I bought a Prijon Capri Tour this evening. I think it is a 2004 model though. Anybody know how to tell a 2004 from a 2005 model? I emailed the company once but they didn’t respond to email or voice message. Regarding storage, that boat can be laid on its side and it easily balances that way with no tendency to fall over. Is this bad for the boat? I will look into your method of j hooks and walmart rachet straps.
How long has it been
– Last Updated: Jan-02-06 9:39 PM EST –
since you e-mailed them? Might be a delay since we've just had some holidays. I e-mailed them awhile back and got a response within a day or two. Not bad.
If yours has a 10 or 12 digit serial number, usually the last two digits indicate the year of manufacture (04 would be 2004, etc.)
If they only give you a 5 digit number, give them that number in your e-mail and they can tell you what year it is. I don't know if this helps. Maybe cooldoctor will have a better answer.
Cher
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– Last Updated: Jan-02-06 10:15 PM EST –
I emailed in November. My serial number is 5 digits ending in 65. Hopefully it wasn't manufactured in 1965 : ). Didn't y'all buy one too recently?
I was thinking maybe the 2005 had the cup holder in the mid front seat. I'm sure whatever change there is, it isn't very significant. Their website mentions padded thighbraces. My thighbraces are not padded, but another post on this forum said that has been gone since after the first year this kayak was made.
Nope, not made in '65
– Last Updated: Jan-04-06 11:28 PM EST –
That only applies to the longer serial numbers - can't remember if they have 10 or 12 digits... I think 12.
Yes I did buy a Prijon Capri, well, actually my mother did but I get to use it whenever I want! I used to live near Columbus Ohio which requires registration of kayaks, and a friend of mine up there bought a Prijon Chopper (ww kayak). I remember him saying he had to e-mail Prijon about it to find out the year of manufacture and they were very responsive. I don't know if this helps. I have the e-mail address of Landis Arnold (owner) if you think that would help. He was very responsive to my friend.
I'm rambling, but I guess my point is that if you give Prijon the 5 digit serial number, they should be able to tell you what year it was made.
Cher
Paddlelite and Chernoble’s Mom
– Last Updated: Jan-05-06 11:42 PM EST –
That is super aboout your purchases of the Prijon Capri Tours. I, as you know, own two of them myself. I really couldn't tell you how to date them; mine I think are 2003s, and they are green and yellow. I love them, and I don't even work for the company. Have either of you paddled them yet? I truly wish to know your thoughts. I must say, mine seems to glide smoothly like a much longer boat, and mine does not need a rudder. One of mine, the green one, has a rudder mount and rudder line tubes, but no rudder and I have never felt the need for a rudder. You will find that it leans well, and you can edge to turn. This is a rather important skill that even I am now just becoming efficient with. These nice boats respond well to the edging.
I store mine on side in garage using the Wal-mart ratchet straps on wall, and find no hull deformity. During paddling season, I get lazy and store on floor on side, as you mention paddlelite, and I have never had hull deformity even after weeks like that. I have purchased the Talic Kayak Condo, you might have seen on p-net (and PPerks members get a 15% discount), but have yet to mount in my garage, so have not tried it.
What do you think so far.. the good the bad and the ugly--- I respect your iniitial thoughts.
That is great about your mom, Chernoble, I think you said she is in her mid-50s, and I bet she will glide like a pro in this boat. I find that it is more than a simple rotomolded rec boat like everyone has, and yet is not costly and a bear to maintain like the sea kayak composites. I have a very soft spot in my heart for these cute and neat little packages, the Capri Tour.
Oh, by the way, I emailed Ivana Arnold and she did not get it either a while ago, said her email is not working. Call the 800 number on Wildnet and ask for Ivana or her husband Landis, they are the US franchisee owners, they are really really nice and would love to tell you all about the serial numbers and dating them and all that.
By the way,mine does not have padded thigh pads either, just black plastic. Mine has the cup holder molded into the front of the seat. I have a minicell kit and was planning to modify fit, but as I often have other's using the kayak, I decided not to minicell and custom the Tours. If you are a dedicated paddler for the kayak , it would fint and perform superbly with a minicell outfitting kit (like on eBay for about $23.95). I assume yours came with removeable seat pads. A thought still is to minicell and seta pad (so you need not reomve each time) and thigh pads only for control (no need hip or knee pads). I just may do this myself with a kit like this one: I will find the link.
