Boat Review: Liquidlogic Braaap Kayak

By

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November 18, 2020

As a farm kid who grew up with dirt bikes and ATVs, I had a hunch where Liquidlogic’s strange new boat name came from. A call to designer Shane Benedict confirmed the Liquidlogic Braaap gets its name from the onomatopoetic spelling of the sound a dirt bike makes when you’re out for a rip and give ‘er some gas: BRAAAAAAAAP.

Liquidlogic Braaap 69 Specs

Length: 8’11”

Width: 24.5”

Cockpit: 34.5” × 21”

Volume: 69 U.S. gal

Weight: 44 lbs

Weight Range: 100-220 lbs

MSRP: $899

www.liquidlogickayaks.com

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all Liquidlogic kayaks ]

The Liquidlogic Braaap races ahead

Team paddler Pat Keller is a longtime dirt biker. “He uses the term regularly for kayaking and life in general,” says Benedict. “When people complain about the name I just go ‘BRAAAP’ and they get it.” Yell it with a slightly rolled ‘r,’ and you’ll get it too. Still don’t like it? Take a few strokes in this boat, and you’ll be racing past the name.

One glance at the Liquidlogic Braaap and you’ll know this boat is different than most contemporary whitewater kayaks on the market. The pronounced rocker, round hull and long, tapering, low volume stern make it look like a close relative of a whitewater slalom boat—built for quick maneuvering and speed.

Get ready to roll

On the water, I instantly feel these differences. Paddlers accustomed to flat-bottomed freestyle boats or wide, stable creekers might feel out of their comfort zone at first. The rounded hull shape lacks the distinct and abrupt sidewall of most other kayaks, and means the Braaap likes to roll—similar to Liquidlogic’s Stomper, but without the rock solid secondary stability. This isn’t to say that beginners won’t be able to keep it upright, it’s just not what we’ve become used to. The bonus is that these same features make it super easy to roll back up.

“When Pat and I designed the Braaap together, we wanted to make a river running boat that would be fun for any paddler,” says Benedict. “The Braaap can get you down rapids that are challenging but also play along the way. Splat, squirt, surf or just learn what it’s like to paddle a more responsive hull.” What’s a splat or squirt? Go ask your mom and dad.

My take? Mission accomplished.

Play your way down the river

Zipping in and out of eddies and around the river, the Liquidlogic Braaap has a high-performance feel. Fast and agile, I’m driving it around the river with each and every stroke, never just hanging on for the ride. I’m moving at top speed with just a couple quick strokes and can rip into micro eddies and spin, slide and splat on every rock in sight. After a bit of practice, I can turn the Braaap on a dime with a powerful pivot on the stern.

It takes some practice and a change in technique to figure out how to slice the stern under and get myself vertical. The Braaap is a good balance—slicey enough to do splats and pivot turns but not so low volume that you constantly find yourself upside down. This lets me play on harder runs with confidence.

Liquidlogic’s classic Bad Ass Outfitting sets you up for a comfortable day of playing your way down the river.

Get down and dirty with the Liquidlogic Braaap

With the right driver, the Liquidlogic Braaap is up for a class V run, but just as much fun on a local class II to IV. The combination of speed and responsiveness of the Braaap will open up old runs to new moves and put you back in control of your boating. If you are looking for a fun new way to spice things up, grab a Liquidlogic Braaap and take ‘er out for a rip there, bud!

[ Plan your next whitewater kayaking adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

Boat Review: WaveSport Super EZ Kayak

By

Paddling Magazine Staff

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November 18, 2020

When you look at the broad spectrum of paddlers two user groups typically get overlooked by the Average Joe world of whitewater kayaking: little people and big people. Big paddlers typically just suck it up, paddling boats too big for any fun or cramming themselves into plastic torture devices for ten-minute sessions. Enter the WaveSport Super EZ, a jumbo playboat specially designed to round out the top end of WaveSport’s river play line.

WaveSport Super EZ Specs

Length: 7’

Width: 27”

Volume: 60 U.S. gal

Weight: 40 lbs

Standard Features:
F.A.T. 2.0 Outfitting

MSRP: $1,575 CAD

The WaveSport Super EZ has room to breathe

The Super EZ incorporates the new WaveSport F.A.T. 2.0 outfitting system (hey, who you callin’ F.A.T.?). With its carpeted seat, hip pads and thigh braces this system is easily adjustable by adding foam shims or with the turn of the supplied screwdriver. Tip: snap the screwdriver into the bungie cord holding the front pillar for on-river tweaking and pre-paddle bolt tightening leak prevention. The thigh braces are less aggressive than the ones found in the rest of the F.A.T. line-up leaving room for bigger legs, although even our largest paddlers considered swapping to the standard 2.0 thigh braces for more wrap around leg support. The adjustable bulkhead is clever and if you happen to be on the shorter side of tall, you might even get to foam it up a bit or wear your river shoes to reach.

There is so much foot room it’s silly. Designer Eric Jackson claims it will accommodate a 37-inch inseam, size 14 feet and 300 pounds. We couldn’t find anyone to confirm or deny it but the point is clear. This is a big paddler’s boat. Even the cockpit on the Super EZ is huge—a full 4 1/2 inches longer and almost 2 inches wider than other WaveSport boats. It’s possible to stretch a normal sprayskirt over it although we suggest doing yourself a favour and ordering one to fit—everybody makes one.

