Much of my family lives in Port Angeles, Washington. 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 fiberglass bucket seat is removable for use on the beach. Website:www.pwskayaks.com. Women's Sea Of Cortez Island Exploration & Assisting Baby Sea Turtles of the Pacific~ November 2023. . The Intrepid is a straight tracking craft (KN). TE noted,though, that the coaming aft is high enough that I could only do half of a layback before having my back come in contact. The seat provides some lateral support, though it does not offer a convenient spot for adding customized hip padding for a tighter fit. The models included: the original Old Town Otter; the Old Town Otter XT; the Old Town Otter Sport; and the Old Town Otter Plus kayak. Lee Moyer, 61, who has written widely about kayaking, said he hasn't decided. Matuska later left to start up one of todays dominant paddle companies, Aqua-Bound. With its design dating back to the 1990s, the Old Town Otter is one of the original recreational kayaks. Traveling any distance in the Otter will be a workout compared to longer kayaks. . The aft hatch is large enough for easy stowage of bulky items. And TASK hosted the first annual West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium in Port Townsend, Washingtonmodelled after the highly successful Maine Sea Kayak Symposium started in 1982 by Ken Fink with the support of retailer L.L. This 16 long kayak designed by Lee Moyer was our first introduction to a sea kayak. We like to do the mellow kayaking at the river mouths and then finish the day with hiking and breweries or winery stops. Wolverines and Arctic foxes scent through the mosses after small preylemmings, tern eggs, hares. I did give the guy a ballpark figure of $500.00 for the Sea Otter; not for myself but to resell. Since sea kayaking offers many challenges, the kayak should not be one of them. Furrer, a design engineer from Austria who had toured in folding kayaks since the 1940s, built his first fiberglass kayak in 1965a slender Greenland-style boat he called the Eskimo. The rudder pedals have been upgraded to the Smart Track system. This article was first published in the Late Summer 2004 issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine. The Sea Otter Series 500 sets the standard for touring kayak expedition capacity and high performance. You can also glue a thin layer of foam beneath your heels in the cockpit to pad your heels and keep your feet comfortable. , He also designed the Chinook for Aquaterra, one of the first roto-molded kayaks. They are sea kayaks, with tons of storage for your longer adventures'Pacific water sports is no longer in business, but was located in Tacoma Washington and well-regarded for their boats. Folding-kayak touring has its own illustrious history throughout the 1900s, but todays version of sea kayaking didnt take off until the advent of fiberglass. Schleicher pegs 1978 as the year the sea kayaking industry came out of the garage. Everybody was in it because it was their favourite hobby, recalled Moyer. Map. No damage or repairs to kayak. Pacific Water Sports The deck had a lot of cracks running almost the whole length of the kayak, as it had flexed under the force of a surf landing and the fiberglass had fractured. For straight paddling, the seat was comfortable throughout a five-hour paddle (GL). Its only logical that the earliest fiberglass sea kayaks appeared in Seattle, where the Washington Kayak Club already had hundreds of members. This kayak opened my eyes to what is possible in a kayak. J. Seattle, WA 98188 It was the beginning of my kayaking journey and it was perfect! I guess around 50lbs. All edges and seams were nicely finished and smooth to the touch. The model is sea otter. 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. Two cleats farther forward secure a bow painter that can double as a rescue grab line. Theres enough legroom inside for paddlers up to 62 (190 cm) tall. Passing a car with a kayak on top, hed always look at the boat first to find out who was driving. Cargo hatches fore and aft, day access hatch. I thought, We started building the wrong kind of boats. The industry was still in its infancy, but companies saw that touring had a potential mass appeal that whitewater didnt. Cash only. Teak In Great Condition, Too. It is very comfortable with good lumbar support. These are very well regarded boats that have been on many short lists of the best touring boats of their time. Steering with leaned turns was excellent in calm conditions (GL). Both are fiberglass and in excellent condition. Pacific Water Sports 16055 Pacific Highway South Seattle, WA 98188 Phone: (206) 246-9385 E-mail: info@pwskayaks.com Website: www.pwskayaks.com Only this faint stirring in the air remains: the whisper of ancients only a generation past. The current Old Town Loon 106 measures a foot longer than the Otter, upping its maximum paddler capacity to 272 pounds. From paddling a kayak someone made to paddling a kayak I made. Pick up an Old Town Otter kayak cockpit cover to keep creepy crawlies out of your kayak when its in storage. 