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Greenlander

46–48
Weight (lb)
discontinued

Greenlander Options

  • 48 lb
    MSRP $3,110

  • 46 lb
    MSRP $3,565

    This Product Has Been Discontinued

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    Greenlander Description

    The Greenlander is a kayak brought to you by Nigel Dennis Kayaks, Ltd.. Read Greenlander reviews or submit your own review to share with the paddling community. Check out a few other kayak recommendations below or explore all kayaks to find the perfect one for you!

    Nigel Dennis Kayaks, Ltd.
    Greenlander Reviews

    Read reviews for the Greenlander by Nigel Dennis Kayaks, Ltd. as submitted by your fellow paddlers. All of the reviews are created and written by paddlers like you, so be sure to submit your own review and be part of the community!

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    5

    I've had my Greenlander now…

    Submitted by: guest-paddler on 7/23/2009
    I've had my Greenlander now for three years. Overall excellent boat. Heavy to carry. Boat is very fast, can just hit 7 mph (on GPS) and can comfortably hold 5.5 mph. Boat is wiggly sitting still when empty but very stable once moving. Ocean cockpit is really nice, takes maybe 15 minutes to get used to it. Always gets attention on the beach too.
    4

    Update to review below: I just took this boat on a trip along…

    Submitted by: guest-paddler on 7/30/2007
    Update to review below:

    I just took this boat on a trip along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, a 3 day paddle from Munising to Grand Marais. I was always comfortable, after padding out the standard composite seat, it's never been a problem (but I seem to have a high tolerance for seat time). I was able to load the boat for a long weekend, had some extras like 3 pairs of shoes, a spare shorty wetsuit, spare filter and stove; along with 1 person tent, sleeping bag, first aid kit, clothes for cold and warm weather, food, assorted gear, and water bottles, and I still had about 1/2 cf of space.

    Two things I rediscovered after having a chance to paddle other boats loaded: this boat really does well loaded, longer water line helps it track better and it felt like the limits of secondary stability were further. Also - it is a hoot to paddle in following seas. Reasonably fast.

    As I mentioned before, it is a bit of a challenge to turn in conditions but after picking up the technique it's pretty easy, and makes turning other rockered boats an afterthought.

    4

    I’ve had my Greenlander for…

    Submitted by: paddler231838 on 10/10/2006
    I’ve had my Greenlander for over 5 years now. This was my third kayak; my previous boat was a necky looksha sport, and I wanted something with more speed and space that could make pace in rough conditions. I disobeyed the cardinal rule and bought it without testing due to a great purchase price and a few testimonials. Mine is without skeg, with a day hatch and ocean cockpit. I paddle mostly in the great lakes, and love to get out in flatwater and in challenging conditions.

    NDK have a mixed reputation when it comes to QC, but my Greenlander was well-made, with the exception that it had a small bubble near the hull/deck seam, which I repaired with epoxy. Other than that, finish is good, the gel coat has taken a beating and still looks great and the boat seems to be very stout for a fiberglass kayak. I’m about 5’9” and 175#, and I find the fit comfortable, but had to pad out the cockpit for good contact. I know some others find the NDK and Valley seat buckets uncomfortable but I have no problem with the seat and backband. I’ve paddled 25 milers and come out feeling pretty well. All hatches seal watertight.

    When I first paddled this boat I expected it to be a bit unstable. I was surprised to find it fairly stable, and I can use it as a photography platform in flat to moderate conditions. In rough conditions the hard chines make for a jumpier ride than a soft chine kayak, but it’s something you adjust to and even in very rough conditions it makes me feel connected. It tracks well with such a straight keel, weathercocks somewhat in strong quartering or crosswinds but is easy to keep in line with a bit of a lean. OTOH, it takes a lean to turn it but once leaned it really carves turns nicely, and combined with a gentle stern rudder or bow rudder it doesn’t lose much speed through the turn. It took me awhile but I can edge balance it now to a point where I can pivot it pretty sharply. However, it’s a bit less maneuverable than a shorter kayak or one with more rocker, and can take some care to turn in rough quartering seas. Learning my first roll in this boat was a pleasure. It feels fast in all conditions, paddling into surf and steep swells is a wet ride but by no means unsettling or uncomfortable. Paddling in following seas and surf is a blast in this boat; it can catch almost any wave. It will slowly start to broach if you let it, but a strong stern rudder can correct that.

