It may not be purely chance that Liquidlogic’s highly anticipated, latest playboat is this year’s only fresh freestyle design. Chalk it up to clever marketing, a keen sense of timing, a fresh remix of winning ingredients, or all three, but this time Liquidlogic has pulled from their ovens a sweet playboat—the Liquidlogic Biscuit kayak.
Liquidlogic Biscuit Specs
(45 / 55 / 65)
Length: 5’11” / 6’1” / 6’3”
Width: 24” / 25” / 26”
Volume: 45 / 55 / 65 U.S. gal
Weight: 30 / 32 / 34 lbs
Weight Range: 100-160 / 140-200 / 180-240 lbs
MSRP:$1,049 USD or $1,149 CAD
[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all Liquidlogic kayaks ]
Liquidlogic’s Biscuit is a return to form
While other boat companies rest on one, two and three-year-old freestyle hits, pinching development pennies and waiting out this year’s economic slowdown, Liquidlogic has seized a perfect comeback opportunity. With a string of forgettable designs stretching back six years—culminating most recently in the coolly received Ronin—the Biscuit needed to make a big splash.
Spinnier, bumpier, and slicier
Borrowing hull design and rocker profile elements from Liquidlogic’s much loved and not forgotten 2003 Space Cadet series, the Biscuit embodies all the best attributes of these classic boats while adding cleaner edges and armchair comfort. Designer Shane Benedict says the key features of the Liquidlogic Biscuit is a larger spin surface, the distinctive “bumper” (more on that in a moment) and slicier, broadened ends.
While Benedict’s previous freestyle designs relied on a spin disc—a very distinct planing surface on which the hull spins—the Biscuit’s planing area is larger and less defined. A larger planing surface means the hull slips and spins down a wave face like butter in a hot frying pan, but Benedict cautions, “The problem with adding a ton of spin surface is that you can start to make the boat boxy feeling [because it gets too wide] or twitchy [because designers can’t use much flare on a super-wide hull, and flare is what typically provides secondary stability]— that’s where the bumper comes in.”
The bumper is likely the first thing you’ll notice about the Liquidlogic Biscuit—it’s quite unique. A modest bulge that wraps all the way around the trim, little boat’s waterline, Benedict says the bumper allows for a synergy of two disparate traits: a super loose hull and a forgiving ride. While the generous planning surface maximizes looseness, the bumper’s extra width creates space for a second chine to temper the transition between hard carving edge and sidewall, producing a more forgiving ride. Above the bumper, the sidewalls squeeze back together so the paddler’s legs are in a more upright and comfortable position.
Like the Space Cadet, the Biscuit flies above a wave with the same alacrity it shows for spinning down the face. As eagerly airborne as the Frisbee dog it was named after (yes, Benedict named the boat after his hyper-energetic mutt), the Biscuit jumps huge and lands on its feet. The boat’s lazy acceleration on edge is not really an issue as it can be thrown from pretty much anywhere without carving.
Feature Photo: Scott MacGregor
Playing with the Liquidlogic Biscuit around the Ottawa, we’d say it’s best suited to ambitious intermediate paddlers looking to amp up their game—especially their aerial tricks—on smaller and mid-size waves. Get it on anything bigger like Buseater and it takes time to learn how to harness the flighty Biscuit. It responds best when paddled aggressively—let out too much leash and you’ll be hanging on for dear life.
If Benedict’s design sword wasn’t at its sharpest with the Ronin, his latest creation, the Liquidlogic Biscuit, is cutting edge. If that is not enough, one look at the plush Liquidlogic Bad Ass wall-to-wall carpet outfitting and fully foamed foot box—or Cone of Comfort—and you’ll be convinced that it’s finally time to trade up your six-year-old Space Cadet.
The Floodwood Pond Loop is an excellent backcountry trip for folks just breaking into the sport of canoe tripping or for seasoned paddlers looking to visit the North Adirondack area. The route is run almost entirely on state land, allowing for minimal development along the way—truly offering a wilderness experience. Additionally, more than 75% of the trip is paddled through creeks and ponds that do not permit motors.
With excellent backcountry camping along the whole route, it’s easy to forget your daily responsibilities and to leave the city-life behind. All camping on the route is free-to-use and first-come-first-serve. Additionally, for parties of 8 or less, no permits or pre-registrations are required.
[ Plan your next canoe tripping adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]
Adirondack canoe trips: Floodwood Pond Loop
Floodwood Pond Loop is located in the Northern Adirondacks in Upstate NY, consisting on the following bodies of water: Floodwood Pond, Fish Creek, Little Square Pond, Fish Creek Ponds, Follensby Clear Pond, Polliwog Pond, Hoel Pond, Turtle Pond, Slang Pond and Long Pond.
Travel to the North Adirondack area
By car, the closest sizeable village is Saranac Lake, NY. Put-in is at state canoe launch on Floodwood Pond near St. Regis Canoe Outfitters’ Floodwood Outpost. Floodwood Pond is located in Lake Clear, NY about 30 minutes from downtown Saranac Lake.
Those arriving from further afield can fly into Adirondack Regional Airport (SLK), Lake Clear, NY.
