When I got hold of my Cetus, I was lucky in that it came fitted with a keel strip in place as it was originally destined to be a demo boat. For those paddler’s ordering a new boat, a keel strip is usually an optional extra that can be specified at the time of ordering. However, there are a couple of different options available for retro-fitting a keel strip to a current boat.

Why A Keel Strip?
There are two reasons to fit a Keel Strip. The most common reason is to protect the hull of the kayak, particularly when paddling in rocky conditions and particularly for beach landings or when having to drag a kayak up a beach. Whilst a keel strip only covers a thin strip along the actual keel, it is this part of the hull that tends to attract the most damage and wear.

The other, less common option, is to strengthen the hull on a thinly laid up fibreglass kayak. If being used for this purpose only, it is felt to be better to install a keel strip inside the boat rather than on the outside.

Retro-Fitting Options.
It is possible to return boats to the manufacturer for a retro-fitting or find local fibreglass repair shops who will undertake the work. P&H for example will retro-fit a keel strip to boats if booked in.

The other option available is to go the DIY route. Until relatively recently, this involved working with fibreglass or similar. However, I’ve recently become aware of a relatively new product called Eazy Keel which is a self adhesive tape system for adding a keel strip. This video demonstrates the application of an Eazy Keel on a Sea Kayak.

Useful Articles

For those interested in adding a keel strip to their sea kayaks, I have collated a few articles/links to information and discussions which may be of use.

Ocean Paddler Article – Rich Parkin (OP Editor) has kindly provided this excellent article from an early issue of Ocean Paddler Magazine which takes a step by step look at fitting a keel strip.

A couple of interesting discussions can be found on the UK Rivers Guidebook Webiste and are worth reading:
UKRGB Discussion 1
UKRGB Discussion 2

Sea Kayaker Magazine Article – A useful and detailed article from Sea Kayaker Magazine.

Atlantic Tours Article – Another detailed article from Atlantic Tours.

Keel Eazy Keel Strip Article – Bloyd Peshkin – A nice article outlining use of the Eazy Keel system for adding a Keel Strip.

If you have any other useful links or advice please use the comments to add your links or thoughts.

UPDATE: Since I wrote this post, I have been paddling the Valley Etain pretty intensively for close to 6 weeks now for an Ocean Paddler Magazine review. The review will be out in the next issue.

There is a lot of talk within the paddling community about how it compares to the P&H Cetus. As regular readers know I currently paddle a Cetus so thought I would share some comparison photos I took last week. Click any of the images to view and enlarged version.

Original Post

Early Test Version of Valley Etain

The Valley Etain is a slight break in tradition for Valley Sea Kayaks who traditional produce sea kayaks with a slight Fish Form (widest point just in front of the midpoint). The new Etain is Swede Form (widest point to the rear of the midpoint). Valley describe their design brief as being to:

Produce a contemporary sea kayak suitable for expedition style paddling whilst still fun and nimble enough for day and weekend work. The benchmark boats being – our own Aquanaut & Nordkapp’s, NDK’s Explorer, P&H’s Cetus and Quest models, Tide Race’s Explore and Rockpool’s GT.

Peter Orton of Valley, has also made the following observations:

As I mentioned previously this is not entirely about making a better Valley boat, although we certainly hope it will be one of our best, primarily it is about making a new boat for those that aren’t currently drawn to what we offer.

The hull has shallow to moderate ‘V’ in cross-section for good initial stability, and rocker which Valley describe as:

…moderate i.e. slightly less than some other Valley boats to provide secure tracking but still enough to provide a lively ride.

Valley Etain Cockpit

Of interest, is a new take on the deck hatch, with Valley creating a removable ‘deck-pod’ (as shown in some images below).

This certainly looks like an interesting boat and as a P&H Cetus owner which features some similarities in design/features I’m interested to see how this Kayak compares.

