02-27-2010, 11:21 PM
Fishing wasn't much good (caught & released one 12" rainbow), but everything else was pretty great!
The LVM inflator / deflator pumps those five chambers up real fast and deflates them so the skin of the boat is pretty much flat, makes it easier to fold up.
The K-pump K100 pump topped off the pressure quickly and the Kwik-Gauge verified it at 3PSI.
I have some reservations about the Omega Navigator fins. They are SUPER hard to latch and unlatch, and I almost fell out of the boat trying to latch and unlatch them. No amount of kicking would lock them if they were flipped up, and no amount of pressure from the other foot would lock them down either. I had to cross my leg across the other and use both hands to operate the latch. It's a neat idea in principle, but they are way too hard to operate, IMO., especially when the Outlaw's foot bar is there. On the other hand they are easy to kick and provide great propulsion. I took them off after a while and just rowed.
The standard oars do suck pretty bad. The plastic paddle surface rattles around, the joint where the two halves go together wobbles, and they wobble on the oarlock pin. Lots and lots of slop in the system. In spite of that, it was pretty easy to row the boat along at a pretty good clip. I could do without all the rattling and wobbling of the oars, but they manage to work pretty well. Dave Scadden says the CF ones work three times as well, so they will certainly be a pleasure to use.
The boat itself is awesome. It tracks straight and sits high in the water. My ass is completely out of the water, in fact even my knees are just barely in the water when using the fins. When using the oars, my feet are up on the cross bar (wihich is not out of the water BTW, your heels and lower legs drag when rowing.
That 1/2" thick seat is very comfy, the side bags work very well. The boat packs up pretty small when I have deflated it with the LVM, and fits in my little Honda Civic's tiny trunk along with the oars, pumps, anchor, and all my fishing gear.
I'm super pleased with the boat and am very glad I bought it. Pretty sure my pram is going up for sale now.
[signature]
The LVM inflator / deflator pumps those five chambers up real fast and deflates them so the skin of the boat is pretty much flat, makes it easier to fold up.
The K-pump K100 pump topped off the pressure quickly and the Kwik-Gauge verified it at 3PSI.
I have some reservations about the Omega Navigator fins. They are SUPER hard to latch and unlatch, and I almost fell out of the boat trying to latch and unlatch them. No amount of kicking would lock them if they were flipped up, and no amount of pressure from the other foot would lock them down either. I had to cross my leg across the other and use both hands to operate the latch. It's a neat idea in principle, but they are way too hard to operate, IMO., especially when the Outlaw's foot bar is there. On the other hand they are easy to kick and provide great propulsion. I took them off after a while and just rowed.
The standard oars do suck pretty bad. The plastic paddle surface rattles around, the joint where the two halves go together wobbles, and they wobble on the oarlock pin. Lots and lots of slop in the system. In spite of that, it was pretty easy to row the boat along at a pretty good clip. I could do without all the rattling and wobbling of the oars, but they manage to work pretty well. Dave Scadden says the CF ones work three times as well, so they will certainly be a pleasure to use.
The boat itself is awesome. It tracks straight and sits high in the water. My ass is completely out of the water, in fact even my knees are just barely in the water when using the fins. When using the oars, my feet are up on the cross bar (wihich is not out of the water BTW, your heels and lower legs drag when rowing.
That 1/2" thick seat is very comfy, the side bags work very well. The boat packs up pretty small when I have deflated it with the LVM, and fits in my little Honda Civic's tiny trunk along with the oars, pumps, anchor, and all my fishing gear.
I'm super pleased with the boat and am very glad I bought it. Pretty sure my pram is going up for sale now.
[signature]