Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro

Well, my trip to the coast fell through, but I got the Scupper Pro out on the Columbia anyways. We had a nice 20+mph wind, and with boat wakes and wind waves, there was enough action to get a proper test on the Scupper Pro.

What I found is that the Scupper Pro is still slow as molasses. Paddling into the wind was challenging, and it took all my effort just to make progress against it. My girlfriend in the NDK Explorer LV had no problem covering ground against the wind.....but I sure did. I don't think I'm ever going to find a sit on top that has as much glide and efficiency as I would like, BUT, it was a hell of allot easier to deal with than the Trident 15.

The one thing I did like about the Scupper Pro was it's responsiveness. With thigh straps I can edge and carve this boat easy, and it actually responds to edging. It has pretty good secondary for a sit on top; Bracing, edging, recovering, and rolling were pretty easy relatively speaking. Rolled the Scupper Pro on the first try with my normal roll style....as apposed to the T-15 that took about 7 or 8 tries and my whole repertoire to roll.

Surfing the wind waves and boat wakes was OK. The hull speed of this boat is so slow, I had a hard time keeping it surfing. The bow creates so much drag that it never really takes off on a wave. I found the trim adjustment to be the opposite of a sea kayak. The Scupper Pro caught waves better when I leaned back as I came over the crest of a wave rather than forward....Just got to get used to the boat I guess.

The other thing I learned about this boat is that big paddle blades will kill you. I started out with a Werner high angle Ikelos paddle, that has the most surface area, but there was so much resistance from the boat, I couldn't move the blade through the water fast enough to get any speed. I would say a big high angle blade on a slow sit on top is a good way to hurt yourself. I moved down to the Werner Cyprus, but would really like a Werner Camano 215 or 220 for this boat. The Ikelos is like a low gear-lots of low end torque but hard to get a piggy going, the Camano is like high gear-not much torque, but with a faster cadence you can move faster with less effort.

All in all it's the most fun and responsive sit on top I have paddled. Stable, nimble, relatively fun with some secondary stability and rolling, but it's still a freakin pig. I can't see myself taking this thing out against wind/current. I think it's great for mild wind/current days and is good for big swell or chop, but I think I'll stick with the sea kayak for the wind and current....it's just so much easier to move through the water.

I think the only way to get the sit on top I want is to make it myself....but the Scupper Pro is the closest off the shelf boat to what I like/need, and would recommend it to anyone wanting a more responsive & playful SOT that's still plenty stable.

My dream is to have a sea kayak hull and a sit on top deck. I'm still not sure why no one makes a SOT with normal sea kayak hull lines......Something similar to the Wilderness Systems Tsunami hull with a Scupper Pro deck would be perfect. Are you listening manufacturers? Or are you going to make me start my own competing business?

Sounds like someone is gonna be ordering a surfski.

Thanks for the report. I'm looking for a scupper pro "for my wife."

REI won't special order for me, so I gotta figure something else out.

hmmm don't know haven't boated a surf ski. I do like a little more primary stability that SOT's offer vs. sea kayaks for fishing....and the functionality of the SOT deck for fishing, I just don't want ALL that stability if it's going to sacrifice efficiency. I'd like it to be something I like to paddle over several miles. I don't want to be limited to two or three miles of paddling.

Scupper pro is still ridiculously stable. I could take a nap on it in 6 ft swell.

Looking at the Scupper Pro and the Explorer side by side.....the Scupper could swallow my explorer....and it's the sportiest one in the OK fleet. I would like something 23/24 inches wide with a multichine hull and 16ft of waterline. Good upsweep in the bow and stern, and an inch or two of rocker at the bow and stern. I prefer the widest point of the boat to be at my hip, where the pivot point of the boat is, rather that a big bulbous bow that's hard to push through the water. I need a finer entry at the bow.

The total lack of rocker in all SOT's tells me they are designing these things for flatwater lake fisherman rather than ocean fishing. Their boat designs are basically assuming that all kayak anglers are large and want to paddle a dock rather than a kayak. I guess what I'm getting at is that every SOT I've paddled is more recreation boat than sea kayak...which is fine if we only fished flatwater. I just feel like they are dumbing down SOT design, which is kind of insulting.