Accommodations for Adirondack canoe trips
Most people take 2-4 days to complete the route. All camping along the route is free-to-use and first-come-first-serve. Any camper/party is permitted a maximum of 3 consecutive nights per site. Sites on Turtle, Slang, and Long Ponds are limited to a maximum of 8 people per party. Sites from Floodwood Pond through Hoel Pond allow a maximum of 12 per party, but a free permit from the Forest Ranger is required for any party larger than 9. It is strongly urged to contact a local outfitter for all the necessary permits and regulations a party must follow for the area.
Several motels, hotels, and B&B’s can be found in the Village of Saranac Lake (about 30 minutes from put-in/take-out) and in the village of Lake Placid (about 45 minutes from put-in/take-out). A semi-complete list of those lodgings can be found at the St. Regis Canoe Outfitters website. The closest hotel/B&B is Sunday Pond Bed & Breakfast in Lake Clear, NY (about 15 minutes from launch point).
There are approximately 16 drive-up primitive campsites along Floodwood Rd. (the road used to get to the put-in) that are all free-to-use and first-come-first-serve. Same rules apply to these campsites that apply to the ones from Floodwood Pond through Hoel Pond. Camping at any of these sites makes for an easy early morning put-in or an easy place to stay before a drive back home.
Guidance on gear for the Floodwood Pond Loop
All gear and boats can be rented from St. Regis Canoe Outfitters, located conveniently at the put-in/take-out. SRCO specializes in lightweight Kevlar canoes and kayaks as well as durable Royalex canoes and poly-rotomold kayaks. SRCO stocks the finest line of camping gear both for rent and purchase. SRCO also carries a full line of freeze dried meals and trail snacks. Full outfitting packages (including food) are available through SRCO or one can rent gear and boats by the piece.
[ See the largest selection of canoes and kayaks in the Paddling Buyer’s Guide ]
Reservations for gear and boats should be made in advance if possible. SRCO can transport individuals, parties, and gear anywhere in the area to and from the put-in/take-out.
From the Village of Saranac Lake, follow State Rt. 86 north; make a left onto Rt. 186 at blinking yellow light. Rt. 186 turns into State Rt. 30. Follow Rt. 30 past golf course, Floodwood Rd. will be immediately after golf course on right. Bear left at the mailboxes on Floodwood Rd. and drive until you reach St. Regis Canoe Outfitters’ Floodwood Outpost. Put-in is at the state canoe launch on Floodwood Pond. The launch is 4.1 miles down Floodwood Rd. from State Rt. 30. Parking area and SRCO’s Floodwood Outpost are located about 100 yards from the put-in on Floodwood Pond; parking is free. Floodwood Rd. is 12.4 miles from downtown Saranac Lake. The put-in on Floodwood Pond is located 16.5 miles from downtown Saranac Lake.
Floodwood Rd. is a graded multi-use gravel road. Expect to meet bird watchers, campers, bicyclists, and families walking in the road.
Feature Photo: St. Regis Canoe Outfitters
Your route around the Floodwood Pond Loop
The Floodwood Pond Loop is run in a counter-clockwise direction and includes small ponds and narrow creeks. The route is all flatwater paddling. There are 5 portages total, the longest are 0.75 mile and 0.5 mile. All other portages are under 0.25 mile.
The route begins on Floodwood Pond at the state launch, about 100 yards from the parking area. From Floodwood Pond one enters the mouth of Fish Creek. Paddling down Fish Creek one arrives in Little Square Pond. After a short paddle across Little Square Pond one enters back into Fish Creek which flows into Fish Creek Ponds. On Fish Creek Ponds are state campgrounds. Motor boats are permitted on these ponds but the campgrounds offer toilets and running water.
From Fish Creek Ponds one paddles up Spider Creek into Follensby Clear Pond. On the northern end of Follensby Clear Pond is the first portage of the trip to Polliwog Pond. After a short paddle on Polliwog Pond parties encounter their next portage. This 0.5 mile portage to Hoel Pond does cross Floodwood Rd. and caution should be exercised. From Hoel Pond one paddles across to their next portage.
A short carry up and over a defunct railroad will lead paddlers into Turtle Pond and the St. Regis Canoe Area. Crossing Turtle Pond brings parties to Slang Pond which is connected by a very short, shallow creek. From Slang, paddlers have a flat 0.25 mile portage to Long Pond. From Long Pond, paddlers find their final portage of the trip. The 0.75 mile, fairly hilly, portage leads parties back to their cars.
Why go canoe tripping in the Adirondacks?
With several other smaller ponds surrounding the route, and most of them being only a short portage away, there are numerous chances for exploration, different fishing opportunities, or places to relax and swim. Long Pond Mountain on Long Pond, with a trailhead accessible by canoe or kayak only, is a highly recommended side hike along the route. From the mostly bald summit one can see almost the entire area that they have paddled and many other mountains and bodies of water in the area. There are several other flat side hikes along the route as well. Numerous sandy shorelines and islands make for perfect lunch and swim spots along the whole trip. Additionally, be sure to keep one’s eyes open as moose, bear, many species of birds, including bald eagles, fishers, beavers, otters, deer, and several other smaller critters all frequent the area they like to call home.
