10/27/2022 0 Comments Perception kayak![]() If your intention is to get on the water and have fun you won't go wrong. It does feel a bit like paddling a tub at times, but I've paddled enjoyably even in 20 mph winds. Cruising speed is about 3.5 mph, 4 is attainable but you'll wear out very quickly (not to mention getting wet from both bow and paddle splash, and making a lot of noise). This boat won't set any speed records and may annoy others if you are in a group with faster boats. I also added foam under the seat for flotation and to keep things from getting lost under there, but it may have had the side benefit of reinforcing it. Replacements are available for $30 but I repaired/reinforced with aluminum and think it'll last a long time now. I'd say the only real weakness is the seat back as I broke the tabs off the bottom within a year. Since it's inexpensive and tough, you don't have to worry about having fun with it. The stability also means you can get in and out of the water almost anywhere very easily.Īs you would expect for its length, tracking isn't great but it is super maneuverable and I've had a lot of fun exploring tiny creeks (sometimes even too narrow to paddle). However, this boat is so stable I can almost stand up in it, and I have never tipped it, even in the powerboat wakes on Coralville Reservoir (2' high sometimes). I added rigging to the rear deck, and added flotation foam in bow and stern because the foam provided doesn't really even keep the boat above the surface if its filled with water. I can wiggle around, keep a small cooler between my feet, jump in and out to swim or explore, all without even thinking about it. I love the Prodigy cockpit because it is completely unrestrictive for me (5'8" 160 lbs). I also paddled the Pungo, but it felt more like a tub than the Prodigy (but it does have a bigger cockpit). A recent paddle day allowed me to expand the models I've tried, and I'll stick by my claim that if you are looking for something that will get you on the water for fun at a very reasonable cost, I don't think the Prodigy can be beat. ![]() This is the first kayak I paddled much, although I tried many different boats at a paddle day and picked this one as my favorite. I should qualify that by noting that I live in SE Iowa and use it only on lakes. I've owned a Prodigy 10 for a year now and still think it's a great "fun" boat. Overall, I think this makes a really nice all around type of boat as long as you don't go into anything rougher than class II, II+. The overall size of the cockpit would make it difficult to stay in the boat if you flipped and roll back up, but honestly, the main reason for a large cockpit is so that you can get out easily in the case of that. Some negatives I see are, as with the Pamlico, the width of the cockpit makes it difficult to use the kneepads with your knees under the edges when in any kind of situation that you'd want that(i.e, aforementioned class II rapids). In comparison to the Pamlico, it seemed slightly more stable to me, as the Pamlico has lower, edgier sides that can be grabbed a bit easier and cause you to flip. I used a seals sprayskirt, which I highly recommend, it does a great job of keeping water out. It's width makes it difficult to paddle against current, but that is a trade off for stability. ![]() I took it though some class II rapids, and it was very stable and maneuvered quite well. The seat was quite comfortable for me, and the cockpit was roomy. Positives include that it tracks fairly well, even in current, but of course suffers as all rec boats do when it comes to maneuverability due to the rudders at each end. The hull and profile of the two boats is nearly identical otherwise, so being nearly 100 dollars cheaper, I went for it. ![]() ![]() I believe they both ride about the same height in the water, the Prodigy only appears to ride higher due to it's slightly higher cockpit sides. Overall the boats are very similar, but the cockpit of the Prodigy was more centered, and has higher, more rounded sides. My friend had bought a WS Pamlico 100 recently, and I had tried it out, and liked it, but I wasn't keen on the rear hatch, which I've heard leaks, and really seems like it's just for show. I was looking for an all around boat that I could use on rivers with a variety of conditions, from moving flatwater to class II for the most part, and the occasional class II+, III- rapids. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |