What other Canoes and Kayaks would I like?!

Nova Craft Pal in TuffStuff

A green one of course, primarily for solo paddling - Hoping to test one of these shortly.

P&H Volan 160

By all accounts the Volan is a multipurpose kayak that can both tour and play being fast enough to stay with the touring crowd despite only being 16 feet long but with enough rocker and the hard chines to carve turns well for playing in the surf or rock gardens all in a shorter, lighter package than most full size touring kayaks.  I would really like to try one out to see if it could be the holy grail all purpose sea kayak I have been looking for.

I was impressed with both the speed and handling of the smaller plastic P&H Virgo (My goto recommendation for a shorter plastic touring/play boat for beginner or expert now - In my view one of the best, if not THE best, shorter touring plastic kayaks currently on the market) and the Volan looks a bit like a composite Super Virgo! Being able to fit my P&H Force4 sail, currently fitted to my Delphin, straight onto it would be a bonus as well.

Tiderace Xceed

The Xceed is one of the latest modern computer optimised designs by Tiderace with a unique seamless construction and is said to be both fast and have dynamic handling.  Another kayak that may fulfil my one design does it all quest and one that I would really like to try.  I am a sucker for the curvaceous classic lines of the Romany so am not sure if I like the modern sharp but rounded and seamless look of the Xceed or not but maybe I just need to see it in the flesh or paddle it to truly appreciate it.  On paper it could have the performance to be my ideal kayak.If you have one for sale, or would be prepared to let me have a short paddle in yours in North Norfolk UK to see how it suits me then I would love to hear from you.

NDK Romany Surf

I love my Romany "Classic" but I am at the top end of the weight limit for it which curtails its dynamic handling somewhat.  It may be that the Romany "Surf " with boxier chines and a little more volume may give me the package I am looking for i.e a Romany "Classic" with more dynamic handling at my weight but retaining the recognisably attractive lines of the Romany Classic. If you have one of these for sale in the UK regardless of condition even crashed, bashed or holed then please contact me as I would be interested in buying it if the price is commensurate with the condition!

NDK (SKUK) Greenlander Pro Sea Kayak

There seems to be some conflicting information on the internet regarding the exact sizing of the Greenlander Pro (and it's size relative to the standard Greenlander which is supposed to be 2"/50mm shorter) but on checking with the manufacturer I was told (which doesn't seem to match either of the published figures exactly!):

Length: 17'7" (535.9cm calculated)  Beam: 20 3/4" (52.7cm calculated)

Other internet sites show: Length: 540cm(547cm?) (17' 8.6"/ 17. 11.3"?) Beam: 54.5cm (21.46") Weight: 24?kg Volume: 296 litres

For straight A to B passages as fast as possible I like the classic hard chine looks of the NDK Greenlander Pro sea kayak which, with it's reduced rocker, is optimised for straight line speed rather than manoeuvrability and it is generally considered to be a fast kayak.  It's an old design and likely to feel "tippy" until you get used to the initial stability characteristics of a hard chine hull, hopefully I now have a level of experience that will allow me to cope with this.  They seem to be available quite cheaply secondhand, I guess because pure hard chine designs seem to have fallen out of favour (except with the Greenland kayak rolling specialists but they tend to choose very low volume designs rather than expedition boats) and most people now opt for one of the more modern designs. Old school maybe but something about the Greenlander Pro just appeals to me.

If anyone has one for sale (cheaply!) please contact me via the contact form on this web site - Even crashed bashed and damaged examples in need of significant repair considered!

Shrike

If I can't find a cheap Greenlander Pro or an Anas Acuta then I quite like the idea of building a stitch and glue plywood Shrike Greenland style kayak using the free plans kindly made available for free by https://cnckayaks.com/project/shrike/

I'd like to finish it in natural wood colour though.

Greenland Paddle

Not another kayak but a new paddle!

To the uninitiated, including me until a few years ago, used to using a standard Euro style paddle the traditional wooden Greenland paddle, with no feather angle and a thin blade, looks unsophisticated and not very powerful.  However, after trying out a friend's Greenland paddle, while at sea in a strong wind, I came away extremely impressed with it's style, efficiency and ease of paddling.  Unlike a high tech euro paddle in fibreglass or carbon fibre (although you can also buy carbon fire Greenland Paddles) they also look reasonably easy to make so - next project I am going to make myself a nice wooden one of these!  Would suit the style of the Anas Acuta or NDK Greenlander Pro Kayak perfectly.

Update - I am an absolute convert to this style of paddle to the extent that my carbon fibre and fibreglass Werner Corryvrekan paddle has been relegated for use as my spare split paddle and my primary paddle is now a beautiful wooden Greenland Paddle that was custom made for me.

 My wooden Greenland Paddle - I love it!

 (The paddle is symmetrical it is only the camera angle that makes it look like it isn't!)

I am into my 5th season with this particular paddle now paddling in both salt and freshwater and it is holding up well.  The wood is just oiled, with Danish Oil and Pure Tung Oil, not varnished.  I usually try to rinse it in freshwater after each use and once dry will often then give it a 30 second wipe over with a cloth dipped in oil to maintain the finish and keep it waterproof. Any scrapes or dings it picks up are left to dry out then oiled as soon as I get home to prevent water ingress into the wood.  It looks so nice I keep it hanging on my study wall for decoration!

If you have never tried a Greenland Paddle, or are sceptical like I was initially, then watch this video from Cape Falcon Kayak which gives you an overview of the use and advantages. Cape Falcon also have a link and video with instructions on how to make a Greenland Paddle yourself easily and cheaply.  All I can say is I would never want to be without my Greenland Paddle now and I find paddling, bracing and rolling just much easier, and more gentle and pleasant, with it and I feel more secure and safer in my kayak.  Try one yourself and give yourself a day or so to to get used to it and I am sure you will be most pleasantly surprised!  Take careful note of what he says about "flutter".  If you feel the Greenland paddle fluttering or making a "ripping" sound through the water then you have not got your technique (or paddle sizing) quite right and this can put some people off before they obtain the right technique. When used correctly it should be near silent and completely flutter free and an absolute joy to paddle with.

In addition to my wooden paddle I now also  have a Lomo two part Carbon fibre Greenland paddle which is easier to transport when the two parts are split and also works really well.

My Lomo two part split Carbon Fibre Greenland Paddle

I also now have the more sophisticated and very nicely finished, but expensive, Gearlab Kalleq Carbon Fibre Paddle in a 230cm size.  Despite the blade area looking no greater than my other Greenland Paddles this is the most powerful Greenland Paddle I have used so far which I can only put down to the super thin perfectly profiled blades. The square joint means there is no slop in it and the joint itself and push button mechanism is almost imperceptible in use.

Gearlab Kalleq