Telling the hull story

Different from the EZ and Big EZ, the planing surface on the Super EZ, Aces and Siren has been brought out closer to the edge, narrowing the width of the release chines. Just like boats designed for smaller paddlers and women specifically, having the optimum width is key to balance and edge control. In the case of the WaveSport Super EZ, Eric Jackson maintains its 7-foot length but brought it out another 11/2 inches wider than the Big EZ to provide a stable 27-inch platform.

The Super EZ’s seams or parting lines are nice and high above plenty of flare. The bow and stern maintain plenty of width and are incredibly rockered. Sitting next to any other playboat, the WaveSport Super EZ looks mammoth, yet on the river with a larger paddler inside, it rides perfectly normal.

Super EZ on the water

We had an interesting blend of paddlers in the WaveSport Super EZ ranging from a featherweight 175 to a respectable 230 pounds. The skill level and background was equally as varied with some old school displacement hull converts, freestyle paddlers and some all-river freeboaters—a cool cross section of the market. Interestingly, everyone’s first impression was that it was huge and they worried it would be too big, but that was only until they got on the river.

The most common first bit of feedback was that the Super EZ is confidence inspiring, predictable, super stable and comfy with room for a Pelican Case behind the seat. The bow and stern rest high and clear from the water for river running—this is where the Super EZ really shines.

Paddlers pulled off their cleanest lines in rapids where they said they are normally a little tentative. The high seam line or edge allowed them to cruise over otherwise small-boat-swallowing boils and not worry about the nose diving on ferries. Although no one can call a short boat fast, everyone was impressed by the speed of the WaveSport Super EZ. Most attributed the speed to floating higher out of the water than they have been used to. This floating rather than plowing sensation made the Super EZ feel very nimble and loose.

No matter how much you weigh it is worth borrowing a skirt and going for a rip in a Super EZ. Cruising off the tip of large waves it launches into the air and with such a large planing surface and friendly edges its an awesome flatspinner. When front surfing, the Super EZ does carve and although it’s 27 inches wide, transferring edges wasn’t an issue. Flatwater moves depends on weight; lighter paddlers (175 lbs) could still initiate and get vertical while heavier paddlers had the girth to stall and control the volume. Again it just looks and feels right.

Try the WaveSport Super EZ on for size

In the end, all our paddlers enjoyed the WaveSport Super EZ. Its river running capabilities opened their eyes to some of the challenges of paddling boats that have been too small for them. There is plenty of room and buoyancy in the Super EZ to wear shoes and carry a lunch and video camera. The built-to-proportion outfitting is ideal for large paddlers, and we think they enjoyed having to pad it out a bit. For once, big paddlers can watch others rip in smaller boats like the EZ or Big EZ and expect the Super EZ to perform the same for them. For more top picks and expert reviews, check out Paddling Magazine’s guide to the best whitewater kayaks here.

This article was first published in the Fall 2002 issue of Rapid Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.

Creek Boat Review: Liquidlogic Mullet Kayak

By

Jeff Jackson

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November 17, 2020

Dad rock is a term used for a slice of rock music that is heavily influenced by classic rock like “Sultans of Swing” by Dire Straits, tunes from an earlier era that appeal to my age demographic. If you know anything about the Liquidlogic Mullet or are the slightest bit intuitive, you’ve probably already guessed that it’s a throwback dad rock boat. It’s time.

Liquidlogic Mullet Specs

Length: 9’

Width: 26.25”

Volume: 71 U.S. gal

Weight: 45 lbs

Weight Range: 150-275 lbs

MSRP: $949 USD

www.liquidlogickayaks.com

Old school meets new in the Liquidlogic Mullet

When I first unloaded the Liquidlogic Mullet I remembered boats like the Perception Whiplash, New Wave Sleek, Dagger RPM Max and the Prijon Hurricane—I’d mention a Liquidlogic boat here, but the company hadn’t yet formed.

Whitewater kayak design and music have evolved and enough time has passed—literally a generation—for designers and musicians to poach good ideas from the past without the old school label.

Liquidlogic designer Shane Benedict and his team didn’t just remake one of the classics. That would have been too easy and quite frankly too bad. Instead, they took the best of what was fun about paddling in the ‘90s and worked in everything they’ve learned since.

The Mullet is not your father’s kayak

If you’re that person who thinks everything old is better just compare outfitting. Nobody even pipe dreamed something as comfortable or easy to adjust as Liquidlogic’s Bad Ass Outfitting now found in their full line of whitewater kayaks.

I’m six feet tall with size 11 feet and there is plenty of room for my chunkiest river shoes. Back in the day all we got was plastic foot pegs on aluminum rails. New is better.

a kayak balancing on rocks — A modern displacement hull, slice low volume stern and pronounced rocker. Not to mention the best boat logo ever, as voted by Rod Stewart, Travis Tritt and Joe Dirt. | Photo: Scott MacGregor

A big kayak for big whitewater

The bow gets all the volume for landing drops, crashing through holes and shedding water. The bow is also the business end for poppin’ enders and rockin’ pirouettes. The stern is lower volume and slicy for the rest of the fun stuff like surfing, blasting, splatting and squirts. All these retro tricks are fun to learn and relearn, but we can’t ignore the simple addicting pleasure of rocketing around the river in the Mullet.

