Rob Mercer Reviews the Tiderace Xplore L

Mark in the Xplore L

I believe a good kayak test needs to be spread over enough time to acquire a few scratches, overcome the novelty factor and develop some familiarity with the nuances of the design. It should involve sea, swell, wind and surf and ideally it should also include watching others paddle the boat so you can check your own impressions with theirs.

The following review is based on paddling the Xplore L a number of times over the last couple of months but is by no means exhaustive. I have paddled it in seas to 2m with winds of 20-25knots, swells to 2.5 metres and rebounding waves and small surf.

I weigh 86kgs and measure 188cm and find the boat trims well with around 5kgs for a day trip and yet still feels comfortably buoyant with around 30kg of extra camping gear. Others who tried the kayak have been in the 75 to 95 kg range and all are experienced paddlers.

COCKPIT:
As with all the Tiderace boats I have so far test paddled, The Xplore L has the trademark high foredeck to allow for a “knees up” seating position and a solid, minimalist seat and back band that provide a good starting point for individual paddlers to fine tune. If our demo boat didn’t need to fit so many different paddlers I would add hip pads to keep me from sliding across the seat in surf and when rolling, but because the boat is predictable on edge and rolls so easily it worked ok for me as a loose fit, straight off the shelf.
The foam on the seat is thin enough and hard enough not to be too grippy so proper rotation is still possible.

As with all other quality boats in our range, paddlers rated the seat, thigh brace and footpeg setup everywhere from extremely comfortable to indifferent and given that skilled kayakers come in so many shapes and sizes this is hardly surprising. What is noteworthy is that all paddlers felt they could adapt the existing sturdy generic setup to their personal shape if it was their regular kayak.

DECK:
The Xplore range comes in four sizes and although this is the “L” model it really doesn’t look or feel bulky. From the cockpit you could easily be mistaken into thinking you are paddling a smaller boat than the stats suggest with a narrow contoured foredeck that allows for a close catch and a high angle stroke.
Reflective Bungees and 6mm decklines are sturdy and practical and the boat even has a gloss finish on the external seam. Spare paddles can be stowed fore or aft with tensioners on the bungees to cinch down splits.

PERFORMANCE:
Tiderace have a really neat set of numerical indicators on their website covering details like the amount of V in the hull’s cross-section along with rocker; factors that are easy to quantify along with numbers for the more subjective qualities of stability and speed.

Tiderace themselves rate the boat as a moderate V (a rating of 2 with three being deep V and 1 being shallow), rocker is rated as a low with 2 out of 5 (5 being heavily rockered).
With the boat on flat ground the low rocker and deep V are quite apparent and both are obvious when compared with the more banana shaped and rounder hull of my trusty Nordkapp.

Despite these features I found the boat surprisingly responsive, exhibiting a predictable, smooth transition from straight tracking to tight edged turns.
With a little edging practice I located a ‘sweet spot’ that delivered the maximum turn for edge and it occurred when the boat was still at a comfortable angle of heel; beyond this point any additional edge was wasted and the kayak just seemed to track on its gunwales.

Unlike some low rocker, deep V boats, the Xplore L is not a handful to turn upwind even in moderate conditions. It has a deck profile that balances windage but still provides enough buoyancy for bigger daysw

When paddled to windward the Xplore cuts into the wave crests without excessive stalling or pounding, providing an efficient but wetter ride than my Nordkapp.
In multidirectional wave patterns and cross chop the L is very smooth if a little subdued, but then again this also translates into “reassuring” when paddling unfamiliar waters.

In following seas the boat is capable, accelerating smoothly and holding an excellent line at a brisk cruising speed. This is when personal style and taste in boats becomes an issue, personally I prefer a looser tracking boat as a fast cruiser for day tripping and especially when chasing steep runners and surfing small waves but I would really enjoy the efficiency of this boat if I had miles to cover, especially with a load on board.

Here's a video of a day out recently where I tested the boat in some moderate chop & winds to 20knots.

Regarding stability and speed I would rate the boat as being more stable than the 2 out of 5 it is given by tiderace but broadly agree with the 4 out 5 speed rating on their website.

In considering the above it is worth noting stability and speed are very “fluid concepts” when applied to real life paddling in waves. Mathematical models can give you numbers for “resistance to heeling” and “speed vs resistance” but don’t easily capture how the boat runs on a wave face or remains predictable in spiky wave patterns.

