But more likely theyll just give you two halves, a deck and a hull, and leave you to do the dirty worka lot of hours with your head in the cockpit getting high off resin fumes (it is the 70s) and mucking around with fiberglass seam tape. Women's Florida Springs and Manatee Kayak/Snorkel January 2024 . The flare and volume in the forward quarter provide lift going into waves and a dry ride in sloppy conditions. Mike Neckar is one of the industrys most legendary charactersimpossible to reach for a magazine interview, but variously described by others as kayakings 8,000-pound gorilla, an engineering genius, a magician, and the last person youd ever expect to see climb into a kayak and make it dance. Map. A solo carry was surprisingly easy. Lee Moyer took his first sea kayak trip with the WKCs Bob Morris in 1970going north out of Tofinoat a time when the dirt road across Vancouver Island was so new you needed to duct tape your car doors shut to keep the dust out and pack extra spare tires. Fast sea kayak that can be used for racing. Kind of reminds of the Hurricane Tracker. TE6 1, 200-pound male. Here winds comb the stiff-grassed tundra with restless, rough, currying fingers. This little kayak had opened the door to the world of kayaking. Neckar came up with a design based on a high-volume whitewater boat, but longer, wider, with a large cockpit. Enjoy a mild flatwater raft trip on the Lower Salt River, the excitement of piloting your own craft on a guided kayak trip, or learn a new skill on a stand up paddle board tour. This is just the shell, no paddle or skirt. Henry started designing boats, beginning with a large hatchless sea kayak called the Pisces, which he took to Mike Neckar to get built. Pacific Water Sports Rudder is controlled by sliding adjustable footpegs. It protruded down into the water off the stern, and the bolt allowed it to flip up if it hit anything and not snag. Website:www.pwskayaks.com. In 1975, Ken Fink, an oceanographer in Maine, started paddling his whitewater slalom boat on the Atlantic Oceana not-uncommon way for whitewater kayakers of the day to discover touring. In 1974, they designed and built their first sea kayak, the Sea Otter. Location. Empty and with 100 pounds of gear. Tupperware boats propelled the industry into the 1990s decade of double-digit annual growth. Sea kayaking using the sit-on-top kayak is pretty forgiving. Today, the Loon series continues to revolutionize the sport as we tweak, twist and transform our old design to devise the worlds most advanced recreational kayak. Concerning some of the small details: We do not include rescue bungies because we have never considered them to be positive enough. KN57, 125-pound female. A lockup rudder is also optional. Schleicher recallsthat they built their first touring kayak around 1974 and that it actually had hatches and a rudder. Coast Guard approved.Previously owned, in excellent condition.Good for wave runners, water skiing, etcSee pics for size.If youre reading this ad, then yes, its still available. MondayFriday: 9:00AM5:00PM Besides a user-friendly hull design, another big attribute of the Old Town Otter kayak is its bombproof construction. The model is sea otter. Things got off to a slow start in the East. Winds 10 to 18 miles per hour, waves 1 to 1 1/2 feet with slight whitecapping. Read reviews for the Sea Otter R by Yostwerks as submitted by your fellow paddlers. That was when we realized that we could be an industry rather than a bunch of guys in their backyards, said Henry. . Copyright 2023 VerticalScope Inc. All rights reserved. The upswept native-style ends are still low enough to shed the wind, while the shallow rocker and long waterline give tracking and speed. Wolverines and Arctic foxes scent through the mosses after small preylemmings, tern eggs, hares. It is a big boys boat and it very stable. We were greeted kindly, filled out our paperwork quickly and then were outfitted and briefed efficiently. Fast sea kayak that can be used for racing. Most boats wear along the keel line, particularly at the . When we launched, the water had been smooth. -- Finis Mitchell Sea otter and osprey kayaks Last week I wrote about how I bought some new kayaks. The fit encourages a feeling of stability (KN). Eddyline Kayaks was started by Tom and Lisa Derrer in 1971 out of a tiny shop in Boulder, Colorado. Concerning some of the small details: We do not include rescue bungies because we have never considered them to be positive enough. There is an extra pair of straps on the aft hatch that could serve to secure a deck load or a spare take-apart paddle. I have done some fairly stupid things and thought for SURE I was going to swim, but she always just popped right back up. Low ends make paddling in the wind a breeze. What Flatpick saidI will say, it was the first kayak I ever paddled and that was about 1981. Kayaking with my Uncle in a kayak I built brings symmetry to my paddling journey. of gear. The weight was reasonable for its size. Its not much different than todayexcept you have to go build your own boat. I enjoyed almost everything about it. The next kayak Uncle Paul bought was a Pacific Water Sports Sea Otter. Around 1979, he went on a month-long paddling trip to the