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New kayak - prototype


Simon Everett

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Hello all,

 

I have had a few of you asking how the new kayak goes.

I have had a weekend on the water with it now, and a couple of odd days and a night - damn rough night at that.

 

The handling is superb. She is better than the P13 in a wave - tracks beautifully and doesn't have any tendency to broach with a following sea at all. Coming in with Son No 1 (George) and Nifty the other weekend we had a 3/4 sea from astern - over the starboard quarter.

With the prospect of about a 2 mile paddle back to the beach, both Prowlers were yawing about all over the place and kept wanting to turn their bows to the sea, beam on. The Prowler would stay with the sea absolutely astern, or abeam but it didn't like being askew.

The new kayak, although much lower in the water, is every bit as dry riding and I just pointed her at the landing and paddled - she went as straight as a die and although picked up and surfed, stayed on course without wanting to broach at all.

Lying at anchor was also just as comfortable as on the P13 - We had about a 4 foot swell rolling in. When in a trough I could only just see Nifty's head, sometimes he disappeared altogether. The decks stayed bone dry, even on the seaward side - so no worries there.

Stability, although less beamy than the P13 (2") she is still stable enough to sit with your legs over the side and ride those swells without any bother. Sitting so low down, your bum is actually below the waterline, so bungs make life a little more comfortable when, like me, you are just wearing shorts! In a wetsuit or drysuit - no issue. Stability when paddling is very high.

Paddling - the P13s were doing 2 strokes to my one in order to maintain the same pace. Very easy to paddle - fast if you want it to be as she doesn't tend to ride up her own bow wave like the Prowler.

Seating - low and tight. Those of you who have, how shall we say this? Built-in ballast will do nicely! May find the seat a little tight - but for the svelt, like me ( :D )the seat is very comfortable without any padding whatever - like all day on the bare plastic! The shape is nicely rounded and is comfortable on its own. High backed too, because one is sat so low the main bulkhead which forms the seat back comes up to about my kidneys. I have got one of the old style (discontinued now - but we'll see about that!) foam seat backs. It can be fastened, but I just have it loose. It gives a little more high up back support and is great.

If you are expecting a totally dry kayak go and buy a boat - but I bet it gets water in the bilges. A puddle in the seat is soon squished out by doing the bum squelch - this throws most of it forward, but some of it up the back of my shirt! On a hot day it was lovely! Without the scupper bungs (Demhijohn stoppers not large enough) are a great comfort, otherwise there is always a bidet operation going on!

 

Foot wells are not as plentiful as the P13 - but they are longer as this kayak is aimed more at the grown, experienced paddler, not so much for children. Having said that son No1 jumped inand went straight out through the surf and within 100 yards shouted back, "I want one of these" !!

He had the hang of it within 10 minutes, even in the surf. Talking of which, coming in the surf held no fears - she just came straight in, no worries about broaching, or having to correct, she just lets the wave pass underneath - unless you want to surf it in which case paddle with it.

Cargo well - not as large capacity as the P13, but large enough for a fishing trip. I can get the small anchor set up in there, together with the basket that I sourced from FOCUS - I did ask first! It fits nicely, but there is about an inch fore and aft, and maybe 1/2" width that would take a larger box - obviously there is a standard size one which the moulding is built around but I don't know which one yet.

Then aft of the basket there is more tank well - which stays with an inch of water in it - where I put any fish I wanted to keep. The mackerel for bait went in there and stayed very fresh. I even managed to keep a couple alive for freelining for bass. Just dropped them in and they stayed alive with enough water to feed their gills.

Centre hatch has the net bag in it. Mine isn't sealed! Remember this is the thrown together prototype, all it is lacking is the silicon squirt from when it was fitted. I shall drill out the rivets and put some sealer below the flange before rivetting it back in place - that should stop the high pressure water from the bidet going straight under the flange! Not a build fault, just a short cut! Likewise the two rod holders that have been fitted - bottomless ones! That leaves a 2" hole in each side open to the sea! I shall either fit some capped ones, or bung up the bottom with something. It isn't a major problem, but I will be happier without the open port thank you!

