That old story. The "Lee Moyer Design" decal could be found on any of the may kayaks and canoes he designed. Eddyline Kayaks was started by Tom and Lisa Derrer in 1971 out of a tiny shop in Boulder, Colorado. For a tandem carry there are webbing straps at the ends of the boat. Thanks for the great overview of the industry. "I dream of being an hourly employee," he said. The bow and stern are both low profile and close to the water, making the Old Town Otter easier to handle in winds but also meaning that choppy waves can break over the ends of thekayak. (They get heavier as you get older!) There is an extra pair of straps on the aft hatch that could serve to secure a deck load or a spare take-apart paddle. mat and 8-oz. 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. That area in between is the little community of Cedar Point. The model is sea otter. Very well built fiberglass kayak. Forward of the cockpit are two cleats and a bungie for parking a paddle. They printed up some official-looking company letterhead and inked a deal. [ Read more: Why The Golden Age Of Sea Kayak Symposiums Might Still Be Ahead Of Us ]. And Long Beach was home to more back-to-the-land squatters than kayakers. ", In 2001, Pacific Water Sports moved to Tukwila, nestled next to the Duwamish River and among industrial buildings near Boeing Field, after their SeaTac landlord decided to build a parking lot where their store stood. A solidly built glass boat is perfectly capable of landings on rocky shores and will hold up for years with some simple maintenance. I think TASK did a pretty good job of helping a bunch of amateur businesspeople act a little more professional. One of TASKs most important discoveries was of the needfor boat pricing that would include a healthy profit margin for builders, retailers and, eventually,distributors. SEVENTY48 2022: Point No Point to Foul Weather. Attending were Tom Derrer of Eddyline Kayaks, John Abbenhouse of Northwest Kayaks, Lee Moyer of Pacific Water Sports, Brian Henry of Ocean River Sports and others. #9. Two cleats farther forward secure a bow painter that can double as a rescue grab line. The upswept native-style ends are still low enough to shed the wind, while the shallow rocker and long waterline give tracking and speed. Thanksfor the info. Extruded vinyl hull/deck seam glassed inside. This is just the shell, no paddle or skirt. Concerning some of the small details: We do not include rescue bungies because we have never considered them to be positive enough. It is very comfortable with good lumbar support. Its easy to spend an afternoon making an Otter kayak more comfortable and functional with modifications. It is very comfortable with good lumbar support. Youre a swingin flower child, and you want to go kayaking with your sweetheart, feel the groove and sway of the ocean and get in touch with Mama Earth. Standard Lay-up: Hand-laid glass with vinylester resin. The thigh braces fit and functioned very well, and the foot braces performed solidly and are easy to reach and adjust from the cockpit (GL). Required fields are marked *. It was the beginning of my kayaking journey and it was perfect! They underestimated the cost of the move and were slow to lay off their 12 employees when the recession hit, said Lee Moyer. steve. Since the Otters conception in the 1990s, various Otter models have been sold at outdoor stores across North America by the thousands. The bulkheads are all curved panels of translucent fiberglass. New and used Kayaks for sale in Sun City West, Arizona on Facebook Marketplace. The History of Sea Kayaking: Popularizing the Sport, Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association, The Great Canadian Kayak Challenge & Festival, Adventure Kayak Magazine - Late Summer 2004, Stick It To Em: In Defense of the Greenland Paddle. It was the year that two of TASKs key promotional visions were realized: a magazine and a symposium. Fink kept at it until he saw an ad for the Nordkapp by Valley Kayaks in 1978. 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. Let's keep this area special! "Just like what happened to windsurfing: The big boys got in, oversold and then bailed. 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. The most similar model in Old Towns current kayak lineup is the Old Town Loon 106. Pacific Water Sports This kayak was a whole different beast. Double Fiberglass Ocean Kayak. Offering up two fiberglass Pacific Water Sports (PWS) sea kayaks that have been used only a handful of times and are in outstanding condition. 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. A good combination for maneuvering the boat (TE). 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. Day trip in calm conditions. Saturday & Sunday: 11:00AM3:00PM. Was in a Tire Shop down by Camp Lejuene today and the owner had a fiberglass/composite kayak hanging from the ceiling. -- Finis Mitchell Sea otter and osprey kayaks Last week I wrote about how I bought some new kayaks. Jun 11, 2021. The third company in the Seattle early 70s trio was Easy Rider, started by Peter Kaupat as a whitewater boat builder in 1970. The Intrepid is a very attractive kayak with a solid-feeling deck, smooth lines and attractive recessed hatches. cloth, 17-oz. Prized for their light weight, dry storage carrying capacity, stability and speed. Henry opened Ocean River Sports in Victoria in November 1981. A 100-mile stretch of coast not to be missed, Parade was lucky enough to see it all through the windows of a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. Lee Moyer. Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association, The Great Canadian Kayak Challenge & Festival, Fishing Kayak Review: Old Town Sportsman 106 Minn Kota, Kayak Review: Old Towns Castine Touring Kayak, Old Towns Topwater 120 PDL Pedal Kayak Review, Recreational Kayak Review: Wilderness Systems Pungo 120, Recreational Kayak Review: Perception Swifty Deluxe 9.5, Recreational Kayak Review: Pelican Trailblazer 100 NXT, Recreational Kayak Review: Sun Dolphin Aruba 10, Fishing Kayak Review: Pelican Mustang 100x, Touring Kayak Review: Wilderness Systems Tsunami 145, Inflatable Kayak Review: Advanced Elements Airfusion Elite. The two tethered plastic hatch lids have rubber gaskets and are held in place with bungies. White hull.Front & rear access hatches. GET UPDATES Here musk ox pound craters in the snow with their chins to reach winter grass. 907-351-2257. Own 10 kayaks in several locations, Aquaterra chinook, my first serious kayak, bought in 1981, several from West Side boat shop in NY, an Express from Mariner (best rough water performer,) an Epic 18, and inter alia, a boat from Warren Light craft, which weights 28 lbs, now my most used boat. I didnt get involved until the mid 80s but have stayed involved ever since. You pay 10 or 20 bucks for the rights to borrow it and go buy some fiberglassing supplies from someone whos ordered them in bulk. It was heavy and rough. KN found the Intrepid easy to roll, as did TE, though the height of the aft deck kept him from getting close to the aft deck for a lay back roll. Stay 100 feet away from marine mammals. The Sea Otter lacks a lot of todays safety features. Sea kayak and standup paddleboard rentals, guided tours, classes and sales at two amazing wildlife locations, Monterey and Elkhorn Slough @ Moss Landing! Canyon Lake is located in a National Recreation Area. Here is the decal for the Osprey. We launched our kayaks from the boat launch area . The only problem I have had is that tiny coaming (16x22"). The models included: the original Old Town Otter; the Old Town Otter XT; the Old Town Otter Sport; and the Old Town Otter Plus kayak. The weight was reasonable for its size. Adding in 2 Werner Carbon paddles and Dragonfly spray skirts. If I dont have that slight tingle in my spine, the anticipation of whats to come, then its not the kayak for me. This was the first expedition-capable kayak I had ever seen. This boat is a Greenland, is fairly short, and has no skeg. You put in an order when you saw him.. This classic sit-inside recreational kayak may be discontinued, but there are plenty of these compact, lightweight and virtually indestructible kayaks floating around on the used marketoften for bargain prices and ideal for beginners looking for a taste of kayaking. But as our skills improved, we realize that it was a great flatwater kayak but was a handful out on the Strait if the seas and wind picked up. The deck had a lot of cracks running almost the whole length of the kayak, as it had flexed under the force of a surf landing and the fiberglass had fractured. Point it at the other side of the lake and it would take you there in a hurry. Thank you Kayak Connection! Judy Moyer, 60, plans to go back to school to become a nursing assistant. Any day on the water is a great day, The seat back is below the level of the coaming so it doesnt get in the way of reentry. As a pioneering recreational kayak the Old Town Otter was among the first to include features that are standard in todays entry-level kayaks, including the high back seat. Open daily 9:00 (except Christmas). Alan Kesselheim is a freelance writer in Bozeman, Montana. The Intrepid touring sea kayak is designed to be paddled efficiently at fast touring speeds, carry a moderate gear load, handle well without a rudder and be neutral in the wind. In fact, Otter owners indicate that its maximum capacity of 225 pounds can easily be pushed to 250 pounds without compromising performance or seaworthiness. And TASK hosted the first annual West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium in Port Townsend, Washingtonmodelled after the highly successful Maine Sea Kayak Symposium started in 1982 by Ken Fink with the support of retailer L.L. Desert Voyagers offers fun guided river trips in Arizona's Sonoran Desert. Intrepid Review: They were still here, clothed in skins, dancing in igloos, beating on drums, walking the ridges, and spearing caribou at river crossings, when I was a young boy learning to ride a tricycle in a Boston suburb and John Kennedy had a decade yet to live. The Intrepid is a very attractive kayak with a solid-feeling deck, smooth lines and attractive recessed hatches. Standard Features:Bucket seat, foot braces, deck lines, bow line, three curved fiberglass bulkheads. The bulkheads are all curved panels of translucent fiberglass. 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. Straight keel line reduces yaw for more efficient paddling. 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. Hull: 3/4-oz. Wolverines and Arctic foxes scent through the mosses after small preylemmings, tern eggs, hares. One day while paddling out of Clallam Bay, the wind picked up and was coming out of the Northwest. The Old Town Otter kayak is a great boat for the cottage, beach or campground, offering worry-free durability. [ Plan your next adventure with the Paddling Trip Guide ]. It's a loss for the industry.". The current Old Town Loon 106 measures a foot longer than the Otter, upping its maximum paddler capacity to 272 pounds. Kind of reminds of the Hurricane Tracker. The reinforced glass work in critical areas indicates some attention to detail (GL). 