    This kayak is listed as low volume but I don’t find it so, and can pack enough gear for a week to two week trip, but I’m also a backpacker. Any shortcoming in space it may have as an expedition kayak is worth the extra speed and/or ease it provides. As a day boat playing in rock gardens it may be a bit large, but having said that, I often use this boat for day trips for the distance I can cover and the conditions it can endure. I have taken friends out and let them paddle my Greenlander and they all loved the speed and ease. I will probably keep mine for as long as I can paddle.

    My advice for anyone interested in a Greenlander is to inspect it well and if possible to take it for a paddle. I found it to be a great learning platform and would recommend it as such for paddling flatwater or rough conditions, day or extended trips.

    4

    Finally got my custom…

    Submitted by: guest-paddler on 9/7/2006
    Finally got my custom Greenlander delivered from Nigel and crew and what a beauty!! Black over yellow hull with foam seat, no footpegs and the new NDK kinkless skeg setup. Nice!

    Took it out finally just to try it out and found it very responsive and quick to turn with the slightest shift in weight. After paddling my Outer Island, this boat cuts cookies in the water!

    As to fit n finish, my custom placed bulkhead was too tight a fit so am having it fixed now (maybe my fault) but have to add that the addon keel strip and finish of the boat is super. Also, this has got to the THE LIGHTEST standard fiberglass layup NDK boat I have ever lifted!! I am thinking it comes in about 50lbs with keelstrip.

    Will write another review once I take it into rougher water and work on my rolling at Delmarva XVIII. Till then, must mark it an 8 (though the finish and quality is 10)as the review is yet incomplete!!

    More to come!!

    5

    Follow-up Review from 2004: I…

    Submitted by: paddler230448 on 4/10/2006
    Follow-up Review from 2004: I paddled this boat regularly, and it really grew on me. This boat is fast. Even through headwinds and chop, the speed is there. I can imagine the Inuit hunters trying to catch seals in these conditions - and all the years they evolved the kayak to what the Greenlander is. With the invention of ultralight hiking gear that compacts into small spaces, you can pack this low volume boat for longer trips (1 to 2 weeks around fresh water sources). I also purchased a tuliq (an inuit kayak jacket that attaches directly to the cockpit rim) and an Avataq (a hunting float/rolling aid) from Brooks to finish the outfit. Of course I use a wood Greenland paddle, and a “Storm Paddle”. All this coupled with the Greenlander creates an unforgettable kayaking experience. NOTE: Nigel Dennis changed its name. It is now “Sea Kayaking UK”. The Greenlander is my first - and last - sea kayak.
    4

    The Greenlander - as its name…

    Submitted by: paddler230448 on 1/9/2004
    The Greenlander - as its name implies - is a kayak which is heavily based on the early Greenlandic design. From its circular cockpit to its 45 degree “tail” this kayak is not only a work of art, but it is also very well designed from a template that is well over 300 years old. Mine came with a rope skeg, wooden spacer “beads” and bulkheads both fore and aft. It uses the round rubber Kajak Sport hatches to keep the water out, and I had special round skirt made. As for performance, it handles both rough and flat-water very well. Given more than three centuries of tweaking and tuning, this Inuit-inspired design really shows what it can do in both the speed and rolling categories. My boat did not come with foot-pegs or thigh-braces - when Nigel Dennis said “traditional” they meant it. I later added foam against the front bulkhead so my feet had contact for bracing, and after that, I discovered it could be rolled without any other added padding. The rope skeg is very useful, since this boat has some tendency to weathercock with the absence of gear or other ballast. The hard chines gives the Greenlander good stability for its width, and this boat cleaves through the water with the lightest of strokes. All that aside, this is not a boat for everyone. Unless you are really set in classic style padding and design, you should try this kayak before buying.
    4

