Hi all,

I have got an excellent opportunity to swap my very good condition Riot Tekno with someone who is selling his carbon/kevlar Drakkar K55 also in very good condition).

Later today I'm giving the Drakkar a spin anyway but if there is anyone out there who could give me some more input, please do so.

My stats are:
length: 1.94 m (6'4")
weigh : 85 kilo's
inseam: 36"
feet: size 11.

I will paddle this boat mainly on my local pond (flatwater, this is Holland we're talking about) and occaisionally in the surf (sandy beaches etc., never hurt my composite Mega Marauder surfkayak).

If someone could compare this boat to the Fluid Medium Flirt (which I like also but it is slightly too small although I could get used to it). The K55 seems to fill the gap between the Large Flirt and the Medium Flirt (volumewise) so I was thinking this might be right.

Thanks in advance,

Michiel

So far I've tested the K-55 and although I like the general lines of the boat there's also some stuff I do not like about it.

Here goes what I've found so far:

Plus:
* the boat is big and has lots of room
* it's pretty fast.
* even for a big boat I could throw it around easily. I am not a very good playboater (yet ) but I could do almost the same tricks as in the Tekno. Once I've solved the trimming problem I guess I can do a lot more. If I do swap I will outfit it properly.


Minus:
* quality of workmanship: I found lots of bubbles, especially in the hull. This is not good. The sharp edges might not be a very good idea on a composite boat too, conposite boatse need more rounded edges so the cloth can flow easier.

* The seat was not very comfy and very hard. Lots of padding needed! Mind you, I am used to paddling composite polokayaks and the seats in those boats are a lot more comfy.

* I could not trim it the way I had to: the seat is in its foremost position but I need to move it another inch or so. This afternoon I'll try to find a solution to this problem (have some ideas that might work out).

General remark:
* Although the boat is said to be carbon kevlar this applies only to the hull. The deck is glass and the resin probably polyester. This is not much of an issue (most boatbuilders do this) I thought I should mention it. The fact that this is a former demoboat shows that Drakkar is at least honest: what you see is what you get. No super hightech layup for a demo and a cheaper one for production models.


Watch this channel fior more adventures of the K55 on the flat