Some things to know about the Kaos
Bad construction /design. Many people have problems with the hull collapsing when the internal plastic support moves. The hull essentially puckers up and down. Heavy, Long.
Discontinued… Five-O
You might also consider the discontinued Perception Five-O plastic waveski, which you can find used, demo, or closeout online and have it shipped.
My friend just picked one up in good condition, with thigh straps for $300.
It is a Dick Wold design and performs more like a composite waveski than most other plastic sit-on-tops.
Last summer he had a foam/epoxy RTM Slide Master waveski. I tried it and found it hard to roll and extremely tippy until you get it planing. Watch out for designs with overly-high seats. They will perform great for experienced paddlers but are not friendly for beginners. The Five-O has a low seat.
True For Most Waveskis
– Last Updated: Feb-17-07 12:01 PM EST –
"Last summer he had a foam/epoxy RTM Slide Master waveski. I tried it and found it hard to roll and extremely tippy until you get it planing. Watch out for designs with overly-high seats. They will perform great for experienced paddlers but are not friendly for beginners."
They are harder to roll than any kayak. But, once you get it, you got it. Beginner waveskis will be wider, longer and thicker, with the seat further cut into the top, for more stability on the paddle out. But all these characterisitics will also make it more challenging to roll back up. It will want to stay rightside up, and when you're upside down, strapped in, it'll also want to really STAY upside down.
On the right conditions, I personally find waveskis more pleasing to surf than anything else I have.
Riot has a plastic waveski out there, though I personally haven't seen one in person. Walden also has a waveski design out there, the Milo. Haven't seen that either. I don't think either was produced in mass quantities.
I forget which company, but there is also a more surf specific, plastic SOT out there call the surfjet. It't got one center fin. Need to google it.
What's true is that there is no "BEST" surf kayak, there is only "best" for your skill level, your preferences, your budget and the conditions that you'll mostly likely find at your break.
sing
lets see if i can help sing…
– Last Updated: Feb-17-07 2:07 PM EST –
pyranha/venture kayak...surf jet...plastic sit on top...nice...drop down skeg...good for small (under 170#)...not much $$$ though to get started surfing.......there was talk of a bigger size...have not seen that yet....
The Walden ski....milo?...gone and not resurrected by the latest owner.......i know that the new england rep had i think 4 or 5 for his own archival usage....sing obviously knows more because while i knew of it i did not know the name...
the riot reef....gone from their product line.....
i had heard that it was based on a waveski from the 80's...corran would have to elaborate more on it...i know that he has more knowledge....
another interesting idea: DragoRossi Wave Sk8....(playak has some info on it)..i am waiting to see this....corran is designing a sit on top for a river....and it would surf well too....he told em that he was on a hiatus with it...its design has changed a LOT over the pictures i have see of it....
another older style discontinued sit on top that i have heard works okay: the perception Torrent....same as the wavesk8 it was a sti on top designed for a river.....they pop up on ebay every once awhile....
kaos notes...personal experience...be careful when paddling out through the waves...a friend of mine was on it and the bow was light enough that the bow got lifted by a wave and hit him on the head before he fell off backwards....yes i will admit that i chuckled then paddled over to check on him....
the common dent spot is just under the bow....it is hard to get to pop back out...i know of a couple in RI that have a permanent slight dent there because i could not remove it completely...
other than that it works well...there is a guy in Hampton NH who uses one....and does purty well with it...it does weigh ton so do not surf for 4 hours and expect to be able to carry it back to the car/truck....
Make sure to spend the extra 75$ to get the fins set too....
This picture that sean noonan took (wonderfully i might add)at the 2006 RISK Session shows it well...there is some great pix in his set!!!!
http://www.stnphotography.com/risk2006/pages/_SH15906.html
and the next couple pix after this one are of the kaos....
if you look through them you might find sing or me too....
rob
It’s discontinued for a reason ---- Dog
which one???the torrent???Reef???milo?
5-0