The Sit on Top, beach toy or whitewater accessory?

When plastic boats burst onto the scene manufacturers were suddenly left looking for the boat to
suit everyone, a boat which could be manufactured stockpiled and sold to the masses not a
whitewater machine with a relatively small end user group but a general purpose safe for all the
family style boat.
Mirages, Dancers, Europa's came and went being replaced by shorter more playful designs, gone
were the days of one boat did everything.
Eventually sit on tops were born.

With UK based company's building boats Perception, feel free and islander other companies have joined
on to the expanding market. Now in Ireland we have a huge choice of sit on tops for every need.
Sit on tops are a fantastic choice for all the family from taking your first paddle strokes through to
experienced fun.
In the past a sit on top was widely seen as a 'beach toy' with designs like the Perception Scooter and
the Islander Kayaks Calypso Sport two very similar boats both UK built and sold hugely in Ireland.
These created a family friendly platform for getting adults and kids out on the water. These general
purpose sit on tops range from between 8-10ft in length with cheaper options like the Winner Purity
II and the Islander Hula perfect for smaller guys and gals up to the increasingly comfortable
Wilderness Systems Tarpon 100 this range of boats were designed to do everything, whether its
pottering around your local coastline or playing in the waves they will feel at home on canals and
inland waterways manoeuvrable yet super stable. The shorter a boat is, generally the wider it gets these
boats all provide a fantastic platform for getting out on the water with the worst case scenario involving falling in, getting wet before simply climbing back on, a sit on top takes the hassle out of paddlesport.
So why are they not more often used??
Well now that is the question over the past few years companies have expanded their ranges of sit
on tops looking at specific uses for many boats to draw people in to the non covered way of life.
Tandems

There's not a lot of things better than a sunny day on the water in a boat except for sharing that
experience with friends and family, a tandem offers that experience with space now for 2-3 people
for both adults and kids the capacity of the boats is huge which provides a stable platform for kids
playtime and adult enjoyment boats like the Islander Kayaks Paradise 2 comes with really soft seat
backrests to keep you comfy and stable whilst out for a paddle other boats like the Tarpon E from
wilderness systems provides solid flip up backrests for extra support. both designs offer the centre “third” seat, a moulded space to bring a little one along for the ride.
Surfing

With wave skis being used the world over it was natural for a company to attempt to build a surf
specific boat the Perception 5-O at the time the only high performance sit on top-esque wave ski of
its class, hard rails and fins with a flat belly and lifted nose provided the platform for a popular
introductory surf boat but soon many would be upgraded to a lightweight ski.
Touring boats

With sit on top designs the big factor has to be the length and the width, as a boat gets longer it gets
narrower. As with sit in kayaks the 14foot designs like the Tarpon 140 and the Venture Kayaks Islay
14 SOT offer a fantastic option to take your beach toy and suddenly give it some speed and you can
start exploring coastlines, islands and caves. By extending the length will allow the boat to track better and
provide the extra speed to head off and explore with boats like the Tarpon 160 a 16ft monster taking Sit
on Tops right up into the performance sea kayaking end of things. Being able to load up these huge
capacity
crafts with the built in hatches and head off on your adventure. Add a rudder for better steering in
bigger water and you have a boat you can paddle all day. What you gain in length and straight line
speed you will lose in manoeuvrability, the longer the boat the less easy it is to turn around so before you
pick yourself up a speed demon just decide if your canal is wide enough to turn in!
Fishing

Probably the most practical use for sit on tops had to be there stable nature and load capacity. This has
meant thousands of fishermen worldwide are now availing of these easy going craft.
With Sit on tops easy to launch and recover as well as being able to get into places a boat may find
difficult the cost of a Sit on Top in comparison to a motored boat has led to a new culture with top
fisherman now pulling in huge fish onto their sit on tops. With many favouring the likes of the
Tarpon 14 and the Ocean Kayak Prowler series it's easy to look at the Jackson Kayak a whitewater
brand now makes more fishing kayaks than whitewater boats. With boats turning into full on fishing
platforms now makes it much more accessible.
At the budget end of things the strike angler from Islander Kayaks provides a simple set up with flush
mounted rod holders which can be used for trailing lines and accessories.
Many of the fishing boats have comfort in mind with better seating positions to give you comfort and
support whilst out for the day, with many now offering higher seats and ability to stand as well really
proves the stability of many sit on tops.
Seating
As previously mentioned throughout the article the seating, probably the biggest area of change in
Sit on tops, from simple plastic moulded seat locations providing an area in which to sit, next the
fabric backrests and seats, a simple clip on clip off design which can be adjusted to offer support and
comfort this is the standard as found on many a sit on tops.
Next comes the solid backrests with simple flip up designs to go with padded seat areas provide solid
support and very user friendly,
At the top end the boats look like arm chairs wilderness systems have a unique three way
adjustment system to provide height adjustment in the backrest as well as angle of the back rest and
a leg lifter to take pressure off of your legs.
If you look at Jackson kayaks with their rock and roll seat
which provides height adjustment and then lift out of the way to provide standing room you might
as well be in heaven, Sit on tops provide some of the comfiest seat positions going because of their
nature the seat doesn’t need to be able to fit into a round cockpit to be fitted this allows more space and
more comfort for the end user.
Many of the boats have simple moulded in footrest positions this allows the user to choice a spot
and put their feet on the right mark, this makes boats really user friendly, for slightly more comfort
an adjustable footrest is then used whereby the user is able to slide the pedal into position for
optimum comfort.
To combine usability with performance knee straps can be used a simple foam and fabric pad which
is clipped along each side of the boat allows knees to slip under and grip this provides the user with
extra control in rough water and waves it also helps to be able to roll some of the boats. In the event
of a spill simply straighten your legs and you will easily fall of ready to hop back on.
Storage
All of the kayaks mentioned have their own storage compartments many are done by the way of a
watertight hatch cover which allows access to the inside of the hull. Many of these are highly water
proof but because of the nature of the boats not totally water tight so dry bags should definitely be
used as well.
The bigger the boat the more storage with larger hatches and hinged covers making loading easier
and specific areas on the top deck designated for bait boxes and rod holders on fishing specific
boats.
Maintenance
As with all kayaks a Sit on Top is virtually maintenance free with the exception of the odd hose down
after being in the sea many a folk leave the boats outside, as with all plastics the biggest thing to
degrade a boat is the UV damage from the sun so a good idea to keep them covered if possible but
as far as being waterproof the rain provides no threat. A quick hose down after being in salt water will help keep fixtures and fittings in good working order.
Accessories

Sit on top accessories are a huge thing with seat upgrades through to camera mounts and rod
holders all available my personal suggestion would be a paddle leash. First thing when buying your
boat, PFD, paddle and paddle leash so when you fall in or put the paddle down its attached to your boat and
won’t be off floating without you, your paddle is your engine and without it makes things fairly hard
going.
Whitewater

So the article had to lead back to whitewater, as many may have seen over the years people have
tried to create whitewater sit on tops whether it’s a good idea or not has led to much debate, with
boats like the Liquid Logic Coupe and the Fluid Doitnow not really taking off in Ireland its now turn of
the Pyranha Fusion Sit on Top.
The Fusion has been an excellent crossover boat for a few years now paddling whitewater and
flat-water with ease so Pyranha have taken the ever stable hull, made it more stable and changed the
top deck to a sit on instead of a sit in.
At first glance I had never thought much about the idea of whitewater and sit ons thinking about
how much it might hurt falling off, but then again how much does it hurt when you fall out of a
kayak? So having taken a demo Fusion sit on top for a spin I found it easy to paddle, very
manoeuvrable and not a whole heap different from my standard river kayak, almost disappointing
how good it was. So over the past while I've been pushing it further and further paddling class 1-3+/4
on it with relative ease, I've had it sea surfing and bouncing down weirs whilst still surfing holes and
spinning on waves. Firstly the control means the boat rolls with the thigh braces and if rolling isn’t
for you hop off and hop back on within seconds your away again no more emptying boats or lifting
swamped boats.

Personally I feel previous whitewater sit on tops have never really taken off because they haven’t
been paddled, my best advice for any one whether experienced whitewater paddler or intermediate
just give it a go. Get it out and see what you think it's some of the best fun I've had. Mentally the fact
you're not enclosed brings about a sense of comfort for many who feel kayaking claustrophobic and
entrapping. Being able to jump off when things get scary will give people a lot of confidence and
then the ease of hopping back on quickly gets more time in a boat and less time underwater.
Sit on tops have many positive factors and very few negatives, they will never completely replace a
closed in kayak but for sure will make paddlesport more accessible for many users whether an
introduction, an afternoon hire or a trip down a class 2 rapid it's about the fun the excitement and
the exhilaration it brings to the end user.
 
.Sit On Tops are available in a whole heap of shapes and sizes for the best advice on what your require always visit your local kayak store before ordering to make sure you pick up the right boat for your needs
As always thanks to the photographers for use of images Palm Equipment, Conflueance watersports and Irish Photographer @Oisin McHugh - http://www.oisinmchughphoto.com/

Long Term Review – Palm Equipment Spark Suit

Having been using the Palm Spark suit now for 2 years fairly solidly I decided it was time to put some thoughts into words.
The Spark suit is designed as a lightweight freestyle / freeride suit, because of the freestyle aspect its built as a semi dry meaning as standard it comes with neo ankle gaskets and a glide skin neoprene neck as well as the standard latex wrists and Plastic master Zip.
Palm Say

They have hit the nail on the head!
‘Most comfortable and colourful suit yet’
That's the reason I'm wearing this suit for 90% of my paddling.
The Spark is built from Palms XP3 material so super breathable and lightweight without the bulk of reinforcing you will find on other suits making it a lighter weight suit.
Being a lighter weight suit makes this suit really comfy, the plastic zip gives far more movement and flex than other metal zips or the old TiZip. this extra movement makes you forget you even have a zip giving you full rotation and movement for any strokes.
The new ‘toothed’ zip looks more like your standard jacket zip just chunkier, this makes it much easier to do up on your own. you do have to have some flex but it is very easy to zip yourself up.
Compared to metal zips the flex is just perfect also making it extremely difficult to break (I haven't seen a broken one yet!)

The colour, now this bit is important!
The lime green is perfect, this suit is designed to make a statement and it does, the Green holds its colour well without excess fading and doesn't show too much of the dirt the grey panels take most of the abuse keeping your Greens green you wont need any Daz!
 
As standard this suit comes with Latex wrists and a Glide Skin neck, the latex is essential on the wrists to keep water running down your arms and the glide skin neck is not only super comfy but provides a very good seal, whether its freestyle of creeking the neck gives a great seal, being able to step out dry at the end of the day is a nice touch from a semi dry suit
Me being a bit of a girl when I first got the suit I decided comfort was key and actually sent mine back for fabric socks to be added by the nice guys at Palm HQ and can honestly say its the best thing stepping into the river with warm dry feet, its certainly the best €50 I've spent.

As standard the ankle seals are neoprene cones, same as they use on the Neon pants and traverse bib, these are a semi dry closure as they will stop the bulk of water running up your leg but the neoprene will allow small amounts to pass between your skin and the cuff, if you add a set of neoprene socks you can stay pretty dry but for extra comfort of the fabric socks cant be beaten.
The suit is fairly lightweight this makes it ideal for alpine paddling and generally having fun, on tighter runs or Irish “ditches” I usually add a set of elbow pads both for my own protection and to take a lot of wear and tear away from the suit.

As with all the Palm kit the cut is second to none the 4d cut as they call it just means that they actually though about how a person sits and paddles in the boat, wrapping the suit to alleviate excess baggy areas and to give enough space to allow freedom of ,movement, Some other companies prefer to use a box style cut this means it fits a wider size range of people in a standing situation. when you look at a Palm dry suit hanging they look huge, then when you first put one on you find the excess length in the legs, but once you sit down the magic happens, suddenly that excess is taken into a nice comfortable fit with no pressure on the lower back or shoulders whilst paddling means your suit will not hold you back.

I'm very happy with my Palm Spark suit to the point that I own both this and a Stikine (Palms top end suit) to which I've only worn about 8 times in the same period because I'm so happy with the Spark. the only reason I'll be getting rid of this one will be to buy another brighter one!
See you on the river,
I'm the Man in Green!

Buy your Drysuits HERE at the Great Outdoors Dublin!