Despite being one of the narrower boats in our range the Xplore L is steady in a wide range of sea states supporting good posture and form in the rough stuff.  It didn’t feel twitchy when upright and the transition to an edged position is predictable with good feedback well before the boat reaches the point of no return.

For me the L sits nicely in the niche between ultra modern ski inspired designs and the classic British style boats.

It is not as out and out fast as the Pace 18 as playful as the Xcite or as lively as my Nordkapp but offers an elegant balance of performance features to the sea skilled paddler looking for an efficient all-rounder.

Vale Chris James

Just over a week ago we lost our great mate Chris James.

Chris was the third member of our paddling team, and with his paddling skills forged in the heat of heaving seas & crunching surf, his attention to detail and endless reserves of optimism we had pulled off a couple of memorable trips, and had many more in the pipeline.

Chris was an incredible guy, fit & strong, a technician on the water of the highest order, and a mentor to so many paddlers. He was one of those rare people who'd take on a new challenge with relish, immerse himself in it, only happy when he'd well & truly conquered it, and then use the experience gained to build on the next big idea. And man did he have some big ideas. 

His brilliant entrepreneurial skills had seen him establish a long line of successful businesses, always working away on some new deal or plan, seeking out that elusive win-win point where everyone could walk away happy. Our trip meetings were often held at one of his beautiful restaurants, where as Rob pointed out in his touching eulogy to Chris at his funeral, we would bemuse Sydney's glitterati as we spread out nautical charts across a vacant banquet table and debated plans over a cold beer or three.

He was a great Dad to his little girls Kasey, Darcy & Lucy and his eyes shone when he spoke of his beloved soul mate & wife Sally.

We shared the modern affliction of busy business & family lives, & I considered Chris to be the bloke who had best managed to find the balance that we all seek. I've reflected on the way he went about things & realise that there is nothing wrong with seeking excellence in anything you do, it seemed to be the way Chris naturally attacked life. He was the kind of guy you just wanted to be like.

Rob & I shared some unforgettable moments with Chris & we are both devastated by his loss, so unfairly in the absolute prime of his life. I wrote about him after our One Degree paddle earlier this year 'the next time I paddle anywhere with him I'm going to sneak some Kryptonite into his day hatch. That'll stop him…!'  My lasting memory of that day was the final couple of hours where we were getting belted by breaking seas in the dark, after more than 100km of paddling. Chris started to laugh as one by one we'd get our go at being swept sideways by a hissing wave, and something that was probably quite grim suddenly became a bit of a boys game of roulette. It was typical Chris, a man who thrived on the idea of consequences and lived life as an adventure. 

We have shed too many tears over the past few days, too many for a guy like Chris anyway who would be looking at us a bit annoyed to have caused such a fuss, and doubtless be willing us back out to the sea.

Farewell Chris James, we promise to keep up the adventure.

Surf Video - Valley Gemini vs Tiderace Xcite

Christmas Eve brought the promise of a lingering two metre longish period easterly swell, which was bound to kick up against an outgoing tide on one of our favourite play spots, the Bundeena Bar.
We decided to ditch the last minute shopping and head down with two boats we'd wanted to try out in just these conditions, fast enough for fun, but not crunching beach breaks. In other words, something we felt most sea paddlers could relate to, surf that wasn't intimidating but was still a helluva lot of fun.
The video is a small cut of what was laid on for us for the best part of two hours.
We swapped boats about half way through, running the long rides on offer, bouncing around in the whitewater and generally getting our heads around these two boats that were designed to excel in the surf.
Rob let his full suite of surf tricks loose, delighting in the ability of the Gemini to 'hit & run', timing a sweep with the first 'hit' from a broach to bring the buoyant little boat back on line and carry on. You'll see him doing it a few times if you watch closely.
The differences between them are palpable. The Gemini oozes buoyancy and edge control, but still accelerates wonderfully onto a wave. It lifts once planing and feels light & loose on the wave, encouraging you to have a crack at things you wouldn't normally do in a sea kayak on a wave.