While all playboats of the ‘90s had displacement hulls, Benedict says he used modern slalom boat design to make the Mullet so fast. Two good solid strokes and the Mullet is off with seemingly no upper limit. Most noticeable compared to other boat genres, the Mullet is more work to spin. Creekers have lots of rocker, freestyle boats are shorter with flat hulls. The Mullet has neither. Instead it has a modern displacement hull, which means it is slower to turn unless you pivot the stern like a slalom boat.

I felt like I needed to be moving my upper body front to back to make the Mullet work. Carving waves, blasting foam piles, and even mid-current pivots requires front to back slalom-style upper body English—back to pivot turn and forward for straight ahead features.

Sized specifically for dads

Don’t try to paddle the Liquidlogic Mullet like a freestyle boat, but do paddle it long enough to learn it and love it.

The Mullet is an inch to two inches wider than most boats these days. It feels impervious to swirlies and crashing waves. While the stern looks slicey there is still plenty of volume and stability there. Like boats back in the day, the Mullet comes only in one size.

Liquidlogic’s posted specs say the weight range is 150 to 275 pounds. This is bigger at both the low and high ends than their Braaap 69 and Remix 69. No doubt Liquidlogic did their market research and knows the market for this boat is older, bigger dudes and their boys.

At only 180 pounds the Mullet was almost too much boat for me on eddylines. Slalom pivot turns were no trouble, but I felt like I always needed another 40 pounds and stronger currents. The wide beam I enjoyed for river running makes it harder to disengage the leading edge and level the tilt to get the squirt to come around and go vertical. If you don’t know what I’m taking about, go ask your dad.

Times are a-changin’ with the Liquidlogic Mullet

Many of the old boats are still being paddled by those who say, “I don’t have any reason to switch…this boat does everything I need it to do…there’s nothing really on the market I like.” Well, now there is.

The other thing that would have been hard to image in the ‘90s is ordering your music or your kayak on the Internet. Crazy, but this is how Liquidlogic rolls: they deliver right to your door. Visit one of their 54 demo centers across the country and rock a Mullet today.

Mike Ranta’s Canoe Denied At Parliament Hill In Ottawa

By

David Jackson

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November 17, 2020

Barreling down the Ottawa River’s Deschênes Rapids, birchbark hat on tightly, canine friend Spitzii howling into the morning light, solo continent-crosser Mike Ranta was bound for Canada’s Parliament Hill. The duo left Vancouver, British Columbia, on April 1 and would arrive at Dominion Beach, Cape Breton, on October 18.

Mike Ranta paddles for a good cause

From bow to stern, over its red paint and Canadian flags, Mike Ranta’s canoe was covered in hundreds of signatures from the men and women who have served Canada. “I couldn’t think of a more Canadian way to honor our veterans,” said Ranta of his second cross-Canada voyage in as many years. “We lost a lot of men and women in the wars and the problem is, we are still losing them.” His 2016 trip was done in support of post-traumatic stress disorder research.

Ranta was captivated by the idea of detouring to the home of Canada’s government, chatting with people, collecting signatures, and taking time to consider the kilometers behind him. Arriving on the shores of Ottawa, his portage began just above the Chaudière Dam. He loaded his canoe onto a homemade cart, put Spitzii on a leash and hit Wellington Street with a smile the size of the world’s second largest country. Cars honked, passerbys took double takes, many stopped for pictures and police officers signed his canoe.

[ See the widest selection of canoes in the Paddling Buyer’s Guide ]

The last voyageur arrives at Parliament Hill

Rounding the corner of West Block, Ranta saw the Parliament Buildings in full.

“There it is Spitzii! Parliament Hill!” Ranta exclaimed. Ranta wanted to set up by the famous Centennial Flame monument, and say hi to every curious onlooker.

Security stopped him.

“I’m sorry, but you can’t come on the Hill with that—uh—canoe,” explained the young guard.

“I’ve paddled from Vancouver to get here, eh! You’re saying I can’t take my canoe to Canada’s capitol,” said Ranta.

“Sorry. It’s a beautiful canoe. It’s just a safety concern,” reiterated the guard. Backing away and parallel parking on the busy downtown street, Ranta looked back at the security guard who apologized a final time.

“Next time I should call, or make an appointment, I guess,” said Ranta in disbelief. Streetlights changed, cars whizzed by, tourists shuffled by as if passing a strange street performance. But this was no performance—at Canada’s doorstep stood a nation’s last voyageur.

Turning around, the duo silently marched back down to the banks of the Ottawa. With Parliament’s lofty towers behind them, Ranta loaded the canoe and paddled away into the final month of a nearly seven-month trip.

[ Plan your next canoe expedition with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

Ranta returns to honor veterans

On November 11, almost one month after completing his solo canoe trip across the country, Mike Ranta passed back through Ottawa. He had received an invitation to lay a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during Parliament’s official Remembrance Day ceremonies. This time, there was no canoe and Spitzii relaxed in a hotel room. All he had was his birchbark hat, and a wreath made of sticks from every province he paddled through.

