Boreal has a new kayak, the Labrador. It looks like they have not shipped any out yet to their dealers, but I was wondering if anyone had any real world info besides what is on the company website. Anyone have a chance to paddle an advance model?
http://www.borealdesign.com/_en/kayak.php?id=20
Thanks
Robert
Boreal is a problem to deal with
Boreal makes nice looking kayaks, but if you have a problem or issue with a boat of theirs, they really “suck” when trying to deal with them. You can read my review on the Boreal “Nanook” if you want more detail.
Rather than try to help me, they told me to quit bothering them.
I would not reccomend Boreal to my worst enemy.
really ???
– Last Updated: Mar-17-06 1:29 PM EST –
why would they do that ??? I don't think it's good for business. Such as if someone looking into buying a kayak from them and he/she called them and boreal told the guy to stop bothering them he/she might not buy their boat.
Don’t know why Boreal would do that,
but wjlatsha it not the only one Boreal has blown-off on customer service. I have a paddling friend that had warranty problems with his Ellesmere. Boreal was totally unresponsive. They didn’t even provide hand-holding. My friend’s solution was to sell off the Boreal and purchase a P&H. Based on his experiences I will never have a Boreal in my fleet.
WOW…
– Last Updated: Mar-17-06 2:02 PM EST –
their service really is effecting their business.
Boreal Design Customer Service
I have just emailed Boreal Design to ask them about their customer service record (since I am thinking about buying one of their kayaks). I will let you know their response.
Dave
cool !!! Thanks !!!
Half our club paddles Boreals
I don’t, but I’ve never heard a complaint about the boats or the service…
That Labrador looks nice. Hey kayaks99, you gonna stock 'em?
Going to follow this thread
I am intersted in this thread. I love th looks of the boreal Ookpik with the two hatches and the rudder. I think its just what i want in my next boat, but if the company has a bad record, maybe its not what i want.
What do you expect them to say?
Sounds like asking a car salesman if he’s giving you a good price.
Ookpik
– Last Updated: Mar-18-06 9:04 AM EST –
Hey Booyah, the Ookpik is the same kayak that I am very interested in as well. Have you ever taken one out? I like that it is only 13' long. I have heard lots of great things about this kayak. I have a feeling that Boreal Design is not that bad of a company to deal with as some make it out to be.
Dave
Boreal Labrador
Sounds like Boreal is getting serious about building a proper expedition boat,the Saguenay is a bit of a tank.
It looks good on paper,should be fairly fast,low back deck and dry Kajaksport hatches.
I might get a chance to test paddle it later this season if my local dealer has one in his rental fleet.
Just for the record,I have two Boreal boats and have had dealings with the company with no problem.I have no affiliation whatsoever,Boreal is just another business to me.
They did balk when I ordered a foam bulkhead for my Oopik,they said I would void my warranty if I modified the boat. I told them “It’s a tupperware boat,I don’t want a warranty,I want a bulkhead”. They sent it with no more comments.LOL
Cheers
Bert
Ellesmere?
– Last Updated: Mar-18-06 10:25 AM EST –
The quality of build on the Boreals I have seen seems to be excellent. I have looked at the Ellesmere as the fit is excellent on me and it was fun to paddle in a protected water demo. I have heard that with its' round hull below the chimes it can be a tad squirrley, slide sideways and be prone to need the skeg in rougher conditions. Paddlers were still positive about it, but didn't know if this is how owners and other demo paddlers would describe its' ride.
well…
The oopik looks nice. But I’m keeping my Pamlico 140
Boreal and Elle
I personally love the Elle, I actually will be buying one if my Orion sells. Wjahsta or w/e his name is consitently bashes Boreal in any post I’ve seen about the boats, so personally I think he was a bit of an ass about something to them if he got a bad response as I have never heard anything bad about them from people I work with, and I’ve met the Northeast rep and he is a great guy. Their quality is great, they build tough boats, We had an ellesmere demo go off a trailer doing about 35 and it only suffered some cosmetic damage to the stern mostly. I can’t wait to possibly get my hands on the Labrador and try it out
ookpik
havent taken one out yet. there is only one place in my state that carries them that i know of and they are 3 hours away. before i drive over to rent/try one i want to make sure its a little warmer.
Saw one though, and i love the lines. seems like what i want as the next boat. get it with both bulkheads and the rudder. should be a nice camping boat and not too rec to go out on the great lakes a little
Very interesting
about the Ellesmer falling off nd receiving little dammage. I know a Boreal dealer who punched two holes in his kevlar Ellesmer by thghtening it down to hard on Yakima hully rollers. Granted, he should have known better.
WOW
Two holes just by tighting it too much? Thats nuts. The elle that went of the trailer we still have, it got a little chip out of the stearns gelcoat that went to the cloth, and some scracthes on the bottom but thats it. I personally wouldnt hesitate to but another one of their boats and I actually just might very soon.
Nuts?
Yes, and big and strong too. 
I took my Hully Rollers off and threw them away after seeing this demo. I don’t think he could have done that to my NDK Romany.
Boreal
Hello:
I have gotten pretty interested in Boreal as well. I will be pulling the trigger on a kayak in the next week or so. After my initial search, I had decided on a Tsunami 125. But after reading some of the quality concerns, I started to shy away. I also get the feeling that the kasko/ookpik might be better out on the ocean than the Tsunami 125. The reverse hard chime sounds intriguing…