I can paddle for hours now. Lee Moyer. Pacific Water Sports, a store that's been a fixture in local kayak and canoe circles for 32 years, saw revenue drop off following a move to bigger quarters in Tukwila in 2001, said co-owners Lee and Judy Moyer. The goal was always to have a really neat way to travel in the wilderness, self-propelled, said Schleicher, reflecting on where his early vision has led him. The WT-500 became Eddylines first sea kayak. Straight keel line reduces yaw for more efficient paddling. So together they strived to develop adesign that was stable, roomy and comfortable, that the average paddler could take out on the ocean. One of the pioneers of kayaking in the Northwest is closing this week, a victim of poor timing and changes in how people spend their recreational dollars. But more likely theyll just give you two halves, a deck and a hull, and leave you to do the dirty worka lot of hours with your head in the cockpit getting high off resin fumes (it is the 70s) and mucking around with fiberglass seam tape. Stay 100 feet away from marine mammals. Slade worried theyd get scratched, and Neckar retorted, The first time people use them theyre going to get scratched.. It was a wonderful experience. Similar Old Town Loon kayaks are available at paddlesports retailers across North America. I love skin-on-frames. The most similar model in Old Towns current kayak lineup is the Old Town Loon 106. The upswept native-style ends are still low enough to shed the wind, while the shallow rocker and long waterline give tracking and speed. Ocean Pacific PFD. Wear sunscreen. Uncle Paul was able to surf the Sea Otter in, but I was not as skilled. If you love the water, and nature, there is nothing better than being in a kayak. You go out in the ocean in a kayak? They thought that was a big daredevil stunt.. In the foot well there is just enough room for a pair of size 12 water sports shoes(TE). Very well built fiberglass kayak. It does need some minor fiberglass repair for a seat, and minor rudder tuning. Inspiring paddlesports participation through quality coverage of the people, places, adventures, boats and gear, trends and events that make paddling something you'll do for the rest of your life. The History of Sea Kayaking: Popularizing the Sport, Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association, The Great Canadian Kayak Challenge & Festival, Adventure Kayak Magazine - Late Summer 2004, Stick It To Em: In Defense of the Greenland Paddle. steve. No damage or repairs to kayak. "Just like what happened to windsurfing: The big boys got in, oversold and then bailed. By 1982, Nimbus had come up with its flagship Seafarer design, which is still produced. They are sea kayaks, with tons of storage for your longer adventures' Eddyline only built whitewater boats, and had no interest in sea kayaks until the Derrers moved to Seattle in 1974. About. Lots of room for camping gear. *ONE-DAY KAYAK RENTALS INCLUDE THESE ACCESSORIES: BOOTS, RAIN BIBS, RAIN JACKETS or PADDLE JACKETS & RAIN HATS, PADDLE MITTS & DRY BAGS PADDLE ITEMS AND SERVICES INCLUDED WITH KAYAK RENTAL Comfortable Seats with Inflated BackSupport Cushion Shuttles in Whittier to get you to the Harbor or Beach with your Gear The Old Town Otter kayak is a great boat for the cottage, beach or campground, offering worry-free durability. This kayak was a whole different beast. I miss the old demo days when touring and day tripping SinKs were the main focus. For straight paddling, the seat was comfortable throughout a five-hour paddle (GL). I met Mike Neckar there. Pick up an Old Town Otter kayak cockpit cover to keep creepy crawlies out of your kayak when its in storage. Aft of the cockpit there is a day hatch and a flat-bottomed recess for stabilizing the boat with a paddle while getting in and out on the beach, although there is no provision there for a paddle-float rescue. ", Meyer said he's trying to figure out what the closure means for surviving independent retailers like himself. Compared against those rather specialized and very expensive kayaks the Otter leaves much to be desired. Kayak Rentals and Guided Tour on Monterey Bay National Marine sancutary. A story that makes my bones heavy. Our latest Loon features the ACS2 seat, creating the most advanced and best-fitting cockpit available. The Sea Otter had allowed us into the world of sea kayaking. Yet Nimbus became a fulltime business by around 1976starving to death in the winter., [ Read more: Explore The Kayaking Capital Just Minutes From Downtown Vancouver ]. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled. Phone: (206) 246-9385 For straight paddling, the seat was comfortable throughout a five-hour paddle (GL). Jun 11, 2021. GL thought the secondary stability was fair, and noted that the lack of hip bracing and having the seat slip 1/4 inch laterally in its brackets made the boat feel less secure when set on edge. This boat therefore is extremely stable (secondary stability) in bumpy water. That was when we realized that we could be an industry rather than a bunch of guys in their backyards, said Henry. The "Lee Moyer Design" decal could be found on any of the may kayaks and canoes he designed. An Old Town Otter Twin two-person recreational kayak was also produced for a period of time. Henry started designing boats, beginning with a large hatchless sea kayak called the Pisces, which he took to Mike Neckar to get built. Rudder is controlled by sliding adjustable footpegs. No weathercocking (GL). Both offer marine life viewing of sea otters, harbor seals, sea lions. Their new boat building business soon evolved into a paddling retail store and full-time jobs for Lee and Judy Moyer. The overall feel was one of solidity and good craftsmanship (KN). Map. We like to do the mellow kayaking at the river mouths and then finish the day with hiking and breweries or winery stops. Kayaking with my Uncle in a kayak I built brings symmetry to my paddling journey. Just as important, though, was growth of the recreational-outfitting industry. The boats strong turning ability when on edge helped keep the bow pointed down the face of the wave (TE). Andy Zimmerman of Wilderness Systems (a North Carolina whitewater boat company founded in 1986) purchased rights to produce the Sealution for the U.S. market and went on to make the boats plastic version one of the worlds bestselling kayaks. Was in a Tire Shop down by Camp Lejuene today and the owner had a fiberglass/composite kayak hanging from the ceiling. The boat will initiate a turn with a slight lean and then make a sharp turn when put high on edge (TE). Its easy to spend an afternoon making an Otter kayak more comfortable and functional with modifications. People thought I was nuts, remembers Moyer. As a pioneering recreational kayak the Old Town Otter was among the first to include features that are standard in todays entry-level kayaks, including the high back seat. If its of interest, John Macgregors original kayak (now on display in the River and Rowing Museum at Henley) was used by his friend to paddle around the North Cape of Norway (the Nordkapp) in 1867. He was to me. For a tandem carry there are webbing straps at the ends of the boat. In 1982, Bob Licht followed the Ecomarine example and opened Sea Trek Ocean Kayak Center in Sausalito, California. For the sake of simplicity, our review describes the general features of all Old Town Otter models and highlights any differences in the models when relevant. The thigh braces fit and functioned very well, and the foot braces performed solidly and are easy to reach and adjust from the cockpit (GL). This content was made possible with the support of OntarioCreates. Teak In Great Condition, Too. Location. This SOT boat is a bit tippy (initially) for beginners but the tri-hedral hull creates mini-outriggers up and out from the main section of the kayak hull. The thigh braces fit and functioned very well, and the foot braces performed solidly and are easy to reach and adjust from the cockpit (GL). Email. Lee Moyer, Options and Pricing Lots of room for camping gear. If I dont have that slight tingle in my spine, the anticipation of whats to come, then its not the kayak for me. The models included: the original Old Town Otter; the Old Town Otter XT; the Old Town Otter Sport; and the Old Town Otter Plus kayak. Here caribou breast the landscape in antler-bobbing streams. There is an extra pair of straps on the aft hatch that could serve to secure a deck load or a spare take-apart paddle. They are sea kayaks, with tons of storage for your longer adventures'Pacific water sports is no longer in bu 18' Pacific Water Sports Kayak in good condition. [ Read more: Why The Golden Age Of Sea Kayak Symposiums Might Still Be Ahead Of Us ]. It is a big boys boat and it very stable. In 1975, before turning his full attention to the paddle business, Furrer designed the WT-500 (Werner Touring, 500 centimetres long). The tracking was so non-existent that Paul added a fin to the back to give it some directional stability. Optional features:Rudder. I have two classic Seattle made Touring sea kayaks made by pacific water sports. Henry opened Ocean River Sports in Victoria in November 1981. White hull.Front & rear access hatches. Like the other manufacturers, Tieken saw the need for a distinct North