Trak Kayaks - you think you've seen a folder...?

A couple of years ago at a big outdoors show in the US I came upon the stand for a fledgling kayak design, which for all money looked to me like a hard chined composite boat. I walked over & gave the hull a poke, because it looked kind of strange, & to my amusement it flexed. The boat was a skin on frame, but one with some pretty spectacular points of difference.I went out & test paddled the boat the next day, trying out some of the innovative features like adjustable rocker. You want a play boat & tourer? Just pull back on the hydraulics while you're underway and your hard tracking, low rocker 16ft sea kayak: turns into a classic shaped sea kayaking play boat design: Best of all, it paddles like a hard shell, performance sea kayak (check out this video for an idea of what they can do) , rather than a practical but relatively uninteresting floating log, which is pretty much what I have found the great majority of folders to feel like on the water. It takes a flat 10 minutes to put it together (to see the boat put together click HERE), and when you're done it packs into something no airline check-in desk worth their salt is going to think is anything other than a set of golf clubs:
The issue at the time for me was the price. These boats were going out for about $USD5500, which at the time was about $AUD7000 - pretty close to the going price for a good quality folder, but still a hefty whack. Time & success in combination lead good businesses to savings as the market for such a brilliant product increases, and that big price tag has come down in the last year or so. We at Expedition Kayaks are proud to announce that we are the first & only distributors of the Trak T-1600 in the Australian market, & will have stock on hand from June 29. These versatile, high performance, downright sexy folding skin-on-frame boats will be available for less than $AUD5000, in gold or green, with a next day national delivery. If you're space challenged or are sick to the eyeballs of turning up at an overseas paddling heaven only to find your only option is a sit on top, contact us for a test paddle of the Trak - we will have a demo boat and stock on the shelf here from June 29. Keep an eye on our website over the coming days for full details.

Reed Transpire Fleece - Toasty.....

Our first batch of Reed's new generation Transpire Fleece tops have arrived, a product we ordered on the recommendation our favourite Tasweigan cold water gear freak, Geoff Murray. I was guilty of being complacent with the cooler weather a few weeks back, & paddled back from a night trip feeling very weary & cold. It was a reminder to me, living in a place generally devoid of weather extremes, that even a mild winter's day combined with a bit of wind & few rolls can produce a dangerous mix of cold for a paddler. We thought that a fleece undergarment designed for the cold weather in the UK might be a bit too toasty for the moderate winter temps on the Eastern seaboard, but have been gladly proved wrong. These are beautifully thought out garments, with a thin microfleece lining on the inside, and a silky, knitted outer. They're thermal in the truest sense, in that like wool they keep you warm even when they're wet, and the wind resistant outer means you can wear them as a single skin on a more mild winter's day. Layer them up with an Aquatherm top, or better still one of the Reed cags, and you are in warm paddlers heaven. Best of all, they breathe - that much sought after property in all outdoor garments that separates the wheat from the chaff. At $75 they are literally the bargain from the other side of the world, a sure thing to stop your next winter headwind slog from turning into a polar misery.

The Funky GT

Rockpool builder Mike Webb has sent us some pics of the two boats that we have remaining for sale in the shipment of Rockpool GT's arriving in the last week of July. In typical Rockpool style, they are loud & make a statement that won't be missed.

Complete with starfish & glitter, in a boat design that has all of the knowledgeable chins in the UK wagging in overtime, these GT's promise to be something completely unlike what is currently in the market here in Australia, in this genre. We have a demo to play with & we're very excited......

Welcome to the world, Marley Che.

Not a paddling post, much more important...

On Friday, May 29, my very clever partner Nicole gave birth to our first son, Marley Che. His two big sisters welcomed him with open hearts & germ-laden kisses.

Here's a pic of a proud Dad & his little boy....

The Rockpool GT, Design Notes.

The Rockpool GT, a few words about the design from the boat designer & manufacturer, Mike Webb......

"The Rockpool GT
The G.T. is the latest edition to the Rockpool sea kayak fleet. Whether you are looking for a solo circumnav of Greenland or just to explore your favourite stretch of coastline, this is the boat to place at the top of your list! Initial design criteria for the G.T. was for it to be: a fast boat (we wanted an easy cruise of over 4 kts), stable enough to take photos, large enough to carry exped kit and as manoeuvrable as a day boat – without any compromise!
The G.T. is a high volume sea kayak that is fast and incredibly easy to manoeuvre, combine this with predictable and precise stability (and the new FB seat) and you’ve got a sea kayak that handles like a dream! The hull can carry all the kit you want, the cockpit is roomy enough to ensure you are comfortable on long trips and a front day hatch makes it easy to access to all those little essentials! The G.T. is ideally suited for both long open crossings or just weekend pottering along the coast.
Between the Lines:

Sit in the G.T. and you’ll be surprised; it’s as fast as a long boat but manoeuvres like a short one – the sort of boat that puts a smile on your face! This is a boat that does fill the gap between exped and day boat, and does it well. It’s a cracking good surf too!
G.T. - In the Detail:

The G.T. is a high performance sea kayak designed for paddlers looking for a fast, stable and manoeuvrable boat. A large amount of work went into the G.T. hull to achieve the combination of speed and manoeuvrability we wanted. The overall length is 5 inches less than the Menai 18 (to make off the water storage and handling easier – it should fit in the garage!) but the blended hull form gives a cruise speed which is a touch faster. The boat is quick to reach cruising speed and easy to maintain there.
The hull section changes character, from a Vee at the entry point of the bow, rounded through the front section, to a flattened-U beneath the cockpit (no chines), rounded again under the stern hatch to a gentle blend into short keel section at the stern. The bow and stern sections of the hull have been designed in combination to minimise ‘over-pitching’ as the nose rides over large waves. Enhanced volume distribution gives a balanced boat which results in a unusually smooth and dry ride. The deck is shaped to shed water quickly (without splashing) when conditions get a little boisterous! The rounded sections of the hull give a cushioning effect in waves. The flattened-U centre section gives edging that is easy to initiate but progresses at a constant rate, resulting in predictable and confident edging. The G.T. remains stable and relaxed with even extreme leans (water on the deck stuff!) Turn response to edging is very quick with a good turn rate; as soon as the edge is removed the boat tracks straight without overturning. The shaping of bow and stern sections combined with a reduction of deadwood give a boat that is easy to steer, small heading changes and corrections can be made without leaning. The G.T. has been designed to remain directionally neutral in most wind conditions with a slight (and welcome) turn into wind as conditions strengthen, the hull shaping has also been designed to minimise broaching in following seas.
Deck:

The G.T. deck has a conventional hatch layout with a round front hatch and rear oval. There is a standard day hatch behind the cockpit and a smaller day hatch just ahead of the cockpit to give easy access to life’s paddling essentials. No more need for that ugly deckbag! An extensive array of deck elastics make for easy storage and access to bulkier items. The front deck is designed to give a dry ride and minimise those annoying face splashes!
The rear edge of the cockpit rim is lowered to makes the G.T. easy to roll and when combined with a raised deck contour behind the cockpit it gives an easy and smooth snag-free entry. Behind the cockpit is a clear area to allow fitting of a deck mounted tow system. Adjustable fittings are incorporated in order to carry split paddles on the front or rear deck. All deckline fittings are recessed for a neat and smooth look, they also make life a little easier during rescue drills.
The integrated thigh braces of the cockpit rim and the adjustable seat make for a precise fit that provides accurate feedback and handling. The G.T. is fitted with an adjustable plate footrest. This is angled for a strong natural ankle position which allows the paddler to finely adjust their leg alignment. Matched with the adjustable seat this places the paddler in a dynamic and comfortable position for paddling.
A choice of the standard Rockpool seat or the new FB seat (developed from a white-water competition seat) can be fitted to the G.T. As per the rest of the Rockpool fleet the seats are moulded GRP shells which are adjustable front-to-back at 10mm intervals. The adjustable seat and footrest are mounted on internal hull fixings without drill holes. This relieves the cockpit rim and deck of unnecessary stress and provides a variable seat position for improved feedback and handling for the paddler. Alternatively the G.T. seat has been designed to allow it to be glassed permanently in place to perfectly match the individual and give ultimate feedback and comfort.
The G.T. is a boat with dreamlike handling – it is fast but turns like a much smaller boat; it is comfortable and manoeuvrable with crisp and precise edging."

We can't wait for our demo boat to arrive in July - only two of the boats remain in stock, so be quick if you want to be among the first to own a revolutionary GT.

Eddie & Gaz Carving up Mooloolaba

Check this out - Eddie Safarik in his Aquanaut LV & Queensland sea instructor Gary Forrest in his Nordkapp, absolutely carving it up....

Storm Paddling

Doing it tough into the gale (photo Rob Mercer)

Sydney's recent wild weather has produced some excellent opportunities for an 'experiential' paddle, and on Friday morning Rob & I decided to have a bit of play in the forecast conditions & then indulge in a surf across Botany Bay. The forecast was for 33kn+ and the observations at the time we were out on the water showed gusts to 41kn, with 3-4m swell rising at times to 6m. Observations are often used by sea kayakers as great fodder for the story in the bar afterwards, but the truth is most of them are measured an awful lot higer up a cliff than a kayaker's position, & conditions on the water are rarely as severe as the 'obs' suggest. Certainly, we didn't see any 6m waves, and the swell on our route was rarely above 3m. That said, it was a pretty demanding little session, with winds strong enough to blow your bow downwind as you crested a wave while we headed upwind, and a rip roaring following sea for our dash 9km across Botany Bay from about level with Henry Head back to the Airport.

Rob Mercer riding the wind waves

Riding a nice runner (photo Rob Mercer)

Lean forward, dig in hard....(photo Rob Mercer)

...and you're off.... (photo Rob Mercer)

It's conditions like these that make you truly appreciate the design of your boat. I've been in plenty of kayaks over the years that would have been either a complete nightmare in this sort of stuff, or alternatively gotten bogged down in the following sea & give a very frustrating ride. Rob & I were both in our Aquanauts, which give a terrific sense of surety & control, especially when riding the sea & swell home. The great thing about Valley boats is the way they get better, as things on the water get worse....