My local dealer has a great program where you can put down $300 and rent any kayak you want for up to 5 days over a 3 month period. Then the whole $300 goes toward any purchase you want. All of this year’s new rentals go on sale on the 21st of this month.
I have had a blast trying out all the various models. I love both the Necky Chatham 17 and the PH Scorpio 170 (polymer & coralite versions). Both are used but excellent condition.
Since I like them both equally I will likely just go with the best price. However I would appreciate any input from this group. I know I will be happy with either kayak. But I didn’t want to pass up a chance to tap into this great knowledge base. Thank you in advance.
The great knowledge base…
Suggests you pick the color you like best… 
Both fine boats.
Necky hatches leak
I cant stand a kayak with leaky hatches as I like to roll a lot. My local dealer told me that the plastic necky hatches are ALWAYS a problem with leaking. Now if you never roll and don’t go out into big waves that come over the deck then I guess it doesn’t mater much. P&H hatches seal quite well from my understanding. I have never owned either of those just what I have been told by others. Iam only talking plastic Necky kayaks. Not the glass versions. If you can paddle both check for your self to be sure neither boats hatches leak. Poor water into hatch flip boat over see if water starts leaking out. Or do a few rescues or rolls on water.
I think they both use the same style
hatch covers.
Understood
I understand and appreciate the confirmation of my own thoughts. Funny thing is I like the blended "sunrise’ color of the Necky better. But I am still leaning toward the Scorpio for other equally superfluous reasons. I will be taking one home this Friday, either way it’s a win for me. Your input is much appreciated.
Scorpio…
Better plastic, faster, surfs better, more comfortable cockpit, rolls better, better hatches.
Not hatch covers leaking
My girlfriend had a Chatham 16 and it would leak into the big hatches. After some testing, I found it wasn’t the hatch covers, but the hatch ring the covers attach to.
All plastic boats shrink as they come out of the mold (and not always the same amount), which makes it hard to get hatch covers to fit on molded hatch coamings. Different manufacturers use different processes (with varying succuss) to get dry hatches. In this case, Necky installed a bolt on coaming ring to the deck, and the hatch cover pops on the ring. The leak we had was that the surface between the bolt on ring and the deck leaked. The fix was to take the ring off, clean it, put a healthy dose of sealant in, and then reinstall.
Both great
My personal preference is for P&H boats (love the Scorpio), but the Chatham is nice. Do what you like, you probably won’t make a bad decision between the two.
a ha
Thanks for that, I just learned something new.
Thanks
As long as no one snags it before me I am going with the Scorpio. Took it out again yesterday and it was just growing on me. Thanks for your input.
MK II ?
Just curious if you were paddling one of the new MKII Scorpios and if so how is the tracking now with the new design?
Nope
I believe the new MKII design uses the “skudder” instead of the traditional “skeg”.
The Scorpio I have been trying out has a traditional skeg.
The skudder sounds great. But I am usually skeptical of any new design with moving parts. It could turn out great, but usually it takes a few years of re-designs while figuring out what is failing in the real world of use.
Overall I have found PH kayaks to be great. I hope their newly design skudder holds up their reputation.
Thanks
I read the new one will track harder and that they will soon be adding a HV model. I was just hoping for a non sponsored review.
P&H
and Easky hatches are excellent for never leaking. The roto mold material is a step above most others with top notch fit and finish…they get my vote.
Inboard Rudder
The “skudder” (I hate that term) is a option for the MKII Scorpio however you can get it with a tradition skeg and updated slider. I recently purchased mine with a skeg. I have not used a skudder as I have never really cared fore rudders. However my though is always the less moving parts the better. The MKII apparently tracks better then the previous model according to someone who owned the previous and now the MKII.