Tahe Marine Wind Solo 505 By Ian Cheeseman I have to admit right now that I am a fan of the Wind 585, so I jumped at the chance to take the smaller Wind Solo for a day paddle last weekend. I wanted to know what would I gain from the smaller 5 metre hull form. Well, the quick answer is quite a lot given the big savings in initial cost. The Wind Solo, like most of the Tahe kayaks, has a narrow V hull form with soft chines and at 560 mm in width is somewhat narrower than most NZ sea kayaks. In this case there is little rocker which means maximum water line length and hence speed. The kayak with moderate primary stability and good secondary stability requires little effort to maintain good speed. It tracks very well without using the skeg or rudder and rails easily. Given the low hull form it is unlikely that the Solo will be greatly affected by strong winds. To put the speed in perspective I had no trouble leaving all the plastic sea kayaks behind. The Wind Solo may not be quite as fast as the bigger Wind 585 but it will be way faster than most of your paddling friends’ kayaks. The weather was calm last weekend so I can’t comment directly on rough water handling, but can see no reason why it should be any different from the larger 585 which handles well in all conditions. A comment based on the 585 is that in large following seas the tail gets pushed around more than would be the case with more rocker in the hull form. But this movement is easy to correct with either the rudder or the skeg and is a small price to pay for the added speed of the longer water line length. Manoeuvrability is fine with the skeg up. The Smart Track rudder works well and the foot rests can be adjusted while you are seated
in the cockpit. Always a nice feature when you are jumping into a new kayak. The hatch configuration and ease of use are great. The day hatch, which Tahe calls a mini box, is directly in front of you when paddling and is just so right. All sea kayaks should have one of these. Just the place to keep drink bottle, snacks and sunglasses at hand. The hatch interior is quite narrow but this means it does not take up much cockpit room. I personally found the cockpit roomy while still being narrow enough for my knees to lock comfortably into the side of the hull. The seat is comfortable though I should say that I always personalise my kayak seats. I added a few small pieces of extra foam in my personal 585 seat. It now has all day comfort. The hatch covers lock directly onto the hull with no neoprene cover to fuss over. As with all the Tahe kayaks the finish is first class. All the little details have been thought through, everywhere inside and out is beautiful. Just what you would expect from a large European manufacturer. The Wind Solo is a straight up touring sea kayak. It combines easy to maintain speed and stability with great comfort and good storage capability. Given the type of paddling most of us do around the New Zealand coast and in our lakes, this kayak has the right performance and features to suit how most of us paddle. If you are ready for a new sea kayak I suggest taking the Wind Solo for a test paddle. Like me you may find yourself the owner of a Tahe kayak. Editors note: Ian Cheeseman is the local importer for Tahe Marine and is an avid kayaker. These views represent his personal opinion. Larraine paddling the Wind 585 on Lake Pupuke
Factory Specials Composite Kayaks Wind Solo $3,490 www.canoeandkayak/windsolo
Seaspirit $3,290 www.canoeandkayak/seaspirit
Special Offer, Limited Time, Limited Numbers*
Wind Solo - Innovative, fast and stable cruising sea kayak with low V shaped hull for both speed & manoeuvrability. Length: 505 cm - Width: 54cm - Weight: Carbon/aramide 22-24 kg. Skeg+rudder.
Seaspirit - This kayak is designed keeping in mind stability and the easy manoeuvering. The kayak hull is designed with a shallow V-bottom with hard chine and flared sides, which will secure stable performance. Length: 520cm - Width: 56 cm - Weight: Carbon/aramide 22-24 kg - Retractable skeg+rudder.
Find out more and organise a demo paddle
More Specifications: www.tahemarine.com
Phone Great Stuff on 022 049 5434 or Canoe & Kayak on 09 476 7066 during business hours and we can discuss Tahe’s kayak range and sort out the most suitable kayaks to demo. * Offer open while present stocks last. Limited colours available. Distributed by Great Stuff Ltd. For additional information, www.greatstuffltd.co.nz or email greatstuffltd@xtra.co.nz
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Issue Sixty Five • Winter 2012
TAHEAD-MAY12
www.kayaknz.co.nz