I've been paddling my Halifax (sold as the Dagger Apostle in my area) for the better part of a year on inland lakes, the Mississippi river and Lake Superior here in Wisconsin. This is my first full-size sea/expedition kayak and here is what I love, and hate, about this boat:
First, lets get the bad out of the way. It's heavy. At around 70 lbs, the Halifax/Apostle can be difficult to load and unload from on top of my car, and can be pretty sluggish on the water. For reference, I also have a Perception Sonoma 13.5 and that thing could easily do circles around my Dagger. Dagger also really dropped the ball on design on these boats as well. While most boats sold under the name Halifax are monochromatic, every boat I've seen under the name of Apostle has this ugly 3-color paint job which makes it stand out like a sore thumb compared to nicer kayaks.
There is much more to this boat that I like rather than dislike, however (and hence the 5-star review). This thing is built like a tank. I have no fear seal launching it on steeper shorelines, and rest easy if I scrape on rocks in shallow water. The Halifax/Apostle also has phenomenal primary and secondary stability, which allows me to paddle with confidence any time of the year regardless of water temperature, assuming the water is ice free of course. The last thing, and probably my favorite thing about this boat is its carrying capacity. I have over-packed for 3 day/2 night trips and had room to spare in this boat, and I bet I could easily pack a week's worth of gear on longer trips without having to strap anything to the deck. My friends and I have nicknamed my boat "the barge" and it definitely fits.
Overall, I would recommend this boat to anyone who is looking for an entry-level sea kayak and isn't too concerned about weight or gracefulness.
Great kayak, managed to find…
Submitted by:
paddler235045
on 6/13/2013
Great kayak, managed to find one 2nd hand at a great price and in good nick. I plan to do the Hawksbury Classic in it this year (111 Kim's overnight) and I am interested if anyone knows the top speed of the vessel.
There is plenty of room in the cockpit and she tracks really well.
Fast boat. A bit heavy, but…
Fast boat. A bit heavy, but overall a very well made boat. I have had for 2 years now, bought used for $750, and ran into the original owner. Tracks well, and cuts through the wind and water fairly well. Seat can be a bit hard, but it could be my old butt.
I've had my Halifax 17 for…
I've had my Halifax 17 for about 5 years. This was my first kayak, and the only I've held onto over the years. At 70 lbs it's heavy, but it is very stable and easy to move through the water. There's plenty of room for gear, and the rudder makes correction effortless. The boat is very responsive, and lives up to my expectations. At then end of a 20 mile trip, I am still comfortable in the seat. As the boat is plastic, it takes a beating, but unlike a composite boat, I don't really worry about scratches. I can just sit back and enjoy the ride. I'm glad I got it when I did, as you don't find many of these around.
Excellent boat overall, bit…
Submitted by:
paddler233456
on 1/4/2010
Excellent boat overall, bit heavy but very easy to manage. Paddle mostly on the Missouri River in mid-Missouri. With the rudder down handles the unique boils of the river. Durable and well constructed. Great boat.
I've had my Dagger Halifax 17…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 3/8/2005
I've had my Dagger Halifax 17 for a couple of seasons now and truly like the boat. My paddling includes rivers and open ocean and the Halifax is very stable with tons of storage. It is a fast boat and I have no trouble keeping up with my fellow paddlers in their fiberglass kayaks. The rudder has made me lazy. I don't do much corrective stroking but just wiggle my feet and rudder takes care of strong currents and windy conditions. A big advantage is that it's not a kayak you have to fuss over. Rocky beachings or launchings are not a concern. Then, of course, there's the weight. But with the correct outfitting, it's a minor concern that goes away as soon as you hit the wet. I have hully rollers and a stern cart that makes it easy to get onto the pickup and down to the beach. I use it as my workout boat as well as my expedition kayak so you know that it has to be easy to load and transport.