Mike Ranta places a handmade wreath at the Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa, Ontario. | Feature Photo: David Jackson

Approaching the Tomb, wreath in hand, Canadian flag draped over his shoulders, Ranta’s usually jovial attitude briefly disappeared. Looking up at the Unknown Soldier, bagpipes playing and the 21-gun salute sounding off, he laid his wreath in a moment that lasted an eternity and thousands of arduous kilometers.

A satisfying end to Mike Ranta’s trip

“That was closure, my trip is over,” Mike Ranta told me afterward. Canada’s last voyageur left Ottawa, this time in a Toyota Tacoma heading west, his canoe floating on the breeze of his homecoming.

This article originally appeared in Canoeroots Spring 2017 issue.

Subscribe to Paddling Magazine and get 25 years of digital magazine archives including our legacy titles: Rapid, Adventure Kayak and Canoeroots.

Boat Review: WaveSport Project Kayak

By

Jeff Jackson

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November 17, 2020

There was a time not so long ago when every new boat design created a buzz: “It looks so radical! What’s it going to do?” After a dozen or so radical designs, new boats stopped generating the same buzz when they appeared in eddy lines. The WaveSport Project freestyle kayak, with its penchant for getting huge air, harkens back to the old days in this respect.

WaveSport Project Specs
(45 / 52 / 62)

Length: 5’11” / 6’1” / 6’4”

Width: 24.5” / 25” / 25.75”

Volume: 45 / 52 / 62 U.S. gal

Weight Range: 90-140 / 130-190 / 180-240 lbs

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all freestyle kayaks ]

The WaveSport Project makes big-time moves

WaveSport’s new Project prototypes started showing up on the Ottawa River late last summer. When we got our hands on one of the first product ion models of the Project 52 last fall, the locals at the Garburator were clambering over each other to give it a try.

At 6’1”, 25” wide and 52 gallons, the Project 52 is a true spud boat designed to replace the Transformer line. It’s small, fast, hops aggressively on big features, and can be absolutely pitched around. It jumps off the water thanks to an extremely sharp rocker break that marks a new step forward in bounce hulls. Combine this with a razor-like bow edge under your heels, and the WaveSport Project drives across a wave with authority to set you up to explode into the air. Test paddlers blasted their biggest moves ever on a first ride. It was clear after only a few rides that a new rung has been added to the top of the aerial ladder.

A hard driving freestyle machine

The Project is not for the meek, and performs for those who know what they are doing. It needs to be driven from the heel edge and the rocker break continuously sends it airborne, with each hop move creating more momentum for the next one.

[ Plan your next whitewater kayaking adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

On smaller features the WaveSport Project is less remarkable. Its small size makes shredding smaller waves fun, but the boat moves so fast traditional moves like cartwheels become speed wheels and flat spins are now bounce spins. Its smooth lines mean it has a less decisive pop in a hole.

No compromise on quality

One design quirk is a difference in the rocker breaks of the bow and stern. The stern line is gentler, so while the boat launches rambunctiously while frontward, back surfing is tamer. WaveSport designer Robert Peerson says the lower rocker in the stern makes the Project faster by maximizing the total surface area of the hull when planning. It’s probably a reasonable concession, since the Project is surprisingly fast for its size and, as Peerson says, “Boat design is a play on compromises.”

Frills include the much-heralded WaveSport F.A.T. outfitting, but the defining performance characteristic of the Project is its big-wave air ability.

Catch some air with the WaveSport Project

Speaking of definitions, Oxford lists two for “project”: 1. noun, an undertaking, a carefully planned activity. 2. verb: to throw, cast, impel. Whatever definition was intended, it’s a well-chosen handle for the WaveSport project freestyle kayak—a carefully designed launching pad for your aerial exploits.

This article was first published in the Spring 2006 issue of Rapid Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.

Boat Review: Seaward Passat G3 Kayak

By

Tim Shuff

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November 17, 2020

In the name of Seaward Kayaks’ newest tandem, the Passat G3, you can hear echoes of two other brands, Volkswagen and Apple—two hip, sophisticated companies that like each other so much they recently paired up on the “Pods Unite” promo campaign. The Seaward Passat G3 is a slick kayak made with a similar attention to doodads and detail.

Seaward Passat G3 Specs

Length: 22’

Width: 26”

Depth: 15.5”

Cockpit: 32.25” × 16”

Volume: 183 U.S. gal

Weight: 90 lbs

MSRP: $3,575 USD or $4,580 CAD (fiberglass)

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See the Passat G3 from Seaward Kayaks ]

The Seaward Passat G3 is a speedy tandem

The original, two-hatched Seaward Passat is a narrow, fast tandem kayak popular with the adventure racing crowd. The new G3 has the same sleek design, just puffed up and tricked out with a bit more volume and a centre hatch/cockpit providing room for dogs, children, or easily accessible, waterproof storage for long trips. All this and its only five pounds heavier than the regular Passat and still slim enough to race.

The Passat G3 comes with standard Seaward features like nylon cockpit covers, hand layup, fiberglass seams and bulkheads, Kevlar-reinforced bow and stern, and a plastic stern skid plate. It’s also available with a cornucopia of upgrades from dual-steering to yummy colour fades, and a Kevlar layup for about a thousand bucks extra.