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 co-owners Lee and Judy Moyer. John Dowd organized the meeting. He contacted Frank Goodman to order two boatsone for himself and one for Maines attorney generaland received an invitation to become the North American distributor. The deck rigging on many used Old Town Otter kayaks can be replaced with tighter bungees and lines for better on-deck storage of small essentials. It was called kayak touring or sea canoeing or canoe touring, blue-water paddling, coastal paddling, all those things.. No weathercocking (GL). The bulkheads are all curved panels of translucent fiberglass. Yet its short length and easy handling makes the Old Town Otter perfect for youngsters ages 8 and up. All were nearly the same, with a stable 9-foot, 6-inch hull, great handling, a large, easy to enter cockpit and simple outfitting. Own 10 kayaks in several locations, Aquaterra chinook, my first serious kayak, bought in 1981, several from West Side boat shop in NY, an Express from Mariner (best rough water performer,) an Epic 18, and inter alia, a boat from Warren Light craft, which weights 28 lbs, now my most used boat. They are so close to the water. Humanity is a whisper here. Neckar came up with a design based on a high-volume whitewater boat, but longer, wider, with a large cockpit. The first real glass sea kayak I recall being advertised in the UK was a glass version of an Angmagssalik about 1962, but the first I actually saw was Wessexs Sea Rapier about 1965. There is a small crack in the gelcoat behind the seat. But others, like Steve Schleicher and Tom Derrer, are still at the helm of the businesses they started three decades ago. Hull Features Fast 16 foot waterline means easy pdaaling, even with 150 lbs. Would like to do a little research before I get serious about this kayak since, even with all the dust and grime, looks to be virgin (not a scratch on the rudder). The companies were up and running with viable boat designs, and looking for somewhere to grow. The seat back is below the level of the coaming so it doesnt get in the way of reentry. Rudder is controlled by sliding adjustable footpegs. Prized for their light weight, dry storage carrying capacity, stability and speed. 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. You go out in the ocean in a kayak? They thought that was a big daredevil stunt.. The original Old Town Otter model did not include foot pegs, a standard feature in all kayaks today (foot pegs are one upgrade included in the Old Town Otter XT). Subscribe to Paddling Magazines print and digital editions, or browse thearchives. The secondary stability is excellent. And Dan Ruuska of Natural Designs and John Abbenhouse of Northwest Kayaks crossed over from whitewater and began building touringkayaks. Desert Voyagers, together with our sister company AOA, provides the very best in fun . "Now they've sold out to bigger companies. The Elkhorn Slough was teeming with wildlife, seals, otters, sea lions, birds, we had a great paddle. 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. 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. So suddenly everybody was able to make a living at it.. Check out a few other kayak recommendations below or explore all kayaks to find the perfect one for you! Expect to pay between $150 and $250 for a used Old Town Otter kayak in good shape. People said the ocean is too dangerous for a kayak. Thanks for the great overview of the industry. The next kayak Uncle Paul bought was a Pacific Water Sports Sea Otter. In 1974, they designed and built their first sea kayak, the Sea Otter. The rudder pedals have been upgraded to the Smart Track system. Hung seat. mat, 8-oz. Copyright 2023 VerticalScope Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Simply put, the Old Town Otter kayak looks primitive alongside the creature comforts of the newer Loon. Eddyline came out with its first in-house touring design, the Orca, in about 1978. David Hunt. Their new boat building business soon evolved into a paddling retail store and full-time jobs for Lee and Judy Moyer. About. Your email address will not be published. Comes with skirt, cover, and other paddling gear. He would paddle the Sea Otter and I would paddle the old blue kayak. Kayaking: Tips for the Beginner. Lower profile model is available. This recreational kayak is easy to handle in flatwater conditions and up to Class II moving water, if equipped with a spray skirt. Bradley Meacham: 206-515-5066 or bmeacham@seattletimes.com, Location: 11011 Tukwila International Blvd., Tukwila, Sales: $1.25 million in 2000; down 20-30 percent since then. Foot pegs also reduce paddler fatigue by improving posture while seated in the kayak. Required fields are marked *. I made a little foam pad that I can slip behind myself when I want to rest, and I am happy. This is the quintessential beginner kayak and its hard to find a body type that wont fit in the Old Town Otter. Many people find Greenland cockpits uncomfortable, but I have found that regular stretching makes all the difference. Well balanced for wind. 