Black fly season is from mid-May to mid-June in the Adirondacks. Strong bug spray is a must and head nets are recommended at this time of year. It is not uncommon for the temperatures to dip into the 40s or lower at night in the Adirondacks, even during July and August. Be prepared with plenty of layers and a warm sleeping bag. Make sure all food is properly stored with a bear barrel or a proper bear hang.
Small plastic kayaks used to fall into the category of “first boats” and were considered a stepping-stone to the ownership of a “real” sea kayak. These boats were designed to be stable and comfortable with beginners in mind, but they would also fit the needs of more advanced paddlers if only they offered the performance features of the larger expedition kayaks. Manufacturers are finally catching on to this dynamic, and one good solution is the new Current Designs Squamish, a small plastic kayak that is a real paddlers’ boat.
Current Designs Squamish Specs
Length: 15’8”
Width: 23”
Depth: 13.5”
Cockpit: 29” × 16”
Volume: 67 U.S. gal
Front Hatch:
9” diameter, 14.5 U.S. gal
Rear Hatch:
16.5” × 11”, 14.5 U.S. gal
Weight: 55 lbs
MSRP:$1,549 CAD
Current Designs’ Squamish is more than a great first boat
Current Designs has blended the concepts of North America and Britain into the development of the Squamish. The soft-chine, V-hull design typical of CD’s classic Solstice line usually comes with an external rudder system. Instead, CD equipped the Squamish with a retractable skeg more common on hard-chine British designs. The resulting combination is the superior initial stability of a soft-chine hull plus the secure feel you get from rigid foot pedals of a rudderless boat. Now paddlers who wouldn’t necessarily tilt and engage a hard chine can still have the simplicity of a skeg and the low-profile stern deck of British boats.
The Current Designs Squamish is trimmed with full deck riggings, recessed deck fittings and a bowline. You might want to modify the carrying handles or else get used to the sound of them banging around. On most CD boats the handles sit back from the ends of the boat and rest on the deck, but the toggles on the Squamish are attached to the ends of the boat so they can swing down and whack the hull with every wave.
The plastic lid over the front hatch deflects waves, protects the 8” round rubber hatch-cover from UV rays, and gives clean lines to the low-profile bow deck. The Kajak Sport rubber hatch-covers are roped on and a bungee locks them in place. The rear hatch has a larger opening that accommodates awkward items. To fully use the shallow 55-litre stern compartment you have to stuff evenly around the internal skeg box.
[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all kayaks with skegs ]
Our only other peeve was that when we were playing in the surf the stern hatch on our Squamish seeped some water, nothing major but enough to pool slightly at the bulkhead. We admit these are petty gripes when you consider that the Current Designs Squamish is such a reasonably priced boat or, as the CD marketing folks put it, “abundantly affordable relative to quality.”
Perfectly sized for petite paddlers
The Squamish is ultimately set apart by its geometry. The shallow cockpit, narrow seat, low thigh braces and low-profile bow deck are great for small to medium-sized paddlers. Petite paddlers used to sinking into deeper boats can enjoy feeling like they’re not peering through the steering wheel of a ‘78 Fleetwood Cadillac. The smaller-boats-for-smaller-paddlers theory only breaks down when you start packing for an expedition. The Current Designs Squamish is an ideal day or overnight tripper and could join on longer trips but expect to share some of your load.
Cruise in comfort with the Current Designs Squamish
The Current Designs Squamish is a great first boat, but don’t peg it in the beginner-boat category. If you’re a small person it might be the first boat that fits you. And for day trips it might be the first boat you choose while your “real” sea kayak sits in the garage waiting for a longer trip.
This article was first published in the Winter 2003 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.
Pro kayaker and personal trainer Heather Herbeck is here to help you improve your fitness and get the most out of the upcoming paddling season. Jumpstart your off-season kayak training with this exercise plan designed to improve your paddling strength and endurance.
Muscular Strength is the amount of resistance your muscle can take in a single contraction. Muscular strength is important for taking on sudden, external forces while kayaking and maintaining proper and safe body mechanics. It helps you go where you want to go when paddling challenging lines through rapids and it’s needed for carrying your kayak, putting your kayak on top of a vehicle and putting on your sprayskirt.
Muscular Endurance is the ability of a muscle or group of muscles, to work continuously for a long time without tiring. This is important for improving posture and alignment, thus decreasing the likelihood of acute or chronic injury.
Goal: Build muscular strength and endurance with exercises specific to paddling.
Time: January and February (8 weeks)
Frequency: Three times a week on land and 1-2 times a week on water
Duration: 3-5 sets of 6-10 reps for strength; 3-5 sets of 12-15 reps for endurance.
Training exercises for kayaking strength
Start your full year of kayak fitness training by focusing on these basic exercises. These exercises for kayaking strength are demonstrated in the video below:
Kettlebell swings, swinging kettlebell high and also keeping it low with more weight
Overhead press
Cleans
Goblet squats
Pull-ups
Cable rows
Push-ups
Remember to focus on technique. With strength training, you need to move with purpose—execute slow and controlled movements and work each exercise at a weight that causes fatigue at the end of the set.
