The Riot Enduro 12 Angler is the second half of our kayak purchase. It was a bit of trade off in that we got the most kayak for the money we had after buying the Riot 13 edge.
The only negative, which could be a positive for some paddlers, is that it floats like a cork. With a flat bottom, the Enduro goes more OVER waves, than punching THROUGH waves. However, this boat will be far more often on flat & semi-turgid water.
A big plus is Leg Room Galore! For my 6 foot 2 inch frame, this is important. Not only did the foot pegs extend to a more than adequate length, but the width plus flat bottom gave it a very comfy feel for the all-day paddler.
Other points include...
- Skeg up means ultimate maneuverability. After a few hours practice I could spin this on a dime, skull sideways, pirouette, etc.
- Extra buoyancy of a flat bottom also gives you great clearance. I have taken this into 6-8 inch deep marshy areas where the paddling is nearly impossible; but I was not bottoming out.
- Skeg-down means great tracking in up to about 1 foot chop. Any taller water will start to throw you around a little; as the boat tends to ride over & not punch through waves. But it was probably not optimized for the conditions I put it in: Large lake with a current & high winds.
- Dual, sealed bulkhead hatches assure good storage & extra buoyancy if you flip.
- High side-rails help with taking waves to the side. The well designed front deck drains away water in concert with the tall-ish bow. Other than the occasional intentional flip (rescue practice) I have never had to pump this boat out.
Overall, this would be a very good first boat for the rec\\crossover enthusiast. Fishing aside, this is a very stable "safe feeling" boat. It will probably ultimately be handed down to one of the kids as my skills improve and\\or I head for taller chop & surf. But for the money, if you want a drop-skeg & don't mind a slightly roly-poly experience in larger chop, buy it!
