There’s traditionally been a divide between the recreational kayaks that drive the growth of our sport and the high-end models for enthusiasts. Now one of the biggest recreational kayak makers, Pelican International, is leaping across the rec/touring chasm with the Elite Series Pelican Strait 120 kayak.
Pelican Strait 120 XE Specs
Length: 12’
Width: 25.5”
Depth: 14”
Weight: 48 lbs
Cockpit: 34.5” × 18”
MSRP:$900 USD / $1,000 CAD
[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all Pelican kayaks ]
The Strait 120 is Elite
From the world’s largest thermoforming machine in the suburbs of Montreal, Pelican is producing the mischievously named “Elite Series,” a line of affordable kayaks with premium touring features like adjustable foot pegs, bow and stern bulkheads, waterproof hatches, deck bungees and rudders.
Exceptionally light and strong
Don’t underestimate four decades of plastic kayak moulding know-how. I can’t think of another manufacturer that’s been in the biz since 1968 and it shows. Pelican kayaks are made of a unique triple-layer thermomolded plastic that the company says is 30 per cent stiffer than conventional rotomolded poly and also lighter and strong enough to be driven over by a truck (and bounce back). We were surprised to find it feels as rigid as composite, albeit with a much rougher finish than other thermoform kayaks or gel coat.
The Strait 120 has a very comfortable, ergonomic padded seat, padded thigh braces and plenty of cockpit room for paddlers of all sizes.
Short boat, responsive ride
All the kayaks in the Strait series, which includes 12- and 14-footers with and without rudders, have very attractive lines. The aggressively tapered bow and semi-hard chine give an edge-able, surf-worthy appearance. Stability on the shallow-V hull is moderate, nudging the paddler to try edging. It tracks very straight for such a short boat and also turns quickly, as you’d expect.
The Pelican Strait 120 is a premium short‑tripper
In some regards the Strait’s sea kayak features are misleading; we don’t recommend a 12-foot kayak to anyone who wants to cover water. In waves the short deck and low bow make for a wet ride and a strong paddler quickly maxes out the hull’s cruising speed. For true light touring, consider the Strait 140.
[ Plan your next trip with the Paddling Trip Guide ]
For short paddles and small bodies of water where speed is not an issue, however, the Pelican Strait 120 kayak is a well-designed starter boat that offers a wonderfully rigid plastic and many premium features at a reasonable price.
This article was first published in the Spring 2010 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.
A solo canoeist finishes off a forward C stroke. | Feature Photo: Gary & Joanie McGuffin
The canoe C stroke is a good start-up stroke for soloists to get their craft moving forward in a straight line. It’s so-named because it’s a combination stoke in which a bow draw, forward stroke and J stroke come together so the path the canoe paddle travels resembles the letter C.
The bow draw and J stroke portions of the stroke keep the canoe from veering to the offside in response to the turning force of the forward stroke. Even after the canoe is moving forward the C stroke can be useful when you want to forcefully turn the canoe in an onside direction.
Steps to complete the canoe C stroke
1. Start your stroke
Wind up your torso by rotating your upper body to the offside. Plant the blade further away from the hull than you would for a forward stroke. Angle the power face toward the hull. The thumb on your upper hand should be pointing toward the stern.
Step 1: Start your stroke. | Photo: Gary & Joanie McGuffin
2. Top of the C
Scribe the top hook of the C by drawing the bow of the canoe to the blade. Your upper hand should pass over-top the gunwales and be out over the water, with the thumb still pointing toward the stern.
Step 2: Trace the top of the C. | Photo: Gary & Joanie McGuffin
3. Forward stroke
This is the propulsion phase of the stroke. To reduce the amount of offside turning force, keep this stroke as close to the center line as possible by keeping your upper hand out over the water and arching the blade slightly under the canoe.
Step 3: Take your forward stroke. | Photo: Gary & Joanie McGuffin
4. Bottom of the C
At the end of the forward stroke, turn your control thumb forward to complete the lower hook of the C. This is really the J pry of the J stroke. Roll your wrists forward and use the gunwale or your shaft hand as the fulcrum while you apply outward force to the power face.