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. The Intrepid reviewed was not equipped with a rudder. Antelope Point Marina. Eddyline came out with its first in-house touring design, the Orca, in about 1978. Old Town Loon kayaks include padded seats (the current models ACS2 seat is one of the best on the market) and dry hatches for storing gear for a day trip. Designed:1998 It is a big boys boat and it very stable. Whitewater kayaking was big in the early 70s, first appearing in the Olympics in 1972 at Munich, and many boat builders came to sea kayaking after being drawn to the glitz of whitewater firstskipping the venerable folding kayak tradition entirely. Foot pegs also reduce paddler fatigue by improving posture while seated in the kayak. The seat back is below the level of the coaming so it doesnt get in the way of reentry. In 1975, Ken Fink, an oceanographer in Maine, started paddling his whitewater slalom boat on the Atlantic Oceana not-uncommon way for whitewater kayakers of the day to discover touring. Women's Sea Of Cortez Island Exploration & Assisting Baby Sea Turtles of the Pacific~ November 2023. . I decided when Icame back I wasnt going to be a construction worker anymore. 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 fiberglass bucket seat is removable for use on the beach. Plenty of stability for fishing or photography. The Intrepid would be a swell beginner to intermediate kayak because of its stability and maneuverability. Eddyline only built whitewater boats, and had no interest in sea kayaks until the Derrers moved to Seattle in 1974. 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. TE may have to leave his size 12s behind if he tries it, though. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled. The bow widens quickly to its 28.5-inch maximum width, offering reassuring stability but compromising speed and glide. They are easy to navigate, and Adventures by the Sea offers basic paddling instructions prior to each tour. 16055 Pacific Highway South It has one little broken glass part as shown, a little resin will fill it. 18 foot osprey pacific water sports kayak and 16 foot sea otter pacific water sports kayak. Includes spray skirts and paddles for both. Deck: 11/2-oz. 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. I worried that when the previous owner retired, these kayaks would disappear. Manufacturers Address: Has normal scratches on the bottom. Excellent article, thanks for the great read! Lake Powell is a wonder of water sport recreation, glorious views, spectacular hiking, rich. The wide kayak had a lot of rocker and a flat bottom. of gear. You can feel the water through the skin, feel the ripples, find where incoming water changes the temperature. Pacific Water Sports had annual sales of about $1.25 million by 2000, said Lee Moyer, who has designed several models of kayaks and canoes. The biggest single thing that happened in our industry to make it become what it is was to get the pricing right, said Dowd. J. The fit encourages a feeling of stability (KN). After about a year he started his own production of Current Designs kayaks on Vancouver Island. Since sea kayaking offers many challenges, the kayak should not be one of them. Price:Manufacturers suggested retail $2,450 If its of interest, John Macgregors original kayak (now on display in the River and Rowing Museum at Henley) was used by his friend to paddle around the North Cape of Norway (the Nordkapp) in 1867. 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. Stern bulkhead and hatch for safety and convenience. A look back through the history of sea kayaking shows how the sport transformed from a tiny niche activity in 1972 to one of wide and enduring popularity today. Combined with the low-volume stern, this also gives predictable handling in following seas. Schleicher recallsthat they built their first touring kayak around 1974 and that it actually had hatches and a rudder. Dowd is also credited with coining the term sea kayaking with the publication of his book of that title in 1981. None of Canadas big players were on the scene yet when Nimbus kayaks was born. Women's Florida Springs and Manatee Kayak/Snorkel January 2024 . You will no longer find Old Town Otter kayaks at outdoor stores since the model was discontinued by the manufacturer. Combined with the low-volume stern, this also gives predictable handling in following seas. First of all, this is probably not a boat for beginners. $999 Share it or review it used OCEAN KAYAK, made from Fiber Glass, PACIFIC WATER SPORTS is the maker and i think this is called the Sea Otter? There were a few early builders, including Bart Hathaway who in 1975 licensed a fiberglass touring design to Old Town Canoe. 537 Marina Pkwy Page, Arizona 86040 . Rudder is controlled by sliding adjustable footpegs. Kayak Canyon Lake Reservoir. Save. 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. This 16 long kayak designed by Lee Moyer was our first introduction to a sea kayak. This content was made possible with the support of OntarioCreates. The Intrepid is available in a low-profile model for smaller paddlers and with two seat styles. 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