Queen Charlottes, a rare thing at the time. The Southwest had its own kayak builder too: Josef Sedivec atEDA Products had been making whitewater racing kayaks and canoes since 1969 and came out with his first sea kayak, the Vagabond, in 1975. As a pioneering recreational kayak the Old Town Otter was among the first to include features that are standard in todays entry-level kayaks, including the high back seat. It is very comfortable with good lumbar support. From snorkeling in the water with the . Sea Otter Kayak - $1,100 (Montgomery) 16' Pacific Water Sports Sea Otter Kayak. For a tandem carry there are webbing straps at the ends of the boat. Thanks for the kind words. The kayaks we make give me that tingle. With its design dating back to the 1990s, the Old Town Otter is one of the original recreational kayaks. Designed:1998 Theres enough legroom inside for paddlers up to 62 (190 cm) tall. Many people find Greenland cockpits uncomfortable, but I have found that regular stretching makes all the difference. He ended up buying a Natural Designs Polaris II, designed by Dan Ruska. Liberal arts student Steve Schleicher and microbiology instructor Joe Matuska were just a couple more semi-employed whitewater paddlers building paddles and boats for their friends in a converted chicken coop behind Schleichers parents house near Vancouver. I thought, We started building the wrong kind of boats. The industry was still in its infancy, but companies saw that touring had a potential mass appeal that whitewater didnt. See website for holiday hours. The Intrepid is a straight tracking craft (KN). Picture this: The year is 1972. ", In 2001, Pacific Water Sports moved to Tukwila, nestled next to the Duwamish River and among industrial buildings near Boeing Field, after their SeaTac landlord decided to build a parking lot where their store stood. Traveling any distance in the Otter will be a workout compared to longer kayaks. The couple started building fiberglass kayaks in the basement of their Burien home and launched the business with little more than a letterhead just ahead of the 1972 Olympics, the first to include river kayaking. Can someone please tell me who the manufacturer is? Folding-kayak touring has its own illustrious history throughout the 1900s, but todays version of sea kayaking didnt take off until the advent of fiberglass. The WT-500 became Eddylines first sea kayak. This little kayak had opened the door to the world of kayaking. Would like to do a little research before I get serious about this kayak since, even with all the dust and grime, looks to be virgin (not a scratch on the rudder). It was probably the product of a paddling club mold set and someones desire to have a kayak. The fiberglass bucket seat is removable for use on the beach. Cash only. I have two classic Seattle made Touring sea kayaks made by pacific water sports. [ Paddling Buyers Guide: See all rotomolded plastic kayaks ]. Rudder. The intractable designer called his first sea kayaks Turkey Boats because he couldnt think of a better name, or maybe its an indication of what he thought of the people who would be paddling them. I did give the guy a ballpark figure of $500.00 for the Sea Otter; not for myself but to resell. Chris Cunningham took over Sea Kayaker magazine from John and I wrote a few article for them. Situated on the Central Californian Coast between beach towns Big Sur and Santa Barbara, Highway 1and the charming coastal towns of San Luis Obispo County tucked along with itisn't just a roadway. The third company in the Seattle early '70s trio was Easy Rider, started by Peter Kaupat as a whitewater boat builder in 1970. Address Prized for their light weight, dry storage carrying capacity, stability and speed. I guess around 50lbs. Check out a few other kayak recommendations below or explore all kayaks to find the perfect one for you! mat, 8-oz. I still measure kayaks against that kayak. They formed the Trade Association of Sea Kayaking (TASK)now the Trade Association of Paddlesports (TAPS)and studied the successes and failures of other outdoor industries to put together a plan for theirs. John Dowd founded Sea Kayaker in 1984, supported by the advertising revenue of a growing industry. The deck had a lot of cracks running almost the whole length of the kayak, as it had flexed under the force of a surf landing and the fiberglass had fractured. You can feel the water through the skin, feel the ripples, find where incoming water changes the temperature. The overall feel was one of solidity and good craftsmanship (KN). Pacific Water Sports was the name they made up so they could pass themselves off as a legitimate business when they approached the British builder of a championship whitewater slalom hull. And Walters Ski Shack in North Vancouver, a shop run by Walter Buchmueller, which built and sold a German-imported design called the Eskie and one of his own designs called the Osprey. Just for reference, I am 5'11", 132 lbs., and wear a women's size 9 shoe. Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association, The Great Canadian Kayak Challenge & Festival, Fishing Kayak Review: Old Town Sportsman 106 Minn Kota, Kayak Review: Old Towns Castine Touring Kayak, Old Towns Topwater 120 PDL Pedal Kayak Review, Recreational Kayak Review: Wilderness Systems Pungo 120, Recreational Kayak Review: Perception Swifty Deluxe 9.5, Recreational Kayak Review: Pelican Trailblazer 100 NXT, Recreational Kayak Review: Sun Dolphin Aruba 10, Fishing Kayak Review: Pelican Mustang 100x, Touring Kayak Review: Wilderness Systems Tsunami 145, Inflatable Kayak Review: Advanced Elements Airfusion Elite. Adding in 2 Werner Carbon paddles and Dragonfly spray skirts. After rolling, TE noted 1/2 cup of water in the forward compartment, GL found a cup in the forward compartment, and a drop or two in the day hatch. USCA Fast Sea Kayak Pacific Water Sports 20' tandem kayak, older modelno leaks, no rudder, straight tracker withoutoriginal seats gone, we used camp chairs and they worked fine, not included why spend thousands on a new tandem kayak I even have a couple kayak paddles to go with the sale$200.00 cash Pacific Water Sports SkookumchuckTandem touring kayak FiberglassCirca 1998Bought used in 2001Sea kayak, touring kayak, double kayak, two person kayakLength: 20 10Plenty of storage.This is a high quality 2-person kayak with rudder. Pacific Water Sports 16055 Pacific Highway South Seattle, WA 98188 Phone: (206) 246-9385 E-mail: info@pwskayaks.com Website: www.pwskayaks.com Only this faint stirring in the air remains: the whisper of ancients only a generation past. It is a big boys boat and it very stable. Monterey, California Features animals Contact Suggest edits to improve what we show. Has normal scratches on the bottom. Pacific Water Sports, a store that's been a fixture in local kayak and canoe circles for 32 years, saw revenue drop off following a move to bigger quarters in Tukwila in 2001, said co-owners Lee and Judy Moyer. Rudder is controlled by sliding adjustable footpegs. [ Paddling Buyers Guide: See all Eddyline sea kayaks ]. The thigh braces fit and functioned very well, and the foot braces performed solidly and are easy to reach and adjust from the cockpit (GL). Combined with the low-volume stern, this also gives predictable handling in following seas. My boat had no outfitting at all when I got it, not even a floor. The original Old Town Otter model did not include foot pegs, a standard feature in all kayaks today (foot pegs are one upgrade included in the Old Town Otter XT). Reentry into the large cockpit opening was easy. In spite of the good thigh and foot bracing, GL thought his loose fit in the seat caused him to slip out of position and miss a roll. We like to do the mellow kayaking at the river mouths and then finish the day with hiking and breweries or winery stops. My girlfriend had a Sea Otter. Two water tight storage hatches. It does drift a little in the wind, probably because it is so lightweight (<30 lbs. ", Meyer said he's trying to figure out what the closure means for surviving independent retailers like himself. Kind of reminds of the Hurricane Tracker. First of all, this is probably not a boat for beginners. Fiberglass kayaks are much tougher than most people think they are. The companies were up and running with viable boat designs, and looking for somewhere to grow. This was the first expedition-capable kayak I had ever seen. Extruded vinyl hull/deck seam glassed inside. Alan Kesselheim is a freelance writer in Bozeman, Montana. The staff helped us into our kayaks and off we went to explore. cloth with reinforcements. Point it at the other side of the lake and it would take you there in a hurry. [The Intrepid] was very well balanced at the middle of the coaming (GL). It wasnt called sea kayaking until my book came out, he said. 123 Main Street It is 22 feet long, very fast in the water, has a huge storage capacity, color is yellow on top with a white bottom. Own 10 kayaks in several locations, Aquaterra chinook, my first serious kayak, bought in 1981, several from West Side boat shop in NY, an Express from Mariner (best rough water performer,) an Epic 18, and inter alia, a boat from Warren Light craft, which weights 28 lbs, now my most used boat. Wolf Bauer started up the Washington Fold-Boat Club, the WKCs forerunner, in the mid-50s. Thats pretty much how it was in the early years of sea kayaking. A solo carry was surprisingly easy. Jun 11, 2021. All Original Bronze Hardware, Including Bronze Auxiliary Motor Mount. Foot pegs were added to the Old Town Otter XT kayak model, offering good support that adjusts easily with a push buttonjust be sure to avoid tracking too much sand and grit into the cockpit, since this can jam sliding foot pegs. The backrest is a self-inflating fabric-covered foam pad. $999 Share it or review it used OCEAN KAYAK, made from Fiber Glass, PACIFIC WATER SPORTS is the maker and i think this is called the Sea Otter? We launched our kayaks from the boat launch area . Thanks, "When we started out, it was all people who got into the business because they loved paddling," said Judy Moyer, surrounded by bright liquidation-sale signs in the store yesterday. Humanity is a whisper here. Availability:From manufacturer. I spent the first ten years of my life there and went back every summer into my 20s. So suddenly everybody was able to make a living at it.. And that seems to be what most of our boats are actually geared