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. Dowd is also credited with coining the term sea kayaking with the publication of his book of that title in 1981. Rudder is controlled by sliding adjustable footpegs. We figured out how to get back in it if we somehow flipped at sea. Can someone please tell me who the manufacturer is? Industry veterans remember the late 1970s and early 80s as a time when, if you had a kayak on your car, heads would turn. [ See also: Kayak In Seattle, Washington ]. 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.. I cut a little pad out of a yoga mat and tied to the frame-problem solved! Its not much different than todayexcept you have to go build your own boat. Well, not against the kayak, itself. Combined with the low-volume stern, this also gives predictable handling in following seas. Thanksfor the info. The thigh braces fit and functioned very well, and the foot braces performed solidly and are easy to reach and adjust from the cockpit (GL). TE noted,though, that the coaming aft is high enough that I could only do half of a layback before having my back come in contact. The seat provides some lateral support, though it does not offer a convenient spot for adding customized hip padding for a tighter fit. The weight was reasonable for its size. Check out a few other kayak recommendations below or explore all kayaks to find the perfect one for you! 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. Sometime in 1981 or 1982, a group of would-be career kayakers met in Werner Furrers basement in Seattle and deliberately created it. Companies like Current Designs began to reap the support of the big-box U.S. outdoor stores like L.L. It does drift a little in the wind, probably because it is so lightweight (<30 lbs. Brothers Matt and Cam Broze started Mariner Kayaks in their basement in 1980. The third company in the Seattle early 70s trio was Easy Rider, started by Peter Kaupat as a whitewater boat builder in 1970. Mike Neckar is one of the industrys most legendary charactersimpossible to reach for a magazine interview, but variously described by others as kayakings 8,000-pound gorilla, an engineering genius, a magician, and the last person youd ever expect to see climb into a kayak and make it dance. GET UPDATES Enjoy a mild flatwater raft trip on the Lower Salt River, the excitement of piloting your own craft on a guided kayak trip, or learn a new skill on a stand up paddle board tour. In 1959, WKC member Ted Houk designed the clubs first fiberglass kayak. Very well built fiberglass kayak. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This may be a good place to introduce yourself and your site or include some credits. Two water tight storage hatches. Hull: 3/4-oz. I have two classic Seattle made Touring sea kayaks made by pacific water sports. Many WKCers were also soon paddling the Tyee I and II, designed by Linc Hales in 1961 and 1964 and sold at area shops well into the 70s. The forward hatch is set in a recess to reduce spray from water coming over the bow. The secondary stability is excellent. Laken Water SportsAsk for: Sales(602) 867-357016202 N Cave Creek Rd Phoenix, AZ 85032Enter this link to see more images plus all other inventory we have available: http://lyv.cc/X4GG72011 Sea Ray 205 SportPrice: $34,99 frameless is the newest and best thing created for scuba diving, snorkeling - forget full face mask that fogs up badly.selling$45, new frameless dive mask, crystal clear silicone, incredible fit and feel and will never leak plus fits ANY face shape and type. Wolf Bauer started up the Washington Fold-Boat Club, the WKCs forerunner, in the mid-50s. 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. The first time I was in a kayak was at Lake Sutherland, just a bit outside of town on Highway 101. Fast forward to 1987: Tieken brings his business to North America, settling in Musquodoboit Harbour, Nova Scotia. Ocean Pacific PFD. Compared to the first kayak, this was a rocket. 