When the main paddling season wraps up, go back to the basics: general endurance and strength training. Cross-training with other activities will work on stability, mobility and flexibility. This time should also be used to rest overused areas of the body and work on healing any injuries.
Continue cross-training for overall fitness. Emphasize strength-building activities.
Note: Use caution with these exercises
A good base of muscular strength and endurance is encouraged before jumping right into these exercises. If you don’t have that base yet, start these exercises very slowly and spend some time working to perfect form. This type of training is not for everyone—we are all unique. This is just a general program.
Heather Herbeck has a B.Sc. in Exercise Science and is a pro kayaker, Certified Personal Trainer and Level 1 Crossfit Trainer with over 15 years experience. Check out her website at Fitness and Sport Evolution for more.
Few paddlers are capable of what marathon canoe racers do every other weekend—keeping pace through a 1,000-mile course, enduring both grinding monotony and gruelling pain and winning sprint finishes to end 15-hour races. We wanted to know how they do it, so we three experts to share their marathon canoe racing techniques. Meet the canoe racers who have proven to be the toughest of the tough.
Bragging rights: Three-time winner of La Classique de Canots de la Mauricie, the Triple Crown event starting in La Tuque, Quebec, and finishing in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.
Marathon canoe racing techniques
Is it better to lead or follow?
“Riding another boat’s wash can be nice for a time, but I always prefer to be leading at the finish.” – Lynne Witte
“I prefer to give the competition a good view of my back right after the start. In a stage race, if I have the lead after the first day then I might draft behind the second-place canoe.” – Rod Price
“Being part of the pack can be more fun than having a big lead, but if you have a good lead you can set your own pace, which is a great advantage in a long race. Of course, knowing that others won’t catch up is also fun.” – Steve Lajoie
[ See the widest selection of canoes in the Paddling Buyer’s Guide ]
What is your training regimen?
“During the spring, I’m paddling five days a week with two-hour weekday sessions and four- or five-hour weekend sessions. During the racing season, I’m out five to six days a week, including two three- to four-hour sessions, some six hour workouts for marathon training and weekday interval training. I also bike and run in the summer with my dogs and cross country ski and dog sled in the winter.” – Lynne Witte
“Living in Florida, I train on the water all year. Three to four paddling workouts a week. Weekday sessions are between one and a half to three hours, weekend sessions can be 12 hours if a big race is coming up.” – Rod Price
“During the summer, I paddle five to six times a week and run five kilometers four times a week. During the winter, I cross-country ski four times a week. In all, I train from 12 to 20 hours a week.” – Steve Lajoie
Feature photo is used under Creative Commons license. | Feature Photo: flickr.com/paddling
How do you stay motivated?
“I set goals for each race. If I’m flagging, I focus on the time or placing I’ve set for myself.” – Lynne Witte
“I focus on the competition and assume they are struggling too. Sometimes you only need to be stronger than your competition for a few minutes at a key moment in a race.” – Rod Price
“I keep things simple by focusing on the moment at hand, and not what’s to come. What is to come in long races could make anyone lose motivation.” – Steve Lajoie
“There is only one remedy: to eat. The best foods are basic. For longe races, it’s potatoes, cheese and chicken. For shorter races, its grapes and watermelon.” – Lynne Witte
“I view my body as an engine. If I am fatigued, I need more fuel, so I’ll increase my energy intake. I like to drink Perpetuem by Hammer Nutrition. I also eat a lot of bananas and a variety of snack bars.” – Rod Price
“I stay quiet and focus on my technique, especially the catch. The catch is the most important part of the stroke. You have to be strong in the beginning of the stroke and then smooth it out. I also try to avoid bonking before it happens by eating and drinking. I drink about one liter every hour, switching between water and Powerade. The best foods are fruit, PowerBars and Hammer Gels.” – Steve Lajoie
How can aspiring marathon canoe racers improve their own racing technique?
“Get your own C1 and find a local group to spend time with experienced paddlers. Paddlers like to help each other.” – Lynne Witte
“Jump in! Remember that even a disappointing result makes you stronger.” – Rod Price
“Be prepared for a long haul. It takes many years to get good.” – Steve Lajoie
[ Plan your next canoe racing adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]
If you’re like me, you’ve got a favorite hoodie and pairs of pants and shoes that you never want to let go of. Sure, there may be newer versions out there, new colors or options that fit better, but they just can’t replace your favorite. This is my relationship with the original Dagger Nomad kayak, so I approached the new 2016 Dagger Nomad with some caution. Now I have both boats in my shed, side by side.
Dagger Nomad 2016 Specs (8.2 / 8.6 / 9.0)
Length: 8’3” / 8’6” / 9’0”
Width: 25.5” / 26” / 26.75”
Depth: 13” / 14.5” / 15.25”
Cockpit: 34” × 19” / 34” × 19” / 34” × 19”
Weight: 44 / 48 / 51 lbs
Dagger’s Nomad is a beloved creek boat
I’ve spent more time in the original Dagger Nomad than any other creeker. We’ve been through big water, tight creeks, big slides and big drops together, so when I heard about the release of the new Dagger Nomad, I was a bit skeptical. When given the choice between old and new models, which one will end up on top of my car the next time I head to the river?
