KAYAK ACADEMY

Impex Sea Kayaks

CURRITUCK

The Currituck is one of Impex's newest and sleekest sea kayaks (introduced in mid 2002). It is best suited for advanced paddlers 5' 5" to 6' 0", 150-190 lbs who want a fast, state-of-the-art, expedition kayak with enough storage for multi-week trips. The Currituck comes with all the latest features you would expect in a top-of-the-line sea kayak (i.e. retractable skeg, day hatch, recessed deck fittings & reflective safety lines, rubber hatches, neoprene seat pad, adjustable IR back rest), and yet it is priced much lower than most kayaks in it's class. The lines of the Currituck make it a sleek, fast kayak with average stability.

The Currituck shares the same overall styling common to the entire line of Impex sea kayaks -- an "Americanized" variation on the smart looks and proven seaworthiness of the Greenland/British look, without the back breaking weight or tippyness usually associated with kayaks of this genre. As with all the Impex sea kayaks we sell, the Currituck is built from composite materials (i.e. fiberglass, Kevlar, or carbon/Kevlar lay-up) with a moderately chined hull that carves turns quickly and handles well in rough seas without the added drag of a harder chine. The Currituck comes standard with all the usual Impex features: a retractable skeg* with state-of-the-art precise, smooth slider bar/cable control,

front and rear hatches (plus a day hatch), front and rear fiberglass bulkheads (two rear bulkheads), fiberglass seams inside and out, recessed deck fittings for safety lines, self-rescue bungies and chart holder bungies, 16" X 30" keyhole shaped cockpit with good hip and knee braces, and a comfortable back band with snowboard binding style ratcheting buckles that allow you to adjust the back support while seated in the kayak -- even on the water.

Plus we outfit all sea kayaks we sell with a custom pump and sponge holder below the front deck.

The Currituck also features a day hatch to keep your lunch and other items close at hand. All three hatches on the Currituck are the VCP brand of rubber hatches that seal like air tight food containers. These are widely recognized as the driest and easiest to use kayak hatches on the market, and the most tested/proven of all the rubber hatches on the market. The bow and stern compartments are accessed through large oval VCP hatches and the day hatch is a round VCP hatch.

*A skeg looks like the fin on the bottom of a surf board except on sea kayaks this skeg is designed to retract into a trunk on the bottom of the hull. With the skeg up, the Currituck is maneuverable for a 17 foot sea kayak. Put the skeg down and the Currituck tracks straight even in side wind conditions where most kayaks without rudders weathercock (turn up wind). This combination of good hull design and a retractable skeg are fast making rudders (and all their problems and limitations) obsolete on sea kayaks (at least for people who know how to paddle).

If you like the features and stability of this kayak but want something shorter, lighter, and more maneuverable, try the Impex Mystic. For a slightly more stable and slightly more maneuverable kayak, try the Impex Montauk. For a significantly roomier and more stable kayak, try the Impex Susquehanna or the Currituck's new big brother, the Impex Assateague.

Call the Kayak Academy to arrange a demo.
206 527-1825

© George Gronseth 2003, all rights reserved.