Touring Sea Kayaks Review - 2007
WILDERNESS SYSTEMS-TSUNAMI
Wilderness Systems - Tsunami
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Manufacturer’s Statement: The epitome of a transitional touring boat, it’s light enough for an easy afternoon’s relaxation, spacious enough for a weekend outing.
Comfort: Padded thigh braces can be adjusted along one of eight holes. The seat height can be altered by adjustable side straps. There’s also toggle/lever hardware between the legs that can be pulled and released to adjust the height of the back rest. Overall, sitting in the cockpit was comfortable, but the reviewers questioned whether the adjustable outfitting would hold up to extended wear and tear.
Details: The model tested was a prototype and had a rounded front deck. There were three hatches, a rudder, and a simple foot-peg setup that the reviewers appreciated; less is more.
Handling: “High primary and secondary stability,” said JM. “I could really lean the Tsunami Pro 165 on its edge,” LB said. It tracks well, is easy to turn in calm conditions, and is reasonably responsive. It won’t beat out the Road Runner in a race, but it’s not sluggish either.
Bottom Line: The Tsunami Pro 165 falls into what Wilderness Systems calls the transitional touring category. It’s designed for a bigger person and is the product of cross-pollination between a recreational and sea kayak.
EDDYLINE - FATHOM
Eddyline - Fathom
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- Length: 16' 6''
- Width: 22''
- Weight: 50 lbs
- Material: Carbonlite 2000
- Price: $2,399
- www.eddyline.com
Manufacturer’s Statement: The Fathom is a new kayak from Eddyline that is sure to please the paddler looking for that extra edge of performance, regardless of your skill level. The Fathom’s highly efficient hull is fast and nearly effortless to accelerate to speed, yet carries a comfortable degree of initial stability.
Comfort: The seat is comfortable and has a little rise under the thighs. Padding is placed along the hips. The back rest was somewhat adjustable with straps. “Aggressive thigh braces give you excellent control,” said LB.
Handling: “Medium stability, but there’s not a real point at which you feel secondary stability kick in,” said JM. “Maneuverable and snappy” is how DR described the Fathom. The skeg was necessary when we needed to track, and the tracking could be improved by having the skeg drop down a little more.
Details: There are three hatches—bow, stern, and a day hatch just aft of the cockpit. Bungee cords adorn the deck. Bow and stern bumpers protect the ends of the kayak. The Fathom has
a lot of cockpit volume and depth for a 16-foot-6-inch boat. “The geometric lines [indents] on the deck reminded me of those school lunch trays with different sections for vegetables, fish sticks, and your carton of milk,” said DR.
Bottom Line: The best attributes of the Fathom are its roomy cockpit, foot space, and maneuverability.
PRIJON - KODIAK
Prijon - Kodiak
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- Length: 17'
- Width: 23.5''
- Weight: 62 lbs
- Material: High Performance Thermoplastic (HTP)
- Price: $1,529
- www.wildnet.com
Manufacturer’s Statement: Cavernous in terms of gear storage and ultimate capacity, the Kodiak is an extremely fast yet stable boat both loaded and unloaded.
Comfort: The Kodiak has a long cockpit and plenty of volume in the thigh and knee area, a worthy option for the average to larger paddler. The seat is comfortable, and the padded back rest is adjusted by pulling a cord at the front of the seat.
Handling: The boat is responsive to a variety of strokes. The trihedral hull offers both initial and secondary stability. “It handles well,” said DR. “It’s stable, fast enough, easy to edge, but definitely a bigger person’s kayak. For a high-volume boat, it felt nimble, and though I didn’t paddle it loaded, I’d imagine it to be good when loaded.”
Details: The Kodiak has two large storage hatches and a day hatch. The latter is accessed while you’re seated, and opens into a neoprene bag. There’s mesh deck webbing fore and aft of the cockpit. Two self-rescue straps to hold a paddle blade are on the back deck. The kayak tested had a “balanced wing” rudder that cuts down on drag and “is a huge improvement over past designs,” said JM. The rudder cable and adjustment straps extend off the tip of the foot pegs, which could get in the way of large feet. The adjustment system for moving the position of the pegs snaps shut fast, so watch out for pinched fingers. Ouch!
Bottom Line: The Kodiak will easily suit the needs of the larger paddler, whether those include extended trips, the rush of exploring rock gardens, or day outings.
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