I’ve narrowed my choices down to 3 kayaks (that I’ve demoed) but reading reviews the Currituck has recently sparked my interest. Unfortunately, I’d have to drive 8 hours each way to demo the boat. The reviews on pnet are good but I’m about 5" taller and about 40lbs heavier than most reviewers.
Any Currituck owners here that are about 6’ and 190-200lbs?
The specs suggest recommended paddler weight is up to 220lbs (I’m usually 190 during paddling season)
I’d like to hear the pros and cons (from similar sized paddlers) about this kayak so I can get as much info as possible to see if it’s worthwhile for me to spend 16 hours driving for a demo.
Talk with George Gronseth
He’s a dealer in Wa. State, and has used the Currituk a lot for himself as well as customers.
www.kayakacademy.com
My understanding is that it’s a great boat.
you’re well within the size and weight
parameters. Therefore a good boat for you. The only thing I didn’t like about it was the skeg control placment–it hit right square in the middle of my right knee. Enough for me to decide against the boat. Hopefully it will work better for you. A beautiful boat.
If you love the boat
that skeg control could be easily moved by any composite shop.
While demoing boats recently
the Carrituck was on my list. At least for the time that I demoed it which was 15 minutes on flat water it seemed good. However, the cockpit seemed a little tight for me while getting in/out. Once I was in it was good, but I kept banging my upper shins on the front of the cockpit. Now this probably has to do with the way I was getting in (butt first legs second). But this is the way that I prfer to get in in most situations. For reference, I am 5’7" and 215Lbs.
Art
I owned currituck
But sold after paddling for awhile. It seemed
kinda sluggish, but boat was good in rough
water. What other boats are you considering?
I like Impex’s force series.
maybe a little bit tight
I have a Currituck and an Assateague.
I paddle the Assateague while my girlfriend is in the Currituck.
I am 6’1", 230 Lbs and just squeeze into the cockpit of the Currituck.
The Currituck would be a great play boat for me but a bit tight for longer paddles.
Therefore I am in the Assateague.
I hear that the kayak is not the fastest out there but that was not the intention of the designer. It’s a great fun boat that excells in rough waters. If you want a fast boat defenitely look into the Force 5 whick might just fit you perfectly.
With my inseam of 34" I can not enter the Currituck seat first legs later style while I can do it easily in the Assateague.
The Assategue has lot of storage volume for longer trips. I find it pretty responsive with excellent secondary stability. Although for tracking on smooth waters needs just a touch of skeg. The hatches are excellent (make sure that there are not any manufacturing problems sealing the bulkheads… I had some in my previous Assategue and Currituck!)
I believe the Currituck is a great kayak for serious paddling but I don’t think it will win many races. If speed is your thing consider the Force.
To view some playtime in an Assateague click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBmQVo72BEE
Force Series
If you’re going to be at an Impex Dealer you should try the Force 4 and 5. The 5 has more volume than the 4. Noticeably faster hulls than the Currituck and still quite maneuverable.
high back deck for me
At 5’7", I found the Currituck deck and combing way too high for comfy laying back for rolls. Not the case with the Force series.
entry/exit issue
I tested the Currituck and i thought it was a great boat except for the small cockpit opening. I am 6’1” and 187 lbs and I couldn’t get out legs first. That was a deal breaker for me. I settled on a Pygmy Coho and I am real happy with it.
Some thoughts
I read about you guys who want to plop your butt down first, then pull legs in, and find that strange to me. I have never been able to do that in any boat I’ve owned, and wonder why I hear it so often these days? Yeah, convenient, but not really necessary, and just means a bigger opening, spray deck etc. And yeah, I surf and do rough landings just fine as is. Not saying yer wrong…your preference is as legit as mine! Just a new concept to me.
The second thing I hear often is the speed stuff. Ever notice that coastal play tourers that excell in rough seas are not the fastest on smooth water? There’s a reason for that. The better a boat is at one, the less it will excel at the other (flat Vs rough water).
The Currituk is a rough water capable tourer.
Another comment: Rear deck too high for lay-backs… Guess what, a deck that is too low will not provide enough volume when way on edge and water will pile on the aft deck. Just adjust your roll (30 seconds). All boats are compromises. Often people judge a boat designed for X by a boat designed for Y’s criteria.
Just some thoughts.
