Submitted: 08-22-2006 by Wavespinner 
The first thing you notice is the weight (30 lbs.), of lack thereof. This caused me to check for flex or oilcanning. None. The design and manufacturing are superb.
Then, you get in, adjust the Happy Feet and Sweet Cheeks and note that it feels snug and plush, but not so snug you couldn't easily bail out. The knee padding is simply great.
Everything is well thought out on the boat. Holes are minimized through unique ways of attaching outfitting. The lip forward of the cockpit will hold a paddle while you're using your hands for popping on the sprayskirt or whatever. The boat feels comfortable after hours of hard play or paddling, although I did find that the Happy Feet will "moosh around" and change from the optimum foot position. The deck bar is not large enough to make it easy for rescuing an inverted buddy.
It's touted as a river running playboat and is one of the few dual purpose boats that does both well. You can paddle it at flat trim and not worry much about catching an aft edge. This provides you with decent downriver speed.
While my play repertoire was limited, this kayak has added to it. It's not an all-out player, but has the tools to do most things pretty well. It's predictable and rolls easily. The deck sheds water in a surf and resists purling.
All in all, an aptly named boat. I'd highly recommend test driving one. |