Get the performance of a single

At only 26 inches wide, the G3 is as narrow as many singles with performance to match. Playing in waves and currents, we had a great time carving sharp eddy turns with an extreme tilt, using the double’s speed to blast through power moves that we could never make in our singles, and feeling generally invincible with the size, stability, and inertia of a double. The Seaward Passat G3 is truly a lot of fun.

Details of the Passat G3 kayak from Seaward Kayaks Seaward’s own smartRUDDER system of pivoting pedals is a secure alternative to sliding foot pedals. The pedals are built of anodized hardened marine aluminum covered with non-skid tape. Pivoting the ball of the foot forward cranks the rudder while keeping the foot arch, heel and knees solidly braced. Sensitive West Coast company Seaward anticipated the “divorce boat” potential of tandems and offers an optional dual-steering system that allows control from either cockpit ($224 CAD).

Kayakers, please take a seat

We can think of no better way to introduce the next generation to the wonders of kayaking than to sit them in the Seaward Passat G3’s optional fiberglass centre seat ($144 CAD). At first they’ll love it, and by the time they outgrow it they’ll be big enough to get a kayak of their own. Ma and pa can jettison the seat and have 180 litres of dry storage in that empty nest for a long expedition.

[ Plan your next kayak expedition with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

The extra-large opening is perfect for packing awkward items, and seals like any ordinary storage hatch, completely waterproof with a neoprene inner and a fiberglass cover. With the centre hatch, the Passat G3 has 348 litres of dry storage in total—115 litres more than the standard Passat—and less cockpit area to flood if you flip.

Both front and stern cockpits are long enough to fit folks up to six foot two, possibly bigger. Seaward’s seats are unique—removable fabric-covered foam cushions that sit right on the bottom of the boat. The cushions are designed to be unclipped from the boat for use as an instant paddle float (or camp chair). Clever! This system trades the rigid support of a plastic bucket seat for a soft and roomy feel, fitting all sizes of derrieres and making it extra-easy to add foam for a completely custom fit.

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all Seaward kayaks ]

Double up in the Seaward Passat G3

The Seaward Passat G3 is the Euro station wagon version of the kayak world—the performance car you buy when you have a family. It lets you have your sporty speed and trip with it too. Beetles and iPods sold separately, for now.

This article was first published in the Early Summer 2004 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.

Boat Review: Dagger Stratos 14.5 Kayak

By

Virginia Marshall

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November 17, 2020

Retro-sensible or reprehensible—the swirling colorful markings of our demo Dagger Stratos 14.5 kayaks aren’t to everyone’s taste, but they’re an apropos homage to the brand’s illustrious history, and to the last time Dagger registered on the radar of many sea kayakers.

Dagger Stratos 14.5 Specs
(S / L)

Length: 14’6” / 14’6”

Width: 23” / 24.5”

Cockpit: 36” × 18” / 35” × 19”

Weight: 54.5 / 53 lbs

Max Capacity: 275 / 300 lbs

MSRP: $1,359 USD or $1,829 CAD

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See the Dagger Stratos 14.5 L kayak ]

The Dagger Stratos 14.5 is a return to form

Since the heady heyday of the neon nineties and early aughts—when the brand’s boats were chosen for momentous expeditions to Cape Horn and Antarctica, and company catalogs proudly claimed “Dagger builds the most technologically advanced touring kayaks in the world”—Dagger has coasted on a small handful of unmemorable designs. For the past seven years, they’ve produced only a solitary touring offering, the Alchemy.

Where the Alchemy offered a capable but largely invisible entry into the crowded light touring market, the polychromatic Dagger Stratos 14.5 is a head-turning performer in the exciting and still-emerging realm of ocean play kayaks. More than that, at 14-and-a-half feet long with muscular lines and decisive hard chines, it’s as fun in flatwater as it is fearless in the rough stuff.

The Stratos is at home in the surf

On my first tour in the Stratos out to a string of whalesback granite islands, the forecasted blow never arrives and only a gentle zephyr ripples the channel. Unlike highly specialized ocean play kayaks, think P&H’s Hammer or Jackson’s Karma RG, the Dagger Stratos 14.5 retains a shallow-V displacement hull, which is faster when touring than surf-specific planing hulls. I have no trouble keeping pace with the 16- and 17-foot sea kayaks in our group, or hauling my weight on a quick overnight.

For the rest of the week, my eyes wander from the computer screen to the trees outside my office windows. When I notice heavy gusts scattering the last leaves of autumn like rusty embers from a dying fire, I toss the Stratos on my roof rack and head for the nearest exposed waters. Rollers crash against the rocky shore, but the Stratos’ rugged polyethylene hull slides off the cobbles and into the surf without complaint.

[ Plan your next kayaking adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

It’s clear before I catch my first wave that the Dagger Stratos 14.5 is at home in dynamic water. The upswept, flared bow launches over incoming waves and deflects spray out of my eyes. Just the right amount of rocker means I can spot a promising set and crank the boat around with two well-timed sweep strokes.

The waves are steep, densely arranged and fast moving. While I do miss a few sets that a lighter composite hull could have caught, the Stratos has adequate get-up-and-go, and it’s remarkably nimble on a wave face. Chalk it up to those hard chines for carving, direction changes and cutbacks, and a low-volume stern that doesn’t pin in the wave like traditional touring designs.

Even if you’re not into surfing (yet), the Stratos’ stable, confident edges benefit new paddlers and all those who may find themselves in rough waters.

