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Review Detail
The Kodiak is the very large crude carrier in the Prijon range of boats and my dimensions and displacement especially qualify me as an owner - so I bought one. As the keel line is comletely straight and the hull is pretty round in "diameter", the first two things you will notice are:
- this boat is incredibly tippy for 59cm hull width
- this boat is incredibly fast.
The former will pass (the boat becomes a lot more stable when doing two knots or more and you will get used to it), the latter stays true. Prijon makes their plastic boats by inflating a plastic tube inside a negative form/mold. The plastic feels different and is WAY harder and more resistant than any classic rotomoulded kayak, and the stiffer hull makes for a faster ride! So the Kodiak stays among the fastest boats in any given paddler group, beating every greenland-style fibre-hull and losing only against surf-skis. The long water-line sees to that, but the lack of rocker also means, that the boat provides a pretty wet ride when in waves.
The small and low nose pierces into waves and the first meter of the boat is often under green water. Luckily enough the two-piece hatch covers fit tight and keep the water away from the payload. Another point is the sheer volume of the boat and the effect of lateral winds. You wish for the rudder at 1Bft and you will desperately need it at 3 Bft. This should be no problem - the Kodiak was designed for use with a rudder and it performs best, when you put the blade into the water.
Review
- carries lots of gear
- very fast
- indestructable HTP plastic
- quality outfitting
- best hatch-covers in the market
- difficult in lateral winds
- needs the rudder
- not a bargain
- looks a bit fat (well, what do you expect from a supertanker?)