Ocean Kayak Torque - review

[Mooch]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PNU2fhJFJ8

Scallen,speedracer and da mooch had the privilege of demoing the new OK Torque (we were invited to a vendor only paddle demo at Pollock Pines / Jenkinson Lake for a couple of days) and got see and learn more about the up coming products from Johnson Outdoors.


I was actually more interested in demoing the OK Nalu paddle board but unfortunately, it was not yet available
* Note on the Nalu....why not put a viewing window (like da OK Peekaboo) so you can paddle and see what's directly below you   Some dry hatches for storage would be nice too.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YgT4RACefw

Anyway, here's my 2 cents on the Torque....

NOT FOR ME. As most of you already know, I LOVE TO PADDLE. I got into kayak fishing to get the excercise (same reason why I LOVE da SUP). I spent about half an hour on the Torque but it just got boring after a while.

And if I had to make changes to the design:

*The lever control that is positioned right in front of your crotch should be moved to either side of the yak - it just seems more comfortable that way.

*If someone were to take this out in the ocean, I'd make the motor a little easier to get to - so you can remove and stow it in case you had to do an emergency beach landing.

note: I did not get to test it out in the ocean AND I did not get the chance to do a self rescue (and flip over the yak completely) so I can't really comment on these issues. (but I can imagine it to be a little tougher to upright the yak with all the gizmos)

*I would put a visible battery life indicator JUST to make sure I have enough juice to make it back.

note: I did not get to paddle the craft with the motor turned off - so I can't comment on how well it paddles with or without the motor or without having any juice left in the motor...

Is the Torque for everyone? Obviously "NO" but to someone with limited capabilities or for someone who wants the best of both worlds.....perhaps. DEMO IT IF YOU GET A CHANCE. I'd love to hear your feed back.

I'm looking forward to hearing what scallen and speedracer have to say......

PICS TO FOLLOW.....

[Ariel Sea]

Wow the perfect yak for lazy bastards.

Kayaks are all about excercise. The Torque is definitely not for me.

[Metalhead]

The perfect yak for people that love to do it but have some physical disabilities.

[Tote]

Wow the perfect yak for lazy bastards.
Kayaks are all about excercise.

Believe it or not there are a lot of disabled people who love to get out on the water.
Check this out:  http://www.disabledadventurers.com/
Total props to these guys and gals.
Quite a few lack the ability to paddle the way most of us know how.
This could be a great venue for some of them to enjoy time OTW.
Ths kayak is not for me....at least at this juncture in my life, but one never know what the future holds.
I would rather it be available than not.

[ravensblack]

My first take was,"what has OC done now?" Then as I watched the vid I did realise that a lot of people would like this boat who have trouble paddling. When and if we ever have a salmon season again renting one of these for the day to see how well it fishes would be pretty cool and the thought of holding over structure in windy conditions is a thought also. Without peddling of course. I wll leave that to Lance.

[MBYakker]

It's definitely a pretty cool design but I see the inability to remove the motor OTW a major problem.  If you run out of juice that means you have to paddle back with the motor still in place.  Beach landings, emergency or otherwise, would be a problem.  I don't see why I would go for this over a small zodiac or aluminum that I could car top and hand launch. 

It's still a cool design and the best motorized yak design I've seen so far.  I'm curious to see how much it sells for as well as how long the battery lasts.

[ravensblack]

Why does everyone so far think you cant just turn around in your kayak and remove the drive unit? It looks to be pretty simple to meto kick your legs off to the side and have realitvely easy access to the drive unit.Then install the plug.

[Mooch]

Why does everyone so far think you cant just turn around in your kayak and remove the drive unit? It looks to be pretty simple to meto kick your legs off to the side and have realitvely easy access to the drive unit.Then install the plug.

maybe for some one who has long arms. my co-worker at 5'11" had a hard time doing it....must be even harder to do if the swell is kicking you all over the place.

On the water, you'll definitely need assistance.

[Abking]

That's pretty cool.  It's not for me either, but it might be at some point...  For now, I can paddle my X at 5 MPH.   

[scallen]

I tried the Torque this week also.  It was fun. Kids loved it of course.   Doesn't go real fast. They say 5 knots, but I thnk maybe 4 top speed, maybe 5..... Cool to do "S" turns and big circles.

I think it's a great idea and well-put together.  I also see it as a sort of novelty and agree it's highest use would be for those who really want to kayak fish but have a disability.

Motor housing takes on water and has a drain plug, but it takes on water.  maybe should have filled that void with foam  (motor floats so you don't lose it overboard)

Jamming it in reverse while moving forward results in the prop hittting the underside of the boat.  Slow down and stop and ease into reverse.

Of course, no fish caught in the Torque would be eligable in a derby or in AOTY.....

Still more portable than a small skiff or zodiac, but far less power and legs than either.

Like Mooch, I 'm of the mind that paddling is an integral part of kayak fishing.  I might use the torque a few times in th ocean to see what it's like and demo it.

I will probably have one by the end of summer for demo if people want to try it.

I agree a battery indicator is necessary.  I think I could take the motor out and replace it with the isert on the water, no problem.

Control on the side?  50/50 on that one, it's ok directly in front, once I set it I didn't have to muck with it really.

I paddled it with the motor in but OFF, and it was fine, a little slower than a regular T13, but not that much.

I even trolled for a while in the boat, on looooow power with a paddle assist, thinking about extending the battery life.

With the motor and battery installed this thing is heavy, like 90 pounds or maybe 100.

Good for meat fishing because it can extend your range.  Paddle out, fish, and motor back in, or paddle assist, you could go miles from your launch point.  Don't go any further than you are able to paddle back in, though.  Electrics always go on the fritz at some point.

My 2 ¢

Allen

ps I believe the price point is somewhere below 2000.

[ChuckE]

The OK Torque looks like fun... but like Mooch, I'm personally more intrigued by the Nalu SUP.

Looks like more kayak manufacturers are jumping on the electric motor bandwagon.  Ocean Kayak has the Torque, Native Watercraft has the Mariner 12.5 Volt, and Hobie has the Torqueedo.

No matter how you like to move on the water, it's nice to have options!

[Lost Mojo]

Now that kayaking has become mainstream, I am looking at making a jump to the next big fishing revolution.

http://www.keywestfloats.com/specs.html

 

-Brian G

[ravensblack]

A whole new meaning to kite fishing. Thanks Brian. When are we leaving for Fla. I fly you fish

[MBYakker]

Why does everyone so far think you cant just turn around in your kayak and remove the drive unit? It looks to be pretty simple to meto kick your legs off to the side and have realitvely easy access to the drive unit.Then install the plug.

If I didn't have anything in my tankwell on top of it then I probably could get it out OTW . . .but the whole reason it fits in flush, it seems to me, is so you can still load the tankwell.  No way would I want to deal with getting to the motor if my milkcrate was on top of it.

[ravensblack]

Well then you guys that demoed it obviously were there and could really get your hands on it. I am just observing from my desk. The question went out  about not being able to remove it for a surf landing. So I would guess then and its just a guess , that you couldnt launch with it either. No dragging the boat up the beach with the drive unit in. So I am presuming that you can only launch from a pier or by standing in the water at minimum knee deep. So I wouldnt pile all my stuff on top if I even had the slightest inclination of removing the drive unit on the water. If I can catch and land a sturgeon on my kayak over 5ft long I think its safe to say I can get the drive unit out of the boat on the water. Mooch or Scallen, can you bring one up to Albion for demo purposes? Will any of you who are OC dealers have one for demo in the future? Thanks, Craig