NorCal Kayak Anglers
Kayak Zone => Kayaks => Other Kayaks => Topic started by: polepole on September 14, 2006, 08:53:17 AM
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Anyone have any experience with this boat?
(http://www.clcboats.com/images/sis4.jpg)
http://www.clcboats.com/boats/seaislandsport.php
I'm looking for a winter project and this looks appealing. CLS is going to be at the West Coast Sea Kayaking Symposium (Port Townsend, WA) this weekend, as will I, and hopefully they'll have one I can demo.
-Allen
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Craig / Kayakbuilder has something similar....I think.
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/bb/index.php?topic=4629.0
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Craig's is a different manufacturer ... JEM Watercraft (http://jemwatercraft.com/products.php?cat=10).
-Allen
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I love this quote:
The plastic sit-on-top designs are an accepted part of the scenery, functional but about as aesthetically pleasing as a dog toy.
Looks like a cool boat. I too am looking for a winter project, but think I am going to build a surf ski from an old mold thatlives in Elk...we'll see if it works!
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MBK is also going to have this boat demo'd on Thursday Sept 21.
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So I had a chance to give this boat a test at the West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium. This boat was only announced like 3 weeks ago. My first impression was "what beautiful lines". My second thought was "wow, what a light boat" as I drug it to the water. It seemed lighter than the 48 pounds they are quoting. I talked to John Harris, the President and CEO. He told me this boat was designed for speed. And it showed when I paddled it. Yes, it's a quick boat. BUT ... it was very, very hard to turn. In fact, it was almost like the boat was trying to stay on track when I was trying to turn it. It was very "sticky" if you know what I mean. There is no rudder option for the kit, but you can try to figure it out yourself and add one. The guys on shore said I looked a bit tippy on it, but I didn't feel like that at all. Perhaps they thought that because I was working so hard to turn the boat. I was even trying as best I could to lean/carve a turn, but there is only so much carving you can do with a SOT and no thigh straps. The other negative I saw was that the scupper holes were very small and few (one forward and one rear I think). Also, this boat was hull number 2. The leg room was cramped. I needed another 3". Good news though, their production model lengthened the leg room by 4". John said they were considering a shorter model made more in the style of what we'd like to see for fishing. I'm going to pass on the Sea Island Sport for a project and wait and see if they do a fishing yak.
I also talked to the Pygmy Boats guys (again!). Nothing going on there. Apparently John Lockwood (owner/designer) is off travelling in South American and communication has been spotty. No one has any ideas what sort of designs he is working on, IF he is even working on them. They don't even know when he'll be back. Long story short, don't expect anything anytime soon from them as they have long design cycles (up to 2 years I was told).
-Allen
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Oh ... in addition to the MBK demo Seabreeze mentioned, they'll also have a demo day at Lake Natoma.
Sacramento, CA Sept 20 - Wednesday 3pm - 7pm Nimbus Flats, Lake Natoma
Monterey Bay, CA Sept 21 - Thursday 2pm - 5pm Monterey Bay Kayaks
-Allen
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I was looking around and came across this ... http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/guillemot/SGSOT. The drawings looked familiar. So I went back to the CLC site. It turns out these are the same boat, with the designer being Nick Schade of Guillemot.
-Allen
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I'm way into building one of these kayaks. They're not only cool looking but sure seem to paddle well. I'm a bit on the tall side so will have to test paddle it myself. Hopefully that 4" added legroom will be enough. Will have a garage next year so that's on the list first.
PS. The interlocking wave shaped panels and cherry stain make this a really good looking ride! :sunny:
Z