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. Picture this: The year is 1972. Cash only. 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. Eddyline Kayaks was started by Tom and Lisa Derrer in 1971 out of a tiny shop in Boulder, Colorado. The model is sea otter. Saturday & Sunday: 11:00AM3:00PM. Monterey, California Features animals Contact Suggest edits to improve what we show. roving with end reinforcements. SEVENTY48 2022: Point No Point to Foul Weather. As we returned to Clallam Bay, breakers appeared between us and the beach. Yostwerks Sea Otter R Reviews Submit Your Review The Old Town Otter kayak is a great boat for the cottage, beach or campground, offering worry-free durability. 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. Its easy to spend an afternoon making an Otter kayak more comfortable and functional with modifications. I could get it on my rack without difficulty (KN). A solo carry was surprisingly easy. Companies like Current Designs began to reap the support of the big-box U.S. outdoor stores like L.L. 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. It was the sort of enormous, high-volume, flat-bottomed cruiser that came to typify the West Coast boat. Map. He tried many different kayaks from many different manufacturers. Here caribou breast the landscape in antler-bobbing streams. They moved the fledgling business into a building by the airport in 1972 so their cats could have more space in the basement, Judy Moyer recalled. The Moyers, who divorced four years ago, plan to go their separate ways after Pacific Water Sports' liquidation sale, which starts tomorrow. Two water tight storage hatches. Slade had started out by importing Derek Hutchinson Baidarka Explorers from Britain: When Neckar saw these he thought they were crap, which seems to have been a typical North American response to the British designs. Very well built fiberglass kayak. Someone in your paddling community has a fiberglass kayak mouldprobably at the local paddling club. The wide kayak had a lot of rocker and a flat bottom. We figured out how to get back in it if we somehow flipped at sea. (They get heavier as you get older!) *ONE-DAY KAYAK RENTALS INCLUDE THESE ACCESSORIES: BOOTS, RAIN BIBS, RAIN JACKETS or PADDLE JACKETS & RAIN HATS, PADDLE MITTS & DRY BAGS PADDLE ITEMS AND SERVICES INCLUDED WITH KAYAK RENTAL Comfortable Seats with Inflated BackSupport Cushion Shuttles in Whittier to get you to the Harbor or Beach with your Gear Situated on the Central Californian Coast between beach towns Big Sur and Santa Barbara, Highway 1and the charming coastal towns of San Luis Obispo County tucked along with itisn't just a roadway. The model is sea otter. Reentry into the large cockpit opening was easy. All edges and seams were nicely finished and smooth to the touch. This 16 long kayak designed by Lee Moyer was our first introduction to a sea kayak. No damage or repairs to kayak. Standard Features:Bucket seat, foot braces, deck lines, bow line, three curved fiberglass bulkheads. 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. The rudder pedals have been upgraded to the Smart Track system. Comes with skirt, cover, and other paddling gear. Kayak Canyon Lake Reservoir. Schleicher recallsthat they built their first touring kayak around 1974 and that it actually had hatches and a rudder. John Dowd founded Sea Kayaker in 1984, supported by the advertising revenue of a growing industry. From paddling a kayak someone made to paddling a kayak I made. [The Intrepid] was very well balanced at the middle of the coaming (GL). Cal. It wasnt called sea kayaking until my book came out, he said. The Intrepid is also available without the third bulkhead and hatch for several pounds and $150 less. Foot pegs improve paddler fit in the boat and allow you to paddle more efficiently by transferring energy from your entire body to the kayak, making your strokes more effective. This recreational kayak is easy to handle in flatwater conditions and up to Class II moving water, if equipped with a spray skirt. Things got off to a slow start in the East. Having founded one of the first sea kayak guiding companies in Maine in the mid-1970s I ultimately paddled many different designs of sea kayaks many thousands of miles. Teak In Great Condition, Too. He sandwiched a long, wide piece of metal between two other pieces of metal with a single bolt. They are sea kayaks, with tons of storage for your longer adventures' Nice article that has filled in quite a few gaps in my knowledge, though please excuse me, but it is very N. American centric and cant by its brevity do the saga full justice. This content was made possible with the support of OntarioCreates. Inspiring paddlesports participation through quality coverage of the people, places, adventures, boats and gear, trends and events that make paddling something you'll do for the rest of your life. GL and KN would find that the Low Profile Intrepid fits better, is more secure and is easier to lean and lay back on the roll. Larger manufacturers make kayaks with less-durable materials, Lee Moyer said, and can sell them for a fraction of the price at G.I. Day trip in calm conditions. And that was something I couldnt let happen. Sometime in 1981 or 1982, a group of would-be career kayakers met in Werner Furrers basement in Seattle and deliberately created it. 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. And that seems to be what most of our boats are actually geared to doing.. 