The companies were up and running with viable boat designs, and looking for somewhere to grow. It does a fine job of doing what it is designed for (KN). It was probably the product of a paddling club mold set and someones desire to have a kayak. About. Lee Moyer. You will no longer find Old Town Otter kayaks at outdoor stores since the model was discontinued by the manufacturer. In the foot well there is just enough room for a pair of size 12 water sports shoes(TE). The finish work was so poor that if you grazed your hand across the deck while paddling it would immediately leave you bleeding with a bunch of fiberglass slivers. This recreational kayak is easy to handle in flatwater conditions and up to Class II moving water, if equipped with a spray skirt. [The Intrepid] was very well balanced at the middle of the coaming (GL). After rolling, TE noted 1/2 cup of water in the forward compartment, GL found a cup in the forward compartment, and a drop or two in the day hatch. Double Fiberglass Ocean Kayak. Everybody was in it because it was their favourite hobby, recalled Moyer. I think TASK did a pretty good job of helping a bunch of amateur businesspeople act a little more professional. One of TASKs most important discoveries was of the needfor boat pricing that would include a healthy profit margin for builders, retailers and, eventually,distributors. And that was something I couldnt let happen. Steering with leaned turns was excellent in calm conditions (GL). Your email address will not be published. Designed:1998 "Now they've sold out to bigger companies. In spite of the good thigh and foot bracing, GL thought his loose fit in the seat caused him to slip out of position and miss a roll. The Intrepids initial stability is comfortable enough without being too stiff to set the boat on edge to initiate a turn. Stay 100 feet away from marine mammals. Companies including Jansport and Cascade Designs (of Thermarest fame) were founded by Boeing castaways, as were two more of the first commercial kayak builders: Pacific Water Sports and Easy Rider. The Intrepid is a very attractive kayak with a solid-feeling deck, smooth lines and attractive recessed hatches. We launched our kayaks from the boat launch area . The Old Town Loon replaced the Old Town Otter kayak with key comfort features like more adjustable seating and a variety of lengths and sizes to fit a wider range of paddlers. It is a big boys boat and it very stable. The Old Town Otter kayak is a great boat for the cottage, beach or campground, offering worry-free durability. The rudder pedals have been upgraded to the Smart Track system. Lee Moyer took his first sea kayak trip with the WKCs Bob Morris in 1970going north out of Tofinoat a time when the dirt road across Vancouver Island was so new you needed to duct tape your car doors shut to keep the dust out and pack extra spare tires. The first sea kayak we made at Pyranha was 1973 and was for the Dutch market, about a year after P&H also had started making them and it has been called sea kayaking for at least the 50 years Ive been in business. In what fading memories recall was spring of 1975, Neckar delivered the newly minted boats to Striders himself, showing up with eight of them tied onto the roof of his Plymouth with ropes strapped through the windows. KN found the boat easy to get going and maintain moderate speed. GL thought it moderately fast. For TE, it seemed to be capable of a brisk cruising speed and a respectable, though not extraordinary sprint. Thanksfor the info. 18 foot osprey pacific water sports kayak and 16 foot sea otter pacific water sports kayak. He tried many different kayaks from many different manufacturers. It has also been an enthralling world market since 1865 when John Magregors book 1,000 mile in the Rob Roy Canoe inspired the founding of not only the Royal Canoe Club in the UK, but the New York Canoe Club and many others in US and Canada. Teak In Great Condition, Too. Its easy to spend an afternoon making an Otter kayak more comfortable and functional with modifications. roving with end reinforcements. We have an optional paddle-float rescue system of rope and cleats we believe is much more positive and is easier to set up while you are laying on the kayak, out of the water. As the shock cord at the hatches ages and loosens, it can be easily re-knotted to tighten the seal of the hatches if leaks develop. By 1982, Nimbus had come up with its flagship Seafarer design, which is still produced. Was in a Tire Shop down by Camp Lejuene today and the owner had a fiberglass/composite kayak hanging from the ceiling. roving with end reinforcements. Now its a heck of a lot simpler to get a sea kayak and the road to Tofino is much smoother than it was in the days of the hippie squatters, but the down-to-earth soul of kayaking is as real as it was back in the day. It was the beginning of my kayaking journey and it was perfect! cloth with reinforcements. Closing hours changes seasonally. The two tethered plastic hatch lids have rubber gaskets and are held in place with bungies. Eventually Tieken provided boats for Scott Cunningham of the Nova Scotia outfitting company Coastal Adventures, which became a key educator and promoter for sea kayaking, and Tiekens designs, on the East Coast. I just don't know if I could get back in if I swam in deep water (I'm not able to roll at present because of a shoulder injury). A story that makes my bones heavy. Canyon Lake is located in a National Recreation Area. John Dowd organized the meeting. A 100-mile stretch of coast not to be missed, Parade was lucky