he let me tow the other rental boat as well... smart kid) With the wind giving us a little push we made the run back to Aqua Adventures in another twenty minutes. Of course this made for only forty minutes of paddling, so after getting all the gear put away from the day's activities I went back out alone and did a loop around the marina to round out the hour paddle I promised to give each boat. This second solo run allowed me to see how the kayak handled without a second boat in tow and I must say I didn't notice the difference, it felt a bit on the slow and sluggish side either way.

I must say that I like the seats on the Corona they give cushy support right on your lower back and don't sit so high as to push you forward on your PFD. In addition the molded in seat attachment bars create a stronger seat attachment system than I've seen in any other SOT. Two 8" hatch covers in the deck provide easy access to storage inside the boat as well.

Corona Review

Manufacturer = Feelfree Kayaks
Brand = Feelfree
Model = Corona
Type = Sit On Top Tandem
Material = Plastic
Length = 13'-8.5"
Width = 32.5"
Weight = 68 lbs.
Capacity = 617 lbs.

Location = Mariner's Cove tandem rental retreival
Time = 5:30 PM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 1:00 hours
Avg. Speed = N/A
Conditions = Mostly sunny and breezy

Saturday, June 13, 2009

*Day 58 - Delsyk Design 'Nifty 430'

Surf's up. That's why I got up at 5:00 this morning in order to get to the beach for a sunrise session before work. A relatively low tide allowed me to get in to one of my favorite spots where glassy smooth waist to head high waves kept me and one other guy on a long board entertained for over an hour. Having so many waves to share with only one other person gave me quite a work out and I finally had to leave when I started feeling a bit tired and sloppy on the waves. I happened to be in my Mega "Air Force" surf kayak but that's not important because that's not the boat I reviewed today.

We still have the truck full of kayaks left here by one of our friends to try out so I had every intention to get back on the water after work tonight to give another one of them a go. That was until I rolled in to the parking lot at Aqua Adventures this morning and found my friend Greg hanging out with his boat on top of his truck. Apparently Greg was so excited about the coastal tour Jane has scheduled with the San Diego Kayak Club on June 20th that he decided to show up, ready to go, a full week early. Not wanting to leave Greg all dressed up with no place to go I figured it was the perfect excuse to squeeze in another hour paddle before I had to be to work.

This time I grabbed the 'Nifty 430' from the truck and we paddled out the jetty and around the OB Pier and back. Mercifully Greg slowed down a bit in his Ikkuma so I could keep up in the 14 foot long boat, but even then we still held a comfortable 4 mph pace. The Nifty 430 is designed by Mike Neckar who is the founder of Necky kayaks and operated the business before it was bought out by Johnson Outdoors. To look at the boat it's not hard to see the familiar lines and multi chine hull so common on Necky boats. This boat has ample rocker making it quite maneuverable, add plenty of width and you get a lot of confidence-inspiring initial stability. With the multi chine hull edging is smooth and easy to hold resulting in easy turning. I didn't have trouble keeping the boat going straight without the rudder but anybody who does need it will appreciate the Sea Dog rudder system that comes with the boat. These easy to adjust 'gas pedal' style rudder controls offer a solid base to push on and excellent control of the rudder with a tip of the toe.

This boat is somewhat simple in its no frills trimmings as compared to the tricked out fancy outfitting that come with the kayaks manufactured by the big name companies today. But anybody that can appreciate a good handling boat, and can pass on luxurious bells and whistles, should consider this kayak.

Nifty 430 Review

Manufacturer = Delsyk Design
Brand = Delsyk Design
Model = Nifty 430
Type = Touring
Material = Plastic
Length = 14'-0"
Width = 24"
Weight = 58 lbs.

Location = Ocean Beach Pier loop
Time = 7:20 AM
Distance = 4.58 miles
Duration = 1:03
Avg Speed = 4.3 mph
Conditions = Partly cloudy and nice

Friday, June 12, 2009

Day 57 - Prijon 'Marlin'

Day two of trying out the truck load of Prijon boats. Not having a lot of experience in the new Prijons I want to make sure I give them a proper shake down so today I took the Marlin on the surf zone loop out the jetty and over to Dog Beach and back. This route gives me a chance to see how boats handle in flat bay water, open ocean swell, and breaking waves.

