Jackson Kayak Kraken

Jackson Kayak Kraken large images

http://longcloudkayaks.co.nz/Kayaks-for-Sale-nz/Fishing-Kayaks_NZ/Jackson-Kayaks-nz-Kraken

Jackson Kayak Coosa HD

Jackson Kayak Coosa HD larger images

http://longcloudkayaks.co.nz/Kayaks-for-Sale-nz/Fishing-Kayaks_NZ/Jackson-Kayak-Coosa-HD

Tiderace Pace 17 Tour review

Four out of Five Stars

I bought my Pace 17 off Dan 7 months ago, I use it mostly for day trips but have done a 5 day tour with a longest distance of 43km in a day sitting in it for 6 hours, I am 187cm tall weigh 78kg and wear size 12 shoes, the pedals are on the second to last setting and there is lots of foot room. I have paddled it in up to 20knts loaded and unloaded.

The build quality is hard to fault with water tight hatches, foot pedals set at a good height, strong back band and deck fittings glassed over with no other rough edges inside to catch gear. There is an oval front hatch to make gear storage easy and plenty of volume forward and aft. Deck bungees hold a split paddle well with some room for a pump. The seat is acceptable for comfort, I had to install some hip padding to help with rolling as the seat was a bit wide for me but otherwise no modifications, the cockpit size allows a backside in first entry.

On my boat the rudder blade would stick between the sides of the rudder housing needing me to sand the side of the blade to let it deploy by its self.

In my perfect world I would do away with the day hatch, they add cost and weight, move the bulkhead behind the seat forward to the cockpit rim to help with draining the cockpit and cross the rudder cables to help with turning.

As for paddling I find the stability fine, slightly light on the primary on flat water but once in waves don't notice it, feels like a boat that will look after you when you are tired. Forward paddling is easy, the boat moves well and has a narrow catch due to its swede form, the foot pedals allow pressure to be applied without steering and the volume forward gives a dry ride.

 For turning, think touring turning, on the move use the rudder, I have not had a lot of luck with hip steering in spite of also owning a skeg boat, to pivot raise the rudder, sweep and edge. This is not a criticism rather a feature of this class of kayak.

The Pace lee cocks when stationary but paddling with the wind abeam it doesn't require much correction from the rudder and so far haven't had any problems turning up wind but will cross the rudder cables at some stage.

It surfs well with rudder down running straight to the beach or downwind without broaching and is as easy as a 25kg boat is to catch waves.

As mentioned previously I fitted hip padding to help with rolling, don't think Greenland rolling weapon here but acceptable for this class of boat with good thigh braces to help lock you in and transfer the action to the boat.

I would say the kayak does what it is advertised as doing, if you want something else there are other boats in their range with different features. This is a kayak for someone who wants an easy to use quality tourer with a large volume, all day comfort, that will look after you when it gets rough and you are tired.

Reviewed by Martin Fraser

Tiderace XPLORE Kayak Review

Hi Dan

Thought you might like a few words for your FB page, as below. I like this boat! 5/5 stars

Cheers, David

Review of Tiderace Xplore-M.

David Welch, 20+ years sea kayaking including 8 years guiding, NZOIA Sea Kayak Instructor, currently owns 5 sea kayaks.

Conditions I have paddled the Xplore in to date: Flat river in variety of gusty winds, night time on flat harbour, 15kt E on choppy harbour, coastal day trip in/out through surf, 3 day trip fully loaded in strong S – SE winds on Queen Charlotte Sound. Greenland paddle and euroblade used.

It is a very smart, tidy sea kayak. The red and black deck over white hull makes for a great look. I can find no problems with the finish though wonder how long the stickers will stay attached.

I have already fitted out the cockpit to suit my 175cm/75kg frame with simple adjustment to the back-band and some extra padding to the seat. The seat can be unscrewed and moved forward or back if required. Foot braces are easily adjusted from the cockpit with the Kajaksport system. The skeg slider is well placed not to catch with my hand on the left side and operates very easily on the water. My Rasdex brand neoprene keyhole deck fitted snugly as expected. All four hatches stayed dry in all situations, including rolling.

Loading the main compartments was easy through the large oval hatches, and there is ample room around the skeg box to put gear right to the end of the compartment, and to easily retrieve it. Right-hand side day hatch and small front deck hatch are again easily accessible on the water. Grabbing the kayak through both small open hatches is a convenience when carrying the kayak to the water.

My split-paddle fitted comfortably on the front deck under the bungy chords, though still want to customise these to better suit my own habits. The elasticated hook on the front and rear grab handles is a good finishing point, keeping them tidy but accessible when needed. I hate to have carry/grab handles untidy and out of reach when on the water.