enough to see it all through the windows of a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. Compared against those rather specialized and very expensive kayaks the Otter leaves much to be desired. We were greeted kindly, filled out our paperwork quickly and then were outfitted and briefed efficiently. Pacific Water Sports Cal. USCA Fast Sea Kayak Pacific Water Sports 20' tandem kayak, older modelno leaks, no rudder, straight tracker withoutoriginal seats gone, we used camp chairs and they worked fine, not included why spend thousands on a new tandem kayak I even have a couple kayak paddles to go with the sale$200.00 cash Pacific Water Sports SkookumchuckTandem touring kayak FiberglassCirca 1998Bought used in 2001Sea kayak, touring kayak, double kayak, two person kayakLength: 20 10Plenty of storage.This is a high quality 2-person kayak with rudder. Larger manufacturers make kayaks with less-durable materials, Lee Moyer said, and can sell them for a fraction of the price at G.I. For a tandem carry there are webbing straps at the ends of the boat. Pacific Water Sports, a store that's been a fixture in local kayak and canoe circles for 32 years, saw revenue drop off following a move to bigger quarters in Tukwila in 2001, said. The bow line can also be rigged as a rescue sling. Thanks for the great overview of the industry. Now there were 5-6 foot waves breaking about 30 yards from shore. Comes with skirt, cover, and other paddling gear. cloth, 17-oz. Wonderful history of the rise of the sea kayaking industry of which I personally experienced, first as a Feathercraft and Necky dealer in Alaska and later as a board member and then president of TASK. The seating arrangement on the Old Town Otter feels basic compared to some of the ultra-adjustable and padded seats in contemporary kayaks, but its still very supportive and easy to modify with glued-in padding. The Sea Otter had allowed us into the world of sea kayaking. The next kayak Uncle Paul bought was a Pacific Water Sports Sea Otter. It would certainly be a good first boat that a paddler could enjoy right off the bat and continue to enjoy as his skills developed (TE). Slade operated Striders sport store at Fourth and Burrard in Vancouver and became Neckars first dealer, long before the formal existence of Necky. mat, 8-oz. There is an extra pair of straps on the aft hatch that could serve to secure a deck load or a spare take-apart paddle. Has normal scratches on the bottom. In this yakers eye. It may not be for everyone, but for a kayaker with some experience, this is a small, light, and fairly stable Greenland. Called the Gulf Islander, Houks kayak washomebuilt in small numbers by WKC members who passed around the mould. But unlike Recreational Equipment Incorporated, which started as a group of amateur mountaineers and grew into the international chain known as REI, the company remained specialized. Very well built fiberglass kayak. This may be a good place to introduce yourself and your site or include some credits. Day trip in calm conditions. Both offer marine life viewing of sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions. This SOT boat is a bit tippy (initially) for beginners but the tri-hedral hull creates mini-outriggers up and out from the main section of the kayak hull. Boatbuilding was the hazing you went through if you wanted to be a paddlernot a good recipe for a sports popularity. Or, if youre lucky, you can find someonewith a bit of experience to build you a boatfor a few hundred bucks. The Intrepid reviewed was not equipped with a rudder. Pacific Water Sports was the name they made up so they could pass themselves off as a legitimate business when they approached the British builder of a championship whitewater slalom hull. Judy Moyer, 60, plans to go back to school to become a nursing assistant. Look for a spray skirt size of 2.5 from popular manufacturer Seals Sprayskirts to fit all Old Town Otter models except the tandem Old Town Otter Twin. You can also glue a thin layer of foam beneath your heels in the cockpit to pad your heels and keep your feet comfortable. It seems quite capable of handing the work of cruising while it is also a quick and responsive day paddler. It does need some minor fiberglass repair for a seat, and minor rudder tuning. Reentry into the large cockpit opening was easy. Standard Features:Bucket seat, foot braces, deck lines, bow line, three curved fiberglass bulkheads. mat and 8-oz. It was covered with dust and had the name of a Tukwila, WA Dive Shop on it and SEA OTTER on the rear deck. The third company in the Seattle early 70s trio was Easy Rider, started by Peter Kaupat as a whitewater boat builder in 1970. In 1974, they designed and built their first sea kayak, the Sea Otter. In 1974, they designed and built their first sea kayak, the Sea Otter. Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association, The Great Canadian Kayak Challenge & Festival, Fishing Kayak Review: Old Town Sportsman 106 Minn Kota, Kayak Review: Old Towns Castine Touring Kayak, Old Towns Topwater 120 PDL Pedal Kayak Review, Recreational Kayak Review: Wilderness Systems Pungo 120, Recreational Kayak Review: Perception Swifty Deluxe 9.5, Recreational Kayak Review: Pelican Trailblazer 100 NXT, Recreational Kayak Review: Sun Dolphin Aruba 10, Fishing Kayak Review: Pelican Mustang 100x, Touring Kayak Review: Wilderness Systems Tsunami 145, Inflatable Kayak Review: Advanced Elements Airfusion Elite. They designed and built their first sea kayak, the sea Otter to initiate turn. 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