Vital by Maelstrom Kayaks
| MODEL | L E N G T H |
W I D T H |
H E I G H T |
W E I G H T |
FEATURES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vital | 16'6" | 21" | 11.3" | 54 | 3 bulkheads & 4 Kayak Sport rubber hatches, round front & forward day hatches, oval rear hatch and round rear day hatch |
There's something magic about the way the Vital fits and handles for small adults. It's playful, has good speed, very stable yet easy to edge, easy to roll, and they handle well in wind, rips, and surf. The Vital's speed and storage volume makes it a great all around sea kayak for both day trips and and camping.
As a rough guide, we find:
The Vital is best suited for paddlers 5' 0" to 5' 6", 100-150 lbs
Vital's come standard with front and rear hatches, a rear day hatch plus a forward day hatch (at last, a hatch you can use while on the water!). Vital's also have a retractable skeg, recessed deck fittings & safety lines, kayaksport hatches, and an ergonomic foam back rest. Once you try it you'll love the back support.
The Vital has the looks and proven seaworthiness of the Greenland/British look, but updated and without the quality problems of so many similar kayaks. The Vital has a moderately chined hull that carves turns quickly and handles well in rough seas without the added drag or fragility of a harder chine. Vital come standard with features such as: a retractable skeg* with state-of-the-art precise, smooth slider cable control, front and rear hatches, front and rear fiberglass bulkheads (two rear bulkheads in the full size Xcite), fiberglass seams, recessed deck fittings for safety lines, and chart holder bungees, keyhole cockpit with good hip and knee braces, and a comfortable support.
*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, Vitals are very maneuverable; put the skeg down and a Vital 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).
Whether choosing your first sea kayak or upgrading from an older design, you can't go wrong with the Vital.
Call the Kayak Academy to arrange a demo.
206 527-1825