Dagger has helped define modern kayaking

Sitting down to write this review, I pour over PDFs of archived Dagger catalogs dating back to 1988—an edifying and entertaining flashback to kayak touring’s boom years. In fact, it leaves me more than a little nostalgic for the excitement and breathless innovation of that all-too-brief era. “No other manufacturer has come up with so many profound advancements year to year,” boasts a 1999 design statement.

Some of those—like form-fitting rubber hatches, computer modeling, and vacuum-assisted composite molding—remain hallmarks of today’s performance kayaks. Others, like electronically welded plastic bulkheads, have regrettably become a part of kayaking history.

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all Dagger kayaks ]

Hit the surf with the Dagger Stratos 14.5

The Dagger Stratos 14.5 kayak channels those glory days and unleashes a thoroughly modern design with just the right dash of retro steeze. Cool, dude.

This article originally appeared in Adventure Kayak Spring 2016 issue.

Subscribe to Paddling Magazine and get 25 years of digital magazine archives including our legacy titles: Rapid, Adventure Kayak and Canoeroots.

Boat Review: WaveSport Ethos 10 Kayak

By

Scott MacGregor

-

November 17, 2020

Wave Sport Kayaks Ethos Ten | Photo: Rapid Staff

In 2013 when WaveSport released their version of a crossover we weren’t at all surprised the Ethos was crossing from one river to say, I don’t know, longer rivers with lakes in between. WaveSport calls this category river trekking. Around my neck of the woods that kind of talk used to mean a canoe trip, which is a completely different skill set, not to mention a different mindset. And so classic overnight runs were left to guys in plaid jackets, until now with the WaveSport Ethos 10.

WaveSport Ethos 10 Specs

Length: 10’3”

Width: 27”

Cockpit: 36” × 20.5”

Volume: 100 U.S. gal

Weight: 54 lbs

Weight Range: 150-260 lbs

MSRP: $1,085 USD or $1,135 CAD

The WaveSport Ethos 10 packs on the miles

WaveSport makes two different sizes of the Ethos, the Ethos 9 and 10. It struck me as funny in a way to brand them by length (all brands except Pyranha do this too), when length isn’t really the factor here. Sure, there is six more inches of plastic at both ends to swing around the river, but the big factor is just how much more volume 12 inches buys you.

Although my 170 pounds would drop into the weight ranges of both sizes, I’d never consider the smaller boat. Why? There is a 20-gallon difference in volume. That’s the difference between living and living well. We learned very quickly as soon as we had space to pack camping gear, we packed as much as we could.

[ Plan your next kayak river running adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

Wave Sport Kayaks Ethos Ten | Photo: Rapid Staff

Quality outfitting with CORE WhiteOut

Both the Ethos 9 and 10 are available with WaveSport’s CORE WhiteOut outfitting system. On longer trips you’ll appreciate the adjustability of quality outfitting. On a few runs we ratcheted ourselves in as snuggly as we would in our creek boats and that’s great. What is even better is the ability to change my sitting position by lifting and lowering my legs and changing my back band fit for longer stretches of flat or slower moving water. I also loved that it was easy to access the storage behind the back band and that the seat very simply slid back and forth for trimming. You know what else is pretty clever? The hip pads flip up into shoulder pads for portages.

WaveSport (and Dagger too) also addresses one of my personal pet peeves. It drives me crazy when the little nuts and washers fastening the foot brace rails come loose and drop into the bottom of the boat. I hate it even more when they vibrate loose on the drive and disappear before we reach the put-in. In the Ethos they hang on rubber tabs. Thank you, WaveSport.

Speedy on creeks and rivers

So how does the WaveSport Ethos 10 paddle? Like a progressively rockered, soft-chined, 10-foot-long creek boat. So, it’s pretty good. Stable, dry, not twitchy on boily eddy lines. It’s faster than you probably remember any whitewater boat being and that alone is silly fun. We didn’t have the radar gun out on the river, but it feels faster than the Katana and Rogue and not quite as fast as the Fusion. We’re splitting hairs here.

Go farther in the WaveSport Ethos 10

What do I really love about crossovers? I’m not too proud to admit it. I love the spring-loaded drop skeg. At first I didn’t use it on the WaveSport Ethos 10. I thought it was silly. Then I used it only on the windy flats. Then in swifty currents. Then in big boils. And by the end I used it pretty much anywhere that wasn’t super technical. Lazy? No way. I’m just saving my energy for a game of bocce once we reach camp. For more top picks and expert reviews, check out Paddling Magazine’s guide to the best whitewater kayaks here.

This article first appeared in the Fall 2015 issue of Rapid Magazine.

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Boat Review: Current Designs Gulfstream Kayak

By

Paddling Magazine Staff

-

November 17, 2020

The Current Designs Gulfstream is a performance kayak incorporating classic British design features that make the boat a pleasure to paddle. The Gulfstream comes equipped with a retractable skeg and a small day hatch behind the cockpit on the starboard side. The hull is a shallow V configuration resulting in good tracking and excellent turning when tilted.

