Eddyline Raven

Got my hands on the new Eddyline Raven last week. When you drive around the country with a quiver of kayaks you tend to use the right boat for each conditions. The Samba for a quick tour, the 

Fathoms for distance and gear hauling, the Caribbean for sport/fish/swim and the Skylark/Sky 10 for a quick recreational dip. However, in my travels and sales, the reality is that most people are looking for just one boat to do open coast, touring, day-play, social, workout, suntan, etc. The Raven is it. It is the Queen on the chess board. Loose and dry on a wave and yet easy to control direction in a wind.

There are a multitude of brit styled boats on the market and as many opinions on what is best to match. The Raven doesn't just join the pack, it stands alone as the first US made, fully featured, heavy duty thermo-formed rough water design on the market. Slick on the water like a composite boat with the bounce-ability of a plastic kayak. Homerun. And believe me, I was a skeptic when this project began.

Did I need to fill the trailer with another long boat? Shorter boats are selling these days and the rough water paddlers are gravitating to transitional WW and surf play boats. If I was going to add a boat to the trailer I wanted it to appeal to everyone and sell in every shop. Another long boat?! And then I paddled it. The boyish fun of playfulness took over. Been a long time since that has happened for me and I paddle 'em all. I've also met so many paddlers that started with and love Eddyline but needed a boat to match their skills and open-water aspirations. Raven--Check. They would tell me they needed a lower back deck that for the arsenal of rolls they had learned. Raven-Check. Surf? Raven-Check. Light and strong? Raven-Check (they use a thicker lay-up for this model but still easy to shoulder).

This front deck hatch is so useful and totally out of the way.

Eddyline offers two seat shapes (low profile and performance) on the Raven. Both can be adjusted for trim and fit. Easily removable for maintenance or custom seat installation for those that have their own favorite post market seat.

Features
Eddyline Fall 2012 Eddyline Raven
16'6", 22" beam
Cockpit depth forward: 12.5"
Cockpit depth aft: 8.5"

4 Hatches: 2 10" bow/stern hatch, 8" day hatch, 5" forward day hatch w/ waterproof compartment.
Skeg controls on left side which make for easy control by RH paddler.
Sea Dog footbraces
2 seat options w/ low profile backband: Low profile and performance seat (more canting under thighs)

F.I.T (For? Intended Purpose? Type of water)

For: An all conditions sea kayaker, someone who needs a boat that will surf and invite them to improve rough water skills, rolls and edging. We tested with paddlers in the 6'2" range with size 14 shoes that had a nice fit. I'm 6', 175lbs and it fit great with both seat options. I would actually elevate myself slightly in the low-profile seat using a seat pad or foam.

Intended Purpose: With all the performance packed into this boat you really can tackle any conditions from lake to coast. It excels where other models might not: open water paddling, skills training, surf, current. Smaller hatches will have to be packed with small packets of gear (trend these days). The forward day hatch makes this boat convenient for those who need a camera/gps/phone in quick reach.

Type of Water: Anywhere this boat can go. Open water, Sea Kayaking, River/Tide current play. Especially excels in rough water, surf and high winds.

Eddyline Samba Review

I finally was able to get the Eddyline Samba in some wind and waves. I've been really looking forward to this boat for this type of day paddling. Just messing around near the beach...

Compared to its predecessor, the Merlin LT, it has more generous leg room and a lower back deck. The bow is sharp and cuts right through the waves without being to "sticky" to swing around in a hurry. One of these shots shows how well the water just peels off the bow. A really nice knife like feel.

The Samba had enough acceleration to jump up to cruising speed quickly. Its shorter length and low stern kept it unaffected by wind. I found the stability and edging extremely predictable and when I caught a few of these small waves I was able to easily control the bow and play a little on the way down the wave. I did not need to use the skeg this day at all.

Eddyline Journey Review

I've been paddling Eddyline's new Journey. At 15'6" and 24" wide, this is the perfect hybrid for both touring and day to day paddling. Eddyline uses the larger cockpit on this boat which can be equipped with or without thigh braces. The boat fit me perfectly with thigh braces (5'11" 170 lbs). Eddyline's new seat system (pictured below) allows for the paddler to customize fit and boat trim by moving the seat forward or back. I really like that this seat can be adjusted for forward lean and seat back height on the fly. For those who like a clean boat, you can even remove the entire seat for cleaning or maintenence.

The Journey was quite manueverable, edged with ease, and accelerated like any touring kayak should. The Journey is equipped with an adjustable skeg which can help with wind management in bigger water. I found that I only needed to use the skeg slightly in a downwind or quarter down wind. The adjustable seat can also help with adjusting your trim for the day. There is also ample storage for weekends or lighter expeditions.

The Journey combines the sensibility and fit of the Equinox with a lot of the performance chararistics of the Fathoms. Another great boat to help round out the line!

Alki Kayaks Demo Day

Toward the end of last month I had one of my favorite demonstrations of the season at Alki Kayaks. It was one of the first nice days of the summer so a lot of people were just out having fun. I didn't mind that we were not as busy as I hoped because the tours for Alki Kayaks (http://www.kayakalki.com/) were all full. Would you really want to talk to a rep when the day looked like this?

You have to go check out Alki Kayaks. Greg and his crew are about the nicest folks you'll ever meet, and they have captured the "day at the beach" feel even way up here in the NW.

Eddyline Equinox Review

The “instant gratification” boat from Eddyline Kayaks. If you are looking for a boat that is stable as you are learning but will allow you to develop your skills later then you should take a close look at the Equinox. At 14’ and 25” wide the Equinox is long enough to glide but still easy to manage in rougher conditions. The boat features a multi-chined hull which presents a very stable primary surface and predictable edging with a little effort. The stern rides low to reduce windage and provide good tracking. The Equinox represents that popular class of boats that fall somewhere between light touring and performance recreational.

Just because a boat is recreational doesn’t mean that it can’t be efficient. In my opinion, this is where the Equinox, and any of Tom Derrer’s designs really shine. They are just really efficient. 30 years of design experience! What makes a good wine? A good meal? A good engine? It is the people involved in the design and production. This should factor into your decision and unfortunately the magazines out there can not fit this into a column of numbers. It is not just about weight, width, length and price. Tom Derrer likes to ask customers, “how do you like a boat to feel”? When you can answer that question you are ready to make your own decision. The Equinox is a good place to start.

Eddyline uses the larger sized cockpit on the Equinox. This cockpit is easy to get into but still has thigh braces for bracing and edging. If you are looking for even more room you can have Eddyline custom install the large cockpit without thigh braces. The Equinox can be outfitted with the adjustable backrest for a lot of support or the back band for a more mobile back support. The seat is padded with a removable seat pad. Many paddlers will add extra foam under the removable seat pad to adjust their height in the boat. Any good paddling shop should offer to outfit your boat with additional padding so that it fits your body just right.

Compared to the Merlin LT, the Equinox has much more room and is more stable for the beginner. If you are looking for a smaller package with a similar feel to the Equinox you might take a look at Eddyline’s 12’ Skylark.