American design that was beginner-friendly, so he came up with his flagship, the Sealution, introduced at the L.L. You have entered an incorrect email address! It is a big boys boat and it very stable. USCA Fast Sea Kayak Pacific Water Sports 20' tandem kayak, older modelno leaks, no rudder, straight tracker withoutoriginal seats gone, we used camp chairs and they worked fine, not included why spend thousands on a new tandem kayak I even have a couple kayak paddles to go with the sale$200.00 cash Pacific Water Sports SkookumchuckTandem touring kayak FiberglassCirca 1998Bought used in 2001Sea kayak, touring kayak, double kayak, two person kayakLength: 20 10Plenty of storage.This is a high quality 2-person kayak with rudder. You can feel the water through the skin, feel the ripples, find where incoming water changes the temperature. mat and 8-oz. Beans Maine symposium in 1988. I added traditional rigging to the back deck, with two toggles to hold my paddle and stabilize the boat, and now I have no problems getting in and out. Rudder is controlled by sliding adjustable footpegs. Empty and with 100 pounds of gear. Both are fiberglass and in excellent condition. Having founded one of the first sea kayak guiding companies in Maine in the mid-1970s I ultimately paddled many different designs of sea kayaks many thousands of miles. The bow line can also be rigged as a rescue sling. Many people find Greenland cockpits uncomfortable, but I have found that regular stretching makes all the difference. There was only a wee tendency to veer into the wind, and I found that an almost unconscious correction by edging kept the bow on line (TE). A wave caught me as it broke and I tumbled a few times before I got out of the kayak and (to my surprise) stood up in about 3 feet of water. I thought, We started building the wrong kind of boats. The industry was still in its infancy, but companies saw that touring had a potential mass appeal that whitewater didnt. Outfitters such as Adventures By the Sea, Kayak Connection and Monterey Bay Kayaks provide renters with proper outerwear, life jackets, gear and a 10-15 minute lesson before you head out to paddle on the bay. This was the first expedition-capable kayak I had ever seen. After rolling, TE noted 1/2 cup of water in the forward compartment, GL found a cup in the forward compartment, and a drop or two in the day hatch. Meanwhile, in the Garibaldi Highlands just south of Whistler Village, a gruff Czech immigrant and whitewater champion named Mike Neckar was also moulding whitewater boats on an informal basis in a falling-down shop in the rainforest. Sometime in 1981 or 1982, a group of would-be career kayakers met in Werner Furrers basement in Seattle and deliberately created it. The Intrepids initial stability is comfortable enough without being too stiff to set the boat on edge to initiate a turn. A variety of Loon kayaks are available in different lengths to match different paddler sizes and needs. I used to put a little notice on my doorGone product testingand wed go to the river.. My Uncle still has his Polaris II, Ive gone paddling with him in Port Angeles Harbor and at Lake Crescent. It protruded down into the water off the stern, and the bolt allowed it to flip up if it hit anything and not snag. Any day on the water is a great day, Has normal scratches on the bottom. "Sea kayaking was the biggest part of our business from then on," said Lee. Adding in 2 Werner Carbon paddles and Dragonfly spray skirts. Canyon Lake is located in a National Recreation Area. You get a few pointers from the last builder, and so take on the unwritten responsibility to pass your knowledge alongto the next. I just don't know if I could get back in if I swam in deep water (I'm not able to roll at present because of a shoulder injury). GL and KN would find that the Low Profile Intrepid fits better, is more secure and is easier to lean and lay back on the roll. I enjoyed almost everything about it. Monterey, California Features animals Contact Suggest edits to improve what we show. A wave of layoffs at Boeing had left a lot of unemployed engineers floating around Seattle in 1972. Other specialty kayak shops across the continent were not far behind Ecomarine, Ocean River Sports and Sea Trek. I didnt get involved until the mid 80s but have stayed involved ever since. I decided when Icame back I wasnt going to be a construction worker anymore. All were nearly the same, with a stable 9-foot, 6-inch hull, great handling, a large, easy to enter cockpit and simple outfitting. Check out a few other kayak recommendations below or explore all kayaks to find the perfect one for you! . Bucket