Has anybody personally had pintail in real
hairy conditions. What’s your likes & dislikes
of this boat & has anybody used this craft
on extended camping trips or aleast 3-4 days
Although I personally haven’t,
a friend of mine has and he LOVES the boat even more when the weather gets rough.
He has also been camping for a week out of it, without any problem.
pintail speed
Thge only real concern I have with pintail is
keeping upwith others on longer paddles, I love
this boat but doing miles in it can be tiring.
Was thinking about ndk explorer
The Pintail is a great kayak
for rough conditions. It is the kayak I enjoy being in when things get rough. I haven’t camped out of mine but it seems like it would be fine for a few days without the kitchen sink.
who’s confused?
the seas (I think not) or the paddler?
personally I call 'em ‘mixed’ conditions.
We shared a Pintail for a couple years, me wife and I.
slowish, small to pack, looose in the tail and fun. not our choice for an all-round boat but a hoot if you have a stable.
steve
agree with flatpick
I have a Pintail that I use for surfing–it has to be worked and you need the skills to make it work–and rough water play. I also use it for teaching, as its easy to maneuver. It tops out at 4 knots so if you’re paddling with racer types, forget it. Storage is limited relative to expedition class boats, such as the Explorer, but for an overnight it is fine. I usually take my P&H Quest for camping. Take home message: the Pintail is a specialty craft that’s a lot of fun in some situations but not others.
Compared to Anas Acuta?
In terms of play boat and camping and all around useful day boat, is the Anas Acuta the same category with the Pintail? I’ve heard it said it is a more useful regular day boat, but seems to have same issues of speed and space as the Pintail to me. Not sure about handling differences.
similar
AA is hard chined and has a different, but similar feel. PT is very soft with slippery stability pattern. AA locks in a bit more. but very subtle diff.
gear capacity, a wash. I (personally) can’t stand ocean cockpits for everyday paddling. OK if you want ‘tradition’ so the PT you CAN get with a keyhole! 
steve
steve
Are you asking about the new Pintail?
Or the old Pintail with the ocean cockpit. There is a big difference in both volume and fit.
newer pintail
I have newer 2000 boat with keyhole
pintail
I just bought an ocean cockpit pintail this summer. I like it but my other boat is a greenlander (also ocean cockpit, I just tend to prefer the fit). So far a really fun boat in rough conditions and pretty maneuverable when just exploring or playing around. The slowness is most pronounced in flatwater and it’s a bear in a strong headwind. I probably did more short solo trips this summer than I did long ones, so for me it worked out.
Like others, I think if it’s your only boat you have to consider what kind of paddling you’ll be doing and with who.
Camping
On 2 to 5 day trips my daughter or GF paddles my Pintail and have no problem with gear stowage. In a partnership with another paddler you avoid duplication of equipment (one stove,one tent,one first aid kit,one VHF)… you get the picture.
Pintail certainly isn’t a camping boat,a bit of a compromize for space but you use the tools you have available.
I enjoy my Pintail but it’s kind of specialized for playing so if I could only have one boat it wouldn’t be a Pintail.It’s great for teaching or taking on water clinics because of it’s excellent manuevering in tight quarters.
Bert
It’s a great boat!
I think it’s a boat that shines with a really good paddler, and one that doesn’t for the average. In the hands of a fit and skilled boater the Pintail is amazing in rough seas, and said boater will have no issue keeping up…to the contrary. My friend comes to mind…he WILL be out in front (ex-Olympian), and loves the Pintail. But I qualify that…again, for the average paddler I agree with the above posts…they will net a better result in something else. Lots of better “all round” choices out there, but the Pintail is just a great boat!
Yes it is a great boat
and it’s a very popular boat which I suspect would be easy to sell. It’s also easy to buy,you can often find at least one or two in the kayaking want ads suggesting that it’s not the boat for some people and they sell it to get something else,more tracky or higher volume, etc.
It’s hull has a rather radical design(for a sea kayak)so it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
I really like the “slipperyness” of the hull as Flatpick mentioned,a great asset for rolling or just messing around.
Christmas holidays are coming up and I hope to get out in mine as much as possible in the next two weeks.
Cheers
Bert
Nordkapp LV
I would add the Nordkapp LV as a possible. Almost as playfull as the pintail but with better tracking and slightly more gear space
Q-boat for tourer
I was possibly even thinking about q-boat
fordoing some touring but have only demoed on
flat water & need to get it out in some rough
stuff to see what it feels like. Felt like a
pretty fast boat, but as mentioned earlier its
the paddler not the boat so pintail might do
if I was in better shape for doing some
distance.
A great PLAY boat
If you (like me) most enjoy paddling for an hour or two when a small craft warning or “Lake Wind Advisory” is in effect, then the Pintail is for you. Confused seas rarely confuse it. Few longboats surf better. Yes, it’s slower than other sea kayaks when the wind and waves die, but once they kick up again, the Pintail will be near the front of the pack. I am sure that there are better “all around” boats, but for play in rough water, the Pintail is my choice.
That’s what it’s made for
The Pintail is an outstanding rough water boat, definitely the best I’ve tried. It’s my go-to boat whenever I plan on playing in the rough stuff.
I have both…
– Last Updated: Dec-19-06 8:42 PM EST –
...and the AA is a better all-'round kayak. It tracks somewhat better, it's slightly faster and it approaches its speed limit more gradually. The AA's volume is lower (mainly due to its 1.5" narrower beam), but I don't camp with either one, so I don't notice the difference. It's also less stable, less maneuverable and doesn't slide around on waves as well as the Pintail, nor does it surf as well. As with any boat, it's a trade-off.
I much prefer the older boats…
…pre-'95, to be specific. It’s not just for the ocean cockpit, either. The older boats have a rounder hull and a flat aft deck. They have a nicer feel on the water. It’s hard to be more specific than that; it just feels better. These boats seem to be in demand among “Pintail aficionados”. Fortunately, Valley will build new boats on the old molds by special order. An old-style Pintail with the current layup would be a sweet boat!