Submitted: 12-06-2008 by Michael McCoy
O.K. Folks. I’ve now owned my KayakPro Jet for 2 months and I’m ready to sound off about it. This is one fantastic boat. I’ve owned a lot of ‘em. Next year will be my 30th year of very active paddling and I’ve never been shy about buying boats.
1st of all, this is the best designed boat I could imagine for me. I am reasonably fast and fit at 62 but I’m not as steady as I once was so I wanted stability to go with my speed and I got it. Relative to how fast this boat is it is exceptionally stable. That doesn’t mean it is stable relative to some hard chined old sea kayak but relative to fast sprinting boats it is stable. I’ve had it out in serious chop and pretty good wind and while not completely comfortable I felt safe and stayed dry even without a skirt. Did I mention fast? I now cruise at speeds I used to race at. 80% effort gets me what I’ve gotten in a different trainer at 100%.
2nd this is exceptional craftsmanship. Most of the kayak products I see coming out of China are moderately to severely flawed. Not this one. Somebody found the right factory, hired the right workers and provided the right supervision. The materials are strong, light, and attractive. The fit and finish is superb. The boat looks as good as it feels. Little details, like joining the deck with seam tape that is continuous all the way through the bulkheads seems standard until you see some Chinese products. Not this one. It is built right.
3rd the price of this boat is below that of most competitive products. KayakPro probably ought to be getting a premium for this quality rather than selling for what amounts to a discount. This works for me. I hope it keeps working for them. |