Normally we favour skeg over rudder, unless you are racing or paddling a double kayak in conditions above force 4. Should you need a rudder, we can provide your kayak with the C-Trim rudder from Valley or a combined skeg-rudder from Kari-Tek.
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All kayaks except for the Quantum come with a round rear hatch as standard.
When ordering a foot pump (Henderson) we will add 4 inches (10 cm) onto the inside leg measurements you supply.
The Elite kayaks are made of fibre glass with a lighter overall lay up than the standard kayaks. This makes the Elite kayaks approximately 3 kilos lighter than the standard kayak. With reinforced keel and stress areas on deck and hull this is still a fairly strong kayak, but not as strong as the standard kayak and requires more looking after.
If a deck pump (hand operated) is needed, we need to fit a recess for the pump at the time of construction. The recess can be placed anywhere on the deck to suite. Our recess fits the Compact 50, the small hand pump with a metal shaft by Prion.
It is possible to add additional deck fittings, but these may be flush fittings instead of the standard.
Sea Kayaking UK offers a variety of compasses that can be fitted to the kayaks. If a custom kayak is ordered, the compass recess can be fitted to your requirements.
If you would like a custom colour you can get a rough indication of how your colour scheme will look like by using the Colour chooser.
When you have decided the colours from the colour chooser, please select a RAL colour.
As monitors may show colours differently, especially darker shades, you may want to check your choice on a printed RAL chart. Please contact your dealer.
These kayaks are constructed out of venylester resin using a carbon-kevlar hybrid cloth. The exact specification of the construction will depend on the intended use of the kayak. The kayak comes with internal and external seams. If the kayak is needed for flat water use, a very light construction can be appropriate.
For a custom bulkhead, please send the measurement from the bulkhead to the inside of the rear of the cockpit rim (as above) We also need the name of the model of kayak that this was measured on. (SKUK)
This is a compromise offering carbon-kevlar deck over a glass hull. The carbon-kevlar makes the kayak lighter while the glass hull ensures it is as robust as a standard glass kayak. The approximate weight of a carbon-kevlar deck over a standard glass hull is 23 kg including hatches etc.
We offer a choice of 4 systems: The wire slider is standard, while the following can be fitted as a custom feature:
The hydraulic skeg, the front and rear rope skegs and the combined skeg-rudder system are all made by Kari-Tek.
We offer two designs of glass seats and a foam seat.
The High performance glass seat is our standard seat (post 1/3 2009) and comes in two sizes.
You can buy this seat as a retro fit kit, please see Retrofit High performance seat for instructions. The easiest thing for you would be to go through your local shop, although if you want to, you can still deal with us directly.
The skeg can be used to trim the kayak in wind, and it does not get in the way of tow lines or become a danger when undertaking rescues - which we often see with the traditional rudder. For single kayaks we normally favour skeg over rudders because they handle well enough in intermediate to advanced conditions not to require rudders.
The best way to get the kayak that suits your needs, is to try the kayaks. Get in touch with your local Sea Kayaking UK dealer. Most of the shops also offer on-the-water demos and experienced advice.
We would recommend that you demo the kayak before you place an order and preferably in force 3+ winds.
Q: Im looking for a more comfortable seat for my standard Romany, to give me a little more room below deck and put me in a more positive (forward) paddling position. Would you recommend the foam seat or the high performance fiberglass seat?
Polishing your kayak will fill in small scratches and make your kayak look newer. In reality it is actually removing a small layer of the gel coat making it thinner so do it in moderation. Using a power polisher and a sheep skin buffer, or a rag and a lot of elbow grease work through.
