Capri Tour

I took the Prijon Capri out for a ride in 1' to 2' waves in fresh water on Lake Michigan. I don't know if the Capri was meant for this kind of weather, but these are my thoughts on the Prijon Capri:

NOT SAFE:, I don't think the Prijon Capri is sea worthy for anybody under any conditions unless an additional flotation bladder is added to the bow. The bow (front) has no buoyancy whatsoever, When I did a submersion test, the nose sank right down and was too heavy, when submerged to lift in order to evacuate water from the kayak. The back end does have a rear bulkhead so it will float like a fishing bobber while the nose sinks. If you own a Capri, I strongly suggest that you get a flotation bladder for the bow of the kayak.

WEATHER-COCKING: The Prijon Capri does a surprisingly good job in the wind. I did not notice any significant degree of weather-cocking.

POOR SECONDARY STABILITY: I felt that the Prijon Capri was pretty wobbly especially even in small waves.

TRACKING: The Prijon Capri does a surprisingly good job of tracking even in wind and waves. I did not feel the need for a skeg or rudder. The Capris cuts a straight line which is unique for a 12' boat.

AGILITY: Despite the Capri's ability to track a straight line, it is still pretty maneuverable. This is probably due to the short 12' length. Cutting tight turns by edging will require good paddle skills due to the poor secondary stability

NO DECK LINES: Often left of of recreational kayaks, the Prijon Capri also does not have functional deck lines. I would add these as a safety item.

SEAT/SADDLE: The seat-back of the saddle is clumsy with some kind of metal pegs that stick out and are supposed to fit into some grooves in the seat along with some elastic cables and webbing to secure the seat-back to the cockpit. The seat-back is not secure and falls down onto the seat when entering the cockpit. This could be remedied perhaps by post-purchase jerry-rigging something to hold the seat-back in place, but the problem is a poor design in the first place.

SPACE BEHIND THE SEAT: For some reason, there is space between the back of the combing and the rear bulkhead behind the seat. This creates a space for water to collect when evacuating water from the cockpit with the kayak upside down. In general, there are several design flaws that make water evacuation from the cockpit difficult and incomplete. This would make water rescues marginal at best with plenty of water remaining in the cockpit even after doing a complete and successful T-rescue.

HULL MATERIAL: The hull material is stiff and robust which is very good especially for a plastic kayak. It did not oil-can and it was noticeably strong when mounting on the car-carriers as it did not collapse or dent or deflect when putting it under strong tension from the straps.

CONCLUSION: My opinion is that the Prion Capri is a higher end recreational kayak with design flaws that should be left to the lower-end kayaks: most importantly the lack of a sealed bulkhead in the bow and the difficulty in evacuating water from the cockpit. It performs well for beginners on flat water, but would be have challenging stability issues for novices in choppy water.

Picked up a used Capri 2 years ago and have enjoyed it a great deal. It's light weight, stiff and very comfortable. I padded out the hull with some neoprene to make thigh/knee pads for better contact with the hull for leaning. No kayak is perfect and the rear hatch does leak, so it only rates an 8 on my scale but it is a fun river and lake boat.

I love this boat! I tried several 12' kayaks before making this purchase, and it's wonderful. Very stable-I've had it out in large waves (lake), class II rapids, and wind. It moves easily and responds quickly. I ultimately choose this boat because it's light enough for me to lift onto the car by myself (I'm a strong female). I'm presently looking to buy another Prijon. My only compliant is the small opening into the cockpit. But, that minor detail is not enough for me to give this boat less than a 10!

If there ever was a Swiss army knife of kayaks this is it; rivers, flat water, bays and ocean (w/experience) surf - it just performs.

I tweek mine a little by adding strips of minicell foam in the v under the seat and on the underside of the seat front 2" chunk to stabilize the loose seat issues and I also filed the thigh braces flat against the combing about 2.5" from the back to get a more comfortable shoulder carrying position plus I velcroed in a 7/16 foam seat pad.
Nice little boat!

Just want to follow up after spending a year with a Capri Tour. And because no one else has reviewed it yet this year. So far so good. The blow-molded plastic is tough; only minor surface scratches. Even demo Prijons I've come across don't have the deep gouges and fuzz. I've been using this boat mostly for advancing skills this year and a couple of day trips. The foot pegs and seat hardware have held up well. Nothing loosened up or fell out. One of the strings on the forward deck net broke, but I easily tied it back on. The only modification I made was to glue in 1/8" pads under the thigh braces to get a better grip with a wetsuit. Prijon's plastic and neoprene seem to repel each other. The rear hatch does let in a little water. After about an hour of rolling and capsize recoveries, there'll be about a cup of water to empty out. Speaking of rolling, the Capri Tour is easy to roll, as rec/touring boats go. It does require good technique, though. The cockpit is fairly deep and the rear deck is higher than on most sea kayaks so that discourages rolls that finish in a layback position. The Capri Tour goes fast enough to perform those Derek Hutchinson "Beyond The Cockpit" moves. High and low brace recoveries are good and the extended paddle lean turns are easy to do. As a day-tripper, the boat does very well. Tracking is great and there's little tendency to weather cock in the wind. The 24" width allows a good high angle forward stroke. I recently did a 15 mile trip on a nearby lake, and setting a comfortable pace, did it in 3 hours, 24 minutes. I'll still give it a 9 as a recreational day tripper.

Now, ready for a bad review on the Capri Tour? Nope. Won't find it here. I'll agree with the previous reviewers about the high quality blow-molded plastic used. It is stiffer, more scratch and gouge resistant than roto-molded linear polyethylene, as well as being a bit lighter. On the water, it's quite fast for a 12-foot boat and it tracks very well; no need for a rudder. Minor course corrections can be made by leaning it a little. Get it up on edge and it turns well. The hull is a shallow "V" with a hard chine and slight flare. There's a flat keel down the middle that's 9" wide at the middle tapering toward the bow and stern. Lengthwise, the hull has no rocker and has a long waterline for its length. Measuring the Capri Tour, it is a full 12 ft. long. The beam measured 24", rather than the 25" shown on the spec chart on Wildnets' site.

Also, you won't see it on the photo on their site, but the inner cockpit rim has a good set of thigh braces. They're not padded, but can be if desired. The seat on my boat is not padded and there's no cupholder. The contour of the seat is fine and I've found it to be better than some cushier seats. There's other ways to bring drinking water along. I'm 5'11" and 200 lbs. and the boat is a very good fit. Someone who's taller and wears shoes bigger than a 12 may be cramped. The rear bulkhead is watertight and the screw-on hatch works well.

Be sure all the threads are engaged when closing it so it doesn't leak. I've never rolled a kayak before but I was able to roll this one. I'm sure a more experienced paddler will find it easy to roll. In case of a swim, a paddle float re-entry can be very awkward, but a re-enter and roll is very easy. Even without a paddle. On the subject of self-rescue, the Capri Tour has no bow flotation whatsoever. A flotation bag that's 42"-45" long works well. The footpegs will hold it in place without having to tie it in. Stability is quite good. Not the rock solid primary stability like a lot of rec boats, but pretty good once you’re seated.

Overall, an outstanding kayak. Can't say it enough; be sure to demo as many boats as you can, but give this one a try if at all possible.

This is my fifth kayak and for this one I was looking for a sleek, fast, light and stable plastic kayak at about 12ft long.

To provide some idea of what I am using as my base for comparison, my other boats are an a 12.5ft Necky Cruiser SOT, a 14.5ft Wilderness Pamlico,a 18ft Cobra Expedition and an 18ft QCC 700 Kevlar/Carbon Sea Kayak.

I compared the Capri to the Necky Manitou, the Current Design Kestral, the Perception Acadia, the Walden Vista and the Dagger Blackwaters 11.5 & 12.5. All of these are in the same class by length, weight and price. The weights go from 37lbs to 53. Each is just different enough to attract a paddler who is primarily interested in slightly different things as most important.

For the reviewer below, the double line running in the cockpit fore to the bow, is intended to allow easy placement and retrieval of storage or float bags in the bow. It’s a simplified pulley rig.

I agree that no kayak should ever be purchased without paddling it first. Also, several similar boats should be paddled before a decision to buy is made. Sometimes this means going to several different shops because each carries only a few manufacturers. Also, local paddling clubs provide a wide variety of craft owned by their members on every paddle they schedule. Paddlers are nearly always willing to let you try their boat for a spin.

What sold me on the Capri were in the order of their importance to me:
Narrow boat less than 25" wide;
Narrow fore and aft for more streamline shape;
Smaller cockpit, just enough to do a cowboy entry and exit or pull the knees up to rest on long paddles;
Hatch that can be opened while sitting in the boat for calm rivers without firm banks and having a leisurely lunch;
Greenland style that has most of the length of boat in the water and not wasted on attractive upsweeps in bow and stern that add little but wind resistance;
The multichined hull, though I am not sure how much this added to the control of the boats stability.

