Submitted: 08-20-2012 by meanderlee
Cons: very tippy & not very maneuverable considering, can't carry much load considering length and weight, oilpans more than some other Royalex boats (acts more like Royalite but without lightweight characteristics), ugly metal seathangers, ugly battleship gray interior, ugly maroon exterior (if I wanted an ugly boat, I'd buy a kayak), noisy metal gunwales.
Pros: hmmmm... can't think of any right now.
This is strictly an Expert Boat, not because an expert would ever buy one, but because it takes an expert to know how to compensate for its design flaws. Of the boats at our livery-- Bell Northwind and Northshore, Old Town Penobscot, Mohawk 14'-- this is by far the least favorite, and the only boat that has managed to dunk every guide (we don't put clients in it). It fails the stand-up-paddle test and the water-entry test. It wants to roll like a log but doesn't have the agility you'd expect. A Mohawk 14' in Royalite is a much better/lighter small solo boat, or for the Rendevous' weight/length I'd much rather be kneeling solo in a Royalex Bell Northwind or Old Town Penobscot. A nice fellow from Denver told me, "it's tippy when bow heavy. Has to be trim of bow up." Whatever... If you inherit one of these, condolences. |