Valley Etain Foredeck

Valley Etain Pod System

Valley Etain Removed Pod

This ‘Guest Review’ which was kindly written by Sean Smith, better known to many as ‘Fat Paddler‘. You can find out more about Sean at the end of the review:

Introduction

Valley Aquanaut HV RM

Some manufacturers however are heeding the call of different sized paddlers. From Valley in the UK to Boreal Design in Canada, there is a new breed of boat on the market that comes in different paddler sizes. The Valley Aquanaut HV RM is one such boat.

About the Test: Paddling Conditions and Paddler

Valley Aquanaut On Beach

As a paddler I weigh in at a hefty 290lbs, at the high end of the Aquanaut’s capacity guide, and would consider myself at an intermediate skill level. I have had serious injuries in the past, including a shattered pelvis, that make kayak comfort imperative.

Manufacturer’s Summary

Valley Aquanaut Side View

With a slightly lower overall volume than the Composite HV, the PE model is ideal for paddlers requiring a fast and comfortable all-round sea kayak. Ideally suited to average sized paddlers and above, it can carry substantial loads for overnight trips and maintains a reassuring feel.

Design

Valley Aquanaut Top View

The hull maintains a shallow-V shape which gives the boat excellent secondary stability and reasonable primary stability. The cockpit is relatively small for an HV version but the front deck is high enough for the tallest of paddlers to house their feet comfortably. The back deck is nice and low and well suited to Greenland rollers.

Construction, Finish, Fitting and Ergonomics

Valley Aquanaut Cockpit And Rear Deck

The Valley seat system is excellent – it comes with seat padding, hip padding and an adjustable back-band. The comfort level is excellent but the design of the back-band needs further development. During a commando self-rescue in the middle of the shipping lane of Sydney Harbour I discovered the back-band has a tendency to fold under the paddler on the way back into the cockpit making a full re-entry impossible. I’ve since removed the back-band, finding if more comfortable to use without, and making layback-rolls far easier.

Valley Aquanaut Skeg Control

The front and rear hatches on the Aquanaut HV RM must be the most water-right in the world, because they are almost impossible to open and close manually! The day-hatch however is easy to use, although does seem to let a fair bit of water in during rolling.

The adjustable foot pegs are solid and easy to adjust. The bungee set-up on deck is good and works well to hold spare paddles, safety gear and more. The front and rear carry handles are easy to use. The Aquanaut also comes with a recess for a Silva compass which I had installed and find its position suitable for referencing whilst paddling amongst rough stuff.

Performance

Valley Aquanaut In Action

There’s a fair bit of rocker with the design which means tracking is not its strong point. With any wind a decent amount of skeg is required to maintain any tracking whatsoever. Whilst this is a weakness for the long-distance speed paddler, the manoeuvrability is perfect for close-in rock gardening.

Surfing is fairly easy with the Aquanaut. The flared bow keeps the nose from submarining too much when racing down waves and the stern profile works well to stabilise the boat when buried in a wave. Likewise the Aquanaut is excellent at picking up runners at sea and can gather considerable speed when running from wave to wave.

Rolling the Aquanaut is a breeze, even for a heavy paddler with limited flexibility like myself.

Conclusion

Sean & His Valley Aquanaut

On the downside, there are still some improvements required with some of the boat’s fittings, particularly the seat back-band and skeg-slider position.

But these tweaks aside, this is a quality product from Valley, which will promote good paddler habits and an adventurous spirit, and I expect to be paddling it for a while yet.

Score: 8/10

Specifications
Length: 536cm (17’7″)
Width: 57cm (22.5″)
Approx Capacity: 165-295lbs
Weight: 26.5kg (58lbs)
Construction: Triple layer Polyethylene

More information: www.valleyseakayaks.com

About The Reviewer:

Sean Smith, known to many as Fat Paddler, hails from Sydney, Australia. In a short space of time he has become extremely well known for his paddling exploits and charitable work via his excellent website www.fatpaddler.com which has one of the best tag lines going:

Fatpaddler.com :: Paddling Australia’s waterwa…..Hey Sausages!

If you’ve not experienced the Fat Paddler phenomenon I would encourage you to head over the www.fatpaddler.com and take a look.