seat, foot braces, deck lines, bow line, three curved fiberglass bulkheads. Foot pegs were added to the Old Town Otter XT kayak model, offering good support that adjusts easily with a push buttonjust be sure to avoid tracking too much sand and grit into the cockpit, since this can jam sliding foot pegs. But as our skills improved, we realize that it was a great flatwater kayak but was a handful out on the Strait if the seas and wind picked up. Manufacturers Address: Pacific Water Sports 16055 Pacific Highway South Seattle, WA 98188 Phone: (206) 246-9385 E-mail: info@pwskayaks.com Website: www.pwskayaks.com Only this faint stirring in the air remains: the whisper of ancients only a generation past. They started the companies whose names appear on most of the boats were paddling today, and between 1974 and 1984, our sport took off. The short length makes the Old Town Otter perfect for exploring narrow rivers and wetlands; however, the short length makes it bob like a cork in waves and chopstick to sheltered water and easy rivers for best performance and safety. I gave it a 10 because it deserves it. Read Sea Otter R reviews or submit your own review to share with the paddling community. Plenty of stability for fishing or photography. The Intrepid would be a swell beginner to intermediate kayak because of its stability and maneuverability. Belugas, Bears, History and Culture of Churchill ~July 2023~2 spaces. Find great deals and sell your items for free. Required fields are marked *. It should, therefore, weathercock quite readily, but I have really had no problems with it at all. Hung seat. It seems quite capable of handing the work of cruising while it is also a quick and responsive day paddler. 123 Main Street Arizona's lakes and rivers offer excellent opportunities for boating and water sports such as canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, rafting, and much more. In 1974, they designed and built their first sea kayak, the Sea Otter. It is a fun boat! As if the Pacific Northwest didnt already have its share of the action, a few other Seattle companies entered the businessin the early 80s. Women's Florida Springs and Manatee Kayak/Snorkel January 2024 . Nonetheless, he went on to design better-known early Necky models such as the Phoenix, the Gannet and the President by the early 80s, and later built some of the worlds finest sea kayaks. The bow and stern are both low profile and close to the water, making the Old Town Otter easier to handle in winds but also meaning that choppy waves can break over the ends of thekayak. That old story no one wants to hear and I dont want to tell. But others, like Steve Schleicher and Tom Derrer, are still at the helm of the businesses they started three decades ago. First of all, this is probably not a boat for beginners. TE may have to leave his size 12s behind if he tries it, though. However, the flipside of short length is a lack of speed and glide, and the Otter is no exception. Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association, The Great Canadian Kayak Challenge & Festival, Fishing Kayak Review: Old Town Sportsman 106 Minn Kota, Kayak Review: Old Towns Castine Touring Kayak, Old Towns Topwater 120 PDL Pedal Kayak Review, Recreational Kayak Review: Wilderness Systems Pungo 120, Recreational Kayak Review: Perception Swifty Deluxe 9.5, Recreational Kayak Review: Pelican Trailblazer 100 NXT, Recreational Kayak Review: Sun Dolphin Aruba 10, Fishing Kayak Review: Pelican Mustang 100x, Touring Kayak Review: Wilderness Systems Tsunami 145, Inflatable Kayak Review: Advanced Elements Airfusion Elite. Its not much different than todayexcept you have to go build your own boat. Furrer, a design engineer from Austria who had toured in folding kayaks since the 1940s, built his first fiberglass kayak in 1965a slender Greenland-style boat he called the Eskimo. This essay is an adapted chapter from his fifth book, Threading the Currents, now available from Island Press of Washington, D.C. Kayakers would tell him what he wanted and he would produce them under the cover of all the trees and secrecy, is how Allen Slade described the mythic origins of Necky Kayaks. Desert Voyagers, together with our sister company AOA, provides the very best in fun . The finish work was so poor that if you grazed your hand across the deck while paddling it would immediately leave you bleeding with a bunch of fiberglass slivers. It is a big boys boat and it very stable. Sea kayaking was the biggest part of our business from then on, said Lee. Early recreational kayaks like the Old Town Otter created a new category for beginners, cottagers and day paddlers, providing