Re: Phoenix kayaks I have a 1975 Phoenix Isere, a 14'9", 22" beam, river and lake touring boat weighing about 32 lbs. (14.5 kilos for you metric-philes), in fiberglass. It is a fairly efficient cruiser, with little rocker and about a 14' effective waterline. I rigged it up with a homemade rudder to prevent weathervaning and toured all over the BWCA and western Lake Superior, including a circumnavigation of Isle Royale National Park, back in the days before real sea kayaks were available in the Midwest. In those days, before the rotomolded polyethylene kayak market took off, Phoenix was one of the major players in the US kayak scene. Back then all whitewater kayaks were 13'2" (4 meters for you metric-philes) to meet racing standards, and everything else was touring. They also made a model called the Appalachian, which was about 14'3", maybe a 24" beam and lots of rocker- a big river touring kayak. I don't know what Phoenix is doing these days; they were based in Tyner, then Berea, KY. You may have found an old classic, although the use of Kevlar is a newer development. If this doesn't help, sorry for the history lesson. -Andy Knapp Minneapolis A cold Omaha- and a warm Duluth. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Andy Knapp wrote Re: Phoenix kayaks > >I have a 1975 Phoenix Isere, a 14'9", 22" beam, river and lake touring >boat weighing about 32 lbs. It was originally designed as a whitewater downriver racing kayak ("wildwater" to those in the know). >I don't know what Phoenix is doing these days; they were based in Tyner, >then Berea, KY. They're still in KY somewhere, primarily marketing the POKE boats that you see advertised in the mags. The little entry level jobs like Kiwi Kayaks. Hank Hays *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
I just received a call from Phoenix that they are giving $250 of free stuff with every Kayak during the month of October. That could make for a very attractive deal on a lightweight "knock around boat" but I really don't have any input on how the Isere paddles. How does it track, etc..? cya *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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