My Kayak Fleet

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Fleet

MFG: Delta (Canada)

YEAR/MODEL: 2010 / Fourteen5 Expedition

MATERIAL: Thermoform ABS

LENGTH/DEPTH: 14' 4" / 12.5"

BEAM: 24"

COCKPIT: 18" X 32.5"

WEIGHT: 49#

FEATURES: Rudder w/integrated cables & Seadog brace-able petals +

NOTES: My dream boat! She's a beauty...

I think that high-end Thermoform (ABS) may be the ultimate hull material, offering much of the impact resistance and durability of poly, with much of the light weight, stiffness, glide and appearance of composite. No gel-coat issues! From my perspective, the Delta line has many outstanding qualities. This is the premier ship in the fleet, although I try to cycle through most of them each season.

MFG: Prijon (Germany)

YEAR/MODEL: 2005 / Touryak

MATERIAL: HTP blow-molded poly

LENGTH/DEPTH: 15' 4"/ 13"

BEAM: 24"

COCKPIT: 18" X 36"

WEIGHT: 58#

FEATURES: Unique Trihedral hull design

NOTES: Prijon's unique blow-molding process produces the stiffest, most durable single-layer poly hull material available.Top notch outfitting with German quality. A well rounded, competent yak.

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MFG: Seaworthy [Designs] (USA)

YEAR/MODEL: 1987 / Enetai (HV)

MATERIAL: Fiberglass

LENGTH/DEPTH: 17'

BEAM: 23"

COCKPIT: 16" X 30"

WEIGHT: 58#

FEATURES: Smarttrack "dogtail" rudder photo >

NOTES: Built in Seattle,WA. Designer: Tom Wilkinson. I purchased this from the original owner. He had toured extensively with her in coastal Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. This yak has some real character and history. A true classic sea kayak.

MFG: Evolution (USA)

YEAR/MODEL: 2005 / Diversion 16-3

MATERIAL: Thermoform ABS

LENGTH/DEPTH: 16' 3"

BEAM: 25"

COCKPIT: 16" X 31"

WEIGHT: 57#

FEATURES: Parabolic hull design

NOTES: Purchased from the original owner in Florida. This yak is very unique and innovative, a true original. She was designed and manufactured by Bill Masters, the founder of Perception kayaks. The true innovation is the hull design, it's an hourglass parabolic shape (twin beam). A definite collectors item. See the Gallery page for more details.

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MFG: Old Town

YEAR/MODEL: 2006 / Loon 120

MATERIAL: 3-layer poly

LENGTH/DEPTH: 12' / 14"

BEAM: 28.75"

COCKPIT: 17.5" X 42.5"

WEIGHT: 52#

FEATURES: PolyLink3 hull

NOTES: My first kayak! Some good memories here...

MFG: Old Town

YEAR/MODEL: 2006 / Loon 100

MATERIAL: 3-layer poly

LENGTH/DEPTH: 10' / 14"

BEAM: 27.5"

COCKPIT: 19" X 40"

WEIGHT: 47#

FEATURES: PolyLink3 hull

NOTES: My wife's first kayak

MFG: Old Town

YEAR/MODEL: 2003 / Castine

MATERIAL: 3-layer poly

LENGTH/DEPTH: 13' / 13"

BEAM: 26"

COCKPIT: 17" X 33"

WEIGHT: 57#

FEATURES: PolyLink3 hull / Rudder

NOTES: An excellent all-around boat, exceptional tracking and stability, with a "stratolounger" seat, the most comfortable of any yak I've sampled. This is my wife's alternative and my river/play boat.

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MFG: Wilderness Systems (USA)

YEAR/MODEL: 1997 / Sealution

MATERIAL: Polyethylene

LENGTH/DEPTH: 16' 5" / 12"

BEAM: 22.5"

COCKPIT: 16" X 30"

WEIGHT: 57#

FEATURES:

NOTES: ( Designer: Harrie Tieken)

Purchased from the original owner. This yak has historical significance. It was the first sea kayak offering from Wilderness Systems in the late 1980's. It had a very long model run through 2002 and was manufactured in poly, fiberglass and kevlar. Curvaceous greenland-style lines, a classic sea kayak. I like the color, something different from the usual red/yellow/blue offerings

MFG: Perception (USA)

YEAR/MODEL: 2001 / Captiva Expedition

MATERIAL: Polyethylene

LENGTH/DEPTH: 16'

BEAM: 25"

COCKPIT: 21.5" X 34.5"

WEIGHT: 58#

FEATURES: Rudder

NOTES:

MFG: Delta (Canada)

YEAR/MODEL: 2007 / 12.10

MATERIAL: Thermoform ABS

LENGTH/DEPTH: 12' 10" / 13.5"

BEAM: 25"

COCKPIT: 18" X 32.5"

WEIGHT: 42#

FEATURES: Prijon "Balanced Wing" rudder (custom installation) photo >

NOTES: Excellent kayak, I only sold her in order to purchase a new Delta Fourteen5!

