Am in the process of selecting my second kayak moving up from the beginner stages. I realize that I want a kayak that I can take a mile off shore but also in small to medium size lakes. I am looking at the Tsunami without rudder as I feel that I should learn good paddling skills without one but have the option of putting on one later if necessary.
On the other hand, the P&H Easky or Capella RM look really good and include a skeg for weathercocking. Maybe the P&H Orca(no skeg)? It seems to me that having a skeg, moderate rocker in a longer boat would give me that elusive all in one kayak? Dunno.
Having said that, I will be paddling off the coast of Florida (East Coast Ft Lauderdale)for now with a planned transfer to the Chesapeake bay area in the near future…Maybe I don’t even need a brit style boat?
I have demoed the Tsunami and found it a joy to paddle but am concerned with the length and am afraid that it is designed to please too many people and that I am enamored with the comfort of the seat instead of it’s real qualities. Any advice? I am 5’11 inches and 210 lbs…losing that15 lbs as we speak!
I have read extensively and have tried to research as much as possible. Any suggestions? I want to learn good skills, roll well, and want a boat that while not having a tendency to make me use those skills all the time, won’t be a tub and no fun either.
Paul
Only Comment…
is that if you planning to go offshore, get the boat that is in the 16' range. This boat won't have a problem either in small/medium lakes. The only place where a boat of this length may be problematic is on narrow, windy rivers.
I have a plastic Mystic (no longer made), which is the same as the Orca hull but with a skeg. It's a fun boat but not particularly fast. It really sucked when I got into a head wind of 25 knots and I felt I was barely making any progress, compared to my longer, narrower skin on frame (17'x18").
For your size and height, I would definitely go with the longer boats among your choices.
sing
thanks for your reply
thanks for your fast reply. How is the mystic for rolling and in building good skills? I am assuming that there won’t be that much difference between the orca and the mystic. Having said that, the orca has some pretty mixed reviews.
Now should I really go the extra couple of hundred bucks and go with the capella rm? Or will the 15 ft Easky with the skeg be adequate? Seems like the Easky is comparable to a transitional touring boat and the capella for a more committed enthusiast? I realize that this is probably the first of a couple of future boats.
I have read a lot of your posts and value your opinion. Can you recommend any other plastic boats with a $1000 range? I can stretch that if really necessary but don’t want to add hundreds with no real significant improvements.
Since You Asked…
I think the Capella is the boat for you to grow into but not overwhelm you necessarily. It would be a good day boat for your size as well as a possible weekender. The other two boats are slightly wider and more flat in the bottom profile. They are more initially stable but won’t have the secondary of the Capella. In other words, the Capella will allow to lean and edge more and be better for dealing rougher water. For your size, all three boats will be good to learn to roll in.
sing
sing
Again I appreciate your comments. Now the question is whether the P&H is the way to go or are there other plastic boats with the same feature sets in the same price range. Any thoughts?
anyone?
What do you think of the plastic gypsy?
ahem
never mind on the gypsy…saw the price and it looked good until I read the reviews…seems to be in a different class altogether than the capella or easky.
Depends On What You Want To Do…
mostly. If you intend mostly day trips and some ocean and mostly ponds and lakes, another boat to consider would be the Avocet. The Avocet is another sort of playful day boat. Any longer and more volume, you’ll be getting into the Tempest 170, Chatham 17, etc. These will be a couple of hundred more and are entering into sea touring (lots of gear and overnight) type boats.
Oh yeah, demo paddle whatever boats you’re considering before picking one and plopping money down.
sing
Tsunami is sweet
I have a 145 without a rudder, and I like it quite a bit. However I would say that the foot braces are mounted to low and force you to flatten your feet if you want to rest on them properly.
I haven’t had any major problems with the boat, but I am thinking of ditching the seat back on the phase 3 seating system. The seat back sticks up too high, so it can be hard to get a skirt to stay on. I think a cheap backband would fix this quickly. You can recline the seat till it is almost level with the cockpit rim, but then you loose the nice support.
I wish they offered this boat with a skeg or maybe with a 16’ length.
These are small problems however, I’m very happy in my tsunami, its handled big swells on the columbia with ease, and is a treat to paddle. I think you would be more than happy with whatever choice you make.
I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND renting any boat you want to buy for a full day to really try it out. The 20 or 30 minutes you get at a demo day are pretty close to worthless in my eyes, you can see if the boat fits you, but not really how you will respond to it after 3 hours or so. I loved my last boat when I demoed it, but after I bought it I found that it put my legs to sleep after a hour
goodluck
Don’t Live With It…
take out the footpegs, install a slightly angled minicell foam foot rest across the front and perhaps a thin layer of minicel pad where your ankles rest. With this you should continue to love your boat until you fall in love with another. This seems to be an inevitable occurence with many paddlers.
BTW, getting rid of the high seatback is not a bad thing. Alot of folks find that it gets in the way of boat reentry on self and assisted rescues. Having a "lounge chair" like seatback does not do much to promote good body rotation when paddling either.
sing
avocet is sweet
It is a beautiful boat! the only problem I see with it is the 16" cock;it. I think this might be a half an inch too small. 
Maybe not though…have to find a dealer with one somewheres.
Pretty much the same price point as the Capella.
Looks like the Easky and the tsunami are in that transitional stage that I could very well see myself saying…if I had only spend a couple hundred more bucks…
Tsunami no skeg and I also wish it was a foot or so longer.
Easky…now single layer plastic and no day hatch.
This is rough folks…I know every boat is a compromise…I just want to compromise less and enjoy and grow more…go figure…
easky
Let me ask about the Easky then. does anyone have any experience with this boat? like the tsunami there is little out there.