From the first time I sat in the kayak on the water, I was impressed with the kayak's feel. The thigh braces are well placed to assist with edging. And on an edge it turns quickly on flat water and is easy to control. Loaded it took a little more pressure to turn but was still easily controlled. In the stronger winds and loaded, it became more independent of my control, requiring more paddle work to keep a course. Loaded, I had plenty of opportunity to gauge the skeg operation and found that with small adjustments I could counter cross winds and maintain a straight line with ease. Compared to paddling my Southern Skua with a rudder I find the skeg more efficient as I am not tempted to "steer" and therefore weave a course. Small incremental movements are possible and make a difference in performance.

Loaded, and heading into the wind, the bow tended to plough through waves though, slowing the speed a bit. It is still a dry ride with water washing quickly off the foredeck before reaching the cockpit. Generally, the pace I was able to maintain was more than adequate even with my Greenland paddle.

The low back deck looks like it will be quite easy to perform back-deck rolls and self rescues from the water, but more on this when the water temperature warms up a little. It's July now.

Value for money? We don't make these boats in NZ so must expect to pay a premium for overseas brands. But we are somewhat limited in local selection and if you want something different, yes it is.

Storm Paddle Dry Pants by Peak UK

David's review of Storm Pants

The Storm Pants from Peak UK are a must for anyone paddling cooler waters. Teamed with a suitable jacket, you have a great combination for cold water paddling. They are relatively close cut in the leg, not baggy, and the cuff easily fits over a neoprene bootie. The wide elastic braces stay on the shoulders and the articulated knees and bum allow for a comfortable fit when seated in the kayak.  It's a good feeling to be able to get into the boat without getting wet legs and feet too!


http://longcloudkayaks.co.nz/Kayak-Accessories-Kayak-clothing/paddle-pants-dry-suits/peak-uk-Storn-Pants-nz

Boreal Design Epsilon C200

 

Check out the "Gear Close Up" video at the bottom of the page to see Ian surfing at New Brighton.  http://longcloudkayaks.co.nz/Kayaks-for-Sale-nz/Sea-Kayaks-nz/Epsilon-C-200-Sea-Kayak-Boreal-Design-nz

Kayak Outfitting

Long Cloud Kayaks is now carrying Kajak Sport kayak accessories and components.  Kajak Sport of Finland started out building kayaks but eventually, do to demand, moved to manufacturing kayak components.  They now supply the top sea kayak brands around the world with their kayak accessories and components.

If you are building your own kayak we can supply you with all the parts you'll need from handles to rudders.

Do you need a replacement hatch cover?

We can supply replacements for broken deck fittings.

An easy way to make a kayak more comfortable is with easy to fit thigh pads

Make it easier to quickly stow a paddle by adding deck balls to your deck rigging.

We have a small range of products on our web page http://longcloudkayaks.co.nz/Kayak-Accessories-Gear-NZ-Christchurch.  To see the complete range of products or to download installation instructions, please visit http://www.kajaksport.fi/   We can order in anything you need.

Feelfree Sit on Top Kayaks

We've are now stocking Feelfree sit on top kayaks.  We took the kids to Okains Bay to have a test drive in the Nomad http://longcloudkayaks.co.nz/Kayaks-for-Sale-nz/New-Zealand-Sit-On-Top/Feelfree-Nomad


We like the built in wheel a lot, it makes it easy to drag around the campground and down to the beach. We even loaded all the spades, diggers, wetsuits, PFDs and bucket in.  The Nomad is big enough for the kids to have a turn in.

The fit out is good with the bungees a place to store the paddle and hatch.
The Nomad is playful and easy to surf.  The Corona is big enough for the whole family http://longcloudkayaks.co.nz/Kayaks-for-Sale-nz/New-Zealand-Sit-On-Top/Feelfree-Corona

Throw Bag

We've put up a Bull Bag on Adventure Magazines giveaways, follow this link to enter.
http://adventuremagazine.co.nz/win-a-peak-uk-bull-bag/

http://longcloudkayaks.co.nz/Kayak-Accessories-safety-gear/Throw-Bags-Tow-Lines/Bull-Bag-Throw-Bag-Peak-UK-NZ

Yakima Roof Rack Gear

We are now selling Yakima roof rack gear.

We love the Bowdown J cradles for their extreme cushy ride.  They took ten minutes to install and open the first bottle of beer with their integrated bottle opener.

Evenkeel do everything you need at a really good price given they come with all the tie downs.

Check out the whole range here

http://longcloudkayaks.co.nz/Roof-Racks-Cradles-Saddles-nz

What is it?

I'm not refurring to Ian McKensie!

We had a wild encounter at the end of a surf session at Sumner.  We often see Hectors dolphins surface and swim around us at.  This mammal came up in front of us and we assumed it was a Hectors, but this dolphin was too big.

It surfaced once more before running itself aground on the rocks.  At first we thought it might have been driving fish up close to the rocks to catch but it kept going and got stuck on its side.   We paddled over to help it back into the water.  It kept moving and it eventually wriggled back into the water without our help.

Can anyone identify it?

There was a photographer, Lake Sinclair, on shore and he sent these photos.

