Talon

I first spotted a Talon at a symposium in the winter and it reminded me somewhat of my long lost Nigel Foster Legend in that it had hard chines and a fine entry line. So I arranged with the company to paddle one for kicks. Out came my checkbook real fast. It is NOT like the Legend as it's a lot lighter and more stable.

Holding an edge is effortless and cruising speed seems faster although I can't quantify that for sure. One thing I thought I would not like is the cockpit rim sits very high on the paddler which I thought might be in the way of my paddle stroke (low angle Greenland stick) but it wasn't. What the higher coaming did do was make snapping on a tight spraydeck REAL easy! Rolls were almost automatic although I'm sure those that favor lay backs will gripe about the height of the coaming hitting their back. Not me-I favor a combat c-c.

The Talon curiously didn't have carry toggles which makes for a super clean look but I'm taking the boat back this winter to the builder to have them added. My Talon is a legit 44 lbs and balanced perfectly. It cost me way less than the CD Caribou I was favoring and the company has been really great to work with.

I'd give it a 10 but I think there are a few tweaks that should/could be made like tethered hatches and a better back band. But while others are heading for China to circumvent environmental laws, its pretty cool to have something "Made In Michigan" by a small craft builder.

I purchased my Talon about four months ago. Since then I have been able to get about 20 hours of paddling in and detail my experiences with the boat here. Previously I have paddled a Capella and a Nordkapp.

The attributes:

• Shipping:
  After I ordered the Talon it arrived approx. two weeks later. I communicated with a Peregrine sales rep and choose to have the boat shipped directly to my house. It arrived packaged well and with no damage.
• Construction/Quality
  The construction and quality of the Talon by Peregrine is excellent. The boat weighed in at 48lbs, and was perfectly sealed. The finish was smooth with no scratches or dull areas. The skeg extends and retracts smoothly. The rubber hatches create a perfect seal on all hatch openings, though because they are new take a little work putting on. The Talon is a "Moderate Greenland" design where the chine is softened but the boat still has the characteristic Greenland shape. The boat also has a little more rocker than normal for turning.
• Comfort
  Since I routinely spend 2+ hours in a boat comfort is essential. I choose the Moderate Greenland style for a roomier feel (I'm 195lbs). The fit is perfect for my size, not too large, but also not too tight for a larger paddler. The thigh braces are located in a perfect position and create a snug fit for extra control over the boat. The fiberglass seat while light-weight is a little hard, so I took the added foam shipped with the Talon and adhered it to the seat for added cushioning. I would highly recommend this as it makes the ride far more comfortable than the factory fiberglass seat. Backrest provides support and is adjustable.
• Speed
  The speed of the Talon at over 17' long was not a problem, plenty of speed, definitely an open water kayak
• Stability
  The flatter and narrower hull on the Talon creates excellent initial stability and with practice has good secondary stability. For a novice kayaker however, putting on edge it’s pretty easy to go all the way over, after a while in the boat I mastered this and edging was easy.
• Overall Performance
  The Talon is fast, and has great stability. It is an excellent smooth water kayak (what I mostly use it for) and is harder to control in rougher weather and larger waves, and thus takes more practice. The rocker allows the boat to turn quickly when the skeg is pulled up and on edge.

In short the Talon has proved to be a high quality performance oriented kayak. Light and fast, it's a great overnight touring kayak for trips, or just going out for a day run. If paddled in rougher water it can be a lot of fun, but takes a little practice. I would highly recommend this kayak to anyone (like me) looking for an affordable, high quality, performance kayak.