rate these as low volume sea yaks

Looking for help and a rating 1-5 (5 being best or most accurately defined) for these boats as low volume sea kayaks. Something to cover some ground on weekenders or occasional “ultralight” weeklong trips, but also as an empty craft also fun to paddle, for a 5’9" 160#er, on open seas:



NDK Greenlander

Valley Pintail

NF Silhouette

Impex outer island

CD Slipstream

BB valkyrie

Riot Aura



thanks…

My choice would be…

– Last Updated: Sep-06-06 9:08 PM EST –

NF Silhouette
Impex outer island

Throw in the Nordkapp LV, as first choice at your weight.

I wouldn’t
Consider the Aura to be low volume

None of these
are what I would consider low volume for your size.



I am 6’2" and 195 so differ in choice than you.



I would have you add or consider:


  1. Valley Anas Acuta (less vol than the Pintail and better looking too)
  2. NDK Explorer LV (great hull)
  3. WS Sparrow Hawk (I can’t get into this one)
  4. Maybe the BBK Aral



    I paddle an Outer Island and a NDK Greenlander OC and don’t consider them to be low volume, even for me.



    Each of us has our own ideas about low volume, but the real low volume boats are the custom built ones or the SOF boats…those are REALLY low volume!!!



    Scott

If by low volume, you mean cockpit
height, I’d rate them as follows from high to low:



NDK Greenlander

CD Slipstream

NF Silhouette

Valley Pintail

BB valkyrie

Impex outer island



Don’t know about this one: Riot Aura



OI is clearly the only one designed specifically for rolling, although all these boats roll easily. If you want a day boat that is fast and well mannered and fun to roll, the OI is a dream. You could camp in it overnight, but if I’m going camping I take my Quest.



John


add Island Qaarsut :wink:
I think it maybe even lower volume than an Anas -which should also be on your list.

OI
10 inches from hull to deck.



Overnight camping or even a couple of nights the OI is a great minimalist camper. for longer, I will take the Legend and a lot more stuff.



Paul

Here you go
5 NDK Greenlander

5 Valley Pintail

4 NF Silhouette

4 Impex outer island

3 CD Slipstream

3 BB valkyrie

3 Riot Aura

good boats…
I’ve paddled all those boats quite a bit with the exception of the Riot Aura. I’d probably add the Anas Acuta to the list as well as a Romany/Explorer LV and a Nordkaap LV. While these aren’t really low volume boats, they are lower volume sea kayaks. They are all great but it really depends on what you’re looking for and your paddling style. For straight ahead speed, the Silhouette is the fastest of the bunch followed by the Outer Island/NDK Greenlander. For manueverability, the Pintail and Anas Acuta win hands down with the Slipstream being good as well. For greenland style hard chines, that would be the Silhouette, Anas Acuta, and the Valkyrie. For rolling, the Outer Island rolls the easiest followed by the Anas Acuta and the Silhouette. Personally, I currently paddle a Silhouette (I’m 5’8" and 145 lbs) and I love the speed, good manueverability for it’s length, and it’s rollability. The only boat that would tempt me these days is the Nordkaap LV which trades some top end speed for a whole lot of manueverability. Test them all and find the one that works for you.

Uhhhh…
If you’re asking about these boats as a substitute for paddling them, I think that would be a big mistake. Some of those boats are very ‘tracky’ and some are very ‘turny’.



I’m exactly your size and paddle a Tempest 165. I think it’s a great, low volume, boat but don’t take my word for it. Try one out on a windy day.

what they said
You’ve got quite a selection of boats, and paddling them in the conditions you’ll use them is critical. If you want to do the Greenland roll progression, the lowest back / front deck of the bunch is the OI (don’t know about Riot). In my hands it rolls easier and is faster than the Silhouette, and a friend of my who is a very good Greenland roller and paddles a Silhoutte concurs. Still, at this point, there’s no substitute for boat time.