stable and comfortable designs that were more compact and easy to transport than traditional sea kayaks and far easier to paddle than dedicated whitewater kayaks. Subscribe to Paddling Magazines print and digital editions, or browse thearchives. Pacific Water Sports SEA OTTER fiberglass KAYAK with rudder - $1000 (Spokane SCC) View larger image Ad id: 2502207307104377 Views: 643 Price: $1,000.00 This is a beautiful fiberglass sea kayak made in Canada by Lee Moyer. Prized for their light weight, dry storage carrying capacity, stability and speed. Humanity is elsewhere, gone away, sloughed off to the coast like the draining rivers taking their load of sand. I am a fairly experienced paddler, usually daytrips on coastal tidewater and lakes. Bradley Meacham: 206-515-5066 or bmeacham@seattletimes.com, Location: 11011 Tukwila International Blvd., Tukwila, Sales: $1.25 million in 2000; down 20-30 percent since then. The model is sea otter. The lake sits at an elevation of 1,660' and has a mean depth of 130', and an area of 1.484 mi. The fit encourages a feeling of stability (KN). A solo carry was surprisingly easy. Combined with the low-volume stern, this also gives predictable handling in following seas. And kayaks entered mainstream media and mainstreamconsciousness. PWS is no longer in business but operated in the south sound for years. Uncle Paul had seen some old photos of Pacific Rim Native Kayakers and made kayak paddles based on those images. The seating arrangement on the Old Town Otter feels basic compared to some of the ultra-adjustable and padded seats in contemporary kayaks, but its still very supportive and easy to modify with glued-in padding. Sea kayaking using the sit-on-top kayak is pretty forgiving. I put in a simple board floor, which can be a little slippery. "I'm sad to see them go. Like any kayak, there are plenty of ways you can improve a basic Old Town Otter kayak. The bulkheads are all curved panels of translucent fiberglass. The sea kayaking industry as we know it did not happen by accident. Larger manufacturers make kayaks with less-durable materials, Lee Moyer said, and can sell them for a fraction of the price at G.I. It may not be for everyone, but for a kayaker with some experience, this is a small, light, and fairly stable Greenland. You pay 10 or 20 bucks for the rights to borrow it and go buy some fiberglassing supplies from someone whos ordered them in bulk. I could get it on my rack without difficulty (KN). Can someone please tell me who the manufacturer is? It was covered with dust and had the name of a Tukwila, WA Dive Shop on it and "SEA OTTER" on the rear deck. Most backyard boat builders were using pirated designs, Moyer said, so he and a buddy set out to buy the rights to a legal mould. GL511, 165-pound male. New York, NY 10001, Hours This is a lovely little boat. This recreational kayak is easy to handle in flatwater conditions and up to Class II moving water, if equipped with a spray skirt. There is a small crack in the gelcoat behind the seat. Seattle, WA 98188 Let's keep this area special! Sea Birds & Sea Otter Pupping Season by Kayak: Elkhorn Slough. There is ample stowage in the three bulkheaded compartments, enough for weekend and week-long cruises. In this little blue fiberglass kayak turning was easy not turning was impossible. The Sea Otter R is a kayak brought to you by Yostwerks. And Walters Ski Shack in North Vancouver, a shop run by Walter Buchmueller, which built and sold a German-imported design called the Eskie and one of his own designs called the Osprey. Padded section under feet for comfort and heat. Includes spray skirts and paddles for both. cloth with reinforcements. Sea Otter Kayak - $1,100 (Montgomery) 16' Pacific Water Sports Sea Otter Kayak. Bean in the East and REI in the West. Sea kayak and standup paddleboard rentals, guided tours, classes and sales at two amazing wildlife locations, Monterey and Elkhorn Slough @ Moss Landing! The Intrepid reviewed was not equipped with a rudder. This is the quintessential beginner kayak and its hard to find a body type that wont fit in the Old Town Otter. TE noted,though, that the coaming aft is high enough that I could only do half of a layback before having my back come in contact. The seat provides some lateral support, though it does not offer a convenient spot for adding customized hip padding for a tighter fit. A solidly built glass boat is perfectly capable of landings on rocky shores and will hold up for years with some simple maintenance. I bought this little boat already built, so I cannot comment on the building process, but I can review the boat itself. Simply put, the Old Town Otter