The Marlin fit's me a little looser than I prefer it's rather high at the thigh braces which should accomodate fairly large people but leaves a guy my size reaching to get contact under the deck. That loose fit probably had a lot to do with me not feeling entirely in controll of the boat in the surf zone. It may sound strange, but in my mind I felt like the boat was being moved by the waves not like I was being moved by the waves. The boat's tendancy to drop abruptly from the flat bottom on to the chine was another factor that kept me on my toes with a feeling like the boat was doing what it wanted not necessarily what I wanted. By the end of the session, as I learned to trust the boat on edge, things did improve and I was able to play around in the soup quite a bit. One thing I must say is that the Marlin moves along quite well when paddled upright on its flat center hull. I didn't have to work hard to maintain a comfortable cruising speed above 5 mph.

All this being said I think the Marlin would be worth a look for anybody looking for a tough fast cruising boat with a roomy cockpit. Once again I must say that I like the large capacity day hatch (with neoprene tube) on the front deck.

Marlin Review

Manufacturer = Prijon
Brand = Prijon (imported by WildWasser)
Model = Marlin
Type = Touring
Material = Plastic
Length = 17'-0"
Width = 22.8"
Weight = 59.5 lbs.

Location = Jetty -> Ocean Beach Pier -> Dog Beach -> San Diego River loop
Time = 6:00 AM
Distance = 4.92 miles
Duration = 1:04
Avg Speed = 4.6 mph (This includes surfing time my cruising speed was over 5 mph)
Conditions = Partly cloudy and nice

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Day 56 - Prijon 'Poseidon'

On Tuesday we were visited by the owner of WildWasser the US importer of Prijon kayaks. He's in the midst of a loop around the western states showing off a sampling of what Prijon has to offer. His next engagement on the west coast isn't until next weekend so we arranged for him to leave his truck full of kayaks here for a week while he flew home to Colorado rather than just kill time out here. That means that I have a whole pile of boats to play with for the next several days.

I figured today I'd see if I could find someone in the Thursday Evening Paddle that was interested in paddling the tandem Poseidon with me. As luck would have it a woman stopped by to just check things out on the dock thinking that she couldn't keep up because she hadn't paddled much and has been experiencing shoulder problems. I offered a ride in the front of the tandem so she could come along and have some fun on the water and she accepted.

The Poseidon is incredibly stable and was pretty nice to paddle. One thing I didn't care for was how close together the cockpits are which meant we had to be sure to stay perfectly synchronized to avoid whacking each others paddles. We also did a little sprint race against Sabrina and Kate who were paddling another tandem only to discover that the Poseidon isn't exactly what I would call a fast boat. I do love the deck mounted day hatches that access a roomy neoprene sock that held all the snacks I brought along for the relaxing evening of paddling on Mission Bay.

Poseidon Review

Manufacturer = Prijon
Brand = Prijon (imported by WildWasser)
Model = Poseidon
Type = Touring Tandem
Material = Plastic
Length = 17'-0"
Width = 26.75"
Weight = 81 lbs.

Location = Mission Bay - Thursday Evening Paddle
Time = 6:00 PM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 2:00
Avg Speed = N/A
Conditions = Partly cloudy and nice

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

*Day 55 - Wilderness Systems 'Tempest 165'

At Aqua Adventures the plastic Tempest 165 has begun to be refereed to as "Otto's Boat". This is the boat of choice for the 15 year old budding Greenland skills aficionado for most of his paddling and rolling practice. It's also the boat Otto used to viciously attack my Anas Acuta a couple weeks ago. You can tell that Otto is the one who usually uses the boat by the fact that the hip pads are firmly attached in the cockpit to keep his skinny rear from sliding all over the seat. It was the luck of the draw that put me in the Tempest for the Wednesday Morning Paddle and I squeezed my (not as skinny) rear into the seat being a bit too lazy to remove the hip pads. The trip went off without any big surprises and when we arrived back at the dock Tim, from my home state of Wisconsin, was already there anxiously awaiting the private lesson we had scheduled at 9:00.
The Tempest 165 edges turns very well which is one of the things I wanted to work on with Tim so I stayed with it for the lesson. Good edge turns and respectable speed are two of the things that make the Tempest 165 worth considering. It also comes with the famously comfortable seat and outfitting system that Wilderness boats are becoming known for. Like I've said about Tempests before, it's hard to beat one of these boats for out-of-the-box fit and comfort.

Tempest 165 Review

Manufacturer = Confluence
Brand = Wilderness Systems
Model = Tempest 165
Material = Plastic
Length = 16'-6"
Width = 21.5"
Weight = 56 lbs.
Capacity = 300 lbs.

