Zzippys Maiden Voyage - P15

[SpeciMan]

Met up with Zzippy this morning to take a look at his new Prowler 15 and to watch him take it for a test paddle.

 

Rockley Park, Poole Harbour on a spring tide, with moderate wind was a good place to try it out. The current can really motor through the main channel on the ebb. It seemed fitting to go back to this spot as we also tested our Capers down there just under a year ago. On that occassion we had struggled to make any progress against the fast current and we were interested as to how a longer, more narrow kayak would fare.

 

 

Zzippy unloaded the P15 from his car roof rack with ease and hadn't found it hard work to cartop and strap down before heading off. He mentioned that, at least with his car, it was easier to cartop than the Caper!

 

Pic: P15 unloaded with seat

 

 

 

Despite its length and the wind catching the side he also found it easy enough to carry to the waters edge.

 

Pic: Carrying the Yak

 

Although the P15 is more narrow than the Caper its width didn't look intimidating and the yak looked stable enough to get away with sitting side on, standing up, jumping up and down, doing handstands etc.. - well perhaps not the last few but it didn't look like you'd be paddling on top of a matchstick

 

Pic: Yak width (lens distortion of compact makes it look a bit wider)

 

Prior to launch I had a sit in the P15 to see if the cockpit was long enough for me. With the seat back my feet rested on the front footwells with a slight bend in the knee. At 6ft, this cockpit fit me fine but I can understand how the cockpit may be too short for paddlers over 6ft with long legs; as always if you can, try before you buy. If a rudder was fitted to this yak taller paddlers would need toe controls at the front section above the front footwell.

 

The cockpit has only one cup(sponge!)holder and there was a nice flat area leading up to the front hatch making for easy installation of yak fishing goodies.

 

Pic: P15 Cockpit

 

After my sit in, Zzippy took it out for a paddle. Watching him set off it was easy to tell within a few paddle strokes that this kayak was much faster and had more glide compared to what we have been paddling.

 

Pic: First Stroke

 

He made progress against wind and against the current. However I think he mentioned the kayak wanted to weathercock (turn into the wind) When paddling - under such conditions a rudder could come in handy and also when drift fishing (couple of links on weathercocking & rudders for those interested: http://www.kayakforum.com/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/...?Weathercocking , http://www.clcboats.com/shoptips/shoptips_rudder_or_skeg.php ).

 

Pic: Corrective Stroke

 

After a successful test paddle we inspected the cockpit and hull for signs of water. Despite the chop, the waves had deflected off the front of the yak and the only water in the cockpit was from the front scupper holes. The P15 has a reputation for having water in the footwells which we also found - we felt this could be remedied by placing bungs in the front scuppers. However when we inspected the hull we were shocked to find that THERE WAS WATER IN THE HULL AND HE'D ONLY BEEN OUT FOR 10 MINUTES!

 

Pic: Water in the hatch

 

Closer inspection of the scupper holes showed a poor match between the top and bottom seams of the yak. The seams around the scupper areas were rough to touch and they had what felt like small indentations around them. The scupper holes being the culprit for the leak were confirmed a bit later when Zzippy took the yak home and tested it. A dodgy scupper hole in the rear tankwell caused the leaking.

 

So this is why I'm doing the bulk of the writeup and not Zzippy. He's busy taking a £500+ yak back to the shop and arranging a replacement. It would be nice if all OK yaks not just the new P13's have the revised scuppers and are leak tested prior to shipping.

Edited February 28, 2006 by SpeciMan

[Zzippy]

Thanks for the excellent write up Simon:) and the good pics.

Looks like we both posted at the same time then.lol

Many thanks.

Zzippy