Old Town Canoe Vapor 10 Kayak

I just bought two of these boats and took one out for a paddle today for two hours. I am an avid kayaker and have built and owned several kayaks so I thought I would write a quick review since I did not find any myself.

The Vapor 10 is at least as fast as a sit-on-top kayak of around 16 feet. It is not as efficient as a touring boat, but that is to be expected as a result of its length. This boat fits in the bed of a standard 6 foot pickup truck and with the tail gate down, it hangs past the tailgate only about 12 inches so it is no problem to transport.

The kayak is light and one person can easily throw it on a shoulder and walk it 100 yards down to the beach with paddle and life jacket. The handles are sturdy and great places for tie downs.

The boat is well constructed. The plastic is not as thick as the $1,000+ boats, but it is adequate. There are two cup holders, one in the front and one in the seat between the legs. The seat is okay in quality, not as good as the expensive kayaks, but that is also to be expected.

The stability of the boat is excellent. It has very good initial stability and excellent secondary stability (the more you lean over the more stable it feels). It is a good platform to fish from and great for all level of paddlers. I would imagine that class II white water and small wave surfing would not be a problem, however in my opinion, it does not have the skin thickness to handle large impacts in white water repeatedly.

The boat maneuvers very well. Better than sit-on-top kayaks and much better than longer touring kayaks. It tracks strait when not paddling in no wind, no current. When the wind comes up, it tends to turn into the wind similar to touring kayaks.

The cockpit is so large that I took my five year old for a ride as well and he sat in a camping seat near my feet with his legs extended into the bow. He was very comfortable and so was I. It is a great boat to take kids in before they are ready for their own. The stability of the boat adds to the comfort level with taking kids. The nose does drop a little with 40 pounds up there so the ride is just slightly wet in light chop. By myself, the ride is dry. According to the manufacturer, a spray skirt will not be available until sometime in 2010.

The boat can carry enough gear for an overnight trip if needed. The interior room is certainly large enough for day paddling.

The interior has Styrofoam supports. Be careful that a child does not take his shoes and grind on the support in front as it will start to flake with excessive rubbing.

For the price, this is an excellent boat. Beginners and families will have a great time with this kayak. Intermediate and advanced paddlers might like it for its ease of handling, maneuverability, and ease of transport.

Pro's: Stable in the water for both entry and moving. Tracks true. Seat is comfortable for 4-5 hours until fatigue sets in. I think that's pretty good. Price of the kayak is affordable for the quality. Rod holder mounting sites aft of seat.

Cons: Weight. Very difficult to handle (out of water) solo. No drain ability. No plugs at all.