I'll go ahead and do a subjective evaluation of a couple of boats that I have owned, and we can see how I did after I've finished. I do think that Sea Kayaker does a good job with their reviews, but I always have to chuckle at the fact that some boats track well for one reviewer, and poorly for another, and that whether one can get in butt first and legs second is thought to be of any importance. It is also hard to understand why the hatches leak for one person, and not for another. Sometimes I think I've learned more about the reviewers than the boats. Well here is my review, starting with a review of me: I've been paddling for about 10 years, and paddle skillfully, although not regularly. I roll and brace easily, and enjoy surf, strong currents, and waves. I used to do mostly day trips, now I seem to go camping more often. I always make my own seats and custom fit cockpits. Both of the boats I plan to review are tippier with the stock seat than with the seats I made (mine are lower). I'm very fussy about the quality of workmanship in boats that I buy, and don't like leaky hatches or other substandard outfitting. I'm 6' 1" tall and weigh 170 pounds. I paddle energetically, leaning slightly forward. I prefer very short paddles--almost whitewater length. A lot of my rolls and braces have me finishing up over the rear deck, and I don't like boats with a high combing or rear deck immediately aft of the cockpit because it impedes me. I used to manage the retail store for Eddyline Kayak Works. I don't currently work for any kayak company, though I am friendly with several manufacturers and kayak shop owners. I run a small supplemental business specializing in accessories and customizing materials. I admire boats by a variety of makers, and am very excited by the rapid technical progress I see in the boats and accessories. Eddyline Falcon 16: I bought this boat in a fit of impulsive enthusiasm. The foredeck was too low for a comfortable leg angle for me, and I found it unstable enough that I was a bit nervous about it. I made a new and lower seat, which resulted in a very comfortable leg position, and though it was still a tippy boat, it wasn't a problem. I took it Christmas caroling, and played my clarinet in it, which says something. (I think the Falcon 16 comes with a lower seat now than it did originally.) The boat was a dream to roll and brace, and the ease of acceleration and paddling at cruising speeds was really exceptional. The boat was very good in wind and waves. It was exceptional for riding wind waves, and very manageable in surf and strong currents. I devised my own method for sealing the hatches, and they were nearly 100% watertight. It held enough gear to go camping, but it was tricky to pack because it was pretty small. I was always pushing the envelope, trying to squeeze in a clarinet and a bunch of books, so I eventually opted for a larger boat, so I could camp in a more deluxe manner. The boat had a little bit of "weather helm", but it wasn' t very pronounced, and I considered it to be very likeable in wind. The worst thing I can say about the Falcon 16 is that it is a slow boat to turn. I tended to like to use a bow rudder stroke with a reverse lean to bring it around in a hurry. My boat was a very light lamination made with fiberglass, kevlar and carbon fiber. It was a nice stiff, light boat, weighing about 40 pounds. I did fracture it a couple of times by doing harebrained stuff, but I had it professionally repaired as good as new. One really endearing safety feature of the boat was it's great stability with a flooded cockpit. Most kayaks are awful with water in the cockpit, and this boat handled great. That could be a big help in a self rescue situation. You wouldn't have to pump right away, just get in and go! I really enjoyed the boat. One of Eddyline's past employees, Julio Garcia, did a special airbrushed design on my foredeck, which I particularly enjoyed. Many people commented that it was the most beautiful kayak they'd ever seen. I think so too. Should you get one? The average paddler would be put off by the tippiness. Campers might want more volume. Some advanced paddlers might prefer more maneuverability. Speed demons might like more length, in order to bring the top end speed up higher. All of those criticisms are valid, but I loved it, and a lot of others would also. The workmanship is first class. The tracking and handling in wind are excellent. Rough water performance is excellent. Bracing and rolling ease are excellent. Ease of paddling is excellent. Ability to catch and ride waves is excellent. A lot of small paddlers would go nuts over this boat due to the paddling ease and control in wind. I'd recommend a test paddle first, and if you like it, go ahead. Eddyline Falcon 18: Don't be mislead by the name, a Falcon 18 is not much like a Falcon 16. The Falcon 18 is a much more moderate boat, and it will appeal to many more paddlers. The Falcon 18 has a much higher speed potential, more stability, turns a little easier, has plenty of volume for camping gear, and has unlikely-to-leak Kayaksport 10.5" hatches. It is even more neutral in a crosswind than the 16--the most neutral boat in wind I've paddled, except for some very small kayaks. It is like the 16 in that it is very easy to roll and brace--unusually so for a boat of its size and volume. It too, is stable with a flooded cockpit. Visually, the 16 and 18 look a lot alike. They are both particularly attractive in appearance. What don't I like? It would be nice if it turned easier. Loading the boat through the small hatches is a bit of a trick. Mercifully, the storage area is bone dry, so dry bagging is optional, which makes packing easier. I also added a 7.5" VCP hatch to the rear bulkhead to make insertion of long items into the rear storage area possible. (That way I can take