The Xcite runs faster, in fact the waves probably weren't fast enough to cut it completely loose, and tracks hard on the wave with a lot more dependence on strokes for control. When you consider how good the Xcite is in open water, both zipping downwind and bouncing around at close quarters, it's a very well credentialed day & play machine.
They are both supremely reassuring in the rough, not for a moment did I get tripped up by either and I'm a bit rusty surfing a sea kayak. Rob's boogles were self inflicted, pushing the envelope to unlock the little gems hidden in the hull shapes.
Of course this was all done in the name of market research, a tough job that we wouldn't wish on our worst enemy....

The Simplicity of a Summer Nor' Easter

My paddling waters around Sydney are blessed each summer with a mostly predictable & cooling sea breeze from the North east. The hotter the day, the earlier it kicks in and the stronger it blows, but as it is a localised breeze, it has generally blown itself out by early evening.
Last summer with the La Nina weather event that dominated Australia's east cost, the Nor' Easters became a rarity as our weather seemed to come from the moist, cool, south. For Rob, Chris & I waiting patiently for a decent northerly to propel us on our One Degree South Paddle, it was a frustrating time, relieved only by a half-arsed wind that finally blew in late March.
Despite some flukey weather this spring, the warm days have started to return with consistency and with them, thankfully, our cooling Nor' easterly.
I have had a bizarre couple of weeks, suffering from some nerve damage in my left leg after a nasty electric shock from a Coffin Ray. 

The Coffin or Numb Ray (pic courtesy http://www.underwatersydney.org)

It's made my left leg spasm, affecting my lower back and generally turning me into a half bent over grumpy bugger. I've tried a few massage remedies, but my chiro reckons it will just go away eventually and to stop being such a big tunsa.
I've soldiered on, having a few paddles on the quirky Zegul Rhapsody SUP we were sent to test, and on Sunday I swapped the lawn mowing (back too sore or course) for a paddle & took my V10 Sport out off Cronulla for some downwind therapy.
I slogged out to sea about 5km straight into the teeth of a Nor' Easter that was building, then turned and ran blissfully all the way back into Port Hacking.
It was brilliant; warm water, a postcard Sydney summer's day, and waves and wind that coasted along beside me propelling me along at an exhilarating speed, linking run after run with a quick edge or stern draw.
All I want for Xmas are some strong winds, steep following seas & blue skies….and for the electric fish to leave me alone.

Tiderace MKII - Lands tomorrow!

Our second Tiderace container lands tomorrow, only a matter of weeks after the first one, such has been the demand for these cutting edge new designs.
We've added the Tiderace Xcape to the range, a sympathetic rough water expedition boat that slots in amongst the genre typified by the Valley Etain series. 

It brings our range up to five designs, with the sixth addition, the much awaited Pace 17 Tour arriving in our third shipment, due in mid January.

Only 35 more sleeps - the Pace Tour 17

Unfortunately there is only one Pace 18 remaining in the shipment that isn't pre-sold, so please get in fast if you have your eye on one, as there are none available in the shipment landing in January, and we're unlikely to have any more until late Autumn.
We also have the full range of colours back in stock on the Xcite, for those who have been enquiring about colour range.
Check out our Kayak Stock & Prices page for details on colours & availability, and the Tiderace page on our website for the full specs & details.

Customised Valley Kayak Cut-Off

Our next shipment from Valley is being finalised this week. 
If you'd like a customised Valley boat made to your specs, colours, maybe with a clear Carbon Kevlar hull, or if you're planning on paddling overseas & would like a boat made in the robust 3-piece construction, please let us know before Friday. 
The shipment is likely to land around the end of February.

Lendal Paddles return to Australia

Our first shipment of the all new Lendal X-Range Paddles, arrives this week from the US.

We have stocked the most modern Lendal design, the Kinetik Tour, a dynamic flat blade designed for responsive rough water performance and a clean exit. We chose this design initially because it's one with which we are most familiar,  with characteristic down-tilted geometry producing initial power, which aids when manoeuvring the kayak in rock gardens, surf and sea caves. It's Lendal’s best selling paddle and rewards good technique, with palpable performance.

They paddles are in the two piece configuration.

The shafts we've landed are the carbon flex style, light, rigid but without the shoulder tendon-twanging stiffness of a full carbon shaft, important for sea kayakers paddling long distances.
The paddles feature infinite feather adjustment, and we have shaft lengths ranging for 204cm up to 214cm.

You can order Lendal paddles now through our online store, $549 including national overnight delivery - just in time for Xmas!