I’ve been reading unfavorable reviews of spray skirts for the Pungo 140 and would like your advice.
Anyone here found a spray skirt that stays on and doesn’t leak ? Eventually I want to learn how to roll my Pungo and would like the luxury of being able to paddle in inclement weather so I’d appreciate your advice. Thanks !!
Massive cockpit area
– Last Updated: Mar-13-12 10:06 PM EST –
Recreational Kayak - Cockpit Length: 57"
Coaming Size: 47.5" x 22"
A lot of surface area is what makes it difficult
That ease of entry also hinders the skirt functionality
Harmony offers the 3P Sprayskirt for Pungo 140
good luck with that
How are you planning to stay in a cockpit that large to roll it? I think you have unrealistic expectations. Or maybe extremely powerful thighs. All I have ever seen for cockpits that huge are nylon touring skirts (for keeping out paddle splash, for which they need some kind of stiffening hoop to elevate them to shed water). And nylon skirts tend to come off in a capsize and don’t seal snugly against water entrance. A neoprene skirt that big would collect a huge depressed puddle of water that would tend to leak and/or implode.
If you are serious about rolling and other advanced skills I think you need to consider getting a different style of kayak designed for such manuevers, something not so overly wide and so open.
Not seing true Thigh Braces
– Last Updated: Mar-14-12 1:00 AM EST –
A bit of padding but nothing to lock in thighs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTVokkuUQ1c
Might need to find aftermarket product like this
-- but the boat isn't really designed for it.
http://www.harmonygear.com/product/441429/8023049/_/Axis_Thigh_Braces
That cockpit is huge and meant for very gentle
water conditions i.e flat water sunny days
If you want to roll…
– Last Updated: Mar-14-12 6:00 PM EST –
the Pungo isn't it. The boat is too flat, the cockpit is too big and you have very little useful to grab if anything. There's also the minor point that it was never designed for that kind of use anyway - if you review the manufacturer's description you'll see it is for conditions where a roll is not needed. If you have it anywhere a roll may be a crucial skill you are outside of its intended use.
Now I am sure that if you poke around long enough you'll find a video on the internet of someone rolling a Pungo. Rolling the impossible is something that some people take on as a challenge. But it is no way, no how a boat for you to learn to roll in. For that you are best with something that is easy top roll.
The Pungo is a great boat for its intended use, which is quiet ponds and the like, and I have steered a couple of friends towards them. If you want to add rolling to your paddling, you should find yourself a more apt boat, either something closer to a sea kayak or a used whitewater boat (old school easiest and cheapest).
I see in your profile that you paddle all environments in northern Maine, including ocean, and have a Looksha II HV. This would be a better boat to try to learn to roll in, especially if you are as HV as the boat is scaled for. Why the post here about rolling the Pungo?
An alternative
Lets face it the Pungo is not a rolling sea kayak. However it is an excellent sea canoe. Put an electric pump in it and set it up like surf row boats or whitewater kayaks and you’ll be happy with it. Get a paddle float and learn to self recover from capsize in less than a minute, and yes go ahead and buy a helmet and surf it. (Start in really small stuff)
It can can be a lot of fun, but it is more of a canoe. The skirt will help it in wind and chop but will never keep out all the water and in big wave trains you need a pump.
I think the Pungo is an excellent and fast …canoe. It also paddles well with a single blade.
Not sure I buy into this
– Last Updated: Mar-14-12 7:30 PM EST –
"it is an excellent sea canoe"
I actually think it is an excellent rec boat. My wife has one and she loves it. But paddling on the sea is not something I would say it is excellent at. Many other boats I can think of that are much more capable on the sea.
My wife does complain about one thing which I suspect is an issue with all rec boats. She gets soaking wet whenever we go for a paddle. I stay dry in my sea kayak and touring style spray skirt. She get soaked. We thought about a spray skirt for her Pungo but in the end decided that it would almost certainly pool water and be a general pain in the neck.
So, I'm secretly hoping that as time goes on she will tire of the rec boat and get something that will help her develop her skills so that we can paddle together in less placid and perhaps more diverse waters.
Pungo
I think I’ll take FrankNC’s advice as well as some of the other posters. I DID see a YouTube video of someone rolling one so I didn’t realize it was so hard to do because the guy made it look easy. Because of my hip surgery last year I had a hard time getting in and out of my Looksha so I sold it and bought the Pungo. I really like it and was hoping to get the spray skirt for inclement weather and maybe work up to learning how to roll someday. After reading these informative posts I’ll rethink the situation. Thanks to everyone who took the time to help a newbie out.
Wow.
Nice roll!
Thank You.
how many gallons in cockpit
successful roll - but still stable and paddleable ?
looked like a large amount of water entered cockpit
The Roll
I would say this was 100% a pool roll. I doubt I could roll it in an unexpected capsize. One, I had to really pay attention to bracing inside the Pungo. Knees where buried under the rim. Two, the Pungo is very SLOW to capsize and roll up.
And yes, it took on a lot of water. The re-entry and roll was not that bad. Maybe 1/4 full of water. Very easy to paddle. After the full roll, it was 1/3 to 1/2 full. I could still paddle it, but is was like paddling in a bath tub.
I doubt a nylon spray skirt; on a cockpit that large, would stay in place. A Neo skirt would be very hard to put on. Especially for those with a short reach.
I have been able to roll a pungo and other REC boats at our pool sessions. The local pool sessions have alot of Rec kayakers learning re-entry. I often try to roll their various kayaks. Fun way to end the day.
You are the Man!
At the CKC symposium before last I offered the Tarpon 16 Challenge and no one could do it. I’m not even sure if you had your roll back then, but it looks so good now I think you could!
Hope to see you there!
Frank Ladd
paddlingandsailing.blogspot.com
Lets not forget
folks roll open canoes pretty regularly these days.
Kayaks for rolling
There’s a lot of kayaks that can be rolled without too much difficulty. If anything at all it can be just for fun. I’ve rolled sit on tops with thigh straps. Not as hard as it seems but not very practical either. In real conditions I suspect I would fall out of a Pungo before having a chance to lock myself in. 
Gary
Wow, rolling a Pungo, sweet!
Wow, rolling a Pungo, sweet! I have two Pungo 120s. Love them for the rec. thing, but I can stand up jump around rock 'em, and barely make a tip. OK, I exaggerate(a little), but if you can roll a Pungo, you might be able to do a double roll on a more true WW boat 
OK, I see the video now, you go dude!
OK, I see the video now, you go dude!
Because it can - doesn’t mean should
Still urge caution - every yak has limits
one suggestion
Having had a person with hip movement limitations in a rolling class I would suggest looking for a good adaptive paddling instructor, the sort that understands why someone would want to roll her or his boat.
For the record, the person was using a Valley Avocet with cockpit outfitted with foam. It is not guaranteed to fit you, or anyone else.