Werner 4 Piece Split Paddle Review

Split paddles have been an essential part of kit lists for years and the question is always asked what are the best splits??

I can conclude the Werner 4 piece split paddles are the best split paddles period.

If I could end the review there I would but I feel I need to give some more explanation.
Over the past month I've managed to travel about Europe both driving and flying, when one of my friends came to join the fun In Austria all I had were cranked paddles with her preferring straight shaft sticks I was left with lending her the splits. She was impressed and never once commented about them (which is always a good sign) They held up well and have since gone back into a boat for another while.

So then again a few weeks later as I flew into France with no paddle, having sold the splits to a friends canoe club earlier in the season I was leant them back to use on a creeking mission, always slightly apprehensive on using splits as a primary paddle off we went,

Having put the paddle together with simple push button joints I was already impressed with the stability and sturdiness of the paddle wondering how it would hold up.

Quite honestly it held up as well as any single piece paddle From the first stroke the only difference I noticed was the blade size and length, usually I use a 203cm 30degree Shogun so a 194cm glass Sherpa was always going to feel difference but a few strokes in and I was away, the blade felt smooth and clean catching the water as id expect from a solid paddle and zero instability on the joints,

The paddle comes predrilled to go 45 degrees left or right hand or zero degree, so I set it to right hand and off we went,
After 3 days and nearly 30km of paddling on some of France's steepest rivers at no point did I ever feel my paddle wasn't up to the task,

The carbon Shaft is stiff and strong the Glass blades offer just enough flex to take much of the pressure off of impact's and especially when rubbing down walls, The glass blades tend to wear down over time instead of chipping ofr cracking like many other materials.

If you want a paddle you can safely paddle off of any river of any grade this is your only option the light weight carbon shaft and glass blades mean when being carried its as light as it gets and once together you will notice no performance lost in your split paddle option.

Werner will build the 4pc to your personal preference but think of your group what's going to be most useful personally anyone could use a Sherpa as its the mid size option but the Powerhouse could be on the large size for some paddlers. So I use a Sherpa 194cm as my preferred split option as many of the guys I paddle with are much smaller than me.

This is definitely a tried and tested piece of kit which will be coming with me on every adventure.

They aren't the cheapest option but certainly in this case you pay for what you get.

Available from

Kit List 2014

So as most people are aware I have at my disposal just about any kit I want, This is obviously for many a lucky position to be in but at the end of the day the reason I have the Kit is because I need to sell it, (sometimes I have to actually make money) So its important I trust the equipment I sell. If I wouldn't use it I wont sell it theirs a simple philosophy, Every item in store I would personally use and trust it to fit a customer for its purpose.
I am currently paddling everyday in a variety of different boats but looking forward for this season I'm heading away to King of the Alps in Italy this weekend and come to the stage of sorting out what am I going to take,
So here's a rundown of some of my favourite pieces of kit this year and what I'm taking with me to Italy.
Starting from the top, Helmet, This season I'm back in Sweet Protection lids, My preferred choice is my Strutter with a funky green/black paint job but for when things get steep I've got the Rocker and when things get serious (Or Twat are out rafting) I've got the Rocker full face,

Sweet protection make the best helmets period. I don't thing theirs too many arguments here, they are comfy, solid and take the impact saving your head. Personally I love the strutter as I feel it gives me the most freedom and field of view. Throw on a nose clip and custom Walshy Way ear plugs and were ready to roll.
Next up shell wear, Last year I used my Spark suit pretty much the whole year, I loved the suit so much I sold it and got another, Its an ideal suit, soft and light, very breathable and maintenance free. Did I mention the colour Lime green goes with everything!

So this year I'm at a conundrum The nice guys and girls at Palm Equipment HQ kindly built me a lovely Fuse CagDeck, Taking the popular Fuse jacket, and the solid Impact deck and combining the two for low bulk and freedom of movement, I also got them to add a latex neck for those cold days on the water and the result is absolutely amazing, probably me favourite piece of kit this year!

