I Agree With Jack
There are ways to move your heavy boat around safely.
probably be closer to Exporer
Tempest 170 feels the closest to an Explorer of any boat I’ve paddled.
I agree that the Aquanaut is Valley’s boat closest in personality to an Explorer.
Despite what Nigel may have said, I’m afraid I don’t find the Currituck to be like an Explorer in personality. Maybe more so than a Nordkapp but there are a number of other boats whose personality is closer to an Explorer’s than a Currituck. Chatham 17 among them.
Do you want an Explorer
or do you want to shift to something different that is lighter?
Type to you soon.
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
Have you thought about SOF?
Significantly lighter and a lot less expensive. I’m also looking for a ligher boat … shoulder problem. Haven’t got around to trying one yet, so I have no idea how they compare to something like the explorer … I have a Tempest.
Another option, at least for day paddles, that seems to be significantly lighter is a surf ski. These seem to be around 30 pounds or less.
If in Delaware…
you can maybe get away with the Elite layup mentioned above. Won’t take the rocks, but Delaware area is fairly forgiving shoreline compared to Maine.
What?
What are you loading the boat on? What obstacles and terrain do you face moving the boat to the water and back? Have you tried a support band while lifting? Have you considered a Hullivatior? I load and move a 65 lb fishing kayak solo without injury. It can be done but some info is needed to develop a system.
Lighter weight kayak
bmreeds,
I don’t pretend to be an expert. Also consider other advice that has been posted and will be posted on this topic. There are a number of other hulls to consider that I haven’t mentioned. Their omission only means I am not familiar with them-some could be as good or better choices than the ones i mention.
Looking for a lighter weight kayak is a major quest. I had an NDK Explorer which weighed in at 63 lbs true weight (many/most published weights by manufactures are lower than true weight on a quality scale). My Explorer’s weight, combined with my having a rebuilt shoulder and experiencing the gradual age related muscle loss that occurs in your 60’s forced me to look for a lighter kayak. I exchanged it for a KayakSport Artisan, which is 10-11 lbs lighter. This month I purchased a 41lb Tideline 19. So, I moved from 63lbs to 41. Tideline kayaks are hard to find as Pat had a one man shop so his total production was low. They are out of production now.
I really liked my Explorer. It’s too bad that ND won’t license the design or sub out production to a composite builder in USA or Canada-dealers have told me he has been asked. It could be built much lighter with better quality control for the North American market. This hypothetical lighter version would be for paddlers who are not going to be landing on ledges under the force of the waves off Wales. He could still make his heavy, crude and easily repaired “standard” model for his conditions and for expeditions. I have weighed some Explorers built in the last couple of years, and found some in the mid to high 50’s in standard construction. Saw one carbon Explorer and it was a disaster- avoid this layup by NDK.
Some options to consider for lighter weight:
Explorer Elite- modest weight reduction. Still fairly strong construction.
KayakSport Artisan-weight in low 50’s (Mine’s listed for sale in p-net classifieds)- has many design innovations-is little stronger tracking and a little less maneuverable than Explorer. Faster than the Explorer.
Impex Force4 in lighter composites- 45-55lbs depending on layup-Impex tends to be more accurate in published weights than most builders- stronger tracker and cockpit is a little tighter than Explorer. Faster than the Explorer.
Plywood stitch and glue kits-I’m interested in building a One Ocean Kayak Cirrus.- there are many others. A plywood kit kayak should weigh in the low 40s if you are very weight conscious when building it. Most have too much volume as designed but can be modified in construction to reduce volume.
Sterling’s Kayaks Ice Kap- I have never paddled or even seen this kayak, but published weight is quite low.
Some of the new Valley kayaks made with more costly materials and vacuum bagged construction weigh much less than NDK hulls and would be a “British Type” hull.
One last thought- lower weight kayaks will be more expensive regardless of the builder- you have to trade $ for lower weight since the materials and construction methods to accomplish lower weight are more costly. Light weight kayaks tend to be less tolerant of abuse than heavier constructed kayaks since faric has been reduced to the minimum to obtain lowr weight.
Good luck in finding that lighter kayak, they do exist from a number of builders, search them out and find the one that suits your needs.
Dave
Feathercraft Khatsalano
Bingo!
North American
You may check out the Mealstrom kayaks.
http://www.maelstromkayak.com/
The site is a mix up of French and Kayak. It is like Franglaes for people that like to paddle.
They look like a fine boat.
My French sucks but a friend sent an English email that was answered in English.
Price is about where it should be, weight is OK and they look kind of Explorer like.
It remains , you can’t go far wrong with Valley or P & H.
I love my Explorer, even if it never saw 57 lbs. I would give hully rollers, wheels, rack extenders and milk crates a good look before trading it in.
Now if you live in Nova Scotia and racing the tide means running like hell to get a boat to and from the water before it is half a mile away, hey your back will hurt.
Good luck
The mealstrom looks interesting. (Tres Bien)
ALex
Look at options for easy loading
There are lots of ways to make it easier to load a heavy kayak. I got a roller loader and it works for me. I am sure there are many other options.
http://www.oakorchardcanoe.com/suvroller.php
Thanks for the input on Kayak lifting
A lot of good Ideas, I guess we all, at some point,
have to deal with the Issue of lugging these beasts
around and not getting hurt…
www.westsideboatshop.com
My eft is about 34# and was new at $2300. Because of race classes, they are for sale. EFT is best kayak ever built. twice I did 20 miles of www.blackburnchallenge.com in about 3.3 hours. (age 56) The ocean around cape ann can have huge waves and the harbor can be scary but the eft is so fast and wonderfully stable and light. Totally reliable but I added front and rear bulkheads and small out of way thigh braces. dmcadoo13669@yahoo.com
get a muscular girlfriend
– Last Updated: Nov-26-08 11:36 PM EST –
I've heard Madonna may be available and she looks like she could lift the explorer without breaking a sweat. Or you could buy a hullevator from Thule---makes even a heavy kayak easy to load
tempest is still pretty heavy
though–might want to switch to a plywood and glass kitboat like the pigmy or the shearwater
The obvious solutions
As others have suggested you can deal with the lifting problem with technology. That is fine. If you want to deal with the weight problem with boat selection then there is really only one viable suggestion – a skin on frame. You don’t have to build one (although that would be fun). You can order one built to specs. The weight of a SOF is incredibly less than any fiberglass or plastic boat. You might be surprised how how well they compare to to an explorer and how much they can carry.
plywood vs. skin on frame
– Last Updated: Nov-27-08 3:08 PM EST –
I have weighed many kayaks at ConnYak picnics and a few other events. The average weight for a plywood kit boat is 40-45 lbs. The usual stripper comes in at 40 -45 also. Skin on frame kayaks with synthetic coating (not painted canvas) weighed 25-35 lbs, depending on size, materials and construction care.
ConnYak members Nick Schade, Jay Babina and Joy/Dennis McNeal have built plywood kayaks that were in the low 30's on my scale. They were narrow low volume plywood kayaks,
Dave
trailer
I’m looking real hard at that Rack and Roll trailer this year at Canoeacopia. Loading and unloading is the hardest part about a heavy boat. It sure would be nice setting a boat down waste high instead of up and over the roof rack. You can use your existing roof rack on the trailer too.
Light Boat…How about Rockpool Alaw
We have gone into licensed production of the Rockpool Alaw in North America. We are offering it in both all carbon at 38# and fiberglass at 40#
www,reednorthamerica.com
Surge at 38 lbs
by Surge Marine in Maine. It has worked well for me. Al