Step 4: Trace the bottom of the C. | Photo: Gary & Joanie McGuffin
5. Back to the start
Make a feathered recovery as you wind up your torso for another stroke. You may follow up with another C stroke, a J stroke or a forward stroke, depending on what will best hold you on your line.
Step 5: Back to the start. | Photo: Gary & Joanie McGuffin
[ Plan your next canoe adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]
This article was first published in the Spring 2006 issue of Canoeroots Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.
A solo canoeist finishes off a forward C stroke. | Feature Photo: Gary & Joanie McGuffin
As early spring starts, melting snow and icy bays turn liquid and there’s a good reason the world’s best paddlers keep a close eye on the Ottawa Valley. The migration begins as the swelling Ottawa River bursts above its banks. You too can try kayaking the Ottawa River starting in the town of Beachburg, just a two-hour drive northwest of Canada’s capital city.
World-class kayaking in the Ottawa Valley
Surrounded by sprawling farmland and forest, the Ottawa River boasts some of the biggest whitewater east of the Rocky Mountains—in flood, it rivals some of the biggest-water rivers in the world.
With waves known to showcase the full range of freestyle moves, the Ottawa River is a playboater’s paradise and has nurtured local paddlers like Ben Marr, Nick Troutman and Kalob Grady into world-class big wave kayak competitors.
Depending on water levels, you could play for hours at any of the Ottawa’s well-known waves: Garburator, Buseater, Babyface, Corner Wave and more. Ask a local what’s in.
For the day
A run of the Ottawa’s Main or Middle Channel offers class II to V whitewater. Whitewater Ontario provides detailed access and rapid descriptions.
Expedition
The nearby Madawaska, Petawawa, Mattawa and Dumoine Rivers are popular destinations for multi-day whitewater trips.
[ Plan your next Ottawa Valley adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]
Travel
Fly to the international airport in either Ottawa or Toronto and rent a car—it’s a two-hour drive from Ottawa and five hours from Toronto. Bus routes are available to the nearby town of Cobden where you can catch a taxi to your destination.
Camp
Rafting companies dot the banks of the Ottawa River, offering accommodations from cook-over-a-fire camping to comfortable cabins with gourmet meals. Explore your options:
Don’t miss the Whitewater Brewing Company, a brewpub just steps from the banks of the Ottawa. With names like “Class V IPA,” and “Whistling Paddler,” it’s no surprise these drinks are brewed by former river guides.
While you’re there
From family-friendly entertainment to definitely-not-family-friendly nightlife, the local rafting companies host a plethora of events throughout the May to September paddling season, along with activities like disc golf, bungee jumping, SUP, live music and more.
This article first appeared in the Early Summer 2015 issue of Rapid Magazine.
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Feature Photo: Flickr user Jeff Moore http://bit.ly/1jNlqZo
Running rivers is one of the best ways to spend a day. From excitement at the put-in to battling butterflies before a challenging new feature to laughing with your friends at the evening campfire, engaging with these waterways is life-enriching. If you’re new to river running, here are some tips to supercharge your run and have longer, stronger and happier kayaking days.
There are so many details involved in getting to the river—ideally with all your gear—that its easy to feel too rushed for breakfast. Skip the first meal of the day however, and you will not only have low energy but will also be less equipped to handle cold conditions. Make the time to prepare a breakfast with protein, complex carbohydrates and some fruit. Think an egg and bacon sandwich on whole wheat toast and a smoothie or oatmeal with peanut butter and blueberries.
When you have the time and freedom to paddle, it’s tempting to want to be on the river every day. Like any other sport however, your body needs rest days. If you’ve been paddling for so many consecutive days you can’t recall your last time on land, schedule a day to take it easy. Sleep in, stretch and eat nutritious food. Taking care of your body will allow you to be a better paddler and push your limits further.