The Nomad had been in the Dagger lineup for 10 years when they decided it could use an update. I talked to designer Mark “Snowy” Robertson at Outdoor Retailer in 2015 and asked if they were concerned about making too many changes to the original. “We want to bring in new features that add speed but keep the maneuverability,” he said, while ensuring that it would be described just like the original: predictable and confidence inspiring. Check and check.
The 2016 Nomad bulks up with new large size
One of the most exciting changes is that the Dagger Nomad now comes in three sizes instead of just two. Even at 185 pounds, I love the new, larger size, especially when I’m loaded with expedition gear. With more volume and a bit more bow rocker it rides up and over waves, skips over holes and stays on top of the water. I can pack more of and dry over all but the heartiest whitewater.
The original Dagger Nomad was suited for speeding around the river and holding a line well, in contrast to some of the slower, spin-on-a-dime creekers on the market. With a bit more length and a slightly flatter stern, the new Nomad moves even quicker once it’s up to speed. With a bit more boat around me it does take an extra stroke or two to get it cruising, amounting to even more power for punching through holes and crossing squirrely eddylines with authority.
NEW AND IMPROVED.| PHOTO: DAVID JACKSON
Like the original Dagger Nomad, I find the primary and secondary stability to be almost equal. I’m just as comfortable keeping the boat flat as I am on edge and can do either with confidence. It took me a few eddy turns to sort out how the new Nomad carves. When I aggressively lean forward, the stern spins out quickly—a surprise if you’re expecting to carve deep into the eddy. With my body neutral and my draw stroke a bit further behind my hip, the boat carves a sharp line, meaning I can spin into tiny micro eddies better than I could in the old Nomad, and glide deep across eddylines.
The outfitting and safety of this boat are top notch. As Snowy points out, “a well-fitted boat is a safer boat.” The Contour Ergo outfitting features a wide, high-fitting, ratchet-controlled backband, easy-to-adjust hip pads with a neat clip lock system that makes it easy to add or remove foam shims, and a beefy rotomolded seat to give the cockpit area even more structure.
I love Dagger’s ratcheting leg lifter; it lets me easily push under my legs to keep my knees and thighs locked in place, allowing me to paddle comfortably in a forward, aggressive position.
The Contour Adjustable Bulkhead system is a great safety addition that ensures no large foot-entrapping gaps exist between the hull and foot brace. A safety step-out wall to help get out of a pin also makes a comfortable handle when shouldering your boat, an anchored-in stern pillar prevents it from shifting, and an extra safety handle just in front of the cockpit round out some of the other major improvements on the new Dagger Nomad.
Get to know the new 2016 Dagger Nomad
It’s time for me to say goodbye to an old friend—the 2016 Dagger Nomad is an even better ride. Best of all, it feels like I’ve been in this boat before, but it’s even better now.
Video of the new Dagger Nomad from the 2015 Outdoor Retailer Show:
This article originally appeared in Rapid Early Summer 2016 issue.
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THE MIRAGE REVOLUTION 13
By Hobie Kayaksbody | Feature Photo: Vince Paquot
I dream about penguins and hippos. And kayaking. When I awake, I wonder if the visions were an unconscious attempt to make sense of the uniquely equipped boat I had strapped to my roof rack the previous evening—the Hobie Mirage Revolution 13 kayak.
[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See the Hobie Mirage Revolution 13 kayak ]
Pick how to paddle with the Revolution 13
The popular do-it-all model in the Mirage sit-on-top line, the Revolution 13 can be propelled with either paddle or pedals thanks to Hobie’s ingenious MirageDrive. Taking engineering cues from the graceful underwater flight of penguins, the MirageDrive’s flexible hydrofoil fins scissor the water with each leisurely push of the pedals, propelling the kayak at cruising speeds matching those of a sprinting paddler.
Using your legs has other advantages as well: think less effort, Jillian Michaels quads, and leaving your hands free to photograph, cast or snack. It’s also a great option for paddlers who suffer from upper body or back strain—switch from paddle to pedals to use an entirely different muscle group while giving your back a break.
[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all Hobie kayaks ]
The Hobie Revolution 13 is a pleasure to pedal
Being a pedal boat neophyte, I worried about maneuvering while pedaling and steering with the small hand lever that controls the Revolution’s rudder. The lake still looked distinctly Antarctic (remember the longest winter ever?), and I hoped to steer my polyethylene penguin well clear of the ice shelves. I needn’t have fretted. While the hand-operated rudder and Hobie’s lean-back-and-put-your-feet-up pedal position went against every grain of my paddler’s intuition, it’s an undeniably comfortable, efficient and even addictive way to chew the miles.
At 83 pounds fully rigged, the Revolution is something of a hippo to maneuver on land (ask a friend to help carry or, better yet, get Hobie’s handy kayak cart), but on the water the MirageDrive literally gives this kayak wings. With the fins and rudder deployed, the Revolution dances across the water, pirouetting in tight circles and flying through wind chop.