In ten minutes on the water, I knew that this boat was a good fit for me both physically sitting in it and in the way it handled. I recommend this to anyone seeking a 12ft plastic boat. Try it, you may like it.

WOW, what a boat. Wanted mid size light vessel; studied Old Town Loon and Perception Sundance. Demoed the latter with the Prijon: no comparison, Prijon rules on all grounds. Hull is ThermoHTP (not rotomolded) thus is light and stiff. Feels more "substantial" than others. Smooth paddling and fast with great tracking rudderless. Cost about 20% more than rotomolded (my dealer says he cannot sell the Prijons because recreationalists want cheap rather than speedy and light). Pay over a thousand for fiberglass, or sixty percent of this for thermo-mold. Weight 42 lbs; find another 12 footer at this weight for under $999 and I'll eat my hat. Portage, storage, cartopping and stroking, weight, my friend, is EVERYTHING in 'yaking. I am very happy to have stumbled onto my Prijon. One caveat: if you are looking for a stable short tourer (ie photography equipment, fishing tackle, etc., DO NOT buy a Capri. Don;t care what they say, much less stable than standard rec boats like Loon and Adventurer (OT). You will have your gear at lakebottom if you try reaching out, moving in the cockpit, etc. Although I can bend my knees up in 'pit (ie ampple room), and the boat has fore and aft storage aplenty, it is tippy (thus light and fast--you make the call). Prijon details, like screw hatch on storage, seat cushions (plush), beverage holder, shock cords with screw downs, 'pit rim, carrying handles are heads above all rec 'yaks. German made, don;t you know. If you cannot afford a Benz, at least spring for a Prijon Capri (or the like). Nothing bad to say. I am 5'9", 165 lbs (agree with below, some reason the site states only for rides up to 18olbs or something; mine will hold anyone under 300lbs I would estimate. My son 9 yo loves it (and has not tipped it like his old man getting in yet-so kid friendly but not "horse-around friendly" as it will tip). Fast boat for size. Paddle: Bending Breeze, same cost as heavier Prijon paddle, lighter weight, recommended. NOw out t the water, laddies, out to the sea.

I have had my Capri for about a year now. I ordered it after demoing many Kayaks during a very large demo put on by appomatix river company. My wife went for a Necky SantaCruz. The demo they put on was perfect for finding just the right kayak. If you are in the market don't buy a kayak until after you have gone to a large demo and tried out many different models ... they all paddle suprisingly different ... you'll see.

We have gone mainly on lakes, and some kayaking along Pamlico sound off of the outer banks of NC. I love my 12' Capri. I am a beginner, but have had no problems staying afloat with the Capri when encountering wind, waves, or boat wake. It is a little tippier than most flat bottom rentals, or the wife's Necky, but I found balance comfort came very quickly. The Capri seems to be a very fast boat. For flat water lake use it is just great. I especially liked the more closed cockpit with knee support to really be able to control the kayak with hip and knee movements for turning. My wife preffered the more open cockpit of the Necky which allows her to pop her legs out for a stretch much easier. The Capri will handle waves, but the bow is not upswept so large waves will give you a good soak. The Capri shines on open, fairly calm water, where it is a sweet little red sportsyak.

I ultimately chose the Capri because it was very comfortable to sit in for me, I liked the molded knee braces on the cockpit for control, the boat seems much faster than other boats I tried -- it zips along, and the boat is a bit lighter (to carry to the water) and stronger (pressure molded plastic) than some others. My Wife's Necky was also on the lighter side ... we carry both of them together a ways to drop in. Consider weight my friends if you have to carry your kayak more than 50 feet to the water and you're not 21 anymore

After much more experience with kayaking and trying different kayaks after I bought my Capri, I'm even more sure that the Capri was the right choice for me ... it's a great little rec kayak.

Good stable kayak bought it because it advertised good for rivers. Seems very manuerable on flatwater. Good speed for me. Brought down rapids Class II ?? I think and flipped it twice. My inexperience is a lot of the blame not the boat but I do feel if I had my wider Lobo by Kiwi I would have had less trouble. I think the 12' with all the rocks were an issue for my inexperience. However, the dry hatch had my towel clothes etc. and guess what they were dry. I could use the towel the dry out the kayak and myself. Never thought it would stay dry seeing the boat basically sunk first time over. Second time it floated with me upside down. Had fun not looking to make a habit of this however. I still rate the kayak as good stability and manuerable in flat water and class I but I prefer wider boat for rapids.