And you balance your world on the tip of your nose
like a SeaLion with a ball, at the carnival.
– tull

So yesterday I talked a bit about how I found myself test paddling a new kayak. Again I have 2 great kayaks but they are both no longer sea worthy. I could just get a new version of one of these or I can use the opportunity to see if there is something out there I’m missing.  At the moment I’m familiarizing myself with the P&H Kayak line which I’ve not really looked at before.  Yesterday I test paddled the P&H Bahiya.  This is not a review of the Bahiya however. A review is meant to tell you what YOU should buy.  A completely different thing than choosing what I should buy… which you may guess is an attempt at humor for the  non-inferentially-challenged.

I’m easy.  I want an “everything” kayak as I said yesterday. It’s got be fast and carry some gear. Still I know that I’m not going around Iceland and I don’t need to carry a full kitchen and wine cellar. I don’t need a cabin cruiser. I’d also like a boat that handles like an old Fiat Spider and yet is still quasi-stable when sitting still.  What’s more, I also want the sort of construction that can survive a train wreck. I don’t care if it’s a bit heavy if I don’t have to replace it again. So, as I mentioned yesterday I’ve had a lot of suggestions to look at P&H kayaks. I decided the first one I wanted to try was a P&H Bahiya because frankly it looks sooooo HOT! (Yeah, I’m into “HOT”… What you’re not!?)

Well, just to reiterate, my friend & P&H rep Mr. B was nice enough to lend me a Bahiya to try out which he delivered by drive-by on the interstate yesterday on his way to a Midwest Montaineering’s Spring Outdoor Adventure Expo in Minnesota. I didn’t really look closely at the Bahiya until I got home and was more than a little enamored with its shape. It’s an aggressive, shapely looking craft. And you’ll know how much I mean that when you realize the test boat is “robin’s egg blue”. I’ve been cursed by that color but I was able to look beyond it and still see a very attractive boat. This is where we tell those of you new to paddling to stop and walk away.. well no.. we just say don’t give in to love at first site. Test paddle.

I stared at it awhile then went back in and back to work. Soon however, I realized that I couldn’t really focus. I could feel the Bahiya calling me through my office window and by 11am I bailed and headed out to the local lake to give it run. The first part of the day was cloudy and calm, then out came the sun and suddenly the wind was howling. In fact it got bad enough that my partner was not longer comfortable and we ended up foregoing a return crossing and walked back to the vehicle. Just a reminder to pay attention to everyone in your party and not get lost in your own thing… even when playing with a new boat.

I have to say, I totally understand Bryan Day’s review now from experience. In fact it’s so accurate you can simply read it for details. My quick view is that the Bahiya would be a great boat for someone who wanted a boat that was still a rocket when fully loaded. Empty the Bahiya is certainly a boat for advanced paddlers with a very soft (very soft) initial stability. The Bahiya is about 20 inches wide with a very deep v shaped hull which when empty tends to make you feel as if you are sitting on a ball where you could easily fall to one side or the other. Experienced paddlers will handle this with ease and will enjoy how this design makes the kayak crazy fast, but less experienced paddlers would be bracing fairly constantly, especially when sitting still. Empty, I didn’t feel like I could easily take photos unless the water was dead calm.

As the wind picked up I could feel the tail get pushed around a bit. Just the tip of the skeg is enough to correct that without slowing you down. The Bahiya obviously likes a bit of wave at its tail and will catch a ride on the smallest of waves. Again, a bit of weight would lock it in a bit better. Around here I can’t easily get a boat on big surf but I’ve found that you can feel the tendencies even in small waves. I don’t doubt this would be a fun but challenging surfer.

As I mentioned yesterday one important feature of “my” kayak is that I don’t notice it when my attention is elsewhere. The Bahiya wants constant attention to be truly happy. It’s a hot summer fling more than a life time companion. I’d love to see a lower volume version with even a bit more height shaved off the back deck. I think might create a hot play boat and rolling machine.

What I did learn from this first P&H test paddle was that P&H construction is fantastic. I even took time to slip a camera up and under the combing to see what I could not see otherwise. There’s nothing sloppy or irregular about the construction. The hull thickness seems uniform and strong. I also took note that the hull turns up under the combing to support it which means I can do all my stupid pet tricks without fear. The test boat I borrowed has been around a bit so It inadvertently gives me a good feel for what a P&H kayak might look like in a year or two with regular use as well. There are no signs of spider cracks or fading in the gel. The hull has little flex when I move around and even the seat and backband seem no worse for a bit of age. Simply the quality construction alone encourages me to try more of their boats. I’ve been told to try the Capella 163 next as it might be more “me”. So let’s go find one…

If the Bahiya sounds more like YOU go here.. or here for more details.

Related Posts:

1. Capella 163, Cetus Revisited
2. Project Delphin
3. Construction
4. Strap On
5. Herb for my whine

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