Curious as to the Revolution’s aptitude for longer tours, I packed the eight-inch round stern and center hatches and cavernous bow hatch with enough kit for a weekend escape. The added weight barely registered. Even fully loaded, it responded promptly to rudder inputs or paddle strokes, and swiftly accelerated to cruising speed with just a few kicks of the pedals.
Excellent primary stability and a spacious on-deck cargo area make the Revolution 13 an ideal platform for kayak anglers or furry companions. Aspiring sailors can drop Hobie’s optional downwind sail kit into an inconspicuous footing near the bow, free from the unnerving sketchiness that accompanies attempts to harness the wind in less forgiving craft.
THE MIRAGE REVOLUTION 13 By Hobie Kayaksbody | Feature Photo: Vince Paquot
When it comes to rough water performance, the MirageDrive fins further increase stability, much like the daggerboard on a sailboat. If you do manage to capsize or fall overboard, self-rescue is as simple as scrambling back onto your seat and watching the floodwaters drain through the scupper holes. One addition we’d like to see is full perimeter lines to increase the number of grab holds, in the water and on land.
Perhaps the inspiration for Hobie’s clever engineering solutions came to their designers in their dreams—it worked for Thomas Edison, after all. Despite my grasping, my own recent hypnagogic revelation probably says less about the attributes of the Revolution 13 than it does my expanding paddling proclivities. The image of disparate species sharing their waters represents an unlikely admission from a diehard paddler: there’s room in my kayak for pedals
Penguin Power
MirageDrive fins propel the Revolution forward with each pedal push, and fold flush to the hull for skimming over shallows. There’s no reverse gear—grab your paddle to back up.
Stow or Go
Use the rudder when pedaling to avoid traveling in circles. When retracted for paddling or transport, the rudder twists flat against the deck. Now that’s smart.
Lumbar Lovin’
Hobie’s high-back padded seat features an inflatable lumbar support for all-day comfort. Rudder controls, center hatch, pedal adjustments and dual fishing rod holders are within easy reach.
This article first appeared in the Early Summer 2014 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine and get 25 years of digital magazine archives including our legacy titles: Rapid, Adventure Kayak and Canoeroots.
When it comes to classic British sea kayaks, few designs are more familiar than the NDK Explorer and Romany. In 2010, Nigel Dennis Kayaks released the Pilgrim Expedition, along with a smaller sister named Pilgrim, that promises to be just as popular. Built for the petite paddler looking for a capable cruiser with a playful streak, the Pilgrim Expedition already holds the female record for paddling around Ireland and Anglesey.
[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See the Nigel Dennis Kayaks Pilgrim Expedition ]
NDK’s Pilgrim Expedition is sized for smaller paddlers
NDK founder and designer Nigel Dennis says the Pilgrims allow lighter paddlers to “keep the full waterline engaged for expedition speeds even while day paddling.” To this end, both Pilgrims feature a slim 20-inch beam and 12-inch foredeck depth, with the Pilgrim Expedition adding 15 inches in length for increased carrying capacity.
While the Pilgrims’ long, slender lines are certainly eye-catching, the most distinctive feature is the knee bumps. Low decks reduce weathercocking and eliminate unnecessary volume around the paddler’s legs, but they also create comfort and fit limitations. NDK solved this problem by molding whitewater kayak-inspired knee pockets into the deck.
Your knees will thank you
At 5’6”, I found the knee bumps on the Pilgrim Expedition perfectly situated. Combined with the low deck and small keyhole cockpit they provide locked-in responsiveness for edging, bracing and rolling that’s akin to form-fitting Greenland-style kayaks. Getting knocked about after a capsize in rough water, I felt none of the dreaded knee slip all too common for smaller paddlers.
Paddling through breaking waves and strong currents, the Pilgrim Expedition inspires confidence. The hull is a very shallow V, resulting in surprisingly high initial stability for its narrow beam. Secondary stability is even better—you can bury the coaming without needing so much as a low brace.
Heading into a heavy wind chop, the Pilgrim Expedition is mercifully dry and carries speed well whether empty or loaded to travel. The upswept bow’s fine entry flares voluptuously into the hull, adeptly piercing waves and then deflecting them away from the paddler’s face. The flush-mounted skeg slider is robust and easy to deploy, though superior tracking means you’ll seldom need to.
Feature Photo: Vince Paquot
Pivoting around for a downwind run is a bit more work—blame the long, distance-chewing waterline—but edging aggressively will quickly bring it about. Running with the sea, the Pilgrim Expedition catches waves easily and the bow stays at the surface while surfing.
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The Expedition is strong and robust
Outfitting is traditional British minimalist, but it’s a formula that works. The fiberglass seat pan is comfortable and available in three sizes, while the low profile backband won’t interfere with rescues and can be removed altogether for easier laid-back rolling. Two eight-inch round rubber hatches and a smaller day hatch ensure bone-dry storage compartments but necessitate careful gear selection and packing.
The build quality is equally impressive. The fiberglass lay-up feels like it could go bow to rocks and come out on top. NDK says “it is ideal for the kayaker who really wants a durable kayak and is not too fussy about weight.” Smaller paddlers may find solo carrying difficult.