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. I could get it on my rack without difficulty (KN). From snorkeling in the water with the . In 1974, they designed and built their first sea kayak, the Sea Otter. DearTim, So interesting to see the history of sea kayaking as you portray it. 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. The first thing we learned was that even though there was no floatation in the bow, the kayak would stay floating level as long as you kept it upside-down or right-side-up. But against what that kayak made me feel. The couple started building fiberglass kayaks in the basement of their Burien home and launched the business with little more than a letterhead just ahead of the 1972 Olympics, the first to include river kayaking. 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. If you have a choice, go for the Old Town Otter XT over the original edition. 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. Steering with leaned turns was excellent in calm conditions (GL). 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. 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. Both are fiberglass and in excellent condition. Read Sea Otter R reviews or submit your own review to share with the paddling community. You have entered an incorrect email address! Double Fiberglass Ocean Kayak. The aft hatch is large enough for easy stowage of bulky items. I did give the guy a ballpark figure of $500.00 for the Sea Otter; not for myself but to resell. J. Two water tight storage hatches. 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. People thought I was nuts, remembers Moyer. Closing hours changes seasonally. 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. An Old Town Otter Twin two-person recreational kayak was also produced for a period of time. The next kayak Uncle Paul bought was a Pacific Water Sports Sea Otter. The next kayak Uncle Paul bought was a Pacific Water Sports Sea Otter. (like atomic, scuba pro) Pacific Water Sports SEA OTTER fiberglass KAYAK with rudder - $1000 (Spokane SCC), Pacific Water sports sea kayaks - $700 (Capitol Hill), Fiberglass Pacific Water Sports Kayaks Sea Otter and Osprey - $1200 (Everett), 1994 Pacific Water Sports Seal Sea Kayak - $700 (Tiffin), tandem sea kayak, Pacific Water Sports - $1,200 (Bellevue), Pacific Water Sports 20' Tandem Sea Kayak - $200 (olympia), Ocean Pacific Water Sports Flotation Vest PFD - $20 (Santa Barbara), 2011 Sea Ray 205 Sport Sea Ray 205 Sport - $34,995 (Laken Water Sports - New & Used Boats Phoenix), Water sports: Wetsuits, Fins, snorkel Frameless Scuba Diving Mask, +++ - $15 (pb pacific beach san diego 92109 pb). None of Canadas big players were on the scene yet when Nimbus kayaks was born. I have two classic Seattle made Touring sea kayaks made by pacific water sports. A solidly built glass boat is perfectly capable of landings on rocky shores and will hold up for years with some simple maintenance. Forward of the cockpit are two cleats and a bungie for parking a paddle. This kayak opened my eyes to what is possible in a kayak. Similar Old Town Loon kayaks are available at paddlesports retailers across North America. Rudder. Since sea kayaking offers many challenges, the kayak should not be one of them. That old story. It comes standard with bulkheads fore and aft with a third bulkhead optional. The Intrepid reviewed was not equipped with a rudder. If you love the water, and nature, there is nothing better than being in a kayak. It has little yaw at the bow when paddling forward on an even keel (TE). Most were his Pacific Water Sports brand. Your email address will not be published. "I'm sad to see them go. If youre handy, its easy to add comfort to the Old Town Otter with glued in foam pads and DIY seat modifications. USCA Fast Sea Kayak Pacific Water Sports 20' tandem kayak, older modelno leaks, no rudder, straight tracker withoutoriginal seats gone, we used camp chairs and they worked fine, not included why spend thousands on a new tandem kayak I even have a couple kayak paddles to go with the sale$200.00 cash Pacific Water Sports SkookumchuckTandem touring kayak FiberglassCirca 1998Bought used in 2001Sea kayak, touring kayak, double kayak, two person kayakLength: 20 10Plenty of storage.This is a high quality 2-person kayak with rudder. 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 Otter is made from rotomolded polyethylene plastic. 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. "Suddenly people didn't have to buy a kayak to live. The only problem I have had is that tiny coaming (16x22"). 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 economy had pulled out of the early 80s recession and entrepreneurs who had been struggling along since the 70s found themselves with viable businesses. Kind of reminds of the Hurricane Tracker. Schleicher pegs 1978 as the year the sea kayaking industry came out of the garage. Compared against those rather specialized and very expensive kayaks the Otter leaves much to be desired. Old Town followed up the success of the Otter by modifying it with models like the Old Town Otter XT and renaming it (and changing some dimensions) as the Old TownLoon. The backrest is a self-inflating fabric-covered foam pad. You can also glue a thin layer of foam beneath your heels in the cockpit to pad your heels and keep your feet comfortable. Designed:1998 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. of gear. Copyright 2023 VerticalScope Inc. All rights reserved. . Outfitters such as Adventures By the Sea, Kayak Connection and Monterey Bay Kayaks provide renters with proper outerwear, life jackets, gear and a 10-15 minute lesson before you head out to paddle