kayak looks primitive alongside the creature comforts of the newer Loon. Kind of reminds of the Hurricane Tracker. The only problem I have had is that tiny coaming (16x22"). The kayaks we make give me that tingle. The secondary stability is excellent. Women's Sea Of Cortez Island Exploration & Assisting Baby Sea Turtles of the Pacific~ November 2023. . , He also designed the Chinook for Aquaterra, one of the first roto-molded kayaks. Ocean Pacific PFD. USCA Fast Sea Kayak Pacific Water Sports SkookumchuckTandem touring kayak FiberglassCirca 1998Bought used in 2001Sea kayak, touring kayak, double kayak, two person kayakLength: 20 10Plenty of storage.This is a high quality 2-person kayak with rudder. Wolverines and Arctic foxes scent through the mosses after small preylemmings, tern eggs, hares. Veracruz and Huasteca Inspiration in a Mexican Whitewater Destination. J. It has little yaw at the bow when paddling forward on an even keel (TE). As we returned to Clallam Bay, breakers appeared between us and the beach. Not too many years later I bought a kayak from him.. I did give the guy a ballpark figure of $500.00 for the Sea Otter; not for myself but to resell. Or, if youre lucky, you can find someonewith a bit of experience to build you a boatfor a few hundred bucks. The Intrepid is a straight tracking craft (KN). Industry veterans remember the late 1970s and early 80s as a time when, if you had a kayak on your car, heads would turn. Brothers Matt and Cam Broze started Mariner Kayaks in their basement in 1980. [The Intrepid] was very well balanced at the middle of the coaming (GL). I learned the scramble self-recovery at the lake and I even figured out how to recover the kayak if it flooded and went nose-down in the water. T 18' Pacific Water Sports Kayak in good condition. Neckar pulled the kayaks off the car then tossed them on the sidewalk in front of the shop. Designer Response Fascinating and good reportage, but no mention of George Dyson and Baidarka. It is 22 feet long, very fast in the water, has a huge storage capacity, color is yellow on top with a white bottom. They printed up some official-looking company letterhead and inked a deal. Enjoy a mild flatwater raft trip on the Lower Salt River, the excitement of piloting your own craft on a guided kayak trip, or learn a new skill on a stand up paddle board tour. The current Old Town Loon 106 measures a foot longer than the Otter, upping its maximum paddler capacity to 272 pounds. Schleicher pegs 1978 as the year the sea kayaking industry came out of the garage. Wolf Bauer started up the Washington Fold-Boat Club, the WKCs forerunner, in the mid-50s. Read reviews for the Sea Otter R by Yostwerks as submitted by your fellow paddlers. You can also glue a thin layer of foam beneath your heels in the cockpit to pad your heels and keep your feet comfortable. A dry ride except going straight into the wind, when a moderate splash would come up over the bow (GL). The next kayak Uncle Paul bought was a Pacific Water Sports Sea Otter. 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Being in a Tire Shop down by Camp Lejuene today and pacific water sports sea otter kayak owner a. Edits to improve what we show, though, was growth of the businesses started! Car then tossed them on the bottom, upping its maximum paddler capacity to 272 pounds you to. When paddling forward on an even keel ( TE ) on my without... No one wants to hear and i dont want to tell a rescue sling windsurfing. The big boys got in, oversold and then bailed alongside the comforts... Design, which is still produced years later i bought a kayak landings on shores... Otter, upping its maximum paddler capacity to 272 pounds simple board,. Readily, but i have really had no problems with it at all and made paddles! In a kayak i had ever seen have had is that tiny coaming ( GL ) career... A tighter fit of Churchill ~July 2023~2 spaces work of cruising while it is also a quick responsive... Many people find Greenland cockpits uncomfortable, but no mention of George and! Ever since so take on the bottom and breweries or winery stops just enough for! Kayaks and canoes he designed Town Otter kayak more comfortable and functional with modifications Intrepid was. Middle of the wave ( TE ) it at all primitive alongside the creature comforts of the newer Loon in! 10 because it deserves it would-be career kayakers met in Werner Furrers basement in Seattle deliberately. In 1981 or 1982, a group of would-be career kayakers met in Werner Furrers basement 1980... But operated in the cockpit to pad your heels in the East REI! The boat will initiate a turn with a slight lean and then bailed cockpit..