Santee 116 Sport

“I’d buy four of your Santee 116, if you’d just make the cockpit opening longer so we can get our birding gear stowed in easily,” wrote JP. We did and he did. The Santee 116 Sport still handles like the incredible 116, but it is 17 inches longer in the opening. You can put fly rod tubes, tripods and other outdoor tools of play in the cockpit with you. Even the right dog can ride in there too. We’re waiting for pictures of your cats. The 116 Sport still has a rear Hurricane hatch with watertight bulkhead, and it weighs in at a scant 35 lbs. So go ahead . . . take that extra cooler or dry box with you and make a day of it.

Phoenix 120 Why did Carol drive over 150 miles to buy her Phoenix? It’s a gossamer 38 lbs that’s why! The Phoenix 120 is changing a lot of minds about sit-on-tops. The speed provided by the Phoenix’s clean lines and stiff hull will thrill you. Go back to a roto-molded kayak, and you’ll think you are paddling a barge. The Phoenix 120 has a generous beam for excellent stability, making it easy to climb aboard from dry land or the water. At home on lakes as well as the ocean, the Phoenix 120 is a great platform for diving and snorkeling. Deck attachment points allow easy installment of a seat to your liking. Bungies to hold your gear are provided. The Phoenix 120 is a true beauty compared to any other sit-on-top. The Trylon hull material incorporates UV protection to keep the Phoenix 120 shining like new long after the competitions kayaks have faded to dreary pastels. Even petite paddlers find it easy to load and car top the Phoenix. It’s the most user-friendly kayak ever built.

Key to Ideal Use
1 = Quiet lakes and rivers
2 = Day touring quiet coastal waters and larger lakes
3 = Coastal waters, day trips, overnight tripping

Phoenix 140

Choosing a 14-ft sit-on-top used to mean sacrificing speed and snappy handling, but the Phoenix 140 puts an end to sluggish paddling. The 28-in beam and special hull design cuts through the water with amazing efficiency. Our Trylon material allows us to put a slew of cool features on board and stay under 52 lbs. Check out the real foot braces for micro tuning your comfort. With a large oval bow hatch, you have easy access to dry storage. The rear cargo well will hold scuba gear, camping equipment or your fishing rig. Drain scuppers help produce a dry ride. You can hook up a wide variety of seat choices to our deck cleats. For off shore excursions, you can opt for the available rudder kit. If you don’t want to miss any glide with each paddle stroke, you simply have to own the Phoenix 140. There is no comparison between it and the aircraft carriers posing as kayaks.

Santee 140 T

Sooner or later you’ll end up having to move your tandem kayak by yourself. With other tandems, you’ll find that it’s a high risk gamble to hoist one over your head. At an unheard of weight of only 52 lbs, our Santee 140 T is lighter than most singles! When you dip your paddles in for your first strokes, you’ll be delighted by how easily the Santee 140 T glides away from shore. The hull has been carefully optimized for the perfect blend of stability and performance, so you can truly enjoy your time together out on the water. For those times when you may be out solo, the Santee 140 T can be efficiently paddled alone. Tandem kayaks have gotten a bad rap, because until the Santee 140 T, they were a chore to lift and paddle. Looking for something the family will love? Once you try kayaking in our tandem, you’ve got a lifetime sport ahead of you.

• How will your kayaks hold up compared to roto-molded?
   
• How hard is it to repair Trylon?
   
• I've read how great your kayaks are but there isn't a dealer near me will you ship to my house?
   
• Are there cockpit and spray skirts for your kayaks?
   
• I love the wonderful shine my Hurricane has and want to keep it up so what should I do?
   
• I would really love a tiny bit more room for my feet and thighs is there anything I can do?
   
• Why doesn't my Tracer or Tampico have molded in thigh braces?
   
• Who designs your kayaks?
• The Tracer I test paddled was a really cool boat but felt kinda tippy for me. But I want one! Will it settle down as I get better?
   
• My Santee XL is faster than my husbands 14 footer, yet he's stronger. Why?
   
• Why is the front hatch so small on my Santee?
   
• How should I store my Hurricane off-season?
   