Location = Mission Bay - Wed AM Paddle and Private lesson in Quivira Basin
Time = 7:00 AM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 1:30 then 2:00
Avg Speed = N/A
Conditions = Mostly cloudy and nice

Sorry about the thin reports

The season is upon us at Aqua Adventures. With all the activities around the store, big crossings, and my birthday I haven't had much time to post. Even today I have the Wed AM paddle starting in 15 min running till 8:30 followed by a private lesson from 9-11:00 AM, a full day in the store, topped off by rolling practice from 7-9:30 PM. I should have a little time tomorrow morning to get things up to date before the 8:30 AM roll out of the store runs into the 8:30PM cleanup of the Thursday evening paddle.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Day 54 - Wilderness Systems 'Pungo 100' - On my birthday!

Holy man I was tired today!

I can't deny it, yesterday's Catalina for lunch trip kicked my rear. I would have very happily slept in this morning but Jen had plans for my birthday so I knew I better get my paddle in before work because we'd be heading out right afterward. So at 6:30 AM I dragged my sore body out of bed and went down to the Aqua Adventures docks for an hour of paddling in what turned out to be the Pungo 100. Talk about juxtaposition, yesterday it was 46 miles of open ocean in an 18' touring boat and today it was tootling around the bay in a 10' plastic rec boat. Thank god for the tootling rec boat today though, I'm not sure I could have handled anything more. As it was my sore and tired arms could only manage about one hundred yards of paddling before I had to put the paddle down and take a break. I managed to poke all the way around the perimeter of the marina then over to Mariner's cove where I scooched down inside the Pungo and took a five minute nap to regain my strength. The Pungo 100 tracks surprisingly well for a 10 long boat and moves along fast enough to cover some water on an outing. If relaxing paddles on sheltered water are your thing then a Pungo can fit the bill.

Pungo 100 Review

Manufacturer = Confluence
Brand = Wilderness Systems
Model = Pungo 100
Material = Plastic
Type = Recreational
Length = 10'-0"
Width = 30"
Weight = 48 lbs.
Capacity = 300 lbs.

Location = Mission Bay to Mariners Basin and back
Time = 7:00 AM
Distance = about 3 miles
Duration = 1:00
Avg. Speed = N/A
Conditions = Mostly cloudy and nice

Monday, June 8, 2009

Day 53 - SKUK (NDK) 'Explorer HV' - Catalina For Lunch Solo -

A plan was hatched a few months ago for a small group of us to paddle over to Two Harbors on Catalina island to have lunch with some friends that were camped out over there then paddle back all in one day. I had done the famous "Catalina For Lunch" crossing on three occasions before but never with the novelty of being able to say hi to friends on the island while we were there. As luck would have it work, school, family, or health issues whittled the group down to just me. Rather than scrub the idea all together I figured I'd try the trip solo. So the day before my 34th birthday I woke up at 3:10 AM and drove two and a half hours up to Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro CA to be ready for a 6:00 AM launch. Five hours and thirty three minutes later I arrived at Two Harbors and was greeted by a half dozen paddling buddies that were camped out there on their first rest day of a leisured circumnavigation of the island.
The crossing was rather uneventful as I saw only a small pod of dolphin and one small sea lion (ten miles from shore). The most notable wildlife I did see was a shark that jumped at least 8 feet in the air and did a perfect back flip like Dolly the Dolphin at Sea World. I thought I may have been imagining things until I stopped for a break and a five foot "man eater" jumped again right behind me. I think it may have been a small white or mako but I've never personally seen them jump like that before. I had a gentle head wind most of the trip that did little more than keep me from over heating. The last hour and a half into Two Harbors was a bit of a slog into a stiffening head wind that was being channeled through the isthmus where the town is situated. There was very little fog or haze so I was able to simply steer toward the island by sight for the entire crossing. The lack of fog also allowed me to take an interesting series of photographs showing the island getting bigger one half hour at a time.
My welcoming committee quickly helped me bring my boat up the beach and escorted me to the cafe for the traditional burger and fries lunch. I opted for the grilled chicken and while I munched on that the guys did their best to try to convince me to stay the night and paddle home the next morning. They had even figured out how I could keep the 100 consecutive days streak alive by paddling one of their boats on the island that evening. I entertained the idea and had enough bivvy equipment to be quite comfortable for an overnight but after a few phone calls back to work I realized that it just wasn't meant to be. I did notice that Duane was the loudest voice trying to convince me to stay on the island. The thought occurred to me that if I didn't go back that day he'd still be the only person in our paddling circle that had ever done a solo Catalina For Lunch. When I called him out on it he laughed and said it didn't matter because he already had my time beat for the crossing over. He had done the crossing about 5-10 minutes faster than me. Right then the challenge was set and I had to beat Duane's time back across. His time was 6 hours and five minutes including time to shoot some video so I had to beat about 5 1/2 hours.
As I pushed off the beach after a rejuvenating two hour break I hoped the head wind that had slowed me on the approach would hold and help me on my way back across. My plan was to use the localized isthmus wind to slingshot high across the prevailing NW wind and swell and hold that line as long as I could before running with the wind and swell all the way in to Cabrillo Beach. The plan seemed to work because after working across the wind for two hours I changed course and found myself surfing from wave to wave on a straight course toward my destination. As I watched the miles tick away on my GPS I realized that I was setting a pace to beat five hours. With that little extra motivation I kept my paddle cadence up and came into the beach with a full head of steam four hours and forty minutes after leaving the island. The wind and chop I encountered on the crossing back wasn't good for sighting wildlife but I did manage to see another jumping shark. In all my years of paddling I'd only seen a shark jump once before and this single day I saw three.
The solo trip was an amazing experience and I'm very glad I took the Explorer HV with me. This is exactly the kind of thing that this boat was made to do. The thought did occur to me about half way across to the island that up to that day the longest I'd ever been in the HV was about an hour on a simple paddle around Mission Bay. While I had spent a bunch of time in regular size Explorers and loved how they fit and paddled, I had no idea the HV would work for me when I left the beach that morning. In the end it worked out perfectly, I actually appreciated the extra room the HV provided and never felt like I was too loose in the boat.