3 Avoid (or at least limit) hangovers
Having beers with paddling friends is a great way to celebrate an awesome day on the river. If you want to amp up your river running, try to avoid going too wild and getting into your boat the next day with a hangover. Hangovers can limit our cognitive functioning, reaction time and memory, all factors that can affect your performance on the river (or at the very worst compromise safety). Your body on a hangover is also seriously dehydrated, so a day of strenuous activity will feel much tougher than it should.
When you return from the river, resist the urge to sink into the couch and instead spend 20 minutes using a foam roller. These inexpensive tools smooth and lengthen your muscles and can increase your paddling performance. Foam rollers are also a great tool to use when recovering from muscle injuries, although you should be sure to consult a physiotherapist or other professional for advice specific to your ailment. Using them before stretching is a great routine to adopt to supercharge your river running.
5 Use visualization
Visualization is a powerful tool that helps prepare for challenging or new situations. Athletes like Tiger Woods uses mental rehearsal to prepare for high stakes situations. Whitewater kayaker Nouria Newman likes to sit in her boat before a race, close her eyes and visualize each gate she will go through on the run. Next time you come to a rapid, try sitting on the shore after you’ve scouted and visualize every move you want to make.
[ Plan your next adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]
6 Bring the right snacks
Being hungry on the river is an easy way to lose focus. Take time to pack filling and nutrient dense snacks and a lunch to keep you satisfied and full of energy. Snacks that offer complex carbohydrates, protein and fiber are good choices. Think beef jerky, cheese strings, fruit, nuts and energy bars. Make sure you pack things that you will actually eat and keep them in an accessible place so you don’t put off eating until you are weak, cold and cranky.
Putting these tips into practice
Whitewater kayaking can be a blast, but the physical and mental exertion means that you may feel depleted during your trip. With a bit of planning and some careful consideration you can get the most out of the experience. Keep these six river kayaking tips in mind when you next prepare to hit the swifts and your run will be one to remember.
When plastics conglomerate Poly-One shut down production of Royalex in 2013, canoe manufacturers scrambled to replace the favored hull material of whitewater and expedition paddlers. In Spring 2016, Esquif Canoes from Frampton, Quebec, began rolling out their line of T-Formex canoes and I was lucky enough to be one of the first to test the new product and provide my T-Formex review. Basically, I was their willing guinea pig.
Within the canoe industry, many manufacturers looked to composite materials as a Royalex replacement. Only one canoe company took on the gargantuan task of creating a hull material with the parallel properties of weight, durability and performance that Royalex possessed.
T-Formex looks, feels and acts like Royalex, with a seemingly indistinguishable ABS foam core sandwich construction.
Canoe tripping in the Canyon
To test the material’s durability and functionality, my friend Shawn Campbell and I set out from La Ronge, Saskatchewan in an Esquif Canyon on an 1,800-kilometer, 44-day journey to Baker Lake, Nunavut.
I’ve used prospectors as my hull design of choice for all of my expeditions since 2007, however Esquif hadn’t made any prospectors with T-Formex at the time of our departure. So I ended up using the Canyon—a whitewater tripping model that’s a hair shorter (16’5”) and has more rocker (4.5”) than the Esquif’s Prospecteur 17.
Nothing wrong with a little bump and grind. | Photo: Frank Wolf
I was unsure about the new canoe model at first, since a large portion of our journey would be lake and upstream travel.
An immediate drawback was that the Canyon definitely required more correction strokes than the Prospecteur, but after a couple of days I got used to it. I ration out food for my canoe expeditions based on a 40-kilometer per day average, and in the end we were a little better than that number. So the combined upstream, downstream and lake speed with the Canyon was pretty much the same as with the Prospecteur.
Payload and maneuverability to spare
Our sole re-supply stop was 15 days into our trip at Lac Brochet, Manitoba, from where we paddled away with 30 days of food to the finish. The 1000-pound capacity craft easily absorbed our payload, leaving lots of freeboard. Though not as good at tracking in still water, the advantage of the Canyon over a prospector design became apparent in the whitewater and windy lakes on the second half of the tour.