Success!

UPDATE
I couldn't  id it as a dolphin so I contacted DOC and this is what they said.

Hello Daniel,

Thank you for your email. As you’ll see below we think that what you saw was a baby Pilot whale that has been seen in the area since first being found in a tidal pool at the mouth of the Waimak on Wednesday morning. It was refloated, only to be found and refloated by CCC rangers at Spencer Park.

Yesterday morning it was found stranded dead at South Shore.

From the marks on the body we can tell that is was a new baby from the nucal folds (marks on its skin) and it’s not normal for a baby to be separated so young.

If in the future you do find anything and can notify DOC cal the 0800 DOC HOT-line (0800 362 468). This is a 24/7 number and you can be directed to a local ranger.

Thanks again,

Craig

Craig Alexander 

Tiderace Sea Kayaks due to arrive in New Zealand soon!

Tiderace sea kayaks are due to arrive on the 18 of December.  Half the boats are already sold!

http://longcloudkayaks.co.nz/kayak-s-ing-NZ-Christchurch/Sea-Kayaks-nz

Are you a Low Angle or High Angle Paddler? Kayak Paddles New Zealand

We now stock both Werner's most poplar High and Low angle paddles, the Shuna and Camano.

http://longcloudkayaks.co.nz/Kayak-Paddles-nz/Werner-Shuna-nz

http://longcloudkayaks.co.nz/Kayak-Paddles-nz/Werner-Camano

Here is a quick explanation by Werner

LOW ANGLE vs HIGH ANGLE PADDLING
In sea kayak touring there are two common, yet very different, paddling styles, Low
Angle and High Angle. These styles correlate to the angle of the shaft in relation to the
surface of the water.

Low Angle is the most common paddling style. It is a more relaxed touring style and
relaxed cadence. Our Low Angle designs have longer and narrower blades designed to
pull through each stroke with the right amount of surface area for good power while
maintaining a smooth forward stroke.

High Angle paddling is typically a more aggressive style of paddling with a faster
cadence and a larger variety of strokes being used on each paddle outing.

Our high angle designs have short wide blades for a powerful catch and stroke with a
slight dihedral for smooth linking strokes. High Angle designs work best when used with
shorter paddle lengths of 205cm - 215cm. The combination of shorter paddle length and
a shorter wide blade allows the right amount of balanced blade area to enter the water
sooner, supporting a faster cadence, without having to over extend the upper arm.

Werner Shuna high angle

Werner Camano low angle

Akaroa Harbor - kayaking out toward the heads

There is no place to stretch your legs for quite aways but the views were outstanding, high cliffs, water falls, and blue seas.

Photo credit : David Welch

Sea Kayaking at Gough's Bay on the Banks Peninsula

Great Weather, Great Weekend.

Notice the excellent deployment of the low brace.

Most excellent still photos by David Welch, thanks Dave.

Rolling and Rescue Practice at Cass Bay

Always a good idea to practice those skills early in the season....snow on the hills!

http://longcloudkayaks.co.nz/kayak-s-ing-NZ-Christchurch/Sea-Kayaks-nz/Vital-174-boreal-design-sea-kayak-NZ-Christchurch

New Zealand Sea Kayaking with Kids

What to do with the kids in the school holidays..... take them kayaking.  

We had a nice sunny afternoon paddle around Cass Bay.   The kids were taking turns paddling and playing on the beach with their friends.  We even had a good long visit from some Hector's Dolphins on the way over to Corsair Bay. 

And of course we ended with an ice cream at Lyttleton!

Great way to spend the afternoon.  Long Cloud Kayaks Tandem Sea Kayak

The Boreal Design Esperanto is a tandem sea kayak big enough to take the children and all the camping gear you could need or just lots of gear.

The boat is easy to paddle and control even with little help from the front paddler.  With an adult in the front and child in the middle you cruise along easily.

New Zealand Kayaking: Gear Close Up - Peak UK Throw bags

Comparing Peak UK's throw bags http://longcloudkayaks.co.nz/Kayak-safety-gear

Te Oka Bay, Banks Peninsula - Kayaking in New Zealand

Knowing when to turn back....

This is Te Oka Bay small swell and calm winds last weekend.

By the time we reached the head the swell was two metres plus.  This was fine but it was pretty choppy so we couldn't get into the rock gardens.

The problem was we were being hammered by offshore winds, to the point of being knocked off balance.  You gotta know when to call it and just enjoy a picnic in the rain!


A few views from the top looking down into Tumbledown Bay, it calmed down when the tide came in.

Gear Close Up Peak UK Pogies

Here is a little video close up of the two types of Peak UK pogies we sell.

This is what a customer has said about his nylon version.

Mark on 19/09/2013

These pogies are perfect for when there is a wind chill that you want to keep at bay. I use them for early morning paddles and if I find I get too warm they can easily be stored in your PFD. They are a generous length compared to other pogies on the market.

Pogies