    I am new to sea kayaking and…

    Submitted by: paddler229431 on 8/27/2001
    I am new to sea kayaking and my second- hand fibreglass greenlander is the first boat I've owned. I've had it for a year now, and used it in a variety of sea and lake conditions, though none really rough. It's narrow dimensions and round cock pit provide the best fit (as a wee female) of any kayak I've been in, with the added advantage of not taking in much water during capsize. It is very fast, making me appear to be a better paddler than I actually am, and enabling me to keep up with (or leave behind) most people I've paddled with. It seems to handle better when loaded, especially in wind. Probably due to my inexperience I do find the tendancy to weathercock in wind a bit tricky at times, and the skeg is invaluable for this. It's very stable, and seems to surf well, a little too well at times! The only poor point are the rubber hatch covers, which despite all efforts to treat properly, appear to let in bit of water after prolonged drenchings. It certainly attracts a lot of attention and it's traditional style is a treat for the eyes!
    5

    I own both a Greenlander and…

    Submitted by: paddler228506 on 3/21/2000
    I own both a Greenlander and an Artic Hawk and have paddled anumber of Greenland style boats in a variety of coastal conditions. I love my Greenlander, especially the round cockpit. It's fast, responds well for along boat to hip steering and can handle any conditions in you rcomfort zone. I have personally paddled it 15' swells with 25 mph winds during El Nino conditions. I have the skeg option but rarely use it. I don't find the Greenlander's tendency to weathercock slightly to be difficult to control. BUT... It's not as fast as the Hawk nor as predictable in really rough conditions. I just have more fun in the Greenlander.
    4

    Here is a boat with enough…

    Submitted by: paddler228282 on 9/15/1999
    Here is a boat with enough elegant (read simple) innovations to make it interesting to ANYONE who paddles. The angled CIRCULAR cockpit REALLY works, you've got to try it to believe. The ultra low and clean rear deck makes layback rolls a piece of cake. The small cockpit ensures enough deck coverage that you won't fall out of a roll when you wanted to stay in the boat. Make sure to get the skeg to combat weathervaning. Long enough waterline to let you catch up to anyone you are chasing. Excellent balance between tracking and maneuverability. My only percieved shortcoming is the "indexed" roll behavior which I find very unsettling. In rough weather the boat transitions very quickly from one chine to the other rather than rolling smoothly. Perhaps this is an inescapeable hard chine phenomenon.
    4

    The Greenlander looks…

    Submitted by: paddler228092 on 5/17/1999
    The Greenlander looks different than most kayaks. Instead of smooth flowing lines and compound curves, it's all angles and creases, which takes some getting used to. Buy this boat for the wonderful hull design, and not the esthetics. This kayak loves big water. It is fast on flat water, but seems to come 'unstuck' when paddling into waves, and just zooms. The fishform hull is great for surfing in following seas. When paddling lightly loaded, the designed-in tendency to turn into the wind and waves is too strong for my tastes, requiring constant correction (I don't have the optional skeg). A Greenland-style paddle is highly recommended. All in all a very distinctive, graceful, nimble craft that will have other paddlers eating your wake!
    5

    The Greenlander designed by…

    Submitted by: guest-paddler on 3/22/1999
    The Greenlander designed by Nigel Dennis in Wales is a fast Inuit-styled hard-chined kayak. The most striking thing about the kayak is its round cockpit. It is the kayak on the beach that gets the most attention from curious onlookers. On the water it performs amazingly well in rough conditions and is a joy to surf. Being narrow at 21 inches, the boat is an easy roll. I have yet to reach the boat's top speed. However, the Greenlander always seems to want to give more. The only thing holding it back is the energy of the paddler. For those interested in a fast Inuit-styled kayak for expeditions, this is the boat for you!
    Greenlander
    by Nigel Dennis Kayaks, Ltd.
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