Boat Reviews

Epic Recreational GP

The Epic Recreational GP is an all purpose estuary crusier new to the Australian market. The first thing you notice is the ultra lightweight design (15kg). The weight is a major benefit for younger or smaller people and makes carrying and lifting the kayak a breeze.

Despite its short length and relatively flat bottom, the boat tracks well with both novice and experienced paddlers having no control problems during the test paddle on a slightly choppy Sydney Harbour.  The boat turns well and responds to all strokes well.  Rolling the Epic is a breeze and it is a good size and weight for learning/teaching rolling.

The Epic Recreational GP is definitely an ideal boat for short estuary trips. On the test paddle we found it a fun boat for surfing the wake of powerboats.

Brief details

• ideal for day trips
• easy to roll and turn
• rudder is available but not required
• footpegs were easy to alter
• the hatch seals kept water out during rolls
• the knee braces were a little uncomfortable in bracing exercises
• Length: 3m (12'8') / Width: 63cm (25-1/4')
• Cockpit size: 86cm by 43cm (34' x 17-1/4')
• Weight: 15kg (33Ibs)
• Carbon / Kevlar / Fiberglass

Grant from Sydney Harbour Kayaks sees this boat as the perfect 'throw it on the roof and take it anywhere cruiser'.

Special thanks to Sydney Harbour Kayaks (ph 02 9960 4389) for supplying the test boat.

Epic Endurance 18

An Expedition Plastic Sea Kayak

The Dagger Cortez 16.5

Manufactured and distributed by Canoes Plus (03) 9816 9411

I had the pleasure of a test paddle out of Kettering and down the D'Entrecasteaux Channel on a magnificent Autumn Day in Tasmania.  The day provided a range of conditions including dead calm, wind chop (15 knots) low ocean swell (with and without chop).  It was an all day paddle and I found the set up very comfortable for my larger frame.  The boat is very responsive and comfortable in rougher conditions.

• the test boat has a very good finish, well set up for expedition work
• initial stability is very high
• secondary stability is good
• the boat edges well, though it's slightly heavy to lift due to the chines
• strokes the boat is very responsive to all strokes and turns extremely well with an edged sweep
• the boat tracks and turns well with and without the rudder
• the foot pegs and rudder pedals were comfortable and easily ajustable (but not whilst underway)
• There was no leaking from any of the hatches
• The boat is relatively heavy and you sit low on the water resulting in a slightly wet ride in chop
• Length: 5m (16' 5') | Width: 56cm
• Weight: 27 kg
• Hatch Volume: 66 / 117 liters
• Max Load: 136kg

Special thanks to Roaring Forties Ocean Kayaking, Kettering Tasmania (03) 6267 5000 who supplied the test boat

Two of the Fastest

The Adventure Duet by Ruahine Kayaks

distributed in Australia by QK - (02) 9605 1549

The Adventure Duet is unbeaten in the Rec 2 class in every NSW mararthon race. It has also won the Bay to Bondi and the Hawkesbury Classic last year.

In Adventure Racing it finished top 3 in this years Geo Quest 48hr race in the hands of team landrover.

• Length 7m
• Width (water line) 55cm
• Weight 24kg

And its smaller brother

The Ocean X

also by Ruahine Kayaks, distributed by QK

Ruahine Kayaks 'Designed specifically for the “Length of New Zealand Race” and built around the safety criteria drawn up for that race. The OceanX is built along the lines of a long racing surf ski, so it's very fast and tracks very well in the sea.  The OceanX is fast, light, comfortable and surprisingly stable. It weighs only 11 kgs ‘out of the mould’ and 16.5 kgs ‘fully rigged’.'

It is fitted with bulkheads and hatches front and rear. There are decklines on front and rear decks and steering is from a Kengineering fully retractable hydrodynamic rudder controlled by OZO footrests and toe flaps.

• Length 6.4m
• Width 50cm
• Weight 16.5kg

The Classic Pittarak

Manufactured by Pittarak (02) 4946 6214

The Pittarak range of sea kayaks have been around for many years, constantly being enhanced with each new model. Although designed and used primarily as an expedition sea kayak, the Pittarak also attracts the new paddler or those searching for a craft suitable for weekend journeys. Designer Larry Gray says  'The kayak has excellent ability in rough up-wind conditions. The current model has a new adjustable skeg that provides increased tracking down wind. whilst the important features that remain unchanged are the up-swept low volume bow and stern that are designed to maximise deck water dispersal, so that balance and control are maintained in extreme conditions.'

New features include

• At sea adjustable foot controls for both rudder and skeg versions.
• Dual bilge pump system (optional).
• Extreme expedition laminates and hardware.
• Personalised bulkhead arrangements.
• All weather adjustable skeg.
• Full customisation on kayak fit-out to suit various applications.
• Internal cockpit storage compartments.
• Sail Kit

Dimensions

• Length (without rudder) 5030mm
• Length (with rudder) 5170mm
• Beam (at hips) 585mm
• Height to bow 475mm
• Weight (complete fit out) 27kg

The Sea Quest

Designed by Tim Dillenbeck

This boat is something completely new to sea kayaking, it has lines resembling an America's Cup yacht and innovations and variations on the seat, the rudder assembly, the hull/deck join, etc.