Valley Aquanaut HV RM

Valley Aquanaut HV RM

Valley Aquanaut HV RM

Tahe Marine Reveal

The Reveal is an expedition sea kayak from Estonian based Tahe Marine. I spent a happy few weeks reviewing the Tahe Marine Reveal last year for the excellent Ocean Paddler Magazine. (Thanks to Rich – the Editor – for kindly letting me republish my review here).

Introduction
Marketed as a “pureblooded sea-kayak from bow until stern”, the review kayak certainly generated a lot of interest in the paddlers that saw her. Jet-black and glossy from tip to tail, this could be the perfect sea kayak for Freya Hoffmeister – that or an ideal purchase for the SBS for covert operations. The build quality and overall finish is certainly impressive. The Reveal has a thinner lay-up than British manufacturers tend to use, although Tahe Marine do offer a Heavy Duty lay-up version. However, I was more interested in what lies beneath the pretty exterior, in terms of handling and outfitting.

Features

Tahe Marine Reveal Foredeck

At 18’2” the Reval is a touring / expedition boat. It features a typical three-hatch set-up for storage, providing 140 litres of space. The rear hatch is oval shaped, the day and front hatch round. The deck is well-equipped with thick bungees and decklines and a compass recess is provided forward of the front hatch, although some additions would be needed to stow split paddles on the front or rear deck.

There are, however, plenty of spare attachment points to allow for personalisation of the decklines.

On the left-hand side a skeg slider sits in an easy-to-reach position and has a very smooth action. At either end of the kayak a moulded rubber handgrip for easy carrying can be found. Finally, the sliding footrests have reasonably sized pegs and can be easily adjusted when seated in the kayak due using long ‘arms’ that click the pegs up and down the settings.

Tahe Marine Reveal Sea

The seat and backrest combination are, however, very comfortable with good padding fixed to a GRP seat. The cockpit coaming itself is on the thinner, sharper side and did get chipped carrying the kayak on my shoulder after the first paddle. I would be happy to see a slightly ‘beefier’ coaming utilised.

On The water
Once on the move, you feel the speed provided by the length and associated waterline. The Reval is a fast boat and tracked very well. When the wind did pick up, it did tend to weathercock when paddled empty. Applying a quarter/half- skeg was sufficient to bring the Reval back on course, however, and there she stuck despite some very choppy swell and gusty wind conditions. The initial stability is good, thanks to a wide, shallow v-shaped hull. Put the Reval up on its edge and there is also a reassuring amount of secondary stability, allowing for good edge control.

Tahe Marine Reveal Hull

Despite its length and size, it can be turned easily when edging is applied. In fact, I was very pleasantly surprised at just how quickly it could be turned when a hard edge and a braced handbrake or bow rudder turn was used. It was possible to carve nice tight turns around a figure- of-eight course between buoys.

Running with the wind and tide the Reval surfed the waves nicely and, for a long kayak, was fun to paddle and play with. Paddling into the swell, it coped admirably. In a confused sea on a paddle across to the Isle of Wight, the Reval held a good course and was easy to keep under control.

The height of the deck and space within the cockpit allows for a range of leg positions to be utilised. I could happily adopt more of a K1 paddling position on long straight runs, yet brace my legs well for more controlled handling. At times, I found the skeg control moulding to be a little intrusive within the cockpit area, but not to a great extent. The lower back did allow easy rolling and recovery strokes.

Tahe Marine Reveal Skeg Controller

I had two minor issues with the Reval. Firstly, the skeg control ‘handle’ extends out beyond the edge of the boat to provide an easy grip. Despite its relatively small size, I caught it with the paddle on a few occasions when manoeuvring on a medium to hard edge where the paddle shaft came close to the kayak. This would suddenly deploy the skeg fully mid-stroke. I would prefer to see a control that is flush with the side of the kayak. I was also a little disappointed with the amount of water ingress through the hatches. Researching the Reval online, I read some very positive comments regarding the hatch covers, so it may be an issue with this particular boat. Whether a 1 mm hole drilled in the bulkheads would help reduce this, as some manufacturers are beginning to do, I’m not sure.

