Raptor G1

Purchased new for Kayak fishing on the Delaware Shore. The owner designer was good to work with and I picked up my boat at the PA factory location (now in WA). The reason for a moderate 2 rating is the kayak wind cocks severely in high winds (common here in my area) making it difficult to hold a course and make turns or course corrections into the wind. I called about adding on the rear skeg and was told it would probably be insufficient with the winds here. Instead, the manufacturer suggested mounting a homemade skeg on the front of the boat with wood mounts. Not what I expect from a new product. I must limit my use to calm days or protected waters. Forget it when winds reach 15 mph+. I should add I have canoed and kayaked for 20 + years and never encountered a design with this severe of a wind cocking problem.

I am a disabled veteran, I was injured in service in 2011 and I am now in a wheelchair. Since my injury I have been looking for a quality kayak, that is stable and comfortable yet reasonable in price. I started out with a Perception, I then moved up to a Wilderness Systems Tarpon. Nice kayak just not comfortable enough for me. The next kayak I had was a Jackson Coosa. This was a stable and comfortable kayak however it weighed to much for me to handle alone. That's when I came across the Santa Cruz Raptor.

I have to say for the money the stability and comfort are unbeatable. I was also very surprised with the weight of the Raptor at just 66lbs I am able to handle the kayak without any problems especially with the cart dolly. The Raptor is not a sharp turning kayak but what you lose in maneuverability you more than make up for in comfort and stability. Besides, for an angling/fishing kayak, being able to turn on a dime is not that important to me.

Basically for me the Raptor checks all the boxes... light weight, comfortable, stable, and economical!!!

There are faster kayaks out there (Necky Manitou). There are more stable kayaks out there (Hobie pro angler). But if you want the best compromise between the two... this is it. This is probably the fastest, easiest paddling yak that you can stand up in!

I use a Raptor both offshore and in the salty bays of Diuth Texas. The boat meets or exceeds all expectations. When not overloaded by extremely large (over 350 or so) yakker the boat is dry with the high boat type seat! Getting wet is part of kayak fishing. If a person expects to stay dry on the water, fishing they should get a large boat.

Works very well thru surf, and tracks good even in wind. I would recommend this boat to any user.

I own two Raptors, and I love them! After extensively paddling several major brands offshore for several years I was introduced to the Santa Cruz sit on top and was immediately impressed.

I paddle 200-250 miles offshore every season along the choppy Texas coast, and I can tell you that this kayak is perfectly suited to offshore paddling and fishing. I'm a big guy at 6'4" and 240lbs, but even with my gear and 60lbs of fish in the bag, the kayak tracks and paddles better than most yaks. When it's time to run back through the surf, I know by experience that the Raptor will keep me stable and upright as I make my way back to the sand. The stated weight capacity had me concerned when I first paddled the Raptor, but I quickly realized that I was near (or sometimes over) that number and the boat still handled well. Some kayak manufacturers overstate their carrying capacity and some understate it. The Santa Cruz Raptor is able to comfortably support every claimed pound and then some, within reason.

The split rear of the kayak is the source of its fantastic stability. The "pontoons" are designed to reach several inches into the water to provide solid tracking, and I have found that it also does something very useful in the wind. When you stop paddling, the kayak turns to drift with its nose pointing downwind. This allows me to drift baits behind the kayak without bothering to adjust the kayak with the paddle. I just paddle upwind of a structure, deploy baits, and drift past as my baits are passed in front of the fish. It works great and I have not found another kayak that allows this attitude while wind drifting (unless you deploy a drift chute).

The center pod that is available allows for plenty of storage between your knees, and the Comfort seat option makes even the longest days on the water comfortable. I have paddled for 18 hours (except for a couple of breaks to heed nature's call) and when I came ashore I wasn't sore at all. After several years of searching I'm so glad that I found the best design yet for paddling and fishing open water! Try one out and see for yourself.