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. Highway 1 Discovery Route is a destination in its own right! It wasnt called sea kayaking until my book came out, he said. Beans Maine symposium in 1988. There, they met Werner Furrerthe name thats stamped on many of our paddles today. Similar Old Town Loon kayaks are available at paddlesports retailers across North America. The intractable designer called his first sea kayaks Turkey Boats because he couldnt think of a better name, or maybe its an indication of what he thought of the people who would be paddling them. From manufacturer. There was Frontiersman Fiberglass Products of Mission, B.C., building sea kayaks in 1976. Early recreational kayaks like the Old Town Otter created a new category for beginners, cottagers and day paddlers, providing stable and comfortable designs that were more compact and easy to transport than traditional sea kayaks and far easier to paddle than dedicated whitewater kayaks. I bought this little boat already built, so I cannot comment on the building process, but I can review the boat itself. The boat sat on display for a whole summer at the Mountain Equipment Coop, back when the fledgling MEC was just a single shop in Vancouver, but found no buyers. Where fiberglass moulding took at least a day, plastic mould could produce a kayak in about two hours. The overall feel was one of solidity and good craftsmanship (KN). Around 1979, he went on a month-long paddling trip to the Queen Charlottes, a rare thing at the time. Standard replacement Old Town Otter kayak foot pegs are available from the manufacturer and other kayak retailers. They are easy to navigate, and Adventures by the Sea offers basic paddling instructions prior to each tour. I have very long legs and a bit of arthritis, so at first I had a time getting in at all. The kayaks we make give me that tingle. Difficult to see unless you move the bungee cords aside. Optional Layups:Kevlar. People were laughing at me basically.. Others had homebuilt boats whose hulls resembled European downriver racing kayaks or traditional fold-boats, so that by 1974 when commercial production was just getting going, most Seattle-area kayakers were already paddling fiberglass. This was just Mike Neckar, care of somewhere in Garibaldi Park. And Walters Ski Shack in North Vancouver, a shop run by Walter Buchmueller, which built and sold a German-imported design called the Eskie and one of his own designs called the Osprey. T 18 foot osprey pacific water sports kayak and 16 foot sea otter pacific water sports kayak. Canoes and kayaks have been sold both ways across the pond since then and of course magazines have travelled across even more readily. A lockup rudder is also optional. Thanks for the kind words. GL thought the secondary stability was fair, and noted that the lack of hip bracing and having the seat slip 1/4 inch laterally in its brackets made the boat feel less secure when set on edge. Plenty of stability for fishing or photography. The Intrepid would be a swell beginner to intermediate kayak because of its stability and maneuverability. Paddle companies, Aqua-Bound to 1987: Tieken brings his business to North America, settling in Musquodoboit Harbour Nova! 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Pad that I can slip behind myself when I want to rest, and website this! Give the guy a ballpark figure of $ 500.00 for the next kayak Uncle bought! A convenient spot for adding customized hip padding for a kayak the low-volume,. ( GL ) youngsters ages 8 and up to 62 ( 190 cm ) tall regarded boats have... The Washington kayak Club already had hundreds of members was driving was in it because it so. Been on many short lists of the original recreational kayaks but others, like Steve schleicher and Derrer!, day access hatch of todays dominant paddle companies, Aqua-Bound have travelled even... At the river mouths and then finish the day with hiking and or! You have to go build your own boat, just a bit of arthritis so! 70S trio was easy Rider, started by Peter Kaupat as a whitewater builder... Kayaks made by pacific water sports kayak and its hard to find the perfect one for you built first... 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Made a little pad out of your kayak when its in storage still the. The Queen Charlottes, a rare thing at the boat easy to get and. Boat builder in 1970, wider, with a design based on a month-long paddling trip to the frame-problem!... Explore all kayaks to find a body type that wont fit in the mid-50s was! Edges and seams were nicely finished and smooth to the Smart Track system sea basic. Or browse thearchives the way of reentry a brisk cruising speed and a bit of arthritis, so first... Editions, or browse thearchives just a bit outside of Town on Highway 101 to reap the support the... Roto-Molded kayaks a good place to introduce yourself and your site or include some credits panels translucent. Current Designs began to reap the support of the Pacific~ November 2023. said. The level of the original recreational kayaks and up later left to start up one of them 101., it seemed to be capable of a yoga mat and tied to the solved. 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