does any one have,or has anyone demo’d a prijon marlin? if so,any info and or pictures would be appreciated
Prijon Marlin
I’ve got a Marlin. I’m 6’5", 240 lbs, size 15 ft. I am probably at the upper range of size for this boat. It’s a relatively new boat for me (couple of months). My impressions so far is that it is very playful (sort of like a WS Zephyr). The multichines give it a nice hard “shoulder” of secondary stability to lean on. And you can really lean it. The tracking is reasonable - I didn’t bother getting one with the rudder, and I haven’t needed it so far. The speed feels to me to be faster than the CD Isle and faster than the Prijon Kodiak (other boats I have), but I don’t have hard data to back that up. So far I am very pleased. One word of advice - I put duct tape over the outside metal security loop so that I could do cowboys without, ahem, leaving stuff on the range.
ok i’m confused…
Hi all …i was @ a prijon retailer the other day…he told me the Marlin isn’t available to the public yet here in the USA… he said there’s only 3 Marlin’s in the states ( that he’s aware of ) and he demo’ed 1 of them. He told me he won’t have any till spring of 2010 at the earliest. Even the prijon website has no pictures of the " New" Marlin. so what gives?
I was looking @ the kodiak model while there , when he mentioned the marlin. BTW, the kodiak is getting a day hatch in 2010,plus some other refinements. Can you write a review on the kodiak please ? thank you
wow… the prijon marlin???
As posted above, i was under the impression that only 3 or 4 were even in the states, they aren’t due out to spring 2010.
I had the opportunity to see one a few months ago but not to paddle it. A prijon rep had brought it to show off to a dealer… who got to test paddle it…
They don’t really have any info on their website yet…
It did look pretty sharp though. I like the looks of it.
Prijon Marlin
There have been lots of reviews of the Prijon Kodiak on P-net, so I won’t write one here. I will say that all the reviews are accurate. It is a fast, stable, big plastic boat. For these days, it feels somewhat heavy - I put in a foam seat and backband to increase my comfort and reduce the weight. Although it is stable, in some conditions (and I think especially for taller paddlers) it can misbehave somewhat (although not even close to the fickle Barracuda). The Marlin is far more stable. The feel of the Marlin is somewhat different. With the Kodiak, I feel that my balance point for edging is sort of parallel with my thighs whereas with the Marlin the balance point seems further back (somewhere near the hips). There is a review in English on the website “100 boats in 100 days” which I think is a very fair assessment by someone who was probably too small for the Marlin. There are a number of reviews and postings on German web sites. As to availability, I know of at least two Marlins in New Jersey. I do not believe that there are only three in the United States. Further, Wildwasser USA has been notoriously bad about updating the web site and even printing catalogs. As a Prijon fan (I have the Kodiak, Marlin, Combi, and Yukon), I find this tremendously vexing. Oh, I should say that the Marlin is the least “prijon-ish” of their touring boats that I have tried. That is, the chines are not quite as hard feeling, the hull does not have that trihedral feel (more of a multichine), the boat is more slender, the shape is more tapered. Kind of a nice way of saying that it does not have that U-boat feel (which is what my friends call the Yukon). That being said, I am still a fan of the traditional Prijons. But the Marlin is a fun play boat.
marlin
Hey,Ben thank you for your feed back brother. This is the cross in the river that i’am at.I’am trying to choose between the kodiak and the marlin.
German
Use google translate or similar
http://www.prijon.com/prijonprodukte/schnelleeiner/marlinseekajak.html
In Germany many Marlins were sold and several reviews are online. A “true sea kayaker” (whatever this is) was involved in the construction. Most reviews are positive, mainly something like “the first real Prijon sea kayak” or the only true sea kayak in HTP. Although only with rudder and only with these special hatch covers.
update …
Hi all …i fired off a email to Russ Cowles…eastern Prijon rep…according to his email …Marlins are available and have been since 2008 ! So if you dont see one in your local shop , email Russ ( i assume ) and he can tell you where they are.
I may have misunderstood the dealer i talked with, maybe he meant he had no marlins @ his store to show or demo and would not be getting any till the season starts again in 2010, so he won’t have to carry inventory/ tie up $$$$ thru the winter when things are slow.
He advised me to go to the Prijon German site and use the english link there rather than use the WildWasser site, as it is undergoing recontruction. hope this clears up the issue a bit.
Thanks beau
for your note. Went to the german web,saw the boat and it looks good.It just adds more confussion to the selection. Maybe you all can help. Rec. kayaker 2yrs., Do large impound lakes year round.,Central gulf 2-3 times a year.,And a 2wk. expedition in 2011. Which boat?
Prijon Marlin
I would strongly urge you to try both of them before deciding. The Kodiak and the Marlin have very different feels. Also, the Marlin seat is noticeably tighter in the hips. That having been said, for me (and where I’m at now in my mindset), I would go with the Marlin. It’s far more playful. Also, as regards freshwater paddling, the Marlin is more maneuverable. The weights and lengths of the boats are not that different. The Kodiak is more of an expedition boat, and can haul a lot more stuff. The Marlin is more of a day boat (again, for me) that can take a few days worth of stuff.The Marlin has a lower stern deck which you may find easier for some rescue techniques, although the Kodiak’s larger cockpit can also be a plus in rescues. Both boats work well for cowboy rescues. Both are very rugged (as are all Prijons). I’ve dragged all my Prijons over rocks, concrete boat launches, etc. with a fair degree of casualness and no real noticeable signs of abuse. As a maintenance side-note, be prepared to replace the decknets every two-three years.
my vote…
– Last Updated: Nov-14-09 8:56 AM EST –
My vote would be to go with the Kodiak since you are planning a 2 wk camping trip...I just read a 2nd email from Russ Cowles and he basically said, in so many words, that the Kodiak would be better for camping purposes. The Marlin @ 22" wide and 16' ft long seems geared more towards speed, not expedition trips. Try both if you like, if possible, but the deciding factor for me is the 2wk trip. Buy a 2nd used x-rental boat for a play boat later to save some $$$. good luck and safe paddling
location …
– Last Updated: Nov-14-09 10:24 AM EST –
Kayakr ..where are you located? Have you tried Craigslist to look for a good used boat in your area? the reason i ask about your location is there are 2 prijon boats ...used... 4sale in New Hampshire...! 1 Kodiak ...1 Seayak for $700 each.. i was seriously gonna buy the Kodiak till i found out the '10 model got a little makeover, so i'll wait. I'm not sure how old the boats are that are 4sale in NH.
downtown
Bismarck,Arkansas (we got our first stop light a couple of years ago.)Have DeGray lake 3.1 miles away,Lake Ouachita,Hamilton,and Catherine 13 miles away. And rivers to numerous to name.