[ Plan your next adventure in Canada’s North with the Paddling Trip Guide ]
The Canyon’s maneuverability was gauged in the tight confines of an unnamed river that flows from Nunim Lake and eventually to Kasba Lake. Characterized by narrow flumes that snaked around boulders and logs, the river required instantaneous manoeuvres in order to avoid getting hung up or worse. Even with a full load, the canoe stayed nimble and turned on a dime whenever we needed it.
We ran the entire thousand-kilometer length of the Kazan River as part of the route, and found that the Canyon rode really dry when running through the haystacks and holes of its high-volume rapids.
On big, windy lakes like Kasba and Ennadai, we paddled extended, exposed stretches in meter-high waves and the Canyon danced up and over the breakers with ease. Its deep bow was more effective at shedding water than a Prospector or asymmetric canoe. Overall, I found the Canyon to be a great river tripper that’s versatile enough to excel in any water conditions.
Long way to go. | Photo: Frank Wolf
T-Formex Review: It’s a winner
As much as I enjoyed the Canyon, it’s the material that everyone asks me about. And as for my T-Formex review itself, I was impressed.
On our way to the divide at Nunim, we traveled upstream through a shallow creek system for several days, which often involving dragging the canoe fully loaded over rocks. From this experience, I definitely found T-Formex held up better than Royalex. It seems to be stiffer—not gouging as easily when being ground over sharp rocks or dragged through dense bush and rough tundra. Portaging with the canoe on my shoulders was no problem either—the spec weight is the same as Esquif’s previous models, which is great.
In order to truly test the durability of the material, we decided not to install Kevlar skid plates. Despite this, the wear on the bow and stern by the end of the trip was surprisingly minimal with no denting despite the endless hard hits the canoe took. As well, T-Formex slides easily over shallow boulders and ledges in rapids so property-wise, I found it to be as forgiving and predictable as Royalex.
[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all plastic laminate canoes (i.e. T-Formex, Royalex) ]
In my opinion, lovers of Royalex should rejoice. It’s back and better than ever in the form of T-Formex. No need to handle your canoes with kid gloves any more—you’ll be beating the heck out of your T-Formex canoe for years to come.
More canoes in T-Formex coming soon
Long-term goals of Esquif include providing T-Formex sheets to all manufacturers who want them, so paddlers should look out for their favorite canoe brands to utilize this promising new material down the road. Keep a close eye on your local canoe retailer’s shelves and you too could do a T-Formex review.
Ihad recently returned from a tradeshow where the new AIRE BAKraft Expedition packraft was revealed when I received an email from Cameron Dubé pitching a bikepacking packrafting story. I immediately wrote back telling him I’d source the boats if he’d organize the food.
AIRE BAKraft
Expedition Specs
Length: 10’2”
Width: 40”
Weight: 12 lbs
Primary Materials: Aramid, i.e. Kevlar, Nomex, Twaron
Self Bailing: Yes
Number of Paddlers: Solo
Outfitting: Back reset, thigh braces
The BAKraft Expedition bails itself out
Soon after the Second World War inflatable packable rafts used as survival equipment in airplanes began to appear in army surplus stores. Legend has it that in 1952, Dick and Isabelle Griffith did the first recorded whitewater packraft river run when they descended Copper Canyon in Mexico.
Sixty-five years later, packrafts are innovating paddlesports. Companies like Alpacka, Kokopelli and AIRE all making whitewater-specific lightweight inflatables that you can carry up rivers and paddle back down.
When AIRE first released their tiny BAKraft Hybrid in 2015 I interviewed marketing manager Sheena Coles. The original BAKraft is just seven feet long and only seven pounds. It was the first self-bailing packraft not requiring a skirt to keep out the water. Water runs out through holes in the inflated floor like any modern raft or inflatable kayak.
When Cam pitched the story last fall, I called Sheena and she sent us two pre-productions versions of the new AIRE BAKraft Expedition.