Explorer HV Review

Manufacturer = SKUK (formerly NDK)
Model" = Explorer HV
Type = Touring
Material = Fiberglass
Length =17' 8"
Width = 21.5"

Location = Catalina For Lunch - Cabrillo Beach (San Pedro CA) to Catalina Island (Two Harbors) and back
Time = 6:00 AM
Distance = 46 miles
Duration = 10:10
Avg. Speed = 4.52 mph
Conditions = Light headwind for first half, generally calm - Good quartering tail wind for second half, few whitecaps

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Day 52 - Ocean Kayak 'Venus 11'

The Venus 10 was the first boat I paddled in this quest and on that morning I did a loop out and around Vacation Island on Mission Bay. In honor of that first outing I paddled the Venus 10's larger sister the Venus 11 on the same route. This boat being a few inches longer, wider and with a higher volume is much more stable than the smaller version. It's still much lighter than many other SOT's out there and the well placed side carry handles make this boat easy to handle off the water. On the water it retains the great maneuverability of the Venus 10 with even more speed and tracking.

Venus 11 Review

Manufacturer = Johnson Outdoors
Brand = Ocean Kayak
Model = Venus 11
Type = Sit On Top
Material = Plastic
Length = 10'-8"
Width = 28.5"
Weight = 40 lbs.
Capacity = 200-225 lbs.

Location = Mission Bay (Vacation Island loop)
Time = 6:30 AM
Distance = 4 miles
Duration = 1:01
Avg. Speed = 4 mph

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Day 51 - C4 'Holoholo' - 2009 BAY TO BAY RACE -

The 2009 Bay To Bay Race. This year I decided to do something a little different so I entered the five mile stand up division in the race. It was an open division and I found myself matched up against much longer boards. When the starting whistle blew I (along with the other folks on shorter boards) watched the long boards take off for a sizable and ever growing lead. It quickly boiled down to me and another guy battling it out for third place. We were pretty evenly matched but every time I interrupted my paddling to take a sip of water from my camelback he gained the distance of the two strokes I missed. After a couple sips of water by the second turn my adversary had gained a 100 foot lead on me. I closed the gap a little bit as we neared the finish line but he came in well ahead of me leaving me in fourth place out of six. The race wasn't the only thing going I had a great time chatting with the other participants and saying hi to friends after the race sharing in the community spirit the race seems to bring out in folks.

Holoholo Review

Manufacturer= C4
Brand = C4
Model = Holoholo
Type = SUP
Material = Epoxy
Length = 12'-0"
Width = 28
Weight = 25 lbs.

