How Do Kayaks Measure Up?

In the computer, the kayak is alternately loaded with a 150-pound and a 200-pound "paddler" with a center of gravity 10 inches above a reference point at the aft edge of the seat and 10 inches forward of it. The program then calculates the hydrostatics - various measurements of the kayak’s immersed surface – and righting moments. We generate a second set of hydrostatics with the addition of a cargo load of 100 pounds (the cargo’s center of gravity coincides with that of the hull).

The data provided is useful for getting a sense of the kayak’s shape, but predicting the kayak’s performance requires the paddler to interpret how the kayak will respond to his or her own physical characteristics and abilities.

We instructed our paddlers to evaluate each kayak against the designer’s stated design goals and against their own experience of paddling many different kayaks. We asked our reviewers to be constructive in their criticism of kayaks whenever possible, and to offer advice to paddlers in using the kayak, or to the designer and the manufacturer for making improvements in their product.

The selection of kayaks for any particular issue of the magazine is not intended to invite comparison in that group of kayaks. Our goal is to develop information about each kayak that will make it possible for you to see where a kayak fits in the wide array of handling characteristics.

Because of the broad geographical distribution of our paddlers, each used a different kayak of the model under consideration. The kayak measured was obtained from yet another source. Any significant differences between kayaks of the same model will be noted in the review.

Reviews beginning on the next page are compiled from reports of evaluators listed at the top of each review. Reviewers are not identified by name to protect them from overzealous kayak manufacturers. While the published reports are compiled by the editorial staff of Sea Kayaker, they represent only the assessments of the paddlers, and are not the opinions of the editors. The reports are condensed for reasons of space and readability; though no criticism of any kayak is omitted for fear of ruffling advertisers’ feathers.

Although Seavivor Folding Boats has been in business since 1977, our Greenland Solo did not come into being until the early 1980’s when the need for a performance-oriented folding solo boat based on West Greenland lines became apparent. The Greenland Solo’s appeal is to the experienced paddler looking for an advanced boat from which to lead the pack in fast company. The solo is hard chined, has upswept ends, and is asymmetrical in shape with a low profile. In short, the Greenland Solo is seaworthy, fast and easy to paddle, has outstanding tracking with minimum windage, and can be Eskimo rolled.

Our patented fitting system (all brass and bronze) gives the owner tool-free, simple and fast assembly that is reliable under adverse conditions. The ash wood and Finnish birch plywood frame is rugged and easy to maintain. The International-award-winning hullskin is a perfect fit under high tension without the use of air tubes.

Seavivor is not a mass production company. What we produce is handcrafted quality…a product you can trust your life with! However, this often means that boats are not available "on demand"…Quality takes time to produce and is well worth waiting for. ~Logan and Karen Fleckles

Reviewers;

SE 6’, 150-pound male. Overnight with 60 pounds of gear; wind up to 10 knots, waves to one foot, chop and boat wakes.

LS 5’4", 125-pound female. Overnight trip with 40-50 pounds of gear. Afternoon winds 10 to 25 knots and one-foot waves, as well as three-knot current

VS 5’2", 160-pound female. Day trip in 20-knot winds and seas to 2 ½ feet.

DM 5’10", 180-pound male. Day trip in calm conditions, boat unloaded.

The general consensus of the testers’ was that the Greenland Solo was a well-made folding kayak with a sturdy wooden frame and snug-fitting hull. VS described its hull as sporty and attractive, and SE noted that, when assembled, the skin showed no puckers or slack spots.

The assembly of the Seavivor was easy to figure out by following the labels on the framework pieces. Even with no previous experience with the boat, two of our reviewers assembled the Solo in under 25 minutes. With practice the assembly was between 15 and 20 minutes.

Everyone thought the boat was an easy carry for two, and VS found the sewn nylon straps especially comfortable compared to the more common PVC toggles. And all but one paddler (VS) felt the Solo was well balanced and light enough for solo carries.

Seavivor custom fits each Greenland Solo to its buyer, building in foot bracing to the customer’s leg length. The Greenland Solo made available to our reviewers had not been outfitted with foot braces other than that provided by the plywood frame at the forward end of the cockpit. This fit some of our paddlers, but for those with shorter legs the addition of some rigid foam was required to provide temporary bracing.

Likewise, the thigh bracing provided by the frame in the middle of the cockpit was simply padded out by foam. Seavivor recommends that customers have custom padding installed for a comfortable and secure fit. As provided, the thigh braces worked for our paddlers, although all of them recommended adding more foam, and two suggested trimming the frame to allow the legs to be more elevated when locked into braces.

The seat and back rest are fabric-covered foam. Neither was particularly comfortable and the feel of both could be improved by carving out some contour to fit the paddler.

