Seacret was great
That was my first kayak. I logged a lot of miles on the Shenandoah and Virginia portion of the New in that boat. I could make just enough speed to paddle a good ways upstream against the current and then work my way home stopping and fishing periodically. Ah, chasing smallmouth bass under a full moon and bumping my way back down the small rapids… I used it close to the beach too and “surfed” it in small summer conditions with a flot bag up front to help when I swamped it.
Super maneuverable. Some people complained about its tracking but it only wanders if you stop paddling and when it does wander it’s really easy to get back on course.
plastic
Well that won’t make kayak shops happy but it’s inevitable that prices fall. Is the plastic the same or better? Honestly I’d have a bunch of those without rudders for lessons with some bigger cockpit boats for bigger people like Eskias. It’s not perfect but for the price it’s more than good enough. Everytime I think of getting a new composite I get a used plastic boat.
my exit was somewhat more violent
I buried the nose in a sand bar when I dropped into a wave too late and got pitchpoled and the boat continued on in the foam pile without me.
actually
the new ‘Victory’ line is a low end line carried by some dealers as entry level, price point boats. The specialty dealers can then market the Wildy brand as high end, phase 3, etc.
Tempests only make it to the top dealers who know and can sell the goods.
sounds good in theory, eh?
steve
ouch
– Last Updated: Jan-22-04 9:13 PM EST –
I hate when that happens. Sand-O, with forward loop, then exit. That's a 8.9 on the difficulty scale! =:-0)
The Seacret is a decent surf boat, as the stern is as loose as a goose with a bad case of.....whatever. Hense the 'doesn't track very well' comments.
I once took one down the class III/ IV Deschutes, here in Oregon. It does quite well in current.
Did you ever paddle the Sea-Two? A Seacret for two! tho a bit deeper and tubbier. We used to do multi day trips down in El Salvador in them. Jungle paddling in a tank. We once found this sweet surf break out in the Gulfo Fonseca and took the Sea-Two for a ride in 4' surf. That was a hoot. 1995 I think.
steve
My observations on the Tempest 17
A lot of opinions flying around here, so I couldn’t help but want to throw in my personal observations on paddling the 17. As a professional guide in the NW I’ve had a chance to paddle most boats in most conditions, this includes Brit, Canadian, and US models. Over the years, I’ve picked up a rag-tag fleet of demo boats, but decided to spring for a ‘top-of-line’, new off the showroom floor boat, and had my mind set on one of the Brit boats. That is until I had the chance to try the Tempest 17 while instructing at last years WCSKS. I was impressed with the fit, but it wasn’t until I had the opportunity to paddle in moderate condition at Deception Pass that I truly changed my mind.
A small group of us where on the weather side of Deception Island during the ebb flow with an opposing Force 5 wind off the starboard quarter. Seas where steep, 3 feet and building. I found that with the skeg deployed only 50% the boat lost all weathercocking and I was able to track straight with a minimal amount of correction strokes. And, I was able to hold this course effortlessly indefinitely. I was impressed. With the skeg fully deployed I was able to actually induce some leecocking, so I have no doubt that the boat would have continued to handle well in even more demanding conditions. And yet, the 17 is as responsive and handles more like at 16 footer with the skeg up. I was so impressed with the handling that I dropped my plans for a Brit boat (and I might mention that I was pretty opinionated) and ordered the Tempest.
I would never presume to tell anyone which boat to buy, we all know it’s a very personal decision to make, and no two people are going to get the same experience from the same model of boat. However, I do strongly recommend that anyone considering a kayak should try the Tempest, along with some other models, and form there own conclusions.
a rising tide raises all boats…
or sometime it just gets yr feet wet.
It’s great to read
your observations. Thanks!
Amen to the last paragraph. I was very optimistic about some models based on reviews. I’m sure many people who own those models love their boat with good reason. Once I paddled some of them, I knew they weren’t for me. Others beckoned me to paddle them several times. The T was romance at first sit and going steady after first paddle. It’s sort of an interaction between the boat’s characteristics, one’s own personal characteristics, and one’s criteria for a boat. Only way I knew I was in love was that I had tried lots of other boats and knew that I felt different about this one. I still want to spend a little more time with the T before I set the wedding date. Call me conservative.
The only thing reviews should do for you are cause you to want to ask some boats out on a date, and give you some things to look for and think about while out with them. In the end, no matter what anyone says about them, you have to decide if they’re right for you.
Of course, they never say no to a date, but if they’re too advanced for you, they may make you PRETTY nervous, or even dump you on the spot. I’ve never been dumped, but man I’ve had the jitters a few times.
Paul S.
Hatch Covers
Any direct observations on the hatch covers anyone. Leaking, etc.?
Leaking is a tricky area as it sounds like on any model you can find at least a few cases of problems with leaks.
Still, I’m interested. sweileman, any observations from your trip at Deception Island? Anyone else? And was the experience with composite or RM?
Thanks,
Paul S.
Hatches
When I first got my 170, I found the hatch covers difficult to get on. I emailed Flatpick and he recommended using a little 303 on them. It solved the problem.
I have never found a drop in the forward hatch of the 170 or the 165. I have found a few spoonfuls in the rear hatch of the 165. I haven’t bothered looking for the source. The day hatch… ummm… uhhh… I’m learning to ALWAYS put the cover back on TIGHT before I take off. (Anyone else ever do that?)
I don’t think the day hatch has ever taken on water if the cover’s on tight.
And we can all buy our boats from…
… Walmart as the kayak specialty store’s go the way of the Dodo. Sorry, feeling just a tad bitter. Peace Joel
Steve
Its so great to here someone is getting a 50/50 deal with Confluence . They must be doing something wrong. Good luck Dude.
Mudrivers
Seacret
Dude,
The Seacret was a WS design discontinued by WS.Then re-interduced by Trinity. A Confluence product non the less .However ,shabby plastic. Victory boat now?The Older one are better made .SW messed up when they stopped making it and over produce Soulutions. Please use your suggestions to re-interduce it in better plastics. Look forward to metter you in the future.
Mudrivers