New 'yak

sweet

Congrats and enjoy.

Excellent!!   Good color too.  Don't forget to put your first coat of 303 on it ... No fade on my red one yet but I am babying it with 303 protectant and covered storage. 

Excellent!!   Good color too.  Don't forget to put your first coat of 303 on it ... No fade on my red one yet but I am babying it with 303 protectant and covered storage.

That is tomorrow's project, and mine is hanging in the garage.

Excellent!!   Good color too.  Don't forget to put your first coat of 303 on it ... No fade on my red one yet but I am babying it with 303 protectant and covered storage.

That is tomorrow's project, and mine is hanging in the garage.

Exactly how I store mine for longer periods..  I use a two pulley system, but with Just web straps it hung too far down.  So - I put spreader bars across the top and 2"web slings below that, which gives me enough room to pull my truck in underneath, probably raised it a further 12 or 14".

So nice looks great

Got a glimpse of my new kayak today

Nice mine is projected for next week. 

ACK charged me a smoking deal of $211 for shipping on my outback and accessories.  The said that they ate part of the cost in shipping to Fairbanks . I just have to live with slow boat and my ship not coming in until next week.  Than means no mecca to the coast until September for me. Hope to meet some of you folks then. Looks like berry picking this weekend.

ACK still has Great Customer service but  there shipper Estus is lacking. It has been over a month since shipment from Texas and the Kayak has been stuck I'm WA for over 3 weeks. As an Alaskan we welcome competition to UPS but they are not it. Estus customer service is very poor. No kayak this summer.

In the past you could find better deals to Alaska.  Virtually every place that had the killer $200 or less shipping has stopped doing so.  I think you are going to be hard pressed to find deals better than places like REI that sends containers at a time or Alaska Raft and Kayak who at least orders a dozen or so at a time.  it can happen, but if you opt for any of the "special deals" I would ask a few questions first.  Like 1) Have you ever shipped to Alaska before?  2) What guarantees do you have regarding the shipping method.

LOVE LOVE LOVE seeing all the new kayaks here in Alaska!  Just awesome! 

I plan to get a kayak for my wife but that will be a while. Still need to get started when mine eventually arrives. Thanks for the reply.  Hope to run into you in--September?

I plan to get a kayak for my wife but that will be a while. Still need to get started when mine eventually arrives. Thanks for the reply.  Hope to run into you in--September?

When I do buy again it will most likely be Alaska Raft & Kayak.

When the time comes - recommend you do what I did and rent a hobie from AK Raft for a weekend to take your wife out.   She can try it, and they credit you back one of the rental days as discount on the Kayak purchase.   If she hates it, you are only out the rental fees.  Mark and company there were all very good to work with, and give 10% off accessories for the purchase and a week or two after.   I have had good experience with both AK Raft and Kayak and HobieCats Northwest.   AKRaft is local, though... none of that guesswork on which boat your Yak will arrive on!

I got mine from ACK for a flat $100 shipping 2 years ago.  But clearly,  that's no longer an option (a maybe... Just maybe... We owe AK an apology).  Anyway...  While I know Rudy and others work with AK raft & kayak.... They had always been the in town joke for their high prices to my rafting friends so  I've avoided them for business on Hobie add ons and my Aire raft... But,  heck,  maybe that will change.  I just hope they find or train a person who is a technical specialist on Hobie maintenance.

Ya. Mark at AK raft makes no bones about saying he caters to high end. Can't compete against the walmarts. You can definitely pick things up cheaper but when it comes time for service or warranty, I'd rather go local than trying repairs or negotiating a return with someone in the states. 

You are spot on about the perceived public opinion about them but right now they are the only ones to carry Hobies. I thought hard about it but Hobies terms are tough. They aren't making a killing off these kayaks I don't think.