Anybody have any experience with a Hurricane Palmetto? Sounds and looks like an interesting boat. Thanks
sounds like a new model…
I’ll have to check it out.
I’ve nothing but respect for the company; they build great boats at reasonable prices.
I have a Hurricane boat.
I have a Hurricane Tracer and really like it. The hull material seems tough and is good looking.
There are several shops in Michigan witch sell them. Give them a call and demo one.
I hear only good things about the Company. Check out the Product Reviews on this site.
I have a tampico L & my wife has a
tampico S. I believe the Palmeto is about a foot shorter. The tampicos are good river & lake boats. Hurricane does make some good stuff at reasonable prices (although they went up this year by at least 10% from last year). I’ve heard of some issues w/customer support directly from mfg. I’ve sent a couple emails to them which took them a week to get back to and then they just recommended I talk to dealer (for accessory parts).
better get one fast!
We too are big fans of Hurricane kayaks owning Tracer and Tampico models. I’m told the Palmetto has ceased production and is not planned to go forward for 2006. It was targeted for big paddlers or paddlers with big feet that liked a lively boat. Not the best tracking boat in their fleet but it can accept a rudder if needed. Tons of room in that model-almost as much as my Tracer. I paddled one and it was too roomy for me with too tall a deck but might fit you like a glove. IF you can even find one. Last time I looked the Kalamazoo dealer had two.
Very nice boat
Hi - I got a Palmetto after having a Hurricane Santee 116. The Palmetto is a very nice boat - fast and responsive. it is tippy as compared to some other rec boats, indeed much tippier than the virtually unflippable Santee.
Fit and finish is excellent. It’s pretty obvious that Hurricane puts more effort into the Palmetto than the Santee - and the Santee was a very nice boat.
I think the Palmetto will teach you to be a better kayaker than some traditional rec boats- you sit properly, you have to balance better, and you can go for longer trips.
I bought mine at Kayak Corral in Saline - they had a yellow, new Palmetto in stock last week.
Curious
What did you think of the Santee? Why did you go for the Palmetto?
Hard to answer
I liked the Santee, it was a fun boat to paddle, looked nice, and moved fairly quickly. In four months I had it out more than 100 hours, probably quite a bit more.
However, I am concerned abou the Santee’s long term durability. The new seat is comfy, but puts pressure onto a few distinct points in the hull. This could be an issue if you intend to use the boat for more than a few ears.
The Palmetto would be much harder to grow out of the Santee.
To be fair, though…
Hurricane tells you somewhere on their website that if you e-mail them, it will take them a while to respond because their focus is on making quality boats, not checking e-mail. If you have an urgent issue, they recommend you call. Seems fair enough to me, especially since they do warn you up front.
The Palmetto is a very nice boat, well made, fast, lightweight. But is is high volume, probably best for a larger paddler.
Thanks
I decided to demo one. I also found a good sounding school near Jackson, Michigan, Quiet World Sports. They use Hurricanes in thier classes. My wife and signed up. Appreciate all the comments.
Palmetto like Mariner Coaster?
– Last Updated: Aug-03-06 12:03 PM EST –
Could the Palmetto be a suitable substitute for the legendary, but almost unavailable, Coaster?
I could not help but notice some similarities between the Palmetto and the cult-classic Mariner Coaster. Since the Coaster is no longer made by Mariner, the only way you can get a new one is to buy from CS Canoe in Italy, and there is no US importer I know of for that builder. They also made the cockpit coaming dimensions a bit bigger to appeal to a more recreational crowd, one would assume. Used Coasters go for around $2000 in my area, even when old and battered, and are very hard to find anyway. People just do not want to let go of them.
There are many Coaster copies, some better known than others (like the NW Kayaks Sportee), but none have gained a devoted following anywhere comparable to that of the Coaster.
So here is the Palmetto, marketed as a do-anything "sea horse", looking superficially like a Coaster, though the shape of the chines is notably different and the bow is a little pointier. Again, the cockpit is bigger, and of course the Palmetto is a little shorter.
I wonder, has anyone taken the Palmetto out for rock gardening or surf, especially in more extreme conditions? While the dual rubber hatch covers, dual foam bulkheads, and the overall appearance of the Palmetto are appealing, I am concerned about performance. Of course, I am also curious how the Trylon hull material would hold up to sharp rock and barnacles (at surfing speeds). Have any Tsunami Rangers (or equivalent extremophiles) tried this one in a side-by-side comparison test?
Okay, sure just about anything will do for a rock-gardening kayak, but the Coaster was much more than that. It was designed to be fun, well-behaved, and capable in all coastal conditions, even multiday exploration. Not just any old kayak will do all of that. I see a lot of people in my area using Brit and Brit-inspired boats for this purpose now. A lot of Chathams, Romanys, and the like. Is this because they do the job better than a Coaster or that there is no replacement in the market for a Coaster?
Here are some (sit-inside) boats that roughly seem about the same dimensions (12.5 to 14.5 feet LOA, 24.5" or less BOA) as a Coaster and might perform okay for coastal exploration. Some are marketed as "rec" boats. Most are not.
QCC Q300 (Composite)
Pygmy Arctic Tern (AT) 14 (Wood/Glass/Epoxy kit)
Necky Looksha Sport (Poly)
Impex Mystic (Composite)
Impex Irie (Composite)
Impex Sea Breeze (Composite)
Impex Gale (Composite)
Wilderness Systems Tchaika (Poly)
Wilderness Systems Tchaika Pro (Composite)
Wilderness Systems Tsunami 125, 140, and 145 (Poly, Duralite, and Composite)
Wilderness Systems Cape Horn 140 (Poly and Composite)
Eddyline Merlin LT (Carbonlite/Modulus)
Eddyline Merlin XT (Carbonlite/Modulus)
Perception Carolina 13.5 (Airalite)
Perception Sonoma 13.5 (Airalite)
Perception Enduro (Poly)
Hurricane Kayaks Palmetto 129 (Trylon)
Hurricane Kayaks Tampico L (Trylon)
Hurricane Kayaks Tampico S (Trylon)
P&H Orca 14 (Poly)
Riot Tourlite 13 (Cross Light)
Riot Sprint (Poly)
Prijon Calabria (Poly)
Current Designs Breeze (Poly)
Dagger Callisto (Poly)
Dagger Crossover (Poly)
Northwest Kayaks Sportee Elite (Composite)
Northwest Kayaks Sportee RM (Poly)
Have you paddled any of these in rigorous coastal conditions (big waves, wind, rock)? How did they do for you? If you have paddled a Coaster or Palmetto, which would you prefer? Should any others be added to this list?