I saw an ad in the March issue of C&K for this new sot. Went to Mad River website and found nothing. Not even a window for an e-mail to them. Why bother to advertise when an interested consumer can’t contact the company. Has anyone seen this ad or this craft?
yup
I saw the add but like you could find no more info on it. I’ve noticed this with several kayak companies - they do not update their websites in a timely manner. I think that if they knew how many people base their purchases on info found on the web they would do a better job in updating their websites.
Synergy
Think how much more successful these companies can be if they had their act together. Makes youwonder about their quality control!
I saw the prototype for the 12 footer
back in the fall. Wanted to paddle it, but the model at the demo had developed a leak in the hull…they didn’t think it was bottom side, but higher…and there wasn’t a drain plug to get the water out. It floated, but was sluggish, best I could tell.
I’ve toyed with the Synergy, particularly the 14 footer as a possible craft for cat fishing, the kind of fishing I mostly do primarily because the lake I live near is best for that and my wife loves catfish. But, I’m concerned that all your are really getting is a double hull canoe that has less room than an equivalent size canoe. It has no hatches, so you can’t store gear.
The better craft of that type that’s come on the market appears to be the Native Watercraft Ultimate. Its very stable, has a tunnel hull, comfortable seat, and comes in 12/14 and soon, 16 foot lengths. Its open cockpit like a canoe, but is paddled with a kayak paddle and from a kayak style seating position. Haven’t paddled it, but have seen and sat in it.
If you want a kayak that will do what the Synergy does, then the new Wilderness System Ride (2007 model) or the Perception Search appear to fit the bill. Those too are Confluence new boats, as is the Synergy. There are others by other makers, just those are the Confluence boats I’m aware of.
As for not getting any info from the websites, that’s a plague of all Confluence websites with new boats for '07. You won’t find any of the sites updated. I talked to a local representative who’s on the Confluence advisory team (he’s a guide and kayak tourney fisherman) and he says they just haven’t had the time to update the sites. Actually, it sounds to me like they don’t want to pay out the money.
That is so lame!
quote: he says they just haven’t had the time to update the sites. End Quote
Jeez, what the heck are they thinking? Mad River hasn’t updated their web page since 2003 or 2004. To say they don’t have the time is ridiculous. Just posting a picture and blurb of the Synergy could take all of what? 15 minutes?
One would have thought by at least
December, there could have been a “Coming in '07” blurb with picture of the prototype, if not finished boat.
Synergy
I’m goin to check out the Native Watercraft and the Hurricane lines. I heard that the Hurricane 120 is light with good features. Thanx.
The Hurricane gets good reviews by those
who own one, not so good by WS Tarpon owners who make a stink about the hull being a rip-off of the Tarpon. Maybe it is, but that doesn’t take away from the good qualities of the Hurricane. The Native Watercraft is a great looking craft, it would do what I need to get done, so will look at it if I ever can afford a new kayak/canoe.
Synergy
My local paddle shop got a Synergy in recently. My only thought was what could the folks at Mad River been thinking? It’s a great looking SOT but there aren’t any scupper holes. On any decent class I-II stream or open water with waves it would take water on like crazy, so its use would be limited to absolutely flat water. And at about 60 lbs, any decent 13’-14’ solo canoe would be much lighter, have higher sides, be a dryer ride and a better over-all fishing boat for flat water use. I don’t understand the market Mad River is trying to reach.
Confluence influence. Canoes don’t sell
as well as they used to. With Wilderness Systems, Perception, Mainstream, etc as sister companies, why not put out a canyak, yaknoe, or whatever you want to call it?
Saw 4 of them @
the new Bass Pro Shop in Olathe,KS. They were all 12’ and looked like they would be a lot of fun.
Lots of good boats out there for that
price.
Just saw the Synergy
I just got back from Bass Pro who is carrying the new Synergy. They had it on display and I got to give it a look. It’s definitely set up as a fishing kayak. The seat position is slightly lower than a traditional SOT kayak. I’m assuming this will add to the stability of the paddler, but I suspect it will make it harder to sight fish. This boat was on display next to the Ocean Kayak angler, and I’m torn between the two. The synergy was slightly lighter, but the Ocean Kayak has more features the most important of which is below deck storage.
If anyone has any questions throw them out there, Bass Pro is right across the street from me, and I can put my hands on this boat anytime I want.
If I were going to buy a Prowler, I’d
get the bare bones one and rig it the way I prefer. I don’t care for the rodholders that come with the Angler model. If you fish salt, those flush mounts are an invitation to constantly wet reels, not a good thing even for the best saltwater reels (Shimano and Daiwa). As for the Synergy, the fact that it has no hatches, and, apparently, no room for them, is a negative. Its supposed to paddle well and, at least in the 14 ft Synergy, you should be able to stand if that’s your thing.
synergy online at mad river now
Mad River updated their site. Here’s a link.
http://www.madrivercanoe.com/new/2007/
60 lbs, before you add the seat and
necessities, ain’t light for a 12 foot boat, especially one with not much storage, other than the tankwell and a small space at the bow.
We bought one
We puchased a synergy and a native ultimate 12.’
They are both great boats. The ultimate is more stable and tracks better, I even can take my full grown 85 lb rotwiller mix in it with me no problem. Also, the ultimate has the most comfortable seat I have ever seen, sets like sitting in an easy chair. My wife uses the synergy, and she loves that to. She seems to be able to get a little bit more speed but it does not seem to track as well as the native.
Hull
The hull is similar but not the same. Most people find the Phoenix to be a little tippier at first but get settled in pretty quick as they learn to trust the secondary. It is about 10 lbs lighter than the equivalent Tarpon models and are faster. The 140 has been remodeled and has several new features not found on Tarpons. My daughter has a 120 and loves it. She does not fish but hauls here 3 year old around in the tank well. We rigged a seat in there for him. By the way, the Synergy has no scuppers so carry a pump.
I like the Native 14.
Legend bought Heritage Kayaks and the Heritage Redfish now comes with the Native seat. As Liquid Logic also is now a part of Legend, or vice versa, wonder if they’ll switch out the Manta Ray’s seat for the Native. Manta Ray has one of the best Sit on Top seats.
Mad River Canoe Synergy Kayak
I purchased one of these new Kayaks over the prowler for the comfort after comparing the two in person. This is my 1st Kayak, I have only had a canoe. I plan only to use it on protected waters so the lack of scupper holes was a good thing to me. I took it for a 1st paddle yesterday. It was smooth and fast to my delight. The lake was a little choppy and windy, even being a bigger paddler I stayed dry other than dripping from my paddle over my legs. It comes with a nice comfortable seat & backrest, plenty of cargo room for which one may want dry bags. One small hatch in front of the seat. Fun little boat, I can’t wait to get out there some more on it. It could be a while we are forcast to get a few inches of snow later this week.