Current Designs Gulfstream Specs

Length: 16’

Width: 23.25”

Cockpit: 16.5” × 33.25”

Rear Hatch: 11” × 16.5”

Forward Hatch: 9.5” in diameter

Total Volume: 92 U.S. gal

Weight:
52 lbs (fiberglass)
46 lbs (Kevlar)

MSRP:
$3,395 (fiberglass)
$3,945 (Kevlar)
$1,895 (rotomoulded)

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all sea & touring kayaks ]

The Gulfstream is a pleasure to paddle

Current Designs’ Gulfstream is a relatively light boat and is well balanced from bow to stern, making loading and carrying reasonably easy. The Gulfstream has a Swede-style upswept bow with a low, flat stern deck giving the boat an overall sleek look.

The cockpit rim is set slightly under the level of the bow deck and combined with the recessed deck fittings, contributes to the aesthetically clean lines and functionally smooth deck surface for ease of re-entry during self-rescues. The perimeter lines rest snuggly on the surface but stretch enough to grab easily. The bungee rigging is positioned within easy reach. The rigging also includes an adjustable bowline.

Our testers commented on the Current Designs quality workmanship and amenities right down to the mermaid and dolphin graphic on the bow of the Gulfstream.

[ Plan your next kayak expedition with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

Getting into the Gulfstream

With the Gulfstream, Current Designs has provided enough carrying capacity for expended trips. The day hatch adds practicality by providing convenient storage for smaller items such as lunch, a first aid kit and sunscreen. It can, however, be awkward to reach in rough seas. The larger stern hatch is somewhat reduced in size to accommodate the day hatch bulkhead, making stuffing of larger dry bags difficult. The hatch covers are rubber, combining a gasket with a bungee fastening system. The cover is tethered but the bungee is not, so accidental loss is possible.

A range of medium (170 lbs) to large (235 lbs) paddlers were comfortable in the Gulfstream. Larger-sized testers were especially pleased with the roomy cockpit but the narrow seat created pressure points at the front edges of the seat for those with bigger legs. The fixed foot braces and padded knee cups ensured positive contact for the paddler. The backband provides comfortable lumbar support when properly adjusted and unclips to facilitate access to the area behind the seat. Smaller paddlers would do well trying the Gulfstream’s cousin the Slipstream.

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all sea kayaks for smaller adults ]

Tilt the boat to turn quickly

The V hull made the initial stability feel a little tippy for smaller or less experienced paddlers. This improved with the addition of gear and forward momentum. The Gulfstream however, really wants to be put on the edge. The secondary stability was excellent. Without feeling unstable the Gulfstream can be comfortably tilted to the cockpit coaming both while stationary and under power.

The skeg deploys with a sliding toggle recessed into the right side, next to the cockpit. The system is smooth and offers various depths of skeg deployment. When deployed the skeg was extremely effective at locking the track of the boat in varying wind and swell conditions. It was also easily retracted for quick beach landings.

The style of the hull and the lack of a rudder make it very difficult to turn the Current Designs Gulfstream without tilt. It is necessary to use strong initiation strokes and moderate to aggressive outside tilt to turn the boat quickly. These characteristics make the boat feel very sporty and responsive with more advanced paddling techniques. Minor adjustments in direction are easily achieved with subtle tilt variations. The Gulfstream responds very well to this technique in preventing broaches while surfing or with a tailwind. The boat tracks into the wind well both with and without the skeg. Quartering winds cause weathercocking with the skeg retracted but with the skeg fully deployed, strong 40-50 km/h winds are no match for the hull of this boat.

Go further with the Current Designs Gulfstream

The Current Designs Gulfstream is a kayak for paddlers who are midsize and up. The boat’s carrying capacity is sufficient for longer trips, but gear needs to be reorganized into the three smaller hatches. The Gulfstream really comes into its own when paddled aggressively under heavy conditions. It reacts quickly and precisely to an experienced paddler’s actions, but is forgiving enough to be enjoyed by serious recreational paddlers. The Gulfstream is a boat many will grow into and few will outgrow.

This article was first published in the Summer 2001 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.

Boat Review: Perception Sonoma 13.5 Airalite Kayak

By

Tim Shuff

-

November 17, 2020

woman opens the hatch of a Perception Sonoma 13.5 kayak in Airalite — Boat Review: The Sonoma 13.5 by Perception

People who buy homes that they can barely afford are “house poor.” With a Kevlar boat that’s worth more than my pickup and most of my possessions combined, I am “kayak poor.” Maybe I should have bought a Perception Sonoma 13.5, a kayak that’s made of a new kind of plastic with the shiny finish, light weight and sharp lines of a composite boat at half the price.

Perception Sonoma 13.5 Specs

Length: 13’5”

Width: 23”

Cockpit: 33.25” × 18.75”

Storage: 20.35 U.S. gal

Weight: 38 lbs

Max Capacity: 225 lbs

MSRP: $1,099 USD or $1,599 CAD

[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all Perception kayaks ]

Introducing the Sonoma 13.5 in Airalite

The Perception Sonoma 13.5 is the first boat to be made of Airalite, a type of plastic that Perception Kayaks compares to the material used in those missile-shaped car-top storage boxes from your favourite roof rack company. Airalite comes in flat sheets that are heated in an oven and vacuum-moulded to kayak shape.

Airalite is not quite as impact-resistant as regular rotomoulded plastic and should be cared for like fiberglass. The folks at Perception say this material is pretty strong, and no problems have been reported since they smashed a bottle of Spumante Bambino over the bow last New Year’s Eve.

