Description
So the Orca has been out of print for quite a
while. and these boats have been polarly
loved and hated over time. As I see it, the
issue that P&H had was to try to sell this boat
as a simple, comfy, paddler for everyman. lt
isn't. Take a look at the hard chines and the
higher rocker of the hull. Note the high sides
and big volume bow. This thing likes waves
and surf and splashing around. lt also likes a
bit of weight. Hard chined plastic hulls aren't
that common, and P&H's triple ply hulls are
bomber. The tradeoff (by design) is that the
boat is a bit twirly without the rudder which is
great for play. Not great for speed. Also, hard
chined boats can surprise those coming from
soft edged or round hull boats (see previous
reviews).
Bottom line - super fun and reliable in the
rough, indestructible and lively but not for
everyone.
(These almost never come up for sale used, but I would grab up a second if I could find one.)
The Orca 16 is a new boat from P&H. With a
length of 15'3" and 23" wide, it's made of
tripleJayer polyethylene, which makes it fairly
light at 52 pounds, and stiff as well. The Orca
has the same rubber Kajaksport hatch covers
as its bigger brother, the Capella, and so far,
I've had no water in the bulkheads.
Compared to the Capella, this boat has more
initial stability and is designed rnore for flat
water and daytrips, although the bow and
stern compartments have room for plenty of
storage. Boat tracks very straight, even for a
new kayaker like me, and takes edged turns well.
