Paddle Fest Impressions

I would like to give a big Thanks  to all the guys that helped out with the Kayak Festival. It was nice to have so much knowledge and enthusiasm on the water and so many boats to paddle/peddle. Please post up your impressions of the boats, vendors, seminars .

I paddled 5 boats and here are my quick  impressions, keep in mind I only spent about 15 mins in each boat.

Santa Cruz Raptor SOT  I paddled the model with the surf to summit seat. Really a joy to paddle tracked like a much longer boat but very easy to turn, very stable, paddled into the wind as well as any boat I have paddled. Really a beautiful and well constructed boat. I’m a big guy and I like to camp once in a while so I didn’t feel that it had enough storage and it felt a little cramped up front, wasn’t really just felt like it. If this boat was a foot longer or I was 6" shorter Hmmmmmmmmm.

Wilderness  Ride 135 Low Seat.  No wind paddled great not fast but tracked OK, into the wind it tracked straight and kept its momentum. Downwind it paddled great, bow stayed on top and no wind cocking at all.  Cockpit set up well, this boat did everything well just a little slow.
 
Caribbean 14 a joy to paddle fastest boat I paddled, turns well , paddling against the wind was a breeze, didn’t catch the wind even when I got a little sideways. Don’t remember the seat but was very comfy. Cockpit set up well for accessories. Padding downwind the bow dug in a bit but still kept straight and didn’t lose any speed. When I lose a few lbs I will definitely be looking at this boat. Foot/legwells were a little tight, I would shorten the rails if I owned . Can pick up and carry with one hand a big plus.

Cuda 14 Super comfy seat well thought out cockpit, Paddled well turned well except when the wind ramped up. Downwind paddling was great stayed straight and up on top. I liked this boat a lot but it just felt a little heavy,

Old Towne Predator 13 thought I would like this boat the least but ended up loving it.  Paddled well with and against the wind tracked great, turned ok with the paddle but with a little lean it turned easily. Loved the cockpit layout and the open floor, mounting boards a big plus. Not sure but it looks like you could stuff a transom mount in the transducer scupper. Over all just felt  very comfortable in this boat. Seat was awesome, not a fast boat but I’m in no hurry. High sides made me think about self rescue but it’s so stable don’t think it would be an issue. Boat is so rigid it doesn’t feel like a poly boat.

Thanks Dan and Rob for being down on the water, answering all the questions and helping everyone with boats,paddles and PFDs.
I caught part of Bird's Seminar and  wow very professional, Scotty booth was awesome.

Thanks for the reviews. It was a good day helping out on and off the water.

Thanks for the great review Mike.

  Big Thanks Mickfish  for taking the time to demo paddle and write about it.       

  I left for home right after the event,  I'd just spent the two weeks  on the road, camping out of my truck. Was getting anxious to sleep in my own bed for a change.

   Caught this pic of PAL  putting the Raptor to the test...