I have had the pleasure of padding the Santa Cruz Raptor for the last year now and I have to say by far these yaks have been the most user friendly and well equipped yaks on the market. At first glance you wonder why would it have such a strange looking design. Well after years of engineering Jim has hit the head on the nail. The slim line front end is designed with a wave piercing bow and the rear with the dual haul really gives you the extra stability needed when standing or paddling ruff seas. Recently I lent one of mine to fish a extreme kayak tournament on the east coast of Florida. I gave him specific instructions for launching and riding into the shore in the surf. Upon his return he was so stoked of how the yak handled the ruff seas and informed me he was one of the very few that could go out or come back in threw the surf without having to swim in. Most of the other yaks had to swim there boats out or got turtled in the surf. These yaks have been tried tested and true for the last year and i proudly endorse Santa Cruz Kayaks and Jim Martin. Thank you for your dedication to building such a great product.

the boats design is inventive and practical. I am always a fan of products that go against the current and this is definitely one of them. There is no good reason more companies have not adopted a split hull design, save for convention.

My main complaints are that the gaskets are junk and don't cover the whole space (I will be replacing mine) and that there is limited access to the rear hulls. A 4-inch hatch is the maximum size allotted. It would really be great to put some big items back there for camping trips and such, as there is almost 2x the storage of the front hatch.
Modifying a 48-60qt cooler is probably your best bet for the space behind the seat. No need to settle for a milk crate anymore! I am even thinking about building a second swivel-seat attachment for mine. The possibilities are really endless with the amount of deck space you have here.

I recently purchased a Santa Cruz Kayaks Raptor SOT after many e-mail discussions with the owner of Santa Cruz Kayaks, Jim Martin. I watched so many videos, and read so many reviews, while I was in Florida last winter, that I just had to have one. If there are any negative reviews out there by people who actually own, or have paddled, a Raptor, I haven't seen them.

I have been paddling on a fairly small lakes in pretty smooth water sometimes with a fairly stiff breeze. I have noticed very little wind resistance and the Raptor tracked beautifully and is very quiet on the water. It is a longer yak than the sit-in I have been using the past two years, by a foot, and I felt it was a little slow to turn compared to my sit-in. I haven't paddled my Tarpon for a few years so can't compare to that. After using my Raptor a few times, I don't feel that anymore. Unfortunately, since I brought one home, the weather has been nasty on the east coast and we have only been able to get out and fish six or eight times, on a couple of different lakes, but I love the Raptor. It is very stable and easy to get back into from hip high water. Being an older female, and a little out of shape, I might have trouble getting back in from deep water but plan to rig something up that I can quickly get to, and snap between the pontoons, that I can step on if I need to. If I have difficulty getting back in from deep water, it's because of me and not the Raptor. The yak is that stable!

I love fishing out of the Raptor and it is so easy to paddle with the narrower front profile and easy to sit sideways, backwards, stand up, just about any way you want without any indication that it is going to roll/turtle. My husband paddled it with me sitting on the tank well with my legs dangling off the back. Another thing is that even weighing 62 pounds, which is unbelievable to me that it weighs that much, I can handle the Raptor on land, and it is easy to load. Carrying my half from the pontoon end (two hands), or shoving it up an embankment by myself, is easy compared to using one handle on the other yaks. Because of the way it is designed it seems very well balanced and doesn't want to get away from you when loading. I can't wait to get the Raptor on the water in Florida next winter or sooner.

I have been rigging the Raptor with mostly RailBlaza accessories and a few Scotty that I had, and some GearTrac tracks. Very versatile. Right now, I'm using a crate but there is a live bait tank that is available and fits right in the tank well with an Atwood pump. I may be tempted to get one to have on hand. I also installed the 4" hatches, in the rear recesses on the pontoons, designed for that. Gives good access for securing accessories, to get something out that has slid back, and to carry small items in the available pouch. There is a lot of available storage and you can easily carry rods inside the hull. The "glove box" in front of the seat area is great for storing all those small items you want easy access to.

I remember when everyone said that the number one peddle kayak would never become popular; if people will give this Raptor SOT, or sit-in, a try I think they will be very pleasantly surprised.