SAME SIZE, GOOD CURRITUCK IMPRESSIONS
– Last Updated: Feb-12-08 9:40 PM EST –
I'm 6-0, 195-205#, depending on proximity to holidays... :- / Other factors: 30" inseam, a bit larger thigh & butt than average, a tall torso, a bit longish arms.
After some years of looking and trying out boats (guess I'm no Matt Bowler -sorry, Matt!), the Currituck was on my short list, along with the Valley Aquanaut.
I thought the Currituck was the second most comfortable boat I have ever paddled in a dozen years of kayaking.
It was fun to putz around on a park lake during a a demo put on by Kayak Jeff, a Dania (Ft. Lauderdale) shop last year. And it was even more fun to paddle around with Jeff himself on the Intracoastal Waterway up in Lauderdale (closer to Hollywood, actually) seeking the chop & boat wakes to play in.
It behaved very well and quite predictably, and could be edged pretty well even without me in a skirt (that's easy to do in winter down in South Florida, guys... ;->)
But, as a prior poster posted, I, too, found it a tad sluggish on the ICW, moreso than I recalled from the demo paddle on the Lake. And I was looking for not only an upgrade to my current Perception Eclipse, but for a boat that was faster, lighter (the Eclipse weighs in a tad north of 70#), fit me better than that big ole barrel of a boat -great for expeditions, but not so hot for day-to-day paddles, and was a skeg, not rudder, boat.
So I ended up going with the Florida Bay Outfitter's Valley Aquanaut, which was faster and overall, for me, better. I've enjoyed it on 2 open water paddles, and on a maze-like run thru tight mangrove tunnels, and it (and me) fared quite well in both situations.
As to size and the Currituck cockpit -as noted, it was/is a damn fine and comfortable ride. The seating is, IMHO, superb, But for some reason, the cockpit kept biting my shins -I was cut from banging them on the front coaming a few times. I could have easily softened the edge hjad I selected the boat, but it still remained a challenge for me and my old, creaky knees to avoid because it's length and my abilities just didn;t quite square up.
I am told by far better paddlers than I that the Currituck is a fine, seaworthy boat, one deserving to be on a paddler's short list. From the paddling perspective, speed aside, I would agree.
It is a good boat for you to seriously consider, all things being equal, as a boat with which you can happily
PADDLE ON!
-Frank in Miami
Thanks…
… for all the replies. The comments are enough for me to make the drive. I’ll demo the force 5 if the dealer has any.
My other considerations are the Tempest 170, Chatham 18, and CD Caribou
Talk to me re: the CH 18
A very non-market specialized boat which I know well. May be great, but it’s pretty unique…not for the masses.
I’m not made of money
prefer a boat that’s right for me to begin with
Info
Salty, I wouldn’t mind some info on the Chatham 18 as well, thanks.
Currituck
I purchased a used Currituck last year and couldn’t be happier. It’s a great all around boat, which is exactly what I was looking for. I demoed all of the Impex boats as well as the Current Design boats. The Currituck just felt the best to me.
I’m 5’10", 210# w/a 33" inseam. I replaced the back band w/a foam block that NDK sells (I glued it in w/the thicker end of the foam block down, thinner end up). With this modification I can now enter butt first and pull my legs in. I have size 11 feet but I have no problem as long as I wear paddling booties (too tight to wear river sandals).
I like the snugger fit of the Currituck. So far I haven’t had to make any other modifications to the cockpit.
Good luck.
Tony
Interesting thoughts and as usual
appreciate your input. With a 36" inseam they are all short cockpits to me. The make or break to me is what the thigh hooks or knee area looks like and how I can stay in on a rough patch. I tend to pick sea boat set ups like I do my river boats. Not that that is the best way for everybody, just works for me.
Hot tip: A little bit of outdoor non slip tape applied just behind the cockpit rim can keep wet and slippery hands in place and reduce the chance of slippage that one time you will need every micro second to keep from getting crushed.
Dogmaticus
Getting in/out…
… is what, maybe 1% of the time spent using a kayak?
I too find it interesting that this is ranked as high or higher than other concerns. Fit and comfort while paddling is far more important to me, and even this is often still a matter of post purchase outfitting.
People really concerned with the in/out stuff might be happier with SOTs. I was happy with a Tarpon 160 for quite a while - and really enjoyed the easy on/off - until I realized that 99% of the time using it I was in the same position I’d be in in a SINK (big or small cockpit) anyway, and with SINKs I had a lot more options for performance and skill development.