Sterling Kayaks Ice Kap

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The Ice Kap is a small person's sea kayak by Sterling's Kayaks in Bellingham, WA. Not a beginner's kayak, not another same ol' same ol'. The Ice Kap combines the best features of the British kayaks (retractable skegs, rubber hatches, etc. only bigger and better) with the superior hull designs of the best NW style kayaks (but with some influence by George Gronseth to make the Ice Kap even better handling). The Ice Kap is one tough, extremely light, super maneuverable yet good tracking, comfortable, efficient, fast touring sea kayak like no other small person's sea kayak. The Ice Kap was built for efficiency and ease of paddling in wind and waves. In rough conditions you need maximum maneuverability and as the lowest profile that is comfortable. The Ice Kap has great maneuverability, and the Ice Kap has the lowest possible deck height/volume because each one is custom sized to perfectly fit the paddler. Some sea kayaks are available in a choice of two deck height/volumes (i.e. high and low volume), but the Ice Kap is available in any deck height/volume you need from full size to cut down 1.0" So with the Ice Kap you get the lowest possible profile that fits your feet and legs -- making less wind surface, more efficient forward stroke entry, easy Eskimo rolling, better control, and best comfort for long journeys.

Usually you have to choose between a highly rockered kayak for maneuverability or a less rockered kayak for tracking and efficiency, but the Ice Kap has enough tracking to please even novice paddlers while having incredible maneuverability and a remarkably efficient way of slicing through the water. And don't let the looks fool you, the with it's semi hard chines and rocker the Ice Kap looks radical, but it is very tame. The Ice Kap has enough room for short camping trips and it makes a great day trip kayak.

The Ice Kap can be fitted for intermediate to expert paddlers 5'0" to 5'10", 110-170 lbs. Beginners find it too tippy, but it wasn't designed to be a beginner's kayak (Take a lesson, a good lesson like the Kayak Academy offers and you'll be ready for it). Intermediate paddlers love the way it edges, carves, tracks, turns, and find it plenty stable. The rougher the conditions, the more the Ice Kap shines.

The Ice Kap comes standard with the most implosion-proof rubber hatches available (SeaDog hatches), the deepest retractable skeg available, the most comfortable seat available (all warm, soft, closed cell foam and easy to customize for trim, tilt, hip width, shape, etc.), recessed deck fittings, and the innovative "Strong-Lite" lay-ups designed by Sterling's Kayaks.

Thanks to Sterling's "Strong-Lite" lay-ups, even the lowest priced fiberglass Ice Kap is lighter than comparable sized Kevlar sea kayaks (with 3 hatches and skegs), and yet a fiberglass Ice Kap is much more rugged and durable than a Kevlar kayak. In fact, Sterling's sea kayaks come with a lifetime warrantee for the structural integrity of the hull.

The Ice Kap comes standard with a custom located front bulkhead, all bulkheads are molded fiberglass with flanged for flexibility and strong seams, fiberglass seams inside and out, recessed deck fittings for safety lines, a pump and sponge holder below the front deck, self-rescue outrigger lash straps with quick release buckles, chart holder bungees, keyhole shaped cockpit large enough to pull your leg out, good hip and knee braces, strong foot braces that are easy to adjust while seated in the kayak, and no holes in the hull to mount the foot braces.

*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 Illusion is extremely maneuverable for a 17 foot sea kayak. Put the skeg down and the Illusion tracks straight even in side wind conditions where most kayaks without rudders weathercock (turn up wind). This combination of great, well balanced hull design and a retractable skeg makes 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 of this kayak but want something more stable and/or with more cargo space, try the new Illusion by Sterling's Kayaks.

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