But for the rivers I'm torn between my spark suit and my other fuse jacket combined with Ion Bibs. Honestly I'm so torn because of the colour options, both pieces of kit will work amazingly but the Sherbet and aqua Fuse jacket goes perfectly with my New FXR.
The FXr is an amazing river vest taken from the FX PFD with a upgrade, Condura outer, guide belt and did I mention the colour, Sherbet again this season is going to be bright! 
The increased buoyancy of the FXr and the huge pocket makes the vest suitable for extreme racers freestylers and coaches alike this vest has resigned my super safe Amp to the sale rail!
With both the Spark and the Fuse jackets they both lack reinforcing as on the atom so I like to wear elbow pads over the top, last year I picked up a set of the Sweet Protection elbow pads and found them incredibly comfy, nice and soft giving loads of movement and protection to both the suit and my arms and looked great.
The Impact Deck from Palm  with its tough Kevlar protection and grippy yet super soft latex makes for a solid deck with an Oring seal uptop to stop flushing and keep you really dry this is one of the best upgrades to the palm catologue over recent years some of the decks have been pretty bad but the new lineup is solid and works a treat!

Down below I picked up a set of the new Horizon shorts Palms fleece lined wonders these are super comfy but I think for the chilly alps I'm going to stick with my old faithful Gradient shorts, though I've been using the Kaituna pants in the slalom boat and really liked them a lot. a lot closer fitting but lack the protection of the nylon outer of the horizon and gradients.

Underneath I'm heading into a second season of using Icebreaker though during the winter I did mix in a few Helly Hansen Merino thermals but for travelling Icebreaker is the boss, for this season I'm sticking with the crewe long sleeves but adding a crewe short sleeve to the mix in case I decide to pull out the Zenith cag for a few days!
In the footwear department I'm still pushing on with my Keen Gorge Boots, comfy and reliable these things are solid in the toughest conditions, I've seen a prototype for 2015 of the new Gorge-Us boot so keep your eves open for something new,

Hardware for this year and I'm still loving my Werner's, The 203cm Shoguns for creeking and 197 Shoguns for play though thinking of switching to double diamonds for play as they hold less water making the release much smoother, but Werner Werner Werner…… that's all
Boats for this year is always a tough question, this time last year I had NEVER paddled a Mamba, now you rarely see me without it! I'm torn between the XL Burn 3 and the big Mamba both super boats but for King of the Alps the predictability of the Mamba is coming with me. but watch this space more time out in the Burn 3 and it could be an easy change,

For freestyle I picked up a Gui Gui earlier this year and really don't know how I ever lived without one, so much so I've really lit a spark back for freestyle something I gave up last year but now seriously thinking about getting back on the horse and heading to World Cup 1, Seriously looking at the Helixer GuiGuis newest design. I was never truly convinced of the merits of carbon until now, if I'm not in the carbon boat it has to be the Jed from Pyranha the super fast hull just wants to launch, its so much fun to paddle, (just needs another inch in the feet)

The new wheels, Most people have now seen my new paddle van on the road, now sign written and cruising, loaded and ready to boat,

Thanks to Eamon Cummins for the shots

PaddleExpo 2013

Once again the circus roles into town, from hype machine to secret designs this years PaddleExpo was no different. A new hall and a condensed show continued to bring new product to retailers across Europe.

On first glance the show looks smaller with less big names than previous years, but step inside and you'll. Find all the big Brand names are about,

My show started with a Palm mega meeting looking through what's happening for 2014 after last years huge push on new products we wer'nt sure what to expect.

With a huge emphasis currently on updating and improving we were excited to see updated colours and styles across the range, with some really exciting developments in the kids department.

First off the amp and extreme vest have had some nice colour updates to smarten things up along with the Fx which is now coming in a sherbet colour to match up with the Fuse jacket.

A new piece for this season is the FXR which is essentially an Fx with a facelift and rescue harness to create a low cut, high buoyancy (70n+) pfd. This is a piece to come up against. The Zen from Nrs with an attractive array of colours this will work for both the freestyle superstar as well as the ultimate river rescuers. Ultimately this will replace the existing Axis pfd which has served many people really well over the past decade.

Other new product would include the updated team jacket now the Atlas along with the tempo two pieces which allow you straight from the mountain to the boat whether biking, riding, or hiking these pieces can go anywhere.