I would really like to see a fishing SOT designed specifically for the ocean.

Thanks for the report. I'm looking for a scupper pro "for my wife."

REI won't special order for me, so I gotta figure something else out.

I'm pretty sure I could order you one. If you are anywhere close to PDX we could make that happen. Otherwise $250 for shipping anywhere in the US may make it unreasonable. PM me if interested. I'm back in the shop tomorrow and could find out if we can get one.

I think the only reason REI wouldn't do it is that maybe they are back ordered, or they have already produced and sold all that they are planning to make.

I don't think REI normally carries the Scupper Pro.  So they may not like ordering something that isn't on their inventory list.

I have yet to take out the gfriends SP, as I always assumed I was too big for it.  Nanook, what do you think the the practical upper range for height/weight in the SP.  I'm 6'3" and 220#.  I met a guy recently who just ordered one after demo-ing it.  He loved the "race car" feeling of it.  I expressed shock that he even fit in it.  Now I'm thinking ...

-Allen

Hedzup! Saw a 15' Scupperpro listed on Craigslist/Seattle yesterday. Sounded like it was in very good (lightly used), condition and was a fair price. Sorry, but don't have the link offhand.

SCRATCH THIS. Its gone already.

Allen, I'm of your same dimensions, and frequently paddled one during my guiding time in the Channel Islands.  It fit me, and larger clients, without fail.  Granted, this was back in 2001-2002, so they may be more snug now.

I'm 6 ft 175. I don't think the capacity is an issue for you, but the width of the seatwell might be. I put 1/4 inch neoprene foam in the seat well on the side where my hips are, and there isn't a millimeter to spare on the width; It fits me like a glove.

I'd say if you can get your buns in the seat you are good to go!

My GF & I were practicing rescues yesterday. At one point we were swapping boats. I had her climb into the seat of the SP while I sat a bit further forward. Before I hopped into her boat, we were both sitting on the SP and it was fine.....That's a load of 320#

Oh, and J, even the most stable skis are probably not suited for fishing.  Unless you've got the $$$ to get a custom.  

Thanks for the report Nanook. Yep, crossing over from a SIK to SOT is gonna be hard. The only kayak I know that might come close to what you're looking for is the Hurricane Phoenix 160. And it looks like they may not make it anymore... http://www.hurricaneaquasports.com Although it's a bit wider than you want @ 28" the hull has the most SIK looking lines that I've seen.


Then there's the Kaskazi line. http://kaskazi.co.za Similar to a lot of SOT's but I've heard they're pretty fast. There's this whole elitist crowd on the East coast that swears these are THE only kayaks out there.



Overall getting the characteristics you want in a SOT is gonna be hard since they're made for stability. But there may be one out there for you. Tryin' out a bunch sure is fun!

Z

Allen, I'm of your same dimensions, and frequently paddled one during my guiding time in the Channel Islands.  It fit me, and larger clients, without fail.  Granted, this was back in 2001-2002, so they may be more snug now.

That's what I wanted to hear.  The girlfriend isn't going to like it when I steal her yak.

One thing I don't like about the SP is the lack of side handles.  Going to have to add some.

-Allen

Aside from all the smack I just talked about the SP, it is by far the most nimble & responsive SOT I've paddled.

Oh, and J, even the most stable skis are probably not suited for fishing.  Unless you've got the $$$ to get a custom.  

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I've seen several, and they look tippy just to paddle.

Thanks for the report Nanook. Yep, crossing over from a SIK to SOT is gonna be hard. The only kayak I know that might come close to what you're looking for is the Hurricane Phoenix 160. And it looks like they may not make it anymore... http://www.hurricaneaquasports.com Although it's a bit wider than you want @ 28" the hull has the most SIK looking lines that I've seen.

I've demo'd one before  ... actually at an Alder Creek event 2 years ago.  Here is what I had to say at the time.

"I paddled the Phoenix 160.  That thing can hold a line, a rudder is almost required, although you could carve a turn (thigh straps would help).  The seat is a placed bit high making it feel somewhat tippy.  Really good secondary stability keeps you from going all the way over.  They didn't have a seat back in the yak and the shape of the seat bothered my back.  A seat back hopefully would help this."

-Allen