Kit that I bought, nice seller.
http://cgi.ebay.com/KAYAK-FOAM-OUTFITTING-KIT-NEW-ITEM-GREAT-VALUE_W0QQitemZ7208982321QQcategoryZ36122QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
First paddle in the Capri Tour
I did get to go out today with a couple of friends for a first paddle in the boat. We paddled about three hours. It was great. The only negative thing that happened was when I sat on my platypus mouthpiece and got a wet butt. I knew something seemed “cold” down thar and had to think about it before figuring out why I felt wet…lol.
In March I will do a five day trip on the Red River and let you know my thoughts then. That will be my first overnight trip with the boat.
Sounds neat, Paddlelite.
– Last Updated: Jan-08-06 4:52 AM EST –
I don;t know what a platypus mouthpiece is, but it sounds like something that would scare the kids. I am glad you found the boat great. And a note, although it does not have huge storage like a true excursion touring boat, you can mount extra shock cords on the deck if you wish. Also, if you paddle in rough water or risk an open H2O dump, you should consider a small float for the front (in front of the footpegs) for bouyancy. A 5 day trip in a Capri; hmmm, you may have needed a bigger Prijon if long trips will be your goal.
cHRNOBLE?
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My backpacking gear for a week is less than 20 pounds. It can be done ; ).
Didn’t mean to ignore you
I only check in here a couple of times a week. My mom LOVES her red Capri, she has used it twice now. During one of our outings we switched and she paddled my Tarpon and I got to paddle the Capri for a while and I really liked it. It does glide very smoothly and has a comfortable fit for us both (not at the same time, haha). We were both impressed with the quality of the workmanship, too. Thank you for recommending that kayak, it was a good choice.
Cheryl
Way cool.
– Last Updated: Jan-11-06 9:57 AM EST –
Paddlelite, wow, you not only paddle lite, but you also pack lite. Very nice.
And Chernoble, I am glad you and you mom like the Capri; I thought you would but of course everyone has their own opinions about things, especially boats. I hope that you and she enjoy it for years to come. For plastic I find it releatively light weight and coupled with the glide, fast. The only dings I can give it are that the seat back sometimes like to jump out of the peg holes (sometimes when I sit up to shift my PFD, the seta back will pop up); I improved this though by bending the metal prongs gently so that the seatback stays in the slots better... I slide it in at an angle, and then when seatback is upright, the prongs are sort of at an angle under the seat, if that m,akes any sense. And trhe hatch cover is sometimes a slight bear to screw on, but I can tell you that the other Projons, with neoprene sleeves, are really hard to put on also. I prefer the screw hatch of the Capri. And of course, red color is awesome!
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– Last Updated: Jan-11-06 12:10 PM EST –
My seat back is slightly off center so that one side rubs against the cockpit rim. Im thinking this may eventually begin to abraid the fabric and make it tear.
The hatch cover. On mine the "handles" run parallel to the boat length for the most part when the cover is seated and tightened. To open it takes less than a quarter turn counterclockwise. To close I again place the cover over the opening with the "handles" parallell to the boat, turn counterclockwise until it pops downward into the grooves and then turn it clockwise to tighten. This seems to nearly always work the first time. It is hard to do with one hand from the cockpit.
I don’t know of any problems
with the seat but I will ask my Mom if she has noticed anything. We did look at some other Prijons (can’t remember the names now but they were longer, narrower and more expensive) and she didn’t like the hatches with the neoprene underneath. I guess they are supposed to be really good hatches but she liked the Capri hatch better. I did too, but I guess a person would get used to the other ones.
Back off center
The back rest should not be off center… do you think you need to adjust the fore/aft cord that keeps the seat back upright? You know, the one that holds it up even if it is not touching the coaming.
Good point from both of you about the dry hatch. I think maybe it screws on better at first,but after some time in the sun, it warps slightly and I just have to put on more down pressure to get it5 in the threads, but it works and is very watertight. And as stated, paddlelite, there are plenty of places you could consider drilling into the plastic (I have done it, very easy) and secruting some more deck cords if you wish eg spare paddle. Most people do this who use the boat as theri primary paddler. I agree about the neoprene under all the other Prijon hatches; very hard to put on, I literally sit on the boat like a horse and yank and pull and even then it slaps me in the kisser a couple times before gettting on. Wish they would put the screw hatch on the other Prijons.