A really exciting piece for next year is the new women's Lofoten drysuit to complete palms range of drysuits its a women's specific touring and sea kayaking suit complete with drop seat. A women's Aleution something which has been missing from the line up.

For 2014 neo 3/4 are back something which was missed in 2013 has made a welcome return to the market,

For those junior whitewater warriors we have the new Rocket jacket which is a semi dry (neo neck latex wrist) cag built specifically in junior sizes to keep them warm and dry all year round, this combined with the electron junior longjohn and some junior rock boots will keep them charging whatever the weather.

Over at Sweet Hq weve a couple of new colours plus the arrival of the much anticipated Intergalactic drysuit with a space station sized price point in GoreTex its a thing of beauty,

Boat wise we've all seen the hype with new freestyle boats released in the lead up to the 2013 worlds. With the jitsu available in all sizes and the jed working well its passports turn with the new Mobius with a huge fan base who have been through through the Ezs, and onto the project line ups this is a boat for you. Definitely a boat to rival the Jackson superiority.

Another big talking point of the show is the new Burn or the Burn 3 its one of the most anticipated river boats we've seen in a while. With extra length and longer rails we've a faster more creeky design. After another year of development Pyranha now have a new seating system to compete with daggers popular ergo seat.

The new Pyranha seat to many looks and feels like a traditional bombproof seat which has served pyranha through its connect era extremely well. For the new boats we have a new system this time allowing for the seat to be raised and lowered either front and back or as a complete seat pan this is a great feature for you little guys who want to paddle bigger boats or in the jed wanting to get up nice and high. A couple of simple screws then drop in the foam under the seat pan and you've lifted your self quick and simple. Another new feature is the seat adjustment front and back has now changed to a plate with teeth and wheelnuts so no more having to remove the bolts to get your seat moving, this now offers plenty of adjustment to get your perfect ride.

Not letting an old workhorse die the 2010 burn is to have its rails soffened slightly and drop in spec and price to become the B2 a boat to rival the popular MX series.

Over in the Dagger booth we have their new cross over (yes another crossover boat) the Katana at first glance it resembles a mamba but stretched and now hatched skegged and decklined, asthetically a really nice looking boat in two sizes 9.7 and 10.4 and in both action and whitewater specs.

As we get longer still the new skudder system some say its powered by fairy dust others believe its a little fella in the back hatch but what we do know is it takes a tidy sytem to a new level. With no dirty overstern rudder to snag or take up deckspace the Skudder drops out of the skeg box like a normal skeg but then reacts like a rudder controlled by toe pilot system on the pedels. So no longer does your tail catch in the wind this system is always their when you need it.

This is going to be on the new Jura touring boat at 16ft its probably going to drop nicely in as a modern alternative to the british classic of the Capella. Some smooth lines its hard to see how this wont work another really nice boat by Venture.

With all the hype of recent years of composite playboats I can report their is only one here from an italian manufacturer The Spot from RCS Canoes otherwise its all plastic. But step out into the world of touring and its all on show glass, carbon some very beautiful boats even the epic V14 ski is here to make an appearance.

On the paddle front we have some new blade colours frim Werner as well as the new range if AT paddles, I cant wait to get out and try some of the new AT collection with the Hercules carbon ergo shaft really taking my eye, this will also be available as a glass and carbon straight shaft option. Around the hall I had an opportunity to look at some of the Streamlyte blades, something I havent used for a few years but with a new split blade on the way and some well priced glass options we might be stocking a few extra designs in the future, but dont worry, for any competitive paddlers im hoping to pick up both the Glide wing (braca iv shape) and the Nomad slalom blade to compliment the polo kinetics.

Another cool product I found before I left was a all set dive sit on top, complete with sliding tank holder, anchor, alpha flag and clear hatch to take a peek below. I reackon one of these in the aquatic centre would go down a treat :-)

As paddler this show is like being a big kid in a sweet shop wanting to touch and try everything but as a retailer we have to be realistic we are trying to bring the best range of products back to your local stores. We need feedback from time to time tell us what you like and what you dont, if we are missing something let us know. Ive been with The Great Outdoors now a year and have mostly enjoyed the challenge, We once again have a functioning store supplying you with what you need.

Thanks

Happy Paddling

Adrian