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Wander far and wide with the Nigel Dennis Pilgrim Expedition
Continuing the NDK lineage with a winning blend of tried-and-true and intelligent innovation, the Pilgrim Expedition is a perfectly proportioned tripping kayak for both small and taller, slim paddlers with incurable water wanderlust.
This article was first published in the Summer/Fall 2012 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.
Video review of the NDK Pilgrim Expedition sea kayak”
Skills and rescue training is the best way to prevent an on-water accident. At a TRAK Kayak Surf Camp weekend in Ucluelet, British Columbia, paddlers learn to read the swell and recognize safe zones, which allows them to "enjoy and play in this area of the coast," says photographer Jaime Sharp. | Photo: Jamie Sharp
On May 6, 2016, Bryan Orrio and Kelley McCallum bought two Old Town Trip 10 recreational kayaks from Dick’s Sporting Goods in Salem, Oregon. They headed for the Mehama run on the nearby North Santiam River, a stretch I know well.
Lots went wrong.
Orrio and McCallum claim the salesperson removed flotation foam from the bows, believing it was packing material. The two rec boats were on a class II whitewater run. The paddlers were inexperienced enough to refer to their paddles as “oars.”
Claiming injury from capsizing and wrestling the boats to shore, the pair sued Dick’s Sporting Goods for $455,000. Regardless of the outcome, the aquatic and legal kerfuffle is a warning about a possible future of kayaking. As paddling becomes increasing popular and mainstream, there will be more novices. Kayaks will be more readily available. But the water won’t get any more beginner or rec-boat friendly than it is now. The risks are apparent, and they raise old questions anew. What are the responsibilities of outfitters, paddlers and groups? What’s the right balance of safety and independence? When should we own it and admit we’re doofuses who got in over our heads?
When I descended the Grand Canyon, we asked the outfitter what skill level they required for renting their rafts. The answer? “A valid credit card.” They just rented equipment, and if we got into trouble or wrecked our gear, that was on us.
On the other hand, one local kayak shop I know won’t rent kayaks until the people have taken a basic class. I once arranged an out-of-town rental and was quizzed relentlessly about the rescue hierarchy. My local paddling clubs each have different takes on responsibility. One says that it’s the organizer’s job to get people to the put-in, but the participant’s responsibility to get down the river. Another asks the organizer to vet participants, assess conditions, skills and equipment, which can keep people from wanting to lead trips. Everyone has waivers. Nobody reads them.
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Increasingly, kayaks are sold at big box retailers like Dick’s. Once the domain of specialist outfitters with in-depth knowledge of technique and waterways, buying a kayak can now be like buying a cordless drill at Home Depot or a car at the local dealership. It’s up to you not to put a hole in your thumb or drive into a tree.
But driving and drills are regulated. We test for driving licenses. Car safety is set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada. There’s no test for the cordless drill, but novice craftspeople intuitively know not to put the drill against their hands. Novice paddlers don’t know to edge down current, or to edge at all. On that Mehama run, I’ve bailed out plenty of drunk summer floaters in inflatable pool toys and retrieved many a yard-sale beer cooler.
Nobody goes kayaking for the safety talks or regulations. We go to relish the freedom, self-reliance, and shared competence of navigating water that doesn’t care a whit about whether it’s safe for us or not. And when the same people who sell kayaks also sell softball bats, lacrosse sticks and soccer cleats, we’ll inevitably have salespeople who don’t know what kayaks are appropriate for class II or why there’s foam in the bow.
If folks are going to progress deeper into paddling, self-reliance and good judgment will help far more than rules and regulations.
These are the growing pains of kayaking’s success. If drills were only sold at a few boutique hardware stores in each city, we’d have a lot fewer people making cool stuff in their garages. We’re headed for a paddling community that is larger, and largely clueless. We could limit who can sell, buy, rent or paddle kayaks. We could ban boats without fore and aft bulkheads or float bags. We could up our game to educate everyone involved. We could do all three. Or we could accept capsizes as part of the learning process, a rite of passage like a kid’s scraped knees from the first bicycle crash without training wheels. Of course, when the kids in question are middle-aged and one’s the former County Deputy District Attorney—Orrio in this lawsuit—chances are we’ll have some lawsuits as well as stories at the pub afterward.
Skills and rescue training is the best way to prevent an on-water accident. At a TRAK Kayak Surf Camp weekend in Ucluelet, British Columbia, paddlers learn to read the swell and recognize safe zones, which allows them to “enjoy and play in this area of the coast,” says photographer Jaime Sharp. | Photo: Jamie Sharp
My bow points firmly toward education and self-reliance. Paddling is one of the last bastions of nature following its own rules. It’s survived like this from Inuit seal hunters, the advent of guided trips, helicopter parenting, and the Facebook era’s free-for-all social media groups. Climbing has the rock gym, skiing has lifts, grooming, and out-of-bounds rules. Kayaking, a few whitewater parks aside, is still just humans and the elements with no intermediaries. If folks are going to progress deeper into paddling, self-reliance and good judgment will help far more than rules and regulations. Yes, retailers should know the basics, like what flotation foam is for, and whether a recreational boat belongs on whitewater. And so should any buyer with a web browser.
