Watertech, the Portuguese design company has released a new surf kayak within a length that I would consider worthy of Great Lakes consideration. The Bandit is 7’6″ long and 24.5″ wide, sort of the minimum for our short period steep drops. An IC boat is also a good choice, but the Bandit looks like it would be a sweet ride. The Valley Rush and the Bandit seem to share a lot of shape similarity, which is great, as the Rush is one of the fastest surf boats I’ve ever paddled.
Watertech lists these as the key features:
* Soft Rails on the front for release
* Hard Rails on the rear for speed
* Round pin tail for really fast turns
* Hard double concave hull
* Lot’s of room for the feet and legs
* Large cockpit for easy exit (keyhole)
* Comfort seat and backband
* Rigid seat made in the same composite material as the boat
* Adjustable foam Footrests
* Fixed Future Fins Box (3 fins included)
The Valley Rush has a harder edges on the nose, and has a slight concave hull.
Maybe one day I’ll get to check one out.
Savannah Canoe and Kayak is listed as the sole US Dealer for Watertech. So give Nigel Law a shout and order one up!