The main hatch is huge! I can fit my boat rods down there without taking them apart! It is also well sealed with the new rubber gasket system rather than the old neoprene skirt. The wave dam does a good job of deflecting any water that does come over the bow - Going out I took a big crester straight on and the bow did go through the top foot or so, but the hatch stayed dry.

Handling - it takes more turning than a P13, but only in as much as you have to lean and sweep together, then three sweeps will turn you 90 degrees. It isn't really a function of a sea kayak - you have plenty of room out there! The P13 has a little more rocker and a little less waterline length - no, a lot less waterline length, probably a foot or more, even though there is only about 6" in overall length. Look at the rake on both bow and stern of the Prowler, then look at the straight stem and stern of the new one. Virtually all of the prototype's length is also waterline length. This is where the superb speed and seakeeping come from.

Here are a few pics so you can compare. BUT, before you critisize the stubby shape - i ttok the prototype out in preferance to the P13 on the Sunday when Son No 1 wanted to do other things (he was knackered having kept up with Stuart and I all the day before - and not going to bed on time! - and I capsized him by riding over the side of the P13 when going to help him unhook a mackerel that he was having trouble with on the feathers.) He said he could do without that kind of help! I missed my stroke because I was watching him and not what I was doing! He did keep the reel totally dry as he went over though! Good chance to practise capsize drill for him. He did it.

Now some pictures:

Simon Everett

Staffordshire.

Fishing kayaks:

White& Orange Dorado

Olive Scupper Pro

Yellow Prowler Elite

 

Touring kayaks

Red White Skua

White & Orange Duo

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Need to lose the spaces - my picture programme puts damn spaces in automatically!

 

Here is the first shot of P13 and new one together.

prototype.kayak.002.jpg

Simon Everett

Staffordshire.

Fishing kayaks:

White& Orange Dorado

Olive Scupper Pro

Yellow Prowler Elite

 

Touring kayaks

Red White Skua

White & Orange Duo

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I know it looks shorter - but that is just the perspectve, the green one is actually about 6" longer!

Simon Everett

Staffordshire.

Fishing kayaks:

White& Orange Dorado

Olive Scupper Pro

Yellow Prowler Elite

 

Touring kayaks

Red White Skua

White & Orange Duo

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Share on other sites

The tank well loses some capacity, but not enough to hinder fishing requirements. I can take all I need, I just have to be a little more organised with what i take and how I stow it.

 

prototype.kayak.004.jpg

Simon Everett

Staffordshire.

Fishing kayaks:

White& Orange Dorado

Olive Scupper Pro

Yellow Prowler Elite

 

Touring kayaks

Red White Skua

White & Orange Duo

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Share on other sites

prototype.kayak.006.jpg

 

The seat is more comfortable because you are actually sat IN it, rather than perched ON it.

 

There is provision to use a seat, like on the Prowler, but personally, unless you want the pocket on the back, it isn't necessary. On the Prowler it is!

Simon Everett

Staffordshire.

Fishing kayaks:

White& Orange Dorado

Olive Scupper Pro

Yellow Prowler Elite

 

Touring kayaks

Red White Skua

White & Orange Duo

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OOO what a poor picture! I hope the next one is better.

That's better, now you can see the hugging effect of the "sunken" seat.

rototype.kayak.005.jpg

Simon Everett

Staffordshire.

Fishing kayaks:

White& Orange Dorado

Olive Scupper Pro

Yellow Prowler Elite

 

Touring kayaks

Red White Skua

White & Orange Duo

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The gunwales actually come up almost to knee height too - so you can actually brace against the sides. _ look at the bulwarks where the lifting handles are (I added those because they hadn't been fitted_ that is the orange goo oozing out from underneath)

Simon Everett

Staffordshire.

Fishing kayaks:

White& Orange Dorado

Olive Scupper Pro

Yellow Prowler Elite

 

Touring kayaks

Red White Skua

White & Orange Duo

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Share on other sites

The hatch on the new one is larger, easier to use and allows long rods to be carried within it's monstrous gape.

 

prototype.kayak.007.jpg

Simon Everett

Staffordshire.

Fishing kayaks:

White& Orange Dorado

Olive Scupper Pro

Yellow Prowler Elite

 

Touring kayaks

Red White Skua

White & Orange Duo

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Share on other sites

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