I`m pretty close in purchasing Tahe Greenland T,anyone have a exp/knowledge with the Black Pearl??
A little…
I know a little about the Black Pearl HV. Our local dealer got one for a demo and my wife and I borowed it a few times. Construction seems decent on the semi carbon layup. It’s light and has some flex in certain spots but not too bad. The cockpit area is set up well but we found the seat location too close to the rear coaming. This made any layback rolls tricky but otherwise it’s a great roller. It can be ajusted forward but we didn’t want to tamper with it. The BP paddles really well and is quite nimble. It behaved suprisingly good in 20 mph winds and was easy to control. The HV has the ocean cockpit so that would be quite different than the Greenland T with keyhole. I have not paddled the Greenland T so I can’t compare perfomance. Judging by hull design I imagine they would be very similar performance wise. We’re starting to get some feedback on quality control issues so it looks like Tahe still has the edge on that. The advantage with Seabird is the price point.
Gary
review BP hv
– Last Updated: Jan-13-12 2:56 AM EST –
http://www.aardvanholland.com/SEABIRD%20DESIGN%20BLACK%20PEARL.html
This is one of the first productions.
The second serie should be better.
I'm planning to buy one (HV)myself.
A lay back in the BP lv is hurting, even with the seat in front possition.
The HV has the same cockpitrim as my TM Greenland lc, so I can use the same tulliqs I have.
I like the TM Greenland T, but IMHO a keyhole doesn't belong on a Greenlandkayak.
Ocean cockpit??
I appreciate the info guys,??? for Freek,whats the best way to enter an ocean type cockpit while boat is in deeper water unlike sitting on a beach???,especially when waters very cold,i`ve never tried ocean cockpits yet,going today to see Greenland OC,
same as on the beach
Sit on the back deck with a paddle out for support and slide both legs in together. Just work on your balance if you are shaky. I’ve done it in surf. Or reenter and roll.
LC cockpit
– Last Updated: Jan-13-12 8:34 AM EST –
I would recommend the LC for larger folks like myself. It's an elongated or egg shaped ocean style. Nice and snug but easier to get in and out of.
Agreed, I don't care much for the keyhole on this design.
Gary
Greenland T
I’m from Estonia, home of Tahe kayaks. With all respect to the manufacturer, they are OK boats, but without the “wow!” fun factor. I’ve only sat in buddy’s Greenland T once or twice - it’s not my cup of kayak, but his overall impression is a nice light Greenland-style boat that is very easy to roll, but the downside is that it is fragile. If you get one, avoid hard impacts - rocks, other kayaks, etc. This is not a boat intended for banging. Well, no boats is, but you get my point 
I demoed
a Greenland T and thought it to be fast, nimble, and a great roller for my 45 minutes checking it out.
If you look around you will notice some of the more accomplished rollers using Tahe kayaks. That said, unless you have to have it now I would wait until the next run of BP’s come out to check current quality issues…
or you can build your own or have this fella build one for you.
http://clearstreamwood.com/WordPress/kayaks/launching-vinaccia-black-pearl-ontario
Greenland OC
Was able to sit in a Greenland OC on saturday(1/14),tight entry,most doable though,too little room to place feet comfortably on pegs,thought boat was well constructed ,quite mesmerizing to the eyes,told store mgr I need to try a Greenland T before purchasing,no one in my area deals in Black Pearls,
movie of Greenland T
there is short movie of the Greenland T (and the Sea Spirit) here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95Cg8G8vYKs
Bat Spirit
– Last Updated: Jan-16-12 8:12 AM EST –
Sorry: Bay Spirit
I was able to demo the Tahe Bay Spirit this past year. A nice playful and versatile design. Felt like it woukd do a lot of things well. The rudder/skeg combo was a bit overdone in my opinion.
Bottom line is that Tahe seems to offer a really nice product in general. Perhaps not as rugged as NDK or Valley but still good enough. I often tease my friends who own the Greenland by saying it's a cheater boat. It will make anyone look good. :-)
There is hope for Seabird but they will need to ramp up their quality control. And, good luck trying to find a Black Pearl in the states right now. You'll have to build it yourself or pay $5000 for custom.
Gary