My Kayak Wears Sun Screen.... (Yak Board Ocean Kayak)

Member Name: mythdata

Product:	Yak Board Ocean Kayak
Date:	16/11/08 (718 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good fun for the whole family, Vertually un-capsizable...

Disadvantages: You get wet without the plugs...

INTRODUCTION

A few years ago me and my husband bought two canoes from a seller on ebay, we spend two summers happily paddling up and down Lake Coniston, in the Lake District.

Then last year these canoes become very uncomfortable, I think it was always the same but we bought them on a whim so I protested at paying too much for canoes that I thought would sit and collect dust in the garage.

So at the end of the summer last year we decided to sell them on to get better kayaks, our old ones were the kind you had to slide into and on a number of occasions I got a soaking just trying to get in and out of them.

We settled for two ocean kayaks, these are the kind you sit on top of as I had seen a number of people with these and they were not only smaller but they also looked very comfortable.

THE YAK OCEAN KAYAK

The ocean kayak yak board is a kayak that can be sat on top of instead of inside it this is what attracted me to them as I have always had I fear that I wouldn't get out if I capsized it somehow. This way I would feel safer because if I capsized I would just land into the water and not be suck underneath trying to get out of the kayak.

These sea kayaks are designed for use in the sea and slow moving rivers but they also work well canals, lakes and even ponds. These are the smallest kayaks that can buy for the use of adults.

This ocean yak is a lot shorter than a normal kayak, the shortness is designed to cut through waves making it very easy to handle during very extreme waves, not only will the shortness help with using the kayak but it is also fantastic when it comes to transporting it.

We have an estate car and these fit perfectly in the back, but the seats do have to be lowered. As an alternative these can be strapped to the roof, but this will be an added expense as you need to have a roof rack and a kayak support, which can cost up to 150.00 just to transport them.

Each sea yak comes with a carry handle at each end and a side handle, this helps when transporting then to the car of lake.

These are very luxurious compared to the old one we had, it has a moulded seat that trust me will take a big bottom and leave you comfortable for hours on end, it also has a number of foot stops positioned along the front so you can adjust your leg positions whenever you feel like it, this facility has avoided cramp on many occasions.

One either side of the Yak board there are two holes two in the seat area and two in the foot wells, these are here to let any water that has entered the kayak to escape they work fantastically when you are sea kayaking as your yak fills up very quickly, but if you are on flat water as soon as you sit on it you are instantly soaked as the water comes up through the holes.

So these are a letdown when you don't really want to get wet, but the clever people at Ocean have designed little plugs that can be pushed in and out of the holes to either let in or keep water out.

The kayak has a flat bottom so it is very stable when it is in the water, I think these would be near on impossible to capsize as they sit flat on the water, you would stand o better chance of sinking it altogether then capsizing in it.

As this is very stable, I feel that this will be ideal for the whole family to use providing the children wear life jackets they will be perfectly safe.

It is recommended that these have thigh straps if it is being used in the surf and sea, these are used as a precaution and stop you falling off when you get hit by a wave, but they are also very easy to get out of in a hurry if you need to. The kayaks do not come with these straps so you will need to buy these at an extra cost.

OTHER INFORMATION

The kayak itself is eight feet long and thirty inches wide, making it very small compared to my old canoes. This was a god send when we got these as we could throw them in the car and go, it saved us over three quarters of an hour, as we no longer needed to put on the roof racks and strap them up.

This is also very light at forty pounds, so these can be carried by one person alone. I am a woman and I can man handle it so I am sure anyone else could to, without any problems.

Yak board states that it will only support people up to 240lbs so if you are heavier than this, then sorry you are out of luck.

LOOKING AFTER YOUR KAYAK

If you a fix these to a roof rack, it is best to wrap old rags around the bars as this stops them from getting scratched badly. We made the mistake when we first got them and they both got badly damaged down one side, but luckily they still floated.