my clarinet case!) There really isn't much to dislike about this boat. Great tracking does come at the expense of some maneuverability, and great tracking is what keeps a boat gliding along, and racking up miles. Reliable dry hatches are a rarity in kayaks. The inconvenience of smaller ports is offset by the convenience of reliable dry storage. I took the 18 out in some of the very strong winds we've been having here in the Pacific Northwest recently. The boat was docile. That is the only way to describe it. It was so easy to control the boat that it was peaceful in the midst of all that wind. I found myself feeling guilty, because I didn't feel like it took any skill to operate the boat. It seemed like it ought to be more challenging than it was. Downwind, I had tremendous speed. I'd catch a wave, ride it, look for a low spot in the wave ahead, and punch through and ride that one. I kept punching through and getting further and further ahead of my original wave. The Falcon 18 is the most performance oriented camping boat I'm familiar with. It's characteristics are moderate enough that many paddlers would enjoy it a lot, and find it quite practical as well. I'm particularly enthusiastic about the fact that it is a practical kayak that people would tend to purchase, but due to the great rolling and bracing performance, it won't hinder the development of advanced skills, which is where safety ultimately comes from. This is boat that a lot of shoppers should consider. Well, there you have it, two subjective reviews. I make no pretense about being objective or scientific. These are my feelings and opinions regarding two boats that I either own or have owned, and like a lot. I hope that the rest of you own or discover boats you can gush over with as much unabashed enthusiasm as I! Ken Rasmussen www.kayakfit.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Kathea and Ken wrote: > > I'll go ahead and do a subjective evaluation of a couple of boats that I > have owned, and we can see how I did after I've finished. I do think that Sea > Kayaker does a good job with their reviews, but I always have to chuckle at > the fact that some boats track well for one reviewer, and poorly for another, > and that whether one can get in butt first and legs second is thought to be of > any importance. It is also hard to understand why the hatches leak for one > person, and not for another. Sometimes I think I've learned more about the > reviewers than the boats. Great job on your reviews, Ken. I have paddled neither of these boats [Eddyline Falcon 16 and 18], though I have looked them over carefully, and others locally own them. I felt I really got a good sense of the strengths and weaknesses of the two variations -- much better sense than I do from the SK reviews. I find their attempt to "integrate" the observations of the two or three reviewers disjointed and jangly. I don't get an integrated, holistic picture of the boat that way. 'Course, I think you used more words than they do! (Could be wrong about that ...) The brief description of your own capabilities and paddling style was very helpful in interpreting your review -- I knew where you were coming from. If I had reviewed the Falcon 16, the review would have been totally skewed, because I don't roll, and rely on the primary stability of a boat more than you do. Someone reading my review would want to know those things. Thanks for getting this started. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
----- Original Message ----- From: "Kathea and Ken" <kayakfit_at_fidalgo.net> > I do think that Sea > Kayaker does a good job with their reviews, but I always have to chuckle at > the fact that some boats track well for one reviewer, and poorly for another, > and that whether one can get in butt first and legs second is thought to be of > any importance. Well, I've always liked being able to get my legs out first, because it makes sketchy exits and entries much easier. When there's more rocks than beach, it allows me to get in and out of the kayak in deeper water so there's less wear and tear on the hull of my kayak. It also makes dock exits easier, especially when the dock is higher than normal. The other day, I was paddling from Golden Gardens in Seattle, and for some reason I chose a higher dock for my exit. (wasn't paying attention probably). It was pretty comical, since the boat I was paddling had too small a cockpit and I could not find the balance point to sit on the back deck to initiate my exit. I had knee problems at the time that hindered my movement, but still I usually have excellent balance in kayaks. A larger cockpit that would have allowed me to raise my knees would have solved the problem completely. Large cockpits, when properly designed, have no disadvantages except for a slightly higher chance of implosion in large surf. It is possible to get excellent thigh bracing in a large cockpit; ask any whitewater creekboater about this, where leg-first exits are 100% necessary for survival. What really bugs me is that so very few sea kayaks have even halfway decent thigh braces. No wonder people think sea kayaks are hard to roll -- *any* kayak is hard to roll without decent bracing. Now if only sea kayak manufacturers would learn something from their whitewater brethren, where comfort, control, and escapability are standard. But then again, I guess the current state is good for your business :) One thing about tracking... tracking is not just a physical characterisitic of a kayak, it also a skill that must be learned. Since Sea Kayaker's reviewers are not kayaking automatons, there will be minor variations in perceived tracking characteristics because of different skill levels. That's why there are three reviewers instead of only one. Cheers, KW *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:33:22 PDT