High-end features included

Perception has kept the Sonoma’s design simple by including only one hatch. There’s a rear storage compartment enclosed by a foam bulkhead behind the seat. The cockpit extends into the bow with a foam pillar at the front end for rigidity and floatation.

The Perception Sonoma 13.5 has many features of a higher-end boat including heavy-duty deck bungees and comfortable, retracting grab handles. We were able to tilt, brace and roll quite easily with stock outfitting, thanks to solid support from the adjustable plastic foot pegs. One random nitpick: our shiny Perception decals peeled off in the sun.

Perception doesn’t skimp on performance

Here’s the deal. Most lightweight, light-touring boats or fancy recreational boats are wide, slow and downright boring once you’ve figured out how to keep her going in a straight line. The theory must be that if you don’t have any money, you don’t want performance. With the Sonoma 13.5, however, Perception has released an economy car designed by a Formula One racer.

The 23-inch-wide, shallow-V, hard-chined hull makes her a little shaky when you first climb in, especially if the only other boats you’ve tried are Dodge Diplomats and Crown Vics. Get it moving and toss it into the corners with a little outside tilt and it snaps through the pylons. If you’ve ever wondered what all the hard-chine fuss is about but have never really noticed it in long touring boats, try the 13.5 foot Sonoma.

If you plan to eventually upgrade to a full-sized composite tripping boat, you’ll want to keep the sporty Sonoma as your day trip or play boat. The Sonoma 13.5 is a surfable, rollable kayak in a cutdown size that’s comfortable to paddle in wind and waves, easy to turn, easy to store, and easy to load on and off the car.

[ Plan your next kayak day touring adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]

Show out with the Perception Sonoma 13.5

The Perception Sonoma 13.5 in Airalite is a lot of boat for the price. It’ll make you look “kayak rich,” but your benefactors will still want to know who gets the boat.

This article was first published in the Fall 2003 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.

Liquidlogic Braaap 69 Specs

Length: 8’11”

Width: 24.5”

Cockpit: 34.5” × 21”

Volume: 69 U.S. gal

Weight: 44 lbs

Weight Range: 100-220 lbs

MSRP: $899

The Liquidlogic Braaap races ahead

Get ready to roll

Play your way down the river

Get down and dirty with the Liquidlogic Braaap

WaveSport Super EZ Specs

Length: 7’

Width: 27”

Volume: 60 U.S. gal

Weight: 40 lbs

Standard Features: F.A.T. 2.0 Outfitting

MSRP: $1,575 CAD

The WaveSport Super EZ has room to breathe

Telling the hull story

Super EZ on the water

Try the WaveSport Super EZ on for size

Liquidlogic Mullet Specs

Length: 9’

Width: 26.25”

Volume: 71 U.S. gal

Weight: 45 lbs

Weight Range: 150-275 lbs

MSRP: $949 USD

Old school meets new in the Liquidlogic Mullet

The Mullet is not your father’s kayak

A big kayak for big whitewater

Sized specifically for dads

Times are a-changin’ with the Liquidlogic Mullet

Mike Ranta paddles for a good cause

The last voyageur arrives at Parliament Hill

Ranta returns to honor veterans

A satisfying end to Mike Ranta’s trip

WaveSport Project Specs (45 / 52 / 62)

Length: 5’11” / 6’1” / 6’4”

Width: 24.5” / 25” / 25.75”

Volume: 45 / 52 / 62 U.S. gal

Weight Range: 90-140 / 130-190 / 180-240 lbs

The WaveSport Project makes big-time moves

A hard driving freestyle machine

No compromise on quality

Catch some air with the WaveSport Project

Seaward Passat G3 Specs

Length: 22’

Width: 26”

Depth: 15.5”

Cockpit: 32.25” × 16”

Volume: 183 U.S. gal

Weight: 90 lbs

MSRP: $3,575 USD or $4,580 CAD (fiberglass)

The Seaward Passat G3 is a speedy tandem

Get the performance of a single

Kayakers, please take a seat

Double up in the Seaward Passat G3

Dagger Stratos 14.5 Specs (S / L)

Length: 14’6” / 14’6”

Width: 23” / 24.5”

Cockpit: 36” × 18” / 35” × 19”

Weight: 54.5 / 53 lbs

Max Capacity: 275 / 300 lbs

MSRP: $1,359 USD or $1,829 CAD

The Dagger Stratos 14.5 is a return to form

The Stratos is at home in the surf

Dagger has helped define modern kayaking

Hit the surf with the Dagger Stratos 14.5

WaveSport Ethos 10 Specs

Length: 10’3”

Width: 27”

Cockpit: 36” × 20.5”

Volume: 100 U.S. gal

Weight: 54 lbs

Weight Range: 150-260 lbs

MSRP: $1,085 USD or $1,135 CAD

The WaveSport Ethos 10 packs on the miles

Standard Features:
F.A.T. 2.0 Outfitting

WaveSport Project Specs
(45 / 52 / 62)

Dagger Stratos 14.5 Specs
(S / L)

Weight:
52 lbs (fiberglass)
46 lbs (Kevlar)

MSRP:
$3,395 (fiberglass)
$3,945 (Kevlar)
$1,895 (rotomoulded)