Edward Abbey, one of my childhood heroes, wrote that the right to get lost, sunburnt, stranded or eaten by bears is the right and privilege of any free American. I haven’t been eaten by bears (yet), but my favorite childhood memories are paddling a canoe with just me and my sister or a childhood friend in the boat at the age of eight. And when things go downhill? As that venerable BCU five-star Jedi named Yoda once told a struggling two-star candidate named Luke Skywalker, “The greatest teacher, failure is.”
Or, as my friend Karl, who’s taller and doesn’t live on a swamp planet, says, “The environment is often the best teacher.” More drysuits, fewer lawsuits.
Neil Schulman loves the North Santiam River, especially the stretch from Packsaddle to Mill City, just a bit above the run in question. As of this writing, the lawsuit is awaiting discovery and a dispute resolution report.
Skills and rescue training is the best way to prevent an on-water accident. At a TRAK Kayak Surf Camp weekend in Ucluelet, British Columbia, paddlers learn to read the swell and recognize safe zones, which allows them to “enjoy and play in this area of the coast,” says photographer Jaime Sharp. | Photo: Jamie Sharp
Ed Gillet reads journal entries from his 63-day crossing. | Feature Photo: Robert Zaleski
In 1987, Ed Gillet undertook a harrowing solo paddle to Hawaii that has only grown more famous in retrospect. That same year Michael Jackson released Bad and babies were being born who would become today’s millennials. This was a time before corporate sponsorships and Internet updates. When his bow finally cut a furrow into the sand on Maui, the only person there to greet him was a local drunk staggering along the beach. It was the same fanfare he received when he’d left San Diego 63 days and 2,200 miles earlier: none.
Ed Gillet’s ocean crossing was the best and worst of times
There were beautiful days when blue and gold mahi-mahi frolicked around his kayak like puppies, when the sea was a perfect royal blue and trade winds surfed him to 80-mile days. Other times Gillet popped painkillers to dull the pain of saltwater sores on his hands so he could hold his paddle. He ran out of food and began eating toothpaste. Waves crashing into the cockpit made it impossible to sleep. When Mauna Kea finally appeared in the viewfinder of his sextant—yes, he used a sextant—he was so addled he cursed it for obstructing the horizon he needed to fix his position.
Gillet didn’t use the sextant out of nautical nostalgia: Loran and Omega, the navigation systems of the time, wouldn’t survive a kayak trip. He used an off-the-shelf yellow Necky Tofino—a 20-foot tandem sea kayak that carried more than 600 pounds of essentials to keep Gillet alive. His progress was slower than planned—he envisioned 40 days, ran out of food on day 60 and landed on day 64. People thought he’d most certainly died. Relatives contacted the United States Coast Guard, the Commandant of the U.S. Navy and even current President at the time, Ronald Reagan, to try and find him in the vast Pacific.
Gillet pioneered the modern ocean crossing by kayak
Ed Gillet’s California-to-Hawaii journey was the first of the modern kayak megacrossings. It was a fundamentally different type of paddling than even the most rugged coastal expeditions or island circumnavigations. It was a journey far harder for most sea kayakers to understand. Only a handful of paddlers would know: Gillet, R.W. Hand, who tried twice and failed to repeat Gillet’s journey, Aleksander Doba on the Atlantic in 2014, Sarah Outen on her worldwide journey, Scott Donaldson, James Castrission, Justin Jones and the late Andrew McAuley on the Tasman Sea.
It’s easy to dream of paddling the Inside Passage to Alaska, around Sardinia, Iceland, or any other coastline or island chain in the world, because those trips are expansions in time, distance and difficulty from what we do on weekends. When I’m on a two-week trip I can easily imagine how fun it would be to just keep going; I’d bring more food, train more, and see what’s around the next point and the next and the next. But crossing a featureless void? Perhaps not.
Camping out on the ocean waves
Gillet described nights as campsites even though they were just wherever in the Pacific he inflated pontoons, dropped sea anchors and squiggled into his cockpit in a salty-wet sleeping bag.
“Each night’s campsite had a different feel—I tried to memorize the look of each place so I could recognize them again. On the ocean the markers are subtler but they are there nonetheless,” he told Dave Shively in 2003. Sounds strange to me, but I suspect ocean sailors know the feeling well.
Ed Gillet reads journal entries from his 63-day crossing. | Feature Photo: Robert Zaleski
Like an astronaut, Ed Gillet returns to land
Gillet’s paddle from California to Hawaii is to coastal kayaking what Space flight is to air travel. Regular people fly all the time, just like regular people kayak coastlines, climb mountains and run rivers. We fully expect to land safely and we make plans for dinner after we land at some airport, or some beach. Space flight, on the other hand, is the province of a select few whose journeys bring both danger and a unique view of our planet.
Gillet kayaked into a rarefied and isolated world, dependent on the only life support system he brought along. When he finally landed and stepped out on the beach in Maui, his legs crumpled under him. Ed Gillet was an astronaut returning to earth after a long time without gravity.
Ed Gillet reads journal entries from his 63-day crossing. | Feature Photo: Robert Zaleski
This article originally appeared in Rapid Early Summer 2016 issue.
This article first appeared in the Early Summer 2014 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. 