How will your kayaks hold up compared to roto-molded?
As long as you stick to Class I and II waters (meaning flat-water NOT whitewater) your Hurricane will be a durable as roto-molded kayaks. Our Trylon is just as abrasion resistant. It won't fade out in sunlight. And best of all it won't "oil can" on your car rack and warp like polyethylene boats can. Our kayaks have been used in instructional schools and outfitters with great success.

top

How hard is it to repair Trylon?
It's not hard at all! There are many plastic weld adhesives that will bond great to Trylon for spot repairs. We recommend the Devcon brand of waterproof bonds. You can use them for bulkhead areas and around the cockpit coaming in lieu of caulking. (See our repair page for more detail)

top

I've read how great your kayaks are but there isn't a dealer near me will you ship to my house?
We are adding select dealers as our production grows but we won't push too fast. There is a lot of hand labor still involved in building our kayaks we are proud to say. Sorry we can't ship to your door as we cannot assure that the kayak will arrive in the perfect shape that our dealers will insist on. You see shipping one kayak leaves it open to all kinds of mishaps at the freight terminals no matter how many stickers we put on the packaging . And building special crates is out of the question at this time. And we truly rely on our fine network of dealers to take care of all your needs.

top

Are there cockpit and spray skirts for your kayaks?
Yes we offer both through our dealer network. And there are several aftermarket brands that are making good fits too.

top

I love the wonderful shine my Hurricane has and want to keep it up so what should I do?
Trylon will usually wipe clean with a light solution of streak free dish liquid and water. For deeper cleaning try a light application with a soft cloth of 3M Fiberglass Cleaner/Polish. Don't use solvent based cleaners like acetone as they will soften Trylon and dull its beautiful gleam. Use 303 protectent on the hatch covers, bungies and seats for the best protection against UV and grime.

top

I would really love a tiny bit more room for my feet and thighs is there anything I can do?
Our seats can be dropped down about ¼ inch simply by taking a dremal tool or cutting tool to the base of the seat. That makes a huge difference for many paddlers. The seat can be moved back in some boats two inches which for some will be all they need to get larger feet on the angle they want.

top

Why doesn't my Tracer or Tampico have molded in thigh braces?
We very carefully developed our cockpits to maximize entry/exit ease and thigh braces are not necessary as you can apply our closed cell foam pads exactly where you need them under the deck. Then you will have a secure and comfortable fit for edging, rolls and control without having to maneuver around any external equipment.

top

Who designs your kayaks?
Paddlers that's who! We are very fortunate to have a superb team of paddlers who test the daylights out of each new hull before you ever see it. By using different influences from our Hurricane employees, we have kayaks that are truly different from each other. Some companies take a basic design and try to make an entire line out of it by shrinking it to make a 10 footer and then stretching it to get a 14 footer in their lineup. You know what? It doesn't work-you've got to make a number of hull changes to maintain tracking and turning.

top

The Tracer I test paddled was a really cool boat but felt kinda tippy for me. But I want one! Will it settle down as I get better?
Provided you are the right size for the Tracer most paddlers are delighted with the boat after a few days of paddling. What you are feeling while being at rest is less kayak behind your hips than you are used to. So your movements are a little exaggerated at first as you settle in. As we have many instructors and guides using Tracer's as work vessels, we know them to be stable and comfortable. Make sure your stroke doesn't clock back behind your hips on each stroke and you'll be shocked at the speed and stability your Tracer awards you.

top

My Santee 116 is faster than my husbands 14 footer, yet he's stronger. Why?
First of all your Hurricane is a lot lighter and that means your pulling less weight past your paddle on each and every stroke. And second the great glide of the Santee 116 and 116 Sport is due to the Swede form design of the hull. You've got 28 inches of beam just behind your hips for tremendous stability but then the boat narrows dramatically as the hull stretches forward past your knees causing less drag than your husbands kayak. Trylon is more slippery than his polyethylene kayak. Have sympathy for the poor guy and offer to carry the snacks.

top

Why is the front hatch so small on my Santee?
The front hatch is not meant to carry much cargo on a 10 foot hull as it will make the boat plow if you pack weight up there. And with a watertight bulkhead the hatch is really there as an air exchange to keep the pressure equalized. You'll find there is plenty of room in the rear hatch for your day trips and under the nice deck rigging.

top

How should I store my Hurricane off-season?
Off season? What's that? Well if you must put your kayak up for awhile we keep ours off the ground and on its side edges on foam pads. Or you can put it up on a rack upside down on pads with a light tether around the boat so the wind doesn't slide it all over. Don't crank it down with truck bed ratchet straps because even though Trylon is really tough, and we build sea worthy kayaks, too much pressure over a long time in changing temps just isn't good for you kayak. Put one of our cockpit covers on to keep unwanted guests from nesting in your kayak.