Summary
Overall, the Reval is an interesting and enjoyable boat to paddle. Tahe Marine are a lesser known manufacturer here in the UK. However, they can certainly produce well-finished and equipped kayaks. Would I would choose the ‘stealth’ gloss black were I to purchase one? I don’t think so – one beach landing left me wishing for a white hull. Would I consider a Tahe Marine Kayak per se? It would definitely be on my short list and, retailing at just £1299.99 it presents compelling value for money at £700 cheaper than many of similar sized/spec sea kayaks.

Manufacturers Response

We at Tahe Marine very much appreciate the review of the tester. It is very rewarding to us that the test paddler found the quality and overall finish of the kayak impressive. Of course we are tremendously happy that the Reval’s good initial and secondary stability and the positive response on tracking and speed showed that the hull design receives excellent feedback. We appreciate also that some details like rubber handgrips and sliding footrests were positively noted, which were among the improvements already for season 2009. We have noted the minor issues to improve and we can guarantee that we will continue to listen to paddlers so we can develop the best value for money kayaks. Thank You!

Marek Pohla R&D Manager, Tahe Marine Team

Specs
Length: 555 cm (18’2” )
Width: 54 cm (21” )
Approx. capacity: 155 kg (340 lbs)
Weight:
Fiberglass: 23-25 kg (51-55 Ibs)
Carbon/aramide: 21-23 kg (46-51 Ibs)
Storage:
Front: 60L, hatch: 25 cm (10”)
Rear: 60L, hatch: 43×26 cm (17×10” )
Small:20L, hatch: 15 cm (6”)
Options:
Retractable skeg / rudder / skeg + rudder / Heavy duty lay-up

Website: Tahe Marine Reveal

Tahe Marine Reveal Skeg

Tahe Marine Reveal Footrest

Tahe Marine Reveal Day Hatch

Tahe Marine Logo

Tahe Marine Reveal Toggle

Tahe Marine On Roof Rack

Ok, I have no illusions of being the next Justine Curvengen, Bryan Smith or Simon Willis. However, I would like to get more interesting shots from the kayak and in particular some video footage.

However, my main issue is that 99% of my paddling is done solo as I have to snatch paddles, often at unsociable hours, to fit in with my young family so do not have the benefit of another paddler to share photo/video taking duties.

I’ve spent a bit of time thinking about a deck mounted solution of some description having tired of my current ‘hold the camera at arms length’ method or leaving the camera running on the shore.

I did look into a DIY effort, then after searching on the web came across a company based in the UK called Fast Films who specialise in vehicle mounting cameras. They had some relatively inexpensive, smaller mounts available which look as if they have potential to develop into a more robust system.

I have played a little with this and hope to trial it tonight so will feedback with some pictures or video footage.

My first thought is to look at a way of extending the arm on which the camera mounts as well as adding a form of safety connection if the suction cups fail. I was amazed at how tight they held on a laminated desk surface – but I’m sure as soon as you add saltwater to the mix things may change!

Boxed Kit

Main Parts

Built Mount

Feedback from folks who have any experience of this type of set-up very welcome!

A Manual for Intermediate & Advanced Sea Kayakers

Sea Kayak is a fantastic, modern guide to Sea Kayaking written by Gordon Brown, a well respected BCU Level 5 Sea Kayak Coach. Its 188 pages cover a vast range of topics, all well illustrated with colour photographs and diagrams.

Published by Pesda Press, Sea Kayak provides paddlers with a handy reference to technique, theory, physiology and history of Sea kayaking and in my opinion is destined to become the standard text on sea kayaking.

Although it is taglined ‘a manual for intermediate & advanced sea kayakers’ I would strongly recommend this book to paddlers of all abilities. Whilst the sections on stroke technique are aimed at the intermediate and above paddler in terms of the technical language and concepts used the sheer breadth of information provided within the book from the opening chapter entitled ‘What is sea Kayaking’ to the detailed information on equipment and safety, expeditioning and navigation make this book a ‘must have’.