I bought my Halifax used, but…
Submitted by:
paddler230485
on 3/29/2004
I bought my Halifax used, but none the less so far I've really enjoyed the boat. Being new to Kayaking I've found the boat very easy to handle despite it's size, and itt did real well even in the surf. In open water it really cruses nice and when you want you can really get it to move, and I never even dropped the rudder. Two things I don't like, one is the wieght 70lbs, it's a heavy boat to haul around. The other is the distance from the back rest to the rear of the cockpit, makes it hard to get that spray skirt on. But, overall I'm pleased with the boat.
I recently purchased two…
Submitted by:
paddler230365
on 9/20/2003
I recently purchased two poly. halifax 15.5. One for me who is 5'11" 190lbs and one for my girlfriend who is 5' and 100lbs.We love these boats. They fit us both extremely well,with just the standard adjustments to the thigh braces and foot pegs.We have used them in calm waters and in winds gusting to 40kms and found them to track straight and true without the rudder.I can't wait to see how they handle with a full load on an extended camping trip.I bought them in Ottawa at an end of season sale for $1200 each (regularly priced at $1700).After trying out many different kayaks these seemed the best buy for the money and by far the best looking and handling we paddled.I give these boats a TEN ,but i'll report back after a full season on the water.
I paddled my Halifax for 3…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 3/31/2003
I paddled my Halifax for 3 months down the Mississippi River. I loved it! The boat was very comfortable (the roomieness was essential when you're in the boat for 12 hours straight). Plenty of space inside and out for gear and the cockpit is spacious as well. I esspecially was impressed with the adjustable knee/leg braces so you can customize the fit to YOU! A very tough boat, after 2500 miles it's in great shape and ready for another run on the river.
I recently purchased a new…
Submitted by:
paddler228934
on 11/25/2002
I recently purchased a new 2003 dagger halifax from my local rei to add to my fleet of boats and fill the void of a large volume touring kayak. After shopping for a year or so to find a boat that would fit my 6'3" 255lb frame and still offer the performace i was looking for i was relieved to finally paddle a boat with as much room and performance as the halifax, the next generation atlantis. Not only did i find it to have enough room for my self, but i had room to strech and pack all kinds of goods in the cockpit. Although the boat was slightly slower than i'd like, it was fast enough to keep up with my friends eclipse and necky looksha iv. The boat edges fairly well and the poly hull seems to offer the durability and price i was looking for. On the down side it is a poly hull. It weights close to 70lb and you can fell it when you load and unload this mamoth from the top of your truck. With all of that exrta room i feel like i have too much volume inside and am scraficing potential porformance gains from a slightly snugger fit, but thats the trade off. I gave the halifax a 8 because it met all my expectations and would recomend it only to very large paddlers. I would even go as far as to say that anyone smaller than myself would be better off with a lower volume boat that gave a snugger fit. It is a great value and provided a better paddling experience that that of the eclipse, which had too high of a center of gravity, or the cape horn, which was comfortable in fit but was not as responsive.
I have been trying out…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 8/8/2002
I have been trying out different kayaks for many months now and have found the Halifax to be my favorite. It is very steady, cruises fast, and can handle plenty of supplies for extended tripping. It has an extremely comfortable cockpit which is essential for the long paddles I plan to take. The Halifax can easily accommodate larger paddlers. I am 6'2", 230lbs and fit comfortably. After trying out all the other touring kayaks in this category give the Halifax a try, it's an awesome boat! KEEPER KAYAK FOR LONG TERM!! Buy one anywhere you can, they're somewhat difficult to find.
This was easily the fastest…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 4/18/2002
This was easily the fastest kayak at demo day last weekend. While the wind and chop made the Cortez wallow, I flew straight and true in the Halifax without dropping the rudder. It has a high-volume cockpit which suited me fine. Some will think the deck in front of the cockpit is too high, but those who would pile lots of gear there probably aren't in the market for a plastic kayak anyway. This is the best touring tupperware I've paddled.
