Our recent shipment of boats from Kayak Distribution includes the Reval Midi PE from Tahe Marine. After reading about the Reval series, we were excited to see, sit in, and test paddle this new-in-2012 design — and we have not been disappointed.
As an entrant into the mid-size performance polyethylene kayak category, the Reval Midi competes favorably with better known designs from VCP, P & H, and Wilderness Systems. The Reval Midi is well-designed, well-built, and thoughtfully outfitted. It fits a wide range of paddler sizes and is just plain fun to paddle.
We’ll be writing more about the Reval Midi as well as its slightly narrower, lower profile sibling — the Reval Mini LC PE — soon! In the meantime, let us know if you’d like to see or test paddle this boat.
One of the best things about owning a small kayak shop (besides scouting out new sections of the Maine coast as potential tour destinations) is having the opportunity to paddle new models of kayaks.
I’ve had that opportunity recently, as we’ve “taken in” a few Walrus Kayaks built by a small company of the same name in Winooski, Vermont. This is something to like about the kayak industry — that even though you have the relative giants like Current Designs and Old Town, you have plenty of small companies that you might not have heard of building quality. innovative boats. More than 50 kayak manufacturers are listed in the Canoe & Kayak Annual Boat Book. My guess is that there are at least 50 more small companies that are not listed, Walrus Kayaks being one of them.
It must have taken a bit of chutzpah to start a kayak company in the midst of a bad economy, and — at a time when many other builders are moving their manufacturing operations to China — to insist on building them in small town USA. It must have taken a bit more chutzpah to choose uncompromising designs and high end materials as central to your business model, but that’s just what Walrus Kayaks did.
Mark, the Chief Operating Officer of Walrus Kayaks is the guy who most often answers the phone and responds to emails. He arrived after a snowstorm several weeks ago with a truck loaded with 5 kayaks and a black lab as co-pilot. We donned dry suits and then drove down to Belfast Harbor to test paddle the boats. Temperatures were only in the 20’s, but we mostly forget about that as we took turns trying the Griffin and the Jaeger, the first two Walrus models to have gone into production. (Walrus is now in the process of adding two more models).
Mark returned to Vermont with just two kayaks on his truck. Happy ending. The other three stayed with us. We’ve been enjoying testing them out in different conditions and locations.
One who doesn’t understand kayaking might find it odd that someone who already has more than 25 kayaks at his disposal could get so excited about a new kayak. But every kayak has its own personality. And, ideally, a kayak is something you “wear” more than just sit it. The Jaeger and Griffin are two exceptionally designed kayaks that have quickly become favorites.
The Jaeger especially has found favor with me. At 17’4” in length and 22” in beam, the Jaeger fits the mold of a fully capable, full size touring and expedition kayak. While not the very fastest kayak in our fleet (it’s not a specialty racing boat), the Jaeger is plenty fast enough for fitness paddling and long distance touring and, as a fast kayak, has the distinction of also being a great rough water boat. The v hull of the Jaeger gives it a lively, playful feel on the water, yet it feels very secure even turned sideways to oncoming seas.
Overall, I’m increasingly feeling that if I was limited to only one boat, the Jaeger would be it — and that’s a pretty high compliment to pay any kayak.
Add to that the excellent and comfortable cockpit and meticulous build quality, and you have one great boat.
The Griffin, as the name suggests, is a bird of a different feather — though built with the same attention to quality as the Jaeger. Efficiency, playfulness, a light weight (as little as 31 pounds), easy acceleration, and compact size are some of its best attributes. Most designers add width when they build a shorter kayak, but with its beam of under 22 inches, the Griffin is a sleek little kayak truly designed with the needs of the smaller paddler in mind. At the same time, the Griffin is just big enough that a medium size paddler (up to 6 feet and 180 lbs.) can fit in it comfortably. For this size paddler, the Griffin is a great boat for playing in waves and surf and for day trips.
We’ve begun adding information about Walrus Kayaks to our website and will continue to do so. You can read also read more about Walrus Kayaks at www.walruskayaks.com
The Whisky looks and paddles fresh. Unlike so many new kayak models coming out these days, it is the result of some creative design work and is far from being a retread of other models already in production.
The most “gimmicky” thing about this kayak is the 6 x 6 inch round “whisky hatch” just in front of the cockpit. I put flares, binoculars, sunglasses, and sunscreen in mine — and still had plenty of room for a handful of energy bars. The hatch doesn’t interfere with my knees and is easier to access than a knee tube or underdeck bag — not a bad gimmick!
After paddling the boat for 2 days while guiding a trip in the Great Wass Archipelago in Downeast Maine, in everything from a dead calm to rock gardens to 4.5 foot swells to confused seas off “Red Head,” I’d say this boat is a winner. It is now unequivocally my boat of choice for all kinds of guiding, as well as for surf play, and rough water work.
The layup (mine is the standard fiberglass) is of excellent quality if on the slightly heavy side, the hatches (3 plus the whisky hatch) are tight, the deck lines are adequate. The seat works well and provides good thigh support. Excellent thigh bracing is provided by the keyhole cockpit and the contour of the deck in front of the cockpit. Even without added foam, the fit is comfortable and secure.
The hull is moderately rockered with hard chines and the shallowest of shallow arches underneath. The bow and stern are slightly upswept and the boat carries a fair amount of volume in both bow and stern. The somewhat unconventional appearance (snub nose, hard chine, flattened hull under the cockpit) really works well in the water. Even without putting the boat on edge, a couple quick sweep strokes turns the boat 180 degrees. Dropping the skeg just an inch or so keeps it on course in most conditions. It’s a solid boat in rough conditions, and is a blast to paddle in rock gardens or along a rugged, irregular shoreline.
Initial stability is a little loose but the secondary stability kicks in very quickly. Easily leaned and probably the most solid boat I have paddled when on edge. Overall provides a very secure ride in varying conditions.
The Whisky will probably fit a range of paddler sizes from small to medium large.
It compares very favorably with the VCP Avocet, which is a similar boat in terms of dimensions and design intentions. The Avocet may be a shade faster but does not turn as readily. The Whisky has added features, can accommodate larger paddlers, and has more storage space for gear.
The Whisky doesn’t have the glide or top end speed of a svelte 18-footer, and that’s really the only way it falls short of being “the perfect kayak.” Unless you are racing, doing point-to-pint touring over long distances, primarily paddling flat water, or trying to keep up with ultra-fit paddlers in svelte 18-footers, you’ll be having so much fun in the Whisky you’ll forget all about the fact that with a longer boat you might be going half a knot faster.
–As of 8/16/08, the Whisky is available for test paddle and purchase at our shop in Belfast, Maine.
