Hatteras by Impex
Published March 16, 2010 | 
Sittin’ with the fat man
Tryin’ to get a loan
Talkin’ about horses
And the women that we’ve known
– randy newman
The Hatteras by Impex is 16 foot long and 22.5 inches wide. It looks wider. According to the website it is designed to be “playful” while not sacrificing tracking, and at the same time accommodate larger paddlers who may or may not know what they are doing in big conditions, while making them feel confident wherever they happen to be in their own personal “ability spectrum”. I think that’s the gist.
Maybe. I’d have to paddle it. It seems to me that we are far too often looking to provide beer gut room to big people, instead of understanding that weight does not necessary define body shape, ability or agility. The Hatteras just looks, well, big. Because I’m not a slim guy myself I often have guys asking me what size kayak to paddle. I tell them to be very wary of kayaks designed for the “husky gentlemen”. Often they hinder more than help. I find one of the biggest problems with “big guy” boats is simply too much volume. It seems manufacturers are often trying to create a boat that hangs up in the air with 4 stories between the water and the deck. Then of course they install a barcalounger in the cockpit as well. The cumlative result is that the paddler is sitting so high up in the air that they get top heavy and lose all stability. Then to compensate for that mistake, designers make the boats even wider. Yarg!
I’ve read some reviews of the Hatteras and maybe it is the great “larger paddler” sea play boat they say. Hard to tell these days since you’d be hard pressed to find anything but softball review in the industry (But that’s another story). If I get a chance to paddle one this summer, I certainly will. If it’s everything they say it, is I’ll come right back here and type with one hand while forking crow in my mouth with the other. But for the moment my first impression was simply this.. “Wow, is that cockpit big!”
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11 Responses to Hatteras by Impex
Hi Derrick,
I like the fact that they put a decent width cockpit on a 22.5 boat; I only hope they put in a wider seat base to match. When I got my CD Gulfstream (23.75 inches wide), I still had to cut out the seat and rebuild it to fit my hips and thighs. Stats wise, I am 6 feet tall, 250 lbs, 32 inch inseam, 40 inch waist, 53 inch chest, and no beer gut. There aren’t many boats I can fit into stock. Maybe instead of adding width to the boat “they” could figure out a way to hang different width seats to offer more options to differently shaped paddlers. As for the cockpit length, it is the same as the Gulfstream, and I can’t put my butt in the seat after a scramble and get my legs in (even without a backband) so I could see making that even a touch longer, although maybe a bit more keyhole shaped would be nice.
Mike
Hey Mike, I think you have great points there. For taller guys it’s often an issue of cockpit length and not so much width. Often the hull itself is way too wide, but the seat is not so accommodating. You would think there could be a modular system (Let me announce my trademark on this idea right now!! LOL!) where you could attach various seat plates to fixed hangers allowing for customization, while still offering a solid fit. It could work. WS seat system is a step in that direction but it still leaves out a lot of “butts”.
Hi, while I agree on the softball reviews, I am glad to weigh any opinion. It seems that Impex is following the standard MO.
Bring out the big one, (remember how wide a Cetus really is), and follow with a LV and finally a MV or small model HV ala Force line. With this MO the Hatteras to fit me is a few years out. To address the seat problem check out Kajak Sport. They have been offering and selling different seat sizes and interchangeability for a decade. While I am simultaneously, guilty of and amused by the 190 lb guys trying to cram there rears in the LV’s because the rear decks etc are to large on the big boats, I am anxiously waiting for pics, reviews, and info on the newest offerings. Hope to hear of the Force 3HV, Delphine, Cetus MV, and Point 65 Whisky 18. Thanks again for the writing.
one thing on the Cetus though, is that the fat rear-end is behind the cockpit and not actually where the paddler sits, which is what makes it handle in it’s own unique way.
Good points on the overall size of the boats. There are way too many oversized ones on the market and few that fit right without outfitting. I am 6′ and just under 180lbs with 33″ waist and I find that VCP Avocet fits me near perfect. VCP, on the other hand, advertises the boat for a 140lbs paddler. I also paddle an old ocean cockpit Nordkapp HS rated for someone roughly my size. That one is tough to get into but required about 2″ of foam under the fore decks before I could stay inside when being rolled by the breaking waves.