The chosen topics for each chapter follow a sensible and logical route through all aspects of sea kayaking and demonstrate Gordon’s clear enthusiasm for and knowledge of modern day sea kayaking backed up by his many years of experience paddling and coaching. This made the book an enjoyable and entertaining read, rather than a ‘slog’ through a technical manual.

The design of the book is everything I have come to expect from a Pesda Press publication. The photography is stunning, relevant and up to date. One or two ‘revised’ editions of other Sea kayaking books still feature images taken when the books were first published in the late 70′s/80′s whereas this book is feels up to date and in touch with modern equipment, technique and concepts.

With any book trying to cover the whole discipline of Sea Kayaking, there are always going to be compromises between the size of the book and detail within each chapter. However, Sea Kayak manages to provide more than enough detail give paddlers an excellent grounding in a topic allowing you to move onto more ‘specific’ books to further develop your knowledge.

For example, I found the chapter on navigation to be incredibly well written and informative, with practical tips I have been putting to good use. Yet this chapter is suitably concise within the book as a whole at only 7 pages. I would always advocate Sea Kayak Navigation by Franco Ferrero as the best book on navigation but the combination of the two books is unbeatable.

Along with the standard topics you would expect to see covered such as equipment and stroke technique, I was pleased to see aspect of the psychology and physiology included. Sea Kayaking is inherently physical in its nature and for paddlers of all abilities, in all conditions has an element of risk whether small or large, real or purely perceived. To be fully prepared physically and mentally for a paddle is on a par with organising the correct equipment and planning the proposed route yet is often overlooked.

Contents

1. What is Sea Kayaking?
2. Boat Dynamics
3. Paddle Design
4. Preparing Mind & Body
5. Applied Skills
6. Safety & Rescue
7. Seamanship
8. Navigation
9. Equipment
10. Weather
11. Strong Winds
12. Reading the Water
13. Method for Approximately Grading the Sea
14. Caves
15. Big Swell
16. Surf and Surfing
17. Rockhopping
18. Tidal Race Paddling
19. Competition
20. Overnighting & Expeditions

Summary
If my review of this book seems somewhat ‘gushing’ it is because a book of this nature is long overdue. Excellent writing style and design, coupled with up to date, useful advice and information from an author who lives and breaths the subject. I really cannot fault Sea Kayak and would heartily recommend it to all Sea Kayakers.

Sea Kayak can be ordered online here via Pesda Press

Lepe Beach is a popular, Hampshire County Council run, country park which offers a superb launch point for Sea Kayakers providing the start to four possible routes. Facilities include a slipway, car parking, toilet facilities, a cafe/kiosk for food & drinks, children’s playground as well a tourist information centre. Lepe Beach is also home to ‘Solent Rescue‘, and independent lifeboat organisation covering 20% of the solent area.

With car parking less than a metre from the water at high tide, Lepe is a superb place to start a paddle. Sitting opposite the Isle of Wight, a few hundred feet from the entrance to the Beaulieu River you are given a number of options for a route, depending on the tide, time and wind.

Facilities

• Cafe & take away kiosk
• Tourist information centre
• Pay and Display Car Park (accepts coins)

Possible Routes

One option is to head the 2km or so west along the shore into the mouth of the Beaulieu River. From here, you can either continue along the coast to Lymington or head up the river, past Bucklers Hard and into the heart of Beaulieu itself.

If you head East along the coast, you soon reach Calshot Spit and can either cross Southampton water to continue along the coast to Gosport or head up the Hamble Estuary. Alternatively sticking to the shore takes you up Southampton water towards Hythe marina.

For the more experienced paddler, with good understanding of tides, wind and an appreciation of how busy the Solent gets, Lepe offers the chance to paddle across to the Isle of Wight.

During the summer months, the car park is open from 7am until dusk. However, it is possible to park outside the gates of the car parks should you wish to be out longer.

Location

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