on the bay. In 1959, WKC member Ted Houk designed the clubs first fiberglass kayak. Stern bulkhead and hatch for safety and convenience. Hung seat. The bulkhead at the aft end of the cockpit runs along the aft side of the coaming, making it easy to completely drain the cockpit by lifting and turning the bow. Expect to pay between $150 and $250 for a used Old Town Otter kayak in good shape. Sea Otter Launch & Trailer - $2500 (Merritt Island) View larger image Ad id: 208201614480325 Views: 489 Price: $2,500.00 !972 Classic Sea Otter Launch & Trailer w/Bimini, Dodger, All Matching Sunbrella Cushions & Back Rests. That area in between is the little community of Cedar Point. Combined with the low-volume stern, this also gives predictable handling in following seas. However, the flipside of short length is a lack of speed and glide, and the Otter is no exception. It is very comfortable with good lumbar support. 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. It is a big boys boat and it very stable. I remember the first symposium and later ones as well, having been a presenter at several. Hull: 3/4-oz. The first Easy Rider sea kayak, circa 1975, was the Dolphin, designed by Dan Ruuskaanother ex-Boeing engineer who went from moulding ultra-sleek engine intakes to hydrodynamic hulls. But customers increasingly turned to the Internet to purchase accessories, and the kayak market changed as sports-hardware companies bought out makers of niche brands. Joe's and other large-scale retailers. I made a little foam pad that I can slip behind myself when I want to rest, and I am happy. Their new boat building business soon evolved into a paddling retail store and full-time jobs for Lee and Judy Moyer. Besides a user-friendly hull design, another big attribute of the Old Town Otter kayak is its bombproof construction. Includes spray skirts and paddles for both. company that bought Ted Houks Gulf Islander design. Very well built fiberglass kayak. Again, the first time I paddled it was at Lake Sutherland. In fact, prior to the first symposia at Port Townsend, all the big players mentioned on the Pacific side attended as presenters and boat reps. ), but it always responds well to corrective strokes. Yet its short length and easy handling makes the Old Town Otter perfect for youngsters ages 8 and up. ", Meyer said he's trying to figure out what the closure means for surviving independent retailers like himself. People were laughing at me basically.. On its side in the water, it would flood quickly. Email. Arizona's lakes and rivers offer excellent opportunities for boating and water sports such as canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, rafting, and much more. The Old Town Otter kayak is best described as short and squat; its overall dimensions contribute to modest speed, excellent maneuverability and rock-solid stability. A good combination for maneuvering the boat (TE). Required fields are marked *. But others, like Steve Schleicher and Tom Derrer, are still at the helm of the businesses they started three decades ago. The rudder pedals have been upgraded to the Smart Track system. 1. Start by adding foam to the seat, hip area and thigh braces to custom fit your body to the boata key modification if youre looking to paddle in moving water where good boat control is necessary. Most boats wear along the keel line, particularly at the . Standard Lay-up: Hand-laid glass with vinylester resin. mat and 8-oz. The Intrepids initial stability is comfortable enough without being too stiff to set the boat on edge to initiate a turn. Our latest Loon features the ACS2 seat, creating the most advanced and best-fitting cockpit available. [ See also: Kayak In Seattle, Washington ]. The finish work was so poor that if you grazed your hand across the deck while paddling it would immediately leave you bleeding with a bunch of fiberglass slivers. We launched our kayaks from the boat launch area . Straight keel line reduces yaw for more efficient paddling. Brothers Matt and Cam Broze started Mariner Kayaks in their basement in 1980. 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. steve. "The big makers just think about getting more units out the door," said John Meyer, owner of Northwest Outdoor Center, a kayak sales and rental store on Lake Union since 1980. You get a few pointers from the last builder, and so take on the unwritten responsibility to pass your knowledge alongto the next. Reviewers: The Intrepid is a very attractive kayak with a solid-feeling deck, smooth lines and attractive recessed hatches. 1984 was also the year that plastic kayaks came out, with the introduction of the Aquaterra Chinook, made by whitewater boat giant Perception. Cargo hatches fore and aft, day access hatch. Both are fiberglass and in excellent condition. 16055 Pacific Highway South For a tandem carry there are webbing straps at the ends of the boat. 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. The Intrepids initial stability is comfortable enough without being too stiff to set the boat on edge to initiate a turn. Intrepid Review: The Old Town Otter offers excellent value in a basic, entry-level recreational kayak that fits a wide range of paddlers and performs well in flatwater conditions. In what fading memories recall was spring of 1975, Neckar delivered the newly minted boats to Striders himself, showing up with eight of them tied onto the roof of his Plymouth with ropes strapped through the windows. Of OntarioCreates was our first introduction to a sea kayak was started Tom! 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