Personally, I think we should welcome wider cockpits as long as they don’t add volume to the boat! I am a relatively skinny guy. Not familiar with too many boats outside of VCP and NDK line-up. In my experience, their cockpits are too narrow! They fit right for paddling straight but, for me, as soon as you start edging the cockpit hits the hips and starts to interfere. I am not even talking about stuff like balance braces and hand rolling.
Seems to me that sea kayaking Gestalt is moving away from the notion of tight fit in the cockpit and toward the overall looser fit. You need some room for proper torso rotation, pedaling with the knees, and most definitely for edging, bracing and rolling. Traditional boats with their simple round cockpits have it right–you don’t need a lot of space between the gunwale and the cockpit rim! Some room to wiggle is both comfortable and not counterproductive.
What do you think?
Derrick, do you have any physical limitations? I’m an older kayaker, with legs that don’t straighten out or bend as much as they did before my motorcycle accident. I specifically chose an Impex Assateague because I could slide into its enormous cockpit. And many of the guys who try my kayak love the ease of entry.
At 6’1″, 210lbs, the seat fits me like a glove. Not so with the Force series or the Outer Island, or any of a number of other boats, I couldn’t even get in! I’m glad Impex and other manufacturers are making kayaks in a variety of dimensions. Kayaks are like shoes, they come in different shapes and sizes. Keep looking and you’ll find one that fits you. But don’t slam a particular model because it is not right for you.
BTW, Impex seats seem to be designed for easy removal (four bolts). Too bad they don’t sell various size seats so everyone can be as comfortable as I am!
SLB
Hi Dave, Certainly there are always special circumstances. Personally my issue with big boats is not cockpit size, it’s volume. I am certainly not “slamming” the boat. In fact I stated up front that I had not paddled the Hatteras. What I actually did was use this boat as a lead in and nothing more. The intent of the post is to question aloud a design process that assumes weight equals lack of agility or the need for insane volume. That is not always the case. And yes, I did take a swipe at the “all things to all people” marketing statements. They seem to be everywhere these days and simply don’t help buyers in the least. I’m sure you’ll agree that we should feel free to question and challenge the way things are done. I’m glad you took time to comment. I’m sure your thoughts will be helpful to some readers. Ultimately that’s the point of this blog.
Derrick,
I misspoke and should not have accused you of “slamming” the Hatteras. You were making very good observations from your perspective. Since the Hatteras is designed for larger paddlers, it isn’t your cup-a-tea. I totally agree that my Impex is huge, and once I’m inside, there is more volume in the cockpit than necessary, but unfortunately, I need that room just to enter! I’d like to paddle a tighter boat, once I find one I can get in and out of!!!
No problem. I’m constantly learning how much I don’t think about when I’m writing off the cuff. But it’s rarely my plan to slam anyone (other than pentax maybe, but that’s another story…) . But I’m always happy for civil debate…
I totally understand where you’re coming from too. I’m heavier but short, so most of the time I can fit comfortably in LV boats. Still, sales guys always haul me over to the big cruisers. 
Nice to see you big dudes have similar issues to us scrawny types when it comes to boat fit – and I can tell you from personal experience that there are probably more choices available in the larger end of the spectrum than the smaller when it comes to “serious performance kayaks”!! Anyhow, thanks God we’re not all the same….
Let me start by saying right away that the following story and observations relate to a complete novice kayaker, and the kayaks in the story are NOT perfomance kayaks. Volume in a kayak is not always a bad thing. A male student of mine showed up for an “Intro to Sea Kayak” class in a 14′ entry level touring kayak which he fit into easily. On an inland lake with maybe 6″ of chop at times, he was unable to stay upright. I had to rescue him 5 times in 1.5 hours and finally had to do a contact tow back to shore. He was devastated and thought he would never be able to kayak. I went home during the lunch break and grabbed a Perception 14.5 Carolina which had significantly more volume in the kayak. The student finished the class without capsizing again and thoroughly enjoyed the activity. Some people have a less developed sense of balance and will need a more forgiving level of volume, at least to get started. (Consider how many people struggle with skiing and snowboarding.) Guys, especially tall ones who carry most of their weight in the shoulders and upper chest, may struggle to stay upright in lower volume kayaks (minimal base of support). Not all heavier guys need boats that large, but there are always more beginners than experienced paddlers out there buying boats. It’s not unreasonable that manufacturers are going to cater to that market.