Scott and Cam pack their fat bikes on to the AIRE BAKraft Expedition. | Photo: Scott MacGregor
Embarking on an Expedition
To keep the pack weight to a minimum—only 10.5 pounds—AIRE’s storage bag comes with a hose and doubles as an inflator. Fill the bag with air and squeeze it through the hose into the raft. Fill the bag with air, squeeze it into the raft. It’s a cleverly primitive and tedious system. But it works.
After the bike ride up the river, in less than an hour we’d completely changed sports and shoved off from our sandbar. Typically in packrafts the bikes would be laying across the bow over top of our legs. We were happy to have opted for AIRE’s 10-foot Expedition and the room to have the bikes behind us for easier paddling and seeing our lines down the rapids ahead.
AIRE has included a daisy chain of lash tabs where the floor joins the collar. The seat and standard-issue thigh straps fasten in this way. The rest of the tabs we used to lash in drybags and the bikes. We had way more room in the Expedition than you’d ever carry on a bike.
BAKraft has a tough exterior
AIRE makes their rafts and inflatable kayaks with an outer shell to protect the inner bladders. The BAKrafts are the same. The bladder is an ultralight urethane AIREcell and the shell is a tough new Dyneema fabric. Dyneema feels like those reusable waxy sheets that hippy moms put in lunch kits to wrap sandwiches, except the Expedition material has a ripstop weave.
Roll up the AIRE BAKraft Expedition and strap it to your handlebars. | Photo: Scott MacGregor
Very quickly we stopped thinking of the AIRE BAKraft Expedition as a packraft. How does it paddle? Just like an inflatable kayak. The boats pumped up firm and are extremely capable river runners. Even if you’re not packing a bike but just running whitewater rivers, carrying an extra three pounds to get a 10-foot kayak is worth it. Some guys go this route just so they can sleep in their boats with bug netting or a tarp draped over top.
We’d been paddling a solid seven hours when it started to get dark. The fading light wasn’t enough for us to distinguish deep water from thousands of shallow pillows in the boogie water swifts.
“How much abrasion do you think these floors will take,” I shouted over to Cam. We were both scrubbing up on rocks just below the surface. I felt like we were kids at a birthday party knocking around balloons waiting for them to pop. But they didn’t pop.
We were surely the first self-supported
fat bike packraft trip the river has ever seen.
In fact not only did we not pop the Expeditions, the rocks didn’t even leave a scratch or a scuff on the Dyneema. This material slides off rocks better than any raft or hard boat I’ve ever paddled. I feel like this is just the beginning for Dyneema. I bet we’ll see beefier variations appear throughout AIRE’s line of kayaks, rafts and fishing tubes.
If by chance we did puncture one of the Expeditions, AIRE includes a field repair kit. Simply patch the bladder and sew up the hull with the included needle and thread.
Break new ground with the AIRE BAKraft Expedition
We were surely the first self-supported fat bike packraft trip the river has ever seen. Not to mention one of the first trips in the pre-production AIRE BAKraft Expedition. Imagine the possibilities presented by this very capable whitewater river runner that packs smaller than a four-slice toaster or can be rolled and strapped to your handlebars. Endless.
This article was first published in Issue 51 of Paddling Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.
The Water Sports Foundation (WSF) welcomes outdoor writer and editor Jeff Moag as its new Content Director, with responsibility for managing the non-profit’s media campaigns promoting safe boating and paddling. Moag will also oversee development of a new website and expanded social-media presence for the leading boating-safety foundation established in 2004.
Moag was editor-in-chief of Canoe & Kayak magazine for eight years, and led the team that founded Kayak Fish magazine, SUP the Mag and the Canoe and Kayak Awards. Moag also has worked as a freelance writer and producer for clients including Adventure Journal, Outside, Men’s Journal, The Washington Post, and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. He is a lifelong waterman with experience in power boats and sailing in addition to whitewater kayaking, canoeing and sea kayaking. He’s trained in swift water rescue.
