For those of you who are following this series (Myths, Yak Design 101, Reviews, Mad Mad Marketing and Superyaks) I submit to you what I believe are the Ultimate Superyaks. For those of you who haven't I introduced Superyaks as:
"Those of you who've read Yak Design 101, Myths, Reviews and Marketing Madness have surely been struck by the dearth of good design among sit-on-tops...we all admire the speed and grace of SIK's, especially those Greenland styles that can handle tough water and maneuvre too. But that are...too confining. Some of us have been thinking about a niche or special purpose yak for offshore and/or extremely long distance yakfishin...enter the Superyaks."
They're not cheap (except one), are not all-around yaks (except one), are not made or easily available in the U.S. (except one) - but they are all at the top of their game.
Purpose driven, superbly designed by folks who face tough water and who are relatively free of American marketing bullshit. No gewgaws, no tailfins, no two-toned flimsy "W" hatch covers. Just well thought, raw performance.
Ultimate Superyak #1: The Seda Revenge
Made in Mexico but easily available here, and prices you won't believe. And which comes pretty close to my definition of an all-around fishin yak for S. Florida. But not quite.
Let's start with price. I know not just a few of you who've coughed up close to a thousand smackers for a chunk of plastic. Why? For one thing glass is significantly more expensive; for another you just didn't want a SIK.
The Seda Revenge may just be the answer. On Xmas sale you can pick up a new Revenge for $995 in glass, about $1300 in Kevlar. This is fantastic - glass for the price of plastic.
Now I'm not even sure the Seda should be called a Superyak but have included it because (like the Scupper Pro) the Seda represents a nice compromise of features.
At 16-1/2 feet the Seda won't match some of the rockets like the Isthmus, but it will smoke the plastic SOT competition. The 25 inch beam retains reasonable stability. A shallow vee hull helps tracking; still, the Seda can be nicely leaned turned without the standard rudder.
Like the Pro it has HUGE storage capacity, with easy access through a big 24" x 12" rear hatch and a large T-bar 10" front hatch. The cockpit is very deep and comfortable but small enough to be safe if you get pooped. And quickly drained by a venturi drain from a center sump and exiting through the hull. Side and end handles and a standard rear bungee system.
The design is based on Seda's well known high volume Viking SIK touring yak which has won a number of long distance sea kayak races. The bow is full and will not perl (trust me on this: on my first ocean test ride headin in I found myself raised up on a big breaker - the stern rose, the bow dropped down and shot forward. No perling and I slid up on the beach like I knew what I was doing).
If you are looking for a long fishing yak which can also tour the Seda Revenge is a great choice. A bit longer than my ideal 14-15' range for a good fishing yak, but a bit shorter than a true touring yak. A great compromise. A nice step up from the Scupper Pro or Prowler 15, and a way for you to enter the world of glass or kevlar at close to plastic prices.
Now you may have seen some nasty reviews that complain about hatch leaks, poor fittings, etc.- these were true and appeared on the well used glass Revenge I own. But take heart in the fact that the seller bought another new kevlar Revenge and it is much improved. Excellent finish, good detailing and reasonable fitting. Nice.
My thoughts: for the money it can't be beat. It just can't.
Continue: to Superyak #2 --->
