Sunday, December 30, 2012

NEW FISHING KAYAK IS BORN

A NEW FISHING KAYAK IS BORN  "PINNACLE ELITE"



The New Pinnacle “Elite” has hit the market by storm.

I have been fortunate enough to watch this fishing kayak’s development and finally the birth of( in my opinion) the best fishing kayak to hit the market. There is more exciting news, the kayak is now being manufactured by one of South Africa’s leading kayak manufacturers Kayak Centre. My first look at the finished product got me jumping up and down with excitement, the finishes on this kayak are superb!

After placing my order, I was able to take the kayak out run it through a few tests...

A look at the Changes

1. The first major change on the kayak is the length. The older boat was 4.3m and the new Pinnacle “Elite” is 4.85m  you know what this means “Speed”. The old Kayak was amongst the fastest but now it has been taken to a whole new level.
2. The Hull – there are 2 changes to the hull which has also increased the ultimate speed of the boat. The V on the hull has been sharpened and reshaped to hit the water at exactly the correct angle regardless of the weight on board. There is no pushing of water rather a cutting and deflecting. The other change is the Rudder protector and Rudder they are way less bulky in diameter and size lessening the drag in the water.


3. The Back hatches have been reshaped with moulded lips that stop rushing water from getting into the hatches



4. The tail finishes in a point as opposed to the square cut.



5. The Seat – This is one of the best redesigns as the new seat shape is super comfortable and well molded for added comfort.
6. Hatch and lid have also been changed – The hatch lid has a way tighter fit stopping water from entering in. The hatch is still big allowing space to fit even bigger rods . 
7. The front section of the kayak has also changed – it has way less volume on the width which has reduced the overall weight of the kayak. There is still a rocker but it is way sharper and positioned at the front of the Kayak which helps it retain its brilliant wave riding ability which Pinnacle is well known for.
8. The weight of the Elite is +-27kgs as opposed to the old model which was +-30kgs this is largely due to the overall volume of the kayak decreasing.
Taking it to the water

As I hit the water and my Bum hit the seat I could already feel a difference! Playing around in the waves proved that the new Pinnacle has retained its brilliant wave riding ability. I thought that due to the added length it might have some difficulty but it came out tops. The kayak still goes over the waves as opposed to through the wave which has a 2 fold benefit, firstly you retain your momentum approaching the next wave and secondly you stay dry which is great for winter fishing!
Above: Rowan Colman with a Dorado.
I must say the Elite is fast! You can feel the ease in your paddle stroke, it doesn’t take much to get going. I jumped in at Blue Lagoon and thought that I would try my skill against the K1’s. The amazing thing was I could Keep up with them while they were all paddling together – the only time I fell behind was when they went into a sprint.


Above: Rowan Colman with a Couta

So what’s the verdict?

The questions that I always ask when looking at a kayak are

1. How strong is it (there is nothing worse than spending money getting your kayak fixed after every second outing)

2. How fast is it ( getting to a spot 1st can sometimes mean you catching the fish. Speed also helps in strong currents and windy situations)

3. Stability (I have seen people tip over when gaffing fish and even while fighting fish)

4. Surf Handling (it’s better to be dry than wet – it also helps in protecting your gear, a rolling kayak breaks and also messes up tackle)

The New Pinnacle Elite has in my mind met all of the above in its design which makes it a must have. It totally blew me away and I am already a big fan! Do yourself a favour and go test drive the new Pinnacle Elite!

Contact

+27 (0) 84 582 5322 (Cliff)

+27 (0) 72 305 4340 (Claire)

info@pinnacleski.co.za

No comments:

Post a Comment