Since 2018, Moag has directed the WSF’s U.S. Coast Guard non-profit boating safety grant titled Lessons for Life: Accidents as Learning Experiences, a campaign that uses video and written narratives of true-life boating accidents and near escapes to deliver safe boating messages. Moag looks forward to an expanded role at the WSF, using his storytelling chops to animate the non-profit’s broad-ranging campaigns to increase life jacket wear, reduce impaired boating, and reach recreational boaters and paddlers through enthusiast media such as boating and paddling magazines and radio outreach to Spanish-speaking Americans.
“The Water Sports Foundation has been a leading voice for boating and paddling safety for nearly a decade,” Moag said. “I’ve been privileged to assist in this important work, first as an editor at Canoe & Kayak, and later as producer of our Lessons for Life program. I’ve seen the positive impact of these campaigns first-hand, and I’m thrilled to take a larger role as the WSF continues to expand its innovative safety content and build its online and social media presence.”
“Jeff Moag’s experience and energy will contribute substantially to the WSF’s boating-safety mission,” said WSF Executive Director, Jim Emmons. “Jeff is an award-winning journalist who brings a deep understanding of boating safety and enthusiast media to our team, plus he already has experience working with the Water Sports Foundation.”
Moag’s responsibilities as Content Director include overseeing the design and launch of a new Water Sports Foundation website and growing the non-profit’s audience on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Moag will also manage the WSF’s YouTube channel, which features nearly 200 boating and paddling safety videos.
Since 2011, the WSF has been a U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Outreach partner through its non-profit organization recreational boating safety grants program. The WSF currently manages seven boating safety outreach grant projects, including programs designed to, among others, increase life jacket wear rates; reduce the rate of impaired boating; increase awareness of boater education; and target boating-safety messages to powerboaters, paddlers and Spanish-speaking Americans. The WSF also enlists the boating and paddling industries to promote safe-boating messages to their customers. The WSF has been responsible for the production of nearly 200 safety video PSA’s and hundreds of safety articles, generating more than one billion impressions through its twenty-two media brand partners.
“This work saves lives,” Emmons said. “For a decade, our follow-up Attitude and Behavior Studies show that the WSF’s outreach campaigns are changing the public’s attitudes and behaviors about safety. The Coast Guard has reported a reduction in boating casualties for three consecutive years. Our job at the WSF is to do everything we can to extend that trend. Jeff shares that goal, and I’m confident his experience and safety knowledge will help us achieve it.”
***
Headquartered in Orlando, FL, the Water Sports Foundation is the non-profit educational arm of the Water Sports Industry Association (WSIA.net). Since 2011 the WSF has received U.S. Coast Guard boating and paddling safety outreach funding through their non-profit grant program. The Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund administered through Congressional action provides funding for the U.S. Coast Guard’s recreational boating safety initiatives.
In August 2019, Brendan Davis and Kirk Muir Horton paddled 315 miles from source to sea down the Hudson River. Starting in the Adirondacks and ending at the Statue of Liberty, their trip was about as unpredictable and complex as the river itself.
The trip started off as a way for Brendan to pay tribute to the source of his childhood exploration. But the Hudson offered discoveries and challenges along the way, both aquatic and otherwise, that tested and formed a bond between the new friends, and in turn between them and the Hudson.
[Discover the best packrafts of the year in the Paddling Buyer’s Guide.]
Without much paddling experience, and with a relatively new friendship to boot, they took their 10-foot inflatable raft to Lake Tear of the Clouds and started their journey downriver. Brendan and Kirk encountered dry riverbeds and class III whitewater, and battled heavy tides. When things went wrong they hitched rides on rafts, boats, and cars. In times of need strangers became friends. From a trickle to the sea, they explore the river, revisited Brendan’s childhood home in Cornwall, NY, and traveled down one of America’s most influential yet endangered rivers. —From the filmmaker
Current Designs Ignite
| Feature Photo: Virginia Marshall
The name is appropriate for the Current Designs Ignite, a highly capable hybrid that fills the gap between high-end surfskis and sit-on-top recreational kayaks. For touring kayakers, it could spark an interest in go-fast fitness paddling or even recreational racing. For fitness freaks and race geeks, it could ignite the possibility of taking that first overnight trip.