MFG: Seda (USA)

YEAR/MODEL: 2007 / Vida

MATERIAL: Fiberglass

LENGTH/DEPTH: 14' / 12"

BEAM: 25"

COCKPIT: 16" X 33"

WEIGHT: 45#

FEATURES: Skeg

NOTES: Light and bright

MFG: Seda (USA)

YEAR/MODEL: 1995 / Gypsy

MATERIAL: Polyethylene

LENGTH/DEPTH: 15' / 12"

BEAM: 24"

COCKPIT: 17" X 34"

WEIGHT: 50#

FEATURES:

NOTES: Quick and responsive

MFG: Clearwater Design (Canada)

YEAR/MODEL: 2003 / Georgian Bay

MATERIAL: Polyethylene

LENGTH/DEPTH: 14' / 12"

BEAM: 24"

COCKPIT: 16" X 34"

WEIGHT: 49#

FEATURES: Rudder

NOTES: This yak has always looked very "French" to me... Interesting color mix

MFG: Dagger (USA)

YEAR/MODEL: 2006 / Specter

MATERIAL: Polyethylene

LENGTH/DEPTH: 14' 2"/ 13.75"

BEAM: 24"

COCKPIT: 19" X 34"

WEIGHT: 58#

FEATURES: Rudder

NOTES: Pretty quick in the water, but the worst tracking (w/o rudder) of any yak I've owned

MFG: Old Town (USA)

YEAR/MODEL: 2008 / Cayuga

MATERIAL: Polyethylene

LENGTH/DEPTH: 13' / 13"

BEAM: 25"

COCKPIT: 16" X 34.5"

WEIGHT: 50#

FEATURES:

NOTES:

MFG: Wavewalk (USA)

YEAR/MODEL: 2009 / W500

MATERIAL: Polyethylene

LENGTH/DEPTH: 11' 4" / 17"

BEAM: 28.5"

COCKPIT: 72"

WEIGHT: 59#

FEATURES: Catamaran hull

NOTES: It's unique in all the world, and only available directly from the inventor in Boston. I customized it considerably. A versatile and very interesting watercraft! I composed a review article for the Wavewalk website

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The Current Collection

*The Old Town Fleet* (Maine-USA)

My first experience was in a rental 14' Loon, and my first purchase was the 12' Loon pictured below. This is one of our loaner boats now, I think it may be the perfect introductory yak, very user friendly. Extremely stable, good tracking, w/large cockpit for easy entry-exit and comfort. These are outstanding rec boats.

The #1 feature of these Old Town yaks is the material they're made of, called PolyLink3. It's a 3-layer poly/foam sandwich, providing vastly superior hull integrity compared to single-layer poly, or any other material for that matter.

It's much stiffer (no oil canning!), and it's also unsinkable due to the foam buoyancy factor. There's no free lunch, the price is weight. But, these boats are as indestructible as they come, I value them highly. From the worlds oldest canoe/kayak manufacturer (1895).

*Collectors Boats*

Photo Gallery-Info page

Ships that have passed in the night...

* There are many fine ships here, I wish I could have kept more of them. Alas, not enough storage space or $...

My Kayak Fleet

From the moment of my introduction to kayak touring, I was hooked. I am strongly attracted to the paddling experience, but equally to the boats themselves. Sleek and curvaceous, I perceive them as art, as pieces of sculpture. I also appreciate variety, so it was inevitable that a kayak collection would materialize. Over the years, I have sampled many yaks on the water, but I also just enjoy possessing and viewing them on terra firma. If I had the space, and my wife didn't object, I would probably have one in the living room, particularly one of the beautiful wooden ships. I don't think I could actually make myself paddle one of those, I'd cry with every scratch. But they definitely fall into the "sculpture" category.

I can't say that I have come across anyone else who shares this obsession, if you're out there get in touch and we can commiserate our particular brand of insanity.

So, here's a showcase of the yaks I have possessed, thus far. It's an ongoing process... The sweet spot for my purposes (mountain lakes) is the mid-size category (13-15 ft), although I have owned several "sea" kayaks and I certainly enjoy those as well. From my perspective, that category begins at 16 ft in length. Specs are, in most cases, as claimed by the manufacturer, which as we know, may or may not be entirely factual.