Location = San Diego Bay - 2009 BAY TO BAY RACE - 5 Mile stand up division (4th place)
Time = 9:15 AM
Distance = 5 miles
Duration = 1:19
Avg. Speed = Aprox 3.8 mph
Conditions = Partly cloudy and beautiful

Friday, June 5, 2009

Day 50 - Pt. 65N "Whisky 16" - HALF WAY THERE! -

To celebrate reaching the half way point in this quest I rounded up a bunch of friends to join me for an evening paddle followed by dinner at a brew pub in Pacific Beach. Somehow food and beer seemed to be on the front of everyone's minds as we paddled into the wind and current out to the red buoy then right back to the dock. For this paddle I was in the Point 65 N "Whisky 16". A very sporty easy maneuvering kayak designed by a good friend of ours Nigel Foster. Speed was definitely not on Nigel's mind when he put pen to paper to sketch out this boat but fun in rough water certainly was. The wind chop and small swell we experienced heading out the channel allowed me to appreciate the higher volume bow of this boat as it floated over the bouncy water. That high front volume paired with strategically placed rocker allow the Whisky 16 to perform wonderfully in the surf. I only wish we had a decent tide race around here for me to go play on with this boat. If you're looking for a great boat that will allow you to play in rough water with ease this is one worth considering, but don't expect to keep up with anybody in a longer boat.

Whisky 16 Review

Manufacturer = Point 65 North
Brand = Point 65 North
Model = Whisky 16
Material = Fiberglass
Length = 16'-0"
Width = 22"
Weight = 55 lbs.

Location = Around red buoy and back
Time = 6:00 AM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 1:15
Avg. Speed = N/A
Conditions = Windy and partly cloudy w/ 2' wind chop

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Day 49 - Necky 'Looksha T'

One of the Thursday night regulars (Sabrina) was looking for a partner to paddle a tandem so she could practice for the upcoming Bay to Bay race. I need a partner to truly give the tandems a try so it was a good match. In tandem kayaks and canoes it's common practice to put the heavier person in the back seat to make handling the boat a little easier. I outweigh Sabrina by way more than a few pounds and would normally expect to end up in the back seat but she wanted to practice working the rudder controls which meant I got a rare experience in the front seat. We put a couple bricks in the rear hatch, at the very stern of the boat, to correct the trim and it worked pretty well.





As a guide I couldn't have asked for a more cushy position on this outing. I pretty much sat back eating cherries while Sabrina did all the work.





I liked the way the Looksha handled (at least from my front seat position). It is certainly plenty wide enough to feel very stable yet moves at a pretty good pace when you wind up and throw in some power strokes. True to many of the Lookshas, the cockpit opening is plenty wide almost to be point of being too wide for many smaller paddlers that tend to occupy the front seat.

Looksha T Review

Manufacturer = Johnson Outdoors
Brand = Necky
Model = Looksha T
Material = Plastic
Length = 18'-1"
Width = 30"
Weight = 92 lbs.

Location = Aqua Adventures Thursday Evening Paddle - Around red buoy and back
Time = 6:00 AM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 2:00
Avg. Speed = N/A
Conditions = Breezy and partly cloudy

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Day 48 - P&H 'Capella 167'

I paddled the Capella twice today. The first run was this morning with the Aqua Adventures "Wednesday Morning Paddle". I managed to convince most of the group to land near the roller coaster and portage back over to the bay like I did the other day with the Avocet. Only one of the crew got rolled in the surf landing (Mark's first time) and things continued to go well as our parade of five sea kayaks marched down the street across Mission Blvd. and back into the water behind Misos sushi. It's a long story, but we managed to upset a woman from New York City along the way...go figure. The crew seemed to enjoy the break from routine and were already hatching ideas involving kayak carts and money for coffee.

On our way back into the marina Jay spotted a white pelican which is a rare sight around here. I'm not entirely sure of it's actual name, if anybody can identify this bird please let me know exactly what it is. It seemed a bit larger than the usual browns we see around here and had black tips on the back edges of it's wings.




The second paddle in the Capella was tonight with a very lively group of freshmen from UCSD out for a last fling before everyone scatters to the winds for the summer. Early today after one lonely thunder cloud rolled through with a sputtering of rain and three (and only three) cracks of thunder (a freak occurrence around here) we got a phone call from the groups coordinator wanting to cancel the event a full six hours before it was due to launch. We did our best to council the terrified kids and assure them that although conditions had not been suitable for the last twenty minutes or so, we were sure that the beautiful fluffy clouds and warm sunshine we were seeing on the beach right now (behind the "storm") would be what we could expect at launch time. Thirty brave souls did conjure the courage to paddle a very pleasant evening on the bay in the aftermath of San Diego's once yearly visit from the thunder gods. The group played splashed each other seemingly having a great time on the warm evening despite all the "chaos" the big storm brought earlier today.

