Just Duke - Mostly Tech Ponderings

So if you have been visiting here lately, you know that I am very much into Kayaking all the sudden. At least it would seem that way. . . Actually I was into it years back, and times got tough with a daughter in college. And it all started back when I picked up the Perception Rhythm in May, which is still a boat that I will defend as a great boat for the money. With that said however, I have been looking for something that might be a little more friendly when it comes to spending hours upon hours in a boat, and maybe even doing an over nighter or two. Now when I am home, the back yard is starting to resemble a Kayak Farm! The Rhythm, the Swifty, the Swifty Tandem, and now adding to that is an Old Town 139 XL. I purchased this boat used from a guy who's back yard resembles mine. However, he is really into White water boats and decided to sale the Old Town to put toward the purchase of a new white water boat. His loss is certainly my gain, believe me! When I spoke to him over the phone, he told me that it was the solid forest green. This didn't excite me . . But when I saw this boat in person, that all changed! In fact, I LOVE the color. If you look at it close, you can see black spec in the deep green color that really gives it character. So I brought it home, grabbed my life jacket and paddle, a couple of cameras and off to the local lake I went! So on with the impressions!

• Tracking and Handling- There has been quite a bit of debate about tracking on the review of the Rhythm 11 that I did when I first purchased this boat. I have had great luck and no trouble keeping the Rhythm going where I want it to go. Others who have purchased this boat don't agree with my assessment ! The Adventure 139 tracks forever! Man, I am talking this thing digs into the water and I am loving it. I will concede that the Rhythm does not track as well as the Adventure does. I am not saying that the tracking on the Rhythm is not adequate however.
• Stability -Rock solid stability! Secondary stability is awesome also. I was leaning this boat to the extreme within minutes of sitting in it. While I am here, just let me say that I couldn\'t believe how stable this boat is to enter/exit. This baby hardly moved when I climbed out of her tonight!
• Comfort - I am not going to say I like the seat as well as the Rhythm seat, but for the 45 minutes that I paddled, no complaints. Plenty of cockpit room, easy to paddle as it\'s not too wide at the hips, and what a feeling I get when this thing starts gliding across the water! I didn\'t seem to have as much room for my feet with sandals on, but after a while it wasn\'t like I was thinking \"I wish I had more room for my feet\" . . . The cockpit is plenty large for someone of my build (5\'10\", 210 pounds) to get in and out.
• Turning - Wow!  being used to an eleven foot boat and turning it and then turning this one is like turning around a Mini Cooper and then turning around an 18 wheeler. BIG Difference! I will adjust and I am betting I won't even notice after a few more times out, but the change today was huge when it went to turning this boat. Reviewers over at Paddling.net praised this boat for it's ability to turn. I probably will too after I am better aquainted with it.
• Storage - I am loving the front and rear bulkheads. There is also adequate room behind the seat. A small cooler could reside between the feet.
• Initial Observations - This boat is fast! Now don't tell me it isn't, because out of the ones I own, this one is quick! Out of the hole, give me the Rhythm, but once she is up to speed, it is pretty easy to maintain her, and the Rhythm would be struggling to maintain what comes with ease with the Adventure. It is a great all around boat for doing lots of different things. It is very easy to cruise at a nice clip with light and smooth paddling strokes. It is very quiet in the water. I would not want a boat much heavier than this. At 56 pounds, it is a little heavy. Currently I am hauling this in the back of my truck, and when heading to my local lake, I have been launching from a dock. But if I had to put this thing on an SUV Roof Rack, I wouldn't be too keen on hoisting this thing up after 5-7 hours worth of paddling.

I have done a lot of comparing this boat to the Perception Rhythm, and maybe that isn't fair. The Rhythm is billed as a recreation boat and the Adventure a "Day Touring" boat. It is longer, leaner, and really a different all around boat than the Rhythm. But to this point, the Rhythm has been my favorite boat, thus the many references in comparison. The Adventure looks good too. I wasn't the only one who thought so because as I paddled out of the park I started in, a lady at the dock commented that I had a beautiful Kayak! Not more than maybe 40 strokes later, two boys yelled at me to me I had a pretty Kayak. I can tell you that for the moment, the Rhythm has been retired! I absolutely loved how the Adventure paddled and c't wait to get it back out on the water again. I am confident that she will be awesome on the flatwater rivers I have been running using the Rhythm. For rougher stuff, the Rhythm might be my first choice simply because of it\'s ability to turn quicker.