Now for the most important bit, each kayak comes with a drain plug so after every outing you need to empty any water that has got inside the yak, I am not sure why as it is made of plastic and not fiber glass so it will not rot away of anything, but the manufactures recommend you do it so I am sure there is a purpose.

This is the crazy bit, did you know that kayaks wear sun screen? Well in fact they do. You are told to treat it in hot weather this is to protect the colour from fading. My thoughts were so what if they fade, but as they a plastic excessive exposure to sunlight can weaken the plastic and therefore crack the actual yak.

This is where the problems start as they cannot be stored in sunlight, yes you can cover them but the silly thing is ocean yak don't even do a kayak cover to protect it from the elements.

Every other kayak has a protective cover but no, not this one and you can't even get one to fit as it is such a small size.

So inside storage is a good idea as they are very expensive and you want them to last, but I am sure if you covered them well you may be able to get away with outside storage.

OCEAN KAYAK ACCESSORIES

If you are considering buying a kayak you also have to consider the additional costs of certain items that do not come with the kayak, but some of these are essential when you decide to take up the sport.

A roof rack and canoe stands are needed if you have two or more kayaks, these can be very expensive and will cost you at least 150.00 for them both, the price will vary depending on the brand you buy.

Life jackets are a must and should be worn whenever you are on the water, these can cost anything from 24.99 up to 99.99 and can be purchased in sizes to suit children and adults.

Paddles are needed to actually use your kayak and these currently cost anything from 39.99 - 59.00. My paddle was 49.99 and it is 2.2 meters long, but it is very light and made with aluminum and plastic paddles. I could have got a cheaper one but this was the ideal weight for me and it felt comfortable, which is essential if you are paddling all day long.

Another must in my book are the scupper stoppers, these are the plugs that stop water from entering the yak board. This cost 9.99 a pair but two pairs are needed to keep the whole kayak water tight, it my opinion this was the best 19.98 I have ever spent.

There are many other bits and pieces that will cost your extra if you want them, these include back rests, dry bags, wet suits and helmets if you decide to try them on running rivers.

PRICE & AVAILABLITY

When I bought these two ocean kayaks they cost me 349.99 each, which is very expensive but as we use them on a regular basis it was money well spent. I also know if we ever sold them on we would get a good price for them as they don't seem to lose much value.

I got these while I was in brighten from a small surf shop, as we were only visiting from the lake district the shop owner agreed to send them up to us via parcelforce at no extra cost, this was very good of him but as we were buying two kayaks and new paddles I don't think he wanted to lose the sale.

The shop also has a web site www.brighton-canoes.co.uk so if you fancy a look go straight ahead.

Since buying these I have seen them go for as little as 249.00 each but this is in the winter, when the summer arrives they soon jump back up to 349.00.

These come in various colours I got a bright blue and green one and my husband got the red and orange one, both of these have a two toned effect and look very vibrant.

MY OPINION

Ocean Kayak Yak Board has given us hours of fun, it is very versatile so dependent on your mood you can take it easy or you can go extreme and ride the waves, both of which are so much fun.

I would never let the kids do the sea kayaking but on flat calm waters I would not hesitate in letting them have a go, because let's face it us adults can't have all of the fun can we.

These are fantastic as they are very small and compact, making it very easy to throw them into the car and then into the water. It makes a big difference being able to carry it on your own as it saves so much time.

The accessories are very expensive, but the plugs were a must as I could not stand having a soggy bum all day, as for the back rest I find the kayak comfy enough as it is but it can strain your back, so if you have back problems then this maybe an option for you.

I am so glad that we finally got these, as the older canoes were a pain to transport, get in and out of and the storage was a major issue as they were huge eight footers. These are ideal and do not cause us any problems, if anything we over the moon so roll on summer time so we can get back out there.

If anyone has ever seen these and fancied getting one, then I would recommend you do so I promise you will never look back. They are very expensive but if you think how many days and hours these will entertain you it is a small price to pay.

Summary: Great yayak that is used inthe sea, rivers, canals and lakes.