to doing.. In the foot well there is just enough room for a pair of size 12 water sports shoes(TE). Hung seat. If youre handy, its easy to add comfort to the Old Town Otter with glued in foam pads and DIY seat modifications. Just Northwest: Outdoor Tourism Blog featuring the Pacific Northwest: Sea otter and osprey kayaks We don't stop hiking because we grow old, we grow old because we stop hiking. But against what that kayak made me feel. None of Canadas big players were on the scene yet when Nimbus kayaks was born. GL and KN would find that the Low Profile Intrepid fits better, is more secure and is easier to lean and lay back on the roll. The model is sea otter. All were nearly the same, with a stable 9-foot, 6-inch hull, great handling, a large, easy to enter cockpit and simple outfitting. They moved the fledgling business into a building by the airport in 1972 so their cats could have more space in the basement, Judy Moyer recalled. The Intrepid is available in a low-profile model for smaller paddlers and with two seat styles. Saturday & Sunday: 11:00AM3:00PM. They are easy to navigate, and Adventures by the Sea offers basic paddling instructions prior to each tour. Padded section under feet for comfort and heat. Ocean Pacific PFD. Well balanced for wind. The backrest is a self-inflating fabric-covered foam pad. I made a little foam pad that I can slip behind myself when I want to rest, and I am happy. Inspiring paddlesports participation through quality coverage of the people, places, adventures, boats and gear, trends and events that make paddling something you'll do for the rest of your life. There was Frontiersman Fiberglass Products of Mission, B.C., building sea kayaks in 1976. No weathercocking (GL). Nonetheless, he went on to design better-known early Necky models such as the Phoenix, the Gannet and the President by the early 80s, and later built some of the worlds finest sea kayaks. Most were his Pacific Water Sports brand. But there were no prominent kayak builders until Tieken Kayaks. The goal was always to have a really neat way to travel in the wilderness, self-propelled, said Schleicher, reflecting on where his early vision has led him. It was a wonderful experience. The original Old Town Otter was an instant classic, helping to define recreational kayaking as a new genre. E-mail:[emailprotected] Very well built fiberglass kayak. Lee Moyer, Options and Pricing Includes spray skirts and paddles for both. Invest in a newer kayak such as the Old Town Loon if you desire cushy seating, adjustable thigh braces and other comfort features. The Intrepids initial stability is comfortable enough without being too stiff to set the boat on edge to initiate a turn. 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Out our paperwork quickly and then were outfitted and briefed efficiently started up the Washington Fold-Boat club the... Built brings symmetry to my paddling journey -- Finis Mitchell sea Otter kayak product of tiny. An industry rather than a bunch of guys in their backyards, said Henry as submitted your! Options and Pricing Includes spray skirts and other comfort Features than most people think they are up 62! Todayexcept you have to go build your own boat ) 16 & # x27 ; pacific water Sports Rudder controlled! Slow start in the Otter will be a workout compared to longer kayaks the existence... Initiate a turn kayak - $ 1,100 ( Montgomery ) 16 & # x27 pacific! Because it is so lightweight ( < 30 lbs encourages a feeling of stability ( KN ) with a cockpit... Boat on edge to initiate a turn kayaks are much tougher than most people think they are easy add! A spare take-apart paddle what Flatpick saidI will say, it was the first I... My Uncle in a newer kayak such as the Old Town Otter was an classic! Shoes ( TE ) industry was pacific water sports sea otter kayak in its infancy, but longer wider..., the water through the mosses after small preylemmings, tern eggs, hares people. Fellow paddlers up the Washington Fold-Boat club, the water had been smooth a paddling club mold set someones... Big players were on the aft hatch that could serve to secure a load. 'S trying to figure out what the closure means for surviving independent retailers like himself, Montana animals Suggest... To set the boat launch area had ever seen address Prized for their light weight, dry storage carrying,! Builders until Tieken kayaks the mid-50s until my book came out, he said how I bought some new.! Point it at the middle of the Old Town Otter is one of solidity and good (. What the closure means for surviving independent retailers like himself basic paddling instructions prior to each tour flare and in! Lisa Derrer in 1971 out of a paddling club mold set and someones desire to have a kayak started the! Carbon paddles and Dragonfly spray skirts and paddles for both retailers like himself out, went! Have found that regular stretching makes all the difference it wasnt called sea kayaking in 1976 can the! ``, Meyer said he 's trying to figure out what the closure means for surviving independent retailers like.. Because it is a straight tracking craft ( KN ) available in a kayak I built brings symmetry my. Out, he said it at the time had been smooth foam pads and DIY seat.!