The Ignite blends the stability and predictable handling of Current Designs’ popular Solstice GT touring hull with the open cockpit of a surfski, then adds spacious watertight storage compartments. It’s a chimera that may well be the most versatile speed machine we’ve paddled.
Two hatches offer 125 litres of dry storage (that’s double what you’d have backpacking), but the buckles-lid-neoprene-hatch-cover system was the fiddliest of any test boat—making getting at your gear a chore for stiff fingers and smaller hands.
The Ignite’s cockpit. | Photo: Virginia Marshall
The waterline on this 16-footer was the longest we tested and, not surprisingly, accelerated effortlessly to the fastest cruising and sprint speeds.
[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: See all racing & training kayaks ]
Sleek, minimalist styling
The Current Designs Ignite is all about smooth and sleek. The shallow-V hull and soft chines offer lively, seamless edging. The beam is widest behind the cockpit, where it measures 24 inches, for a longer, more efficient entry and minimal drag.
That minimalist approach extends to the Ignite’s deck rigging, where we noted the lack of perimeter lines and a single bungee X on the stern. Handles are positioned beside the cockpit at the boat’s balance point to assist with shoulder carries or re-boarding.
The Ignite’s hatch. | Photo: Virginia Marshall
The Ignite’s rudder. | Photo: Virginia Marshall
Speaking of which, the Ignite weighs in at a manageable 39 pounds, thanks to its fiberglass/Aramid layup, carbon rudder footboard and frills-free (yet surprisingly comfortable) seat pan.
Blending the long waterline and open cockpit of a surfski with two roomy watertight hatches and reassuring stability, the Current Designs Ignite is an ideal starter ‘ski for fitness and light touring. Whether you seek to cruise or sprint—or ideally, both—the Ignite is a hybrid with easy maneuverability on and off the water.
Video Review of the Current Designs Ignite Kayak:
This article originally appeared in the Adventure Kayak Summer/Fall 2016 issue.
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Esquif’s Excite is an exciting design, full of new ideas about what makes a canoe fun to paddle. |
Photo: Alex Traynor
Getting in the new Esquif Excite canoe, I couldn’t get Secret’s antiperspirant tagline out of my head: Strong enough for a man, but made for a woman. While one of the most famous advertising campaigns of all time, I don’t really know what it means. The Excite, on the other hand, was designed first for women, and then up-sized for men. Doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, but the boat is awesome.
Sabrina Barm is the first female canoeist to compete in North Carolina’s infamous Green River Race, and at the time she had competed in two Adidas Sickline Extreme Kayak World Championships paddling OC1 against fields of kayakers.
Let’s just say she’s a badass open boater. Barm’s also an automotive engineer with a background in boat design. With an extreme race resume and a few theories on acceleration, precision, hull speed and ergonomics, she approached Esquif Canoes owner Jacques Chasse about designing a polyethylene creeking and river running canoe specifically designed for smaller paddlers, namely women. Seemingly never too small a niche for Esquif, Chasse gave Barm the green light.
The Extasy is the most radically different canoe design we’d ever tested. I just wished I weighed 40 pounds less and had thinner hips—words I thought I’d never write—for squeezing between the integrated polyethylene gunwales. I wasn’t the only one. Enough Esquif team paddlers and other dudes were sneaking runs in Barm’s lawn dart to convince Chasse he needed to upsize the Extasy, and thus the Excite was born.
In a neutral or slightly stern-heavy position, the bow releases and the Excite pivots like a Flying Saucer. Come forward and the bow engages to carve. | Photo: Alex Traynor
Turned out in T-Formex
The Esquif Excite isn’t just a chubbier Extasy, but a completely new boat inspired by it. First of all, the Extasy is rotomolded polyethylene like the L’edge, Spanish Fly and almost every whitewater kayak on the river. The Excite, like most full-size solo canoes, uses a plastic laminate material. Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you’ll know Esquif saved whitewater canoeing by coming up with its own special blend to replace Royalex, called T-Formex.