I had the privilege of being entrusted by Tim Dillenbeck, with a test boat for a recent QLD sea kayak program. Tim Dillenbeck, the designer, has put two years of himself into the design and construction of this kayak and he speaks authoritatively and passionately on every aspect. Unfortunately for me the test did not involve extreme conditions (as they say in Queensland 'beautiful one day….').

What the boat didn’t do was the most startling thing to begin with I paddle a 5.3 metre sea kayak regularly and when I put on the power, it noticeably brings up the bow wave and the stern digs in. When I pushed the Sea Quest on flatwater it did not appear to go into wave making mode. It remained flat, produced little wake and was very fast for a 5.3m boat.  Though fully loaded for a weekend program it remained high on the water.

This boat feels big in every respect even though it is only 5.3 metres overall.  I should warn the reader at this point that my own prejudice is for smaller sea kayaks that are built more for manoeuvrability than straight line ocean cruising. As the Assessor on the course I was constantly trying to maintain or alter my aspect to the group.  I found the Sea Quest being bigger, 'straighter' and more stable than my usual boat a lot more work.

Though short, the boat is very high volume with enormous storage space and I was worried that I kept forgetting things each time we packed as I seemed to have too much empty space. The boat did not take any water into the storage compartments despite being given every opportunity to do so.

In short, this would be way up on the list for long crossings and long distance ocean touring.

Brief details

• The test boat had an exceptional finish - yet not up to Tim's standards
• initial stability is phenomenal without compromising straight line speed – you can look good performing any amount of upright acrobatic tricks you desire
• secondary stability is also exceptional thanks to high, flat topsides
• the boat is built for comfortable long distance sea touring and in that role it is exceptional
• to me the boat feels more like a dinghy that you sit in rather than a kayak that you wear - I think this comes from its stability, size and long keel line
• due to a long aft keel line, the boat tracks very well when flat, when edged, it turns well
• the foot bar (with pedals located on its upper surface) was a little low so that the balls of the feet are sitting directly on the rudder pedals reducing the ability to leg drive
• the foot position is very easy to alter whilst underway with a single hand movement
• the rudder is a work of art with the following features
• fully retracts into a recess in the hull (no windage at all when not in use)
• balanced rudder blade (does not load up the foot pedals even under a full broach)
• the hatch configuration took on no water despite plenty of opportunities

A special thanks goes to Kayanu and Tim Dillenbeck.
 Kayanu (07) 3893 4400

Response from Tim Dillenbeck - Designer

Thank you Ian for you positive review and constructive comments.

It was unfortunate that the test did not involve extreme conditions because the feedback I normally get is that the most fun, is to paddle the SeaQuest in rough conditions. Particularly in following sea, it takes off easily on a wave and broaching can be well controlled due to the hard chine configuration and the effective rudder.

In head sea, it has been observed that the pitching is very low and a good cruising speed can be maintained.

Regarding the 'big kayak' feeling, your observation is absolutely correct. It has the volume more in line with a 5.8m kayak but due to the shorter length, the 'semi' hard chine and plenty of rocker, the manoeuvrability is better than the longer sea kayaks, in particular when leaning and carving a turn.

I can’t believe it’s a sit on top

The Bic Scapa

This is a boat that I recommend everyone go out and test paddle to see how far our industry has come in recent years.

As Guides and Instructors we are often asked what people should buy as their first boat. It is no surprise that sit on tops are both the fastest growing and the largest selling component of the paddling market. As a result sit on tops have become the area where the majority of people start paddling. The Bic Scapa is something entirely different and innovative in the sit on top world and definitely worth a test paddle for everyone.

It was only hours before I was leaving for Perth and I went for a quick paddle on Sydney Harbour. I dropped in on Sydney Harbour Kayaks to say hi on the way past. Grant the manager came out and insisted that I get out of my sea kayak and try his latest sit on top. A test paddle was the last thing on my mind, but his enthusiasm was infectious and as a result I now feel like I am writing an advertisement for the boat, which I am not.

The boat is Bic Scapa, it is a sit on top that at first glance is reminiscent of the classic Dolphin of 20 plus years ago, however that is where the similarity ends. At 23kg it is easy to lift with a well placed (one person) lifting strap on each side of the main cockpit, unlike many side lifting straps, this strap does not grip your hand, causing some pain as many do. Picking it up you see the bottom that is a strange concave/ tunnel blend. I will leave it to the experts to tell me exactly what the bottom design is. The boat is constructed from thermoformed polyethylene and has an excellent finish with quality fittings.

In the water the seating position is comfortable and does not seduce the paddler to slouch or lean back. The surprises came as I paddled off the beach it is incredibly lively (fleeing exceptionally fast for a sit on top), and without a rudder it tracks very well (more than many of your average 5+ metre sea kayaks with the rudder up). It edges like a sea kayak, turning well to sweep strokes when edged, yet immediately going back to straight when flattened. It has high initial stability with good secondary stability. It is not a pretend ski or sea kayak, nor is it like any of the other sit on tops I have paddled in recent times. This is an entry level boat with all the handling of a so called 'real kayak' and all the convenience of a sit on top.

Length: 4.4 m
Width: 66 cm
Weight: 23 kg
Material: Thermoformed Polyethylene

Thank you very much to Grant at Sydney Harbour Kayaks (02) 9960 4389 for the test paddle