New Year New Yak

Last November Kurt Renner West Coast Sales Rep for Current Design kayaks and Wenonah Canoes dropped off a prototype of Current Design’s newest kayak, The Altura…a sit on top with a composite hull, a mixture of kavlar…and fiberglass.

I received the Altura at about 7: 00 at night I was on the water the following morning by 6:00. Anxious to get on the water I’d done no rigging what so ever. I simply sat my fishing crate in the open well, strapped it down with the well straps provided, another standard from Current Design, and I was off.  By the time I paddled from the launch area out on to open water I was going at a pretty good clip. Without slowing down I extended my paddle out, leaned just a bit and did an extended brace. The results were… I did a complete reverse and was headed back toward the launch. On the way back to the launch I stood up and paddle back to the launch. I like to be able to stand in kayaks for a few reasons,
Last November Kurt Renner West Coast Sales Rep for Current Design kayaks and Wenonah Canoes dropped off a prototype of Current Design’s newest kayak, The Altura…a sit on top with a composite hull, a mixture of kavlar…and fiberglass.

I received the Altura at about 7: 00 at night I was on the water the following morning by 6:00. Anxious to get on the water I’d done no rigging what so ever. I simply sat my fishing crate in the open well, strapped it down with the well straps provided, another standard from Current Design, and I was off.  By the time I paddled from the launch area out on to open water I was going at a pretty good clip. Without slowing down I extended my paddle out, leaned just a bit and did an extended brace. The results were… I did a complete reverse and was headed back toward the launch. On the way back to the launch I stood up and paddle back to the launch. I like to be able to stand in kayaks for a few reasons,

1. It’s a good way to check out secondary as well as general stability of a craft, canoe or kayak.
2. I spend a lot of time on rivers, and I’ve found the best way to explore a new one is to pole up it (poling or simply standing does take some practice).
3. Sight fishing or just scouting for fish.

After a few more hours of paddling and trying different paddling strokes, sculling, reverse and others to get the feel of the Altura, I was in awe.  The Altura at 15 feet and 31 inches handled better than my favorite 16 feet and 28 inch wide plastic yak!
   [ Excerpt from the article “Heavenly Bodies or Hulls” from the next issue of  Kayakfisherman. Allow me to share the reason for my revelation. The combination of the materials Kevlar and fiberglass blended together create an extremely stiff hull on any craft.
When you paddle a polyethylene kayak over the water the body would flex, due of course to the flexibility of the plastic. Which is also the same reason you get oil canning.
When the kayak hull flexes it slows down not just your paddling speed but paddle response in general.
When you paddle a composite body kayak over the water, there is no flexing due to the density of Kevlar and fiberglass the materials that a composite body kayak is made of. In short a fifteen foot, thirty-one inch wide, composite bodied yak…can turn on a dime.]

I was delighted with the Prototype but I was told there would be some changes on the production model. I received the production model March 2, More on that plus photo’s part three. For here’s the spec’s

The Production Altura comes standard with a rudder.  Pricing will be established shortly. Between $1600 to $1700.

Spec’s:

<sum> 15’ x 31”
<sum> 56# with rudder
<sum> Rear well is recessed and fitted for “milk crate” and “5 gal bucket” foot prints and includes a scupper
<sum> Rear deck has been extended for a larger mounting surface
<sum> Center council has been extended 5” further aft (closer to the angler) offering additional mounting surface
<sum> Inside grab rails are longer for better grip and balance
<sum> Angler seat area is sculpted for comfort
     .Foot  wells are lowered and scuppered.

Wow! This kayak is a beauty!  When is it due to be on the market to test? Oilcanning is a real problem with plastic, and, after the surf zone class, I realized also how hard it is to gain any momentum when the time is right to catch that wave in for a landing.  OTH, this boat is more high maintenance because of the kevlar/fiberglass layup than plastic beaters.

Janice aka "Big J"

Do you have any photos of the underside of that boat?

Big J   After drilling holes with a hole saw for rigging the prototype, I took the round piece of material from the hole saw and put it down on concrete and banged on it with a hammer the only effect was hairline cracks in the  finish.   The only maintenance I can see doing is cosmetic.
sacyak  When I get the production model rigged, I'll post more photo's, including the bottom

  what a beauty! When can I test paddle one? 

As soon as we're on the same water same time.

Looks really nice.

There is a product called keel ezy that you can apply to the bottom of your composite boat that will take 90% of the abuse from running stuff over and dragging up the shore. I use it on all my composite boats and it gives you a lot more time between gel coat repairs.