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A New Kayak is Born


shaun.reid

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Pinacle.jpg

 

The New Pinnacle “Elite” has hit the market by storm.

 

I have been fortunate enough to watch this fishing kayak’s development and finally the birth of( in my opinion) the best fishing kayak to hit the market. There is more exciting news, the kayak is now being manufactured by one of South Africa’s leading kayak manufacturers Kayak Centre. My first look at the finished product got me jumping up and down with excitement, the finishes on this kayak are superb!

 

After placing my order, I was able to take the kayak out run it through a few tests...

 

A look at the Changes

 

1. The first major change on the kayak is the length. The older boat was 4.3m and the new Pinnacle “Elite” is 4.85m – you know what this means “Speed”. The old Kayak was amongst the fastest but now it has been taken to a whole new level.

2. The Hull – there are 2 changes to the hull which has also increased the ultimate speed of the boat. The V on the hull has been sharpened and reshaped to hit the water at exactly the correct angle regardless of the weight on board. There is no pushing of water rather a cutting and deflecting. The other change is the Rudder protector and Rudder they are way less bulky in diameter and size lessening the drag in the water.

Pinnacle_Hull.jpg

3. The Back hatches have been reshaped with moulded lips that stop rushing water from getting into the hatches

Pinnacle_BackHatch.jpg

4. The tail finishes in a point as opposed to the square cut.

PinnacleBack.jpg

5. The Seat – This is one of the best redesigns as the new seat shape is super comfortable and well moulded for added comfor.

pinnacle_Seat.jpg

6. Hatch and lid have also been changed – The hatch lid has a way tighter fit stopping water from entering in. The hatch is still big allowing space to fit even bigger rods .

7. The front section of the kayak has also changed – it has way less volume on the width which has reduced the overall weight of the kayak. There is still a rocker but it is way sharper and positioned at the front of the Kayak which helps it retain its brilliant wave riding ability which Pinnacle is well known for.

Pinnacle_Frount.jpg

8. The weight of the Elite is +-27kgs as opposed to the old model which was +-30kgs this is largely due to the overall volume of the kayak decreasing.

 

Taking it to the water

 

As I hit the water and my Bum hit the seat I could already feel a difference! Playing around in the waves proved that the new Pinnacle has retained its brilliant wave riding ability. I thought that due to the added length it might have some difficulty but it came out tops. The kayak still goes over the waves as opposed to through the wave which has a 2 fold benefit, firstly you retain your momentum approaching the next wave and secondly you stay dry which is great for winter fishing!

 

I must say the Elite is fast! You can feel the ease in your paddle stroke, it doesn’t take much to get going. I jumped in at Blue Lagoon and thought that I would try my skill against the K1’s. The amazing thing was I could Keep up with them while they were all paddling together – the only time I fell behind was when they went into a sprint.

So what’s the verdict?

 

The questions that I always ask when looking at a kayak are

 

1. How strong is it (there is nothing worse than spending money getting your kayak fixed after every second outing)

 

2. How fast is it ( getting to a spot 1st can sometimes mean you catching the fish. Speed also helps in strong currents and windy situations)

 

3. Stability (I have seen people tip over when gaffing fish and even while fighting fish)

 

4. Surf Handling (it’s better to be dry than wet – it also helps in protecting your gear, a rolling kayak breaks and also messes up tackle)

 

The New Pinnacle Elite has in my mind met all of the above in its design which makes it a must have. It totally blew me away and I am already a big fan! Do yourself a favour and go test drive the new Pinnacle Elite!

 

Contact

 

+27 (0) 84 582 5322 (Cliff)

 

+27 (0) 72 305 4340 (Claire)

 

info@pinnacleski.co.za[/img]

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  • 3 weeks later...

It looks like the top deck was derived from a Macski Kingfisher. Very similar basic elements and that is no bad thing. The have sharpened the bows and increased the 'V' of the hull. It won't ride the wave as well, but will certainly be quicker than the 4.25mph cruising speed of the Macski.

 

Should give the Dodo a run for its money and be almost as wet. At least there is no matching bilge pump offered as an accessory :lol:

 

Price??

Regards, Clive

 

 

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It looks like the top deck was derived from a Macski Kingfisher. Very similar basic elements and that is no bad thing. The have sharpened the bows and increased the 'V' of the hull. It won't ride the wave as well, but will certainly be quicker than the 4.25mph cruising speed of the Macski.

 

Should give the Dodo a run for its money and be almost as wet. At least there is no matching bilge pump offered as an accessory :lol:

 

Price??

 

Nice looking kayak .... but sadly only available in New Zealand and nearby countries. They dont ship to the UK or Europe

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  • 1 month later...
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  • 3 months later...
Ha ha ha. What the heck is that? The most useless fishing kayak I have ever seen.

 

The hull is totally different, but the topsides resemble the Macski Kingfisher. On the Macski you could put 9 foot rods ready made up inside the centre hatch away from the dangers of launching / beaching. There was also loads of room in the dry hatch for loads of gear that was readily accessible when afloat. The downside of the Macski was the hull. It was in my opinion a bit too flat for UK use. The kayak had tremendous stability, but was not as fast over the water as other kayaks of the same length. This one seems to have more 'V' and rocker which should in theory make it a bit faster. The skeg and rudder are useful to keep tracking on line when paddling in cross winds. The Macski was more of a trolling boat than the more commonly seen OK range and it seems that this model has followed that line. In the UK the kayaks are more likely to be used for drifting and bottom fishing.

 

The biggest downside on my Macski was the wet ride and water retention in the seat. Not nearly as bad as the Dorado, but still less comfortable than the OK range. Also, without any back support the paddler will know about it after a few hours afloat. I had a back support, but had to add two extra fasteners to make it something like. Even then I preferred to fish side saddle. I can't see any improvements on this model.

 

I wouldn't discount it, but I'd certainly recommend trying before you buy as the small saddle area is nothing like the larger, deeper well in the more common OK series kayaks and it does make you feel more vulnerable at first when aboard. As previously said, the type of fishing this is designed for does not necessarily correspond with UK angling methods.

Regards, Clive

 

 

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  • 1 month later...
Ha ha ha. What the heck is that? The most useless fishing kayak I have ever seen.

 

 

Looks like the best composite fishing kayak i've seen for UK waters, better suited than either Stealth or Kaskazi in my opinion. Looks as good on the water (as an all-rounder) as the Elite 4.5 or Ultra 4.3 / 4.7. Would prefer a tankwell to the two rear hatches though these might be better suited in rough water with the low stern. A larger bow hatch to take a broken-down trolle would also be good. As trolling is not the main method of kayak fishing in the UK (unlike SA) the rear flushmounts could do with being rethought. I've been aware of this for a while and want one; if I could get one here for a sensible price then I'd have it. No question.

 

It might be worth bearing in mind that kayak (or ski) fishing originated in South Africa (contrary to what the Americans will tell you) and the conditions out there - sea and species - are far more testing than anything we find here in the UK (and yes, i do speak from experience of fishing a lot in both countries).

Wetter than an otter's pocket.

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