The "Surf Launch" spray skirt opens up by means of a zipper with a storm flap. At the top of the tube the zipper has a quick-release device. The paddler pulls the zipper’s slider swiftly upward. The teeth then easily disengage without having to run the slider forward. Because the skirt is securely fastened to the coaming, it is necessary for the paddler to wear his PFD under the skirt tube to make a quick wet exit. The zipper is not waterproof and therefore leaks. "I got rather wet just from paddle drips on a calm day." (DM) The spray skirt is equipped with d-rings for holding a chart case and compass in front of the paddler.

The paddlers liked the deck fittings, especially the spare paddle pockets sewn into the front deck: "A great low-profile way to carry a spare." (LS) SE concurred that the paddle pockets were a good idea that provided convenient and accessible storage. Everyone though that the deck lines and rigging for a paddle-float reentry were well designed.

Once on the water, the reviewers were impressed by the boat’s performance. The two reviewers who paddled unloaded boats described the initial stability as slightly tippy, but when packed with gear both initial and secondary stability were greatly improved. All agreed the boat tracked well in all points of wind, and that it held its course with little or no yawing. "This boat doesn’t have a rudder, and it definitely doesn’t need one." (VS) Everyone but DM felt it responded well to leaned turns, although no one felt it was particularly maneuverable. "Steering was good, but it didn’t turn on a dime." (LS)

The reviewers were particularly impressed by the Solo’s speed. "The boat is surprisingly fast." (VS) "Even with a load it accelerated well and maintained good cruising speed." (SE) While LS was not overly impressed with the boat’s acceleration she felt it "kept a good pace while cruising," and both she and SE reported that they had no trouble keeping up with paddlers in hardshell kayaks.

Paddling into waves up to 2 ½ feet, VS reported the Solo’s bow did not dive into the waves or throw water. Off the wind she "didn’t have to fight to stay on course."

The Solo has neither hatches nor bulkheads. Gear is loaded through the cockpit. SE enjoyed "lots of space" on his trip and felt the Solo was fairly easy to load. He did, however, note that the boat’s frame made it difficult to slide gear into and out of the very ends.

Aside from the leaking spray skirt, the reviewers were impressed with the Solo’s performance characteristics: it is an efficient, firm-tracking boat that is "great for touring." (LS) "It gave one of the best rudderless performances I have ever paddled." (VS)

I detect a "mind set" among the reviewers, a common error that assumes folders/skin-on-frame boats don’t perform as well as hard shells when, in reality, it is the hardshell that is the newcomer. Let’s face it, if the Inuit (in his skin boat) didn’t bring home the blubber, his people would have starved. He and his craft became one together, a creature of the sea capable of chasing down his prey.

Today the silent stealth of the Seavivor folding skin boat makes the ideal platform for watching wildlife, which brings us around to military uses and explains the origins of our black hull bottom.

We agree with the reviewers about the seat. It is not the most comfortable. But it doesn’t interfere with the control or rolling the boat, nor does it restrict the body movements of Olympic-style/power-style paddlers. The reviewers’ opinions are not to be ignored, so we will be working on an improved version. A Seavivor is built on top of a 5,000-year-old evolutionary history, and we will continue to evolve. Our "Surf Launch" spray deck (we make a standard tube style as well) provided with the test boats has attributes other than a leaky zipper. Visualize yourself launching from a surf-pounded beach, spray-deck zipper wide open, paddle in hand. Grab firmly onto the coaming, set your teeth, catch the ebb and run in. As the next set is about to get you and the water is rising, leap into the open cockpit and punch through. Once past the breakers, just zip up the deck. Now look back at your friends who are trying to beach-crawl off. It’s fun to watch them get Maytagged!

A big thanks to the reviewers for their glowing report. A Seavivor Greenland Solo is all they say and more. It’s a boat that fits in the trunk of your car and is airline baggage to anywhere in the world. To the staff of Sea Kayaker and all of your readers, best wishes for sunny days, the wind at your back and bug-free nights. ~Logan and Karen Fleckles

In production since 1982

Material: Decking is ballistic cloth fused to a urethane sheeting underside. In red or blue. Hull is a Mil. Spec. urethane calendered high pick composite that is heat sealable and can be molecularly cross linked with adhesive for repairs.

Standard Features: Paddle pockets on deck, full deck lines for self rescue and rafting. Carrying handles on each end, D-rings for painter line attachments at bow and stern. Seats and back rests with D-rings for attachments. Bow and stern keels reinforced with multiple layers of hull material. D-rings on deck for gear attachment, sail-rig ready. Two packing bags for storage when disassembled.

Approximate Weight: 55 pounds

Availability: Direct from the builder. Shipped UPS in US, or Kintetsu World Express. 30% deposit required when ordering. Currently delivering in 90 days.

Manufacturer’s Address: Seavivor Folding Boats, 576 Arlington Ave., Des Plaines IL 60016-3363. Phone (847) 297-5953.