The Capella was fun to paddle in both outings and I enjoyed the fit and feel of the very agile boat. It isn't going to win any awards in the speed department but that's what one can expect when a little speed is sacrificed for maneuverability.

Capella 167 Review

Manufacturer = P&H
Brand = P&H
Model = Capella 167
Type = Touring
Material = Fiberglass
Length = 16'-7"
Width = 21.75"
Weight = 52.4 lbs.

Location #1 = Wednesday Morning Paddle - Roller coaster loop
Time = 7:00 AM
Distance = 5.10 miles
Duration = 1:30
Avg. Speed = N/A
Conditions = Mostly cloudy and calm

Location #2 = Mission Bay night paddle - College group
Time = 9:15 PM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 1:15
Avg Speed = N/A
Conditions = Partly cloudy and calm (post "storm")

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Day 47 - Current Designs 'Sirocco'

Edging was one of the main topics I wanted to work on with Joyce during a private lesson this morning. With that in mind I put her in the Wildy' Zephyr that she had been in last week and I paddled the Current Designs Sirocco. Both boats have amazing secondary stability that allows a person to keep the boat on edge comfortably and really discover what edge control is all about. The Sirocco doesn't seem to get much use around here and I'm not entirely sure why. It's a good handling boat that inspires confidence in beginners and allows more advanced paddlers to really work their edged maneuvering skills. The one thing I dislike about the Sirocco, however, is how wide the cockpit is and consequently how far apart the thigh pads are. I always feel like I'm mimicking a Buddha stance when sitting I'm in that boat. Sitting with your knees that far apart doesn't do much for your balance which sort of makes the relatively wide 23" width of the boat more necessary for stability.

We stayed in the marina area during the lesson this morning enjoying the warm sunshine that so many spoiled and whiny San Diegans have been missing for the last six cloudy days. If only they could live through a real winter then "June Gloom" wouldn't seem so bad, and I wouldn't have to listen to people complain about the poor weather when it's 65 degrees and pleasant outside. Sometimes, when it comes to the weather, I think people in San Diego need to buck up and grow a pair just out of respect to everyone else that has to deal with REAL bad weather. Sorry I digress...

Sirocco Review

Manufacturer = Current Designs
Brand = Current Designs
Model = Sirocco
Material = Plastic
Length = 16'-10"
Width = 23"
Weight = 60 lbs.
Capacity = 375 lbs.

Location = Mission Bay - Private lesson in Quivira Basin
Time = 11:30 AM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 2:00
Avg Speed = N/A
Conditions = Partly cloudy and breezy

Monday, June 1, 2009

*Day 46 - Wilderness Systems 'Tempest 165 Pro'

Today I had the pleasure of going on the water for a private lesson with 12 year old Jeremiah who just finished up his 5th grade year and came down from the Lake Tahoe area to spend the month of June visiting his grandparents here in San Diego. By the end of our hour and a half lesson Jeremiah had mastered all of the basic strokes and a few capsize recovery techniques as well. The way he picked things up I almost didn't believe him when he told me that he had never paddled a thing before today. Like so many kids, he didn't need instruction so much as a boat, a paddle and someone to look after him. Gotta love working with kids. Today Jeremiah paddled the kid sized Tsunami SP while I followed along in the Tempest 165 Pro.

When I'm looking for an easy handling boat but want a little more speed the Tempest 165 is the boat I often go for. Once again the seat, hip pad, and thigh brace systems are hard to beat for 'out of the box' fit and comfort. The 165 is the smaller version of the Tempest 180 and 170 I reviewed earlier and, unlike the other two, this kayak fits me quite well. Because of that good fit, for me, the 165 is the best handling boat of the three. Anybody larger than me at 5'-10" may start to feel cramped in the 165 but any smaller paddler looking for a swift and nimble ride should certainly give it a try.

Tempest 165 Pro Review

Manufacturer = Confluence
Brand = Wilderness Systems
Model = Tempest 165 Pro
Material = Fiberglass
Length = 16'-6"
Width = 21.5"
Weight = 56 lbs.
Capacity = 300 lbs.

Location = Mission Bay - Private lesson in Quivira Basin
Time = 2:00 PM
Distance = N/A
Duration = 1:30
Avg Speed = N/A
Conditions = Mostly cloudy and breezy