The top edges are capped with black vinyl gunwales and deck plates. The Extasy is available with bulkhead outfitting, and because the Excite’s T-Formex inner layer allows glue-in anchors, it is also available with pedestal saddle and straps.
The Extasy is super light, which is one of the best features for women and smaller paddlers on the water, portage trail and while roof topping. The Excite, on the other hand, is not super light. Our tester was an even 50 pounds with bulkhead outfitting and good nylon bags. This is the least exciting part of this new design. In my opinion, Chasse overbuilds most of his canoes. Admirable, but please make me an Excite Light—it even rhymes. I promise, Jacques, I won’t make a warranty claim when I wear through the chines in 10 years.
Giving new shape to open boating fun
Just looking at the Excite, you can tell this boat is going to be fun. The mid-section—let’s call it the cockpit of the Excite—sits above a 15-inch wide and 32-inch long flat section. On either side, the boat widens with six-inch pontoon-like bulbous sections just behind your hips. The bow sweeps up sort of like the Spark or the old Dagger Prophet. The stern radically narrows and kicks up the rocker aggressively 10 inches behind the seat. If you’re not following along, let’s just say this is not your typical symmetrical canoe. And it doesn’t paddle like anything you’ve ever tried before—except maybe the Extasy, if you could fit in it.
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On the water, the Esquif Excite is exciting. The wide cockpit with stern kick rocker and an upswept bow makes it feel like you’re sitting and kneeling on a beach ball or one of those Flying Saucer snow sleds. Coming forward with your weight to engage the narrow bow makes it feel faster. Do this on the way into an eddy and it carves. Stay centered or come back a little bit and the bow releases making the Excite one of the most aggressive offside tilt-to-pivot boats we’ve tested. So snappy. So fun. This isn’t just awesome for micro eddies; it’s fantastic for mid-current pivots for changing direction.
Need to jump over a reactionary wave or boof a hole? Just come back a little and the Excite tips back on the rockered stern, lightening the bow dancing up and over as dry as can be.
The Excite is also one of the most fun solo boats I’ve ever surfed. The wide flat saucer section is super stable on the wave. On a steep wave, the tricked-up stern takes the profile of the wave face or pile rather than sending you down into the trough. The high-volume rockered bow seldom locks into the upstream water. It’s like you’re surfing on the saucer. The Excite is so free of locking in, I could even drop my T-grip hand and rudder to carve back on my offside. You need to try it.
Like the Extasy, the trickiest part of paddling the Excite is just not looking at it. It’s not nearly as tippy as the narrow bow makes it look. | Photo: Alex Traynor
The most intriguing design elements are the flat cockpit area below the seating position and the pontoons behind the cockpit. There was much debate about the best seat position. I think they finally nailed the balance point at 45.5 inches from the stern to the back of the seat. | Photo: Alex Traynor
Okay, you’ve probably figured out I really like the Esquif Excite. But I don’t like swimming. I swam more out of the Excite than I have in years. Here’s my excuse.
I don’t think the Excite is hard to roll. I just had the float bags fully inflated, filling the bow and stern tight to the foam bulkhead. The bulkhead has only two small holes through it—holes too small to equalize the water to my offside quickly enough. I’d be drilling holes, cutting channels or installing a saddle and straps. Problem solved.
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The Esquif Excite lives up to its billing
Almost any new open boat is exciting. The Excite is truly an exciting new boat full of fresh ideas about what makes a canoe fun to paddle. Even better, most dudes will be excited that they don’t have to lose 50 pounds to go surfing or creeking in this radical boat.
This article was first published in Issue 59 of Paddling Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.
Esquif’s Excite is an exciting design, full of new ideas about what makes a canoe fun to paddle. | Feature Photo: Alex Traynor
This article first appeared in the Early Summer 2015 issue of Rapid Magazine. 
This article originally appeared in the Adventure Kayak Summer/Fall 2016 issue.
