Sea Kayaking UK — NDK Kayaks

Posted by Greg on March 18, 2008

I am an NDK sponsored paddler . What this means is that Nigel Dennis and Sea Kayaking UK furnishes me with kayaks to use for expeditions. For Iceland (and how it will work for my Newfoundland trip), I didn’t keep the kayak, but returned it to the fleet after the trip was completed.

For my 2007 Iceland circumnavigation I used an Explorer. Although this kayak is slightly too wide for me, I found the speed to be good and the carrying capacity, stability and seaworthiness to be excellent. We were paddling headland to headland in Iceland while carrying provisions for 3 weeks at a time. Headlands tend to focus and amplify the power of waves and I was impressed by the way that this kayak handled such conditions with ease.

For my planned 2008 solo circumnavigation of Newfoundland I will use a Greenlander Pro. Given my traditional leanings, I’m partial to hard-chined kayaks. Although the Greenlander Pro will have slightly less volume for carrying gear, and will require a bit more skill to handle in rough, confused seas, the kayak is a better fit for me and the faster speed will be appreciated as I will have 1,700 miles to cover.