Scroll down and you'll see my…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 1/10/2011
Scroll down and you'll see my review from 5-03-2004. Seven years later--I've now had my Pintail 15 years--and despite more sustained hard use, it's still solid and still my go-to boat when conditions will be challenging. Its longevity and condition are testimony to its great construction and good materials.
I purchased a demo 2007…
Submitted by:
JeffA
on 9/7/2010
I purchased a demo 2007 Pintail this spring and have paddled it in enough varied conditions to give it an objective review. A lot of the points made by other reviewers are very accurate. It is a fantastic rough water boat and is very fast in this type of paddling. But yes, it is a dog in flat water. The construction is first rate, but then again, Valley has always been one of the quality bench marks used by other manufacturers. I think that the best way to review this kayak is in the context of how it was designed. It has a lot of rocker, soft chines, flared sides and has the typical Valley "fish form" design. It is meant to paddle and play in rough water. It does this as good or better than anything else I have paddled. I am comparing this to the NDK Romany, P&H Capella, WS Zephyr, CD Gulfstream (close, but not quite as good) and others less playful. This kayak was made to surf, rock garden and play in very rough water. I have heard some refer to it as a bit "squirrely". The Pintail is a solid boat that responds very predictably and lets the paddler grow beyond their previous limits.
When I was researching this kayak, I found many reviews by folks who were in the light weight category of paddlers. 120-150 lbs. I am 6'1", 195 lbs and have plenty of room and paddle it with both "Valley" hull logos out of the water. I realized later that the reviews were from some of our British friends who had the peculiar habit of always paddling the kayak with 40 lbs of gear, even if only going out for some play time.
This kayak is definitely not for beginners or those looking for a ultra solid cruiser to take on the pond on calm sunny days. This is an ocean play boat. It takes some skill to paddle and it loves the rough stuff. It turns on a dime with a sweep stroke and some edge. It rolls like it genuinely dislikes being upside down. It surfs amazingly, but asks for the driver to know what they are doing. Valley no longer makes this as a production boat (too bad), but will still make one if ordered. This is a tried and true design and deserves a place in todays paddling community.
Is this one of the best "all around" kayaks.....No. Does it succeed in achieving what it was designed for.....ABSOLUTELY! For those of you who get excited about paddling when the waves kick up, for those who like to surf sea kayaks and those who use the coastal surf as a playground, the Pintail is an elite player among some very strong competition.
I've had my OC Pintail for…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 9/20/2007
I've had my OC Pintail for less than 1 year, and returned from a weeklong vacation in the Apostle Islands, in all sorts of conditions. I'm making my evaluation as regards to a tripping boat short of long expeditions.
The good:
I've never been in a boat that inspires such confidence in rough seas. Lots of forgiveness, a very loose hull (with the ability to trim it a bit using the skeg and balancing the load), lots of rocker. Feels fast in rough water; I like to say this is where it catches up to the other boats. I've never had problems keeping up with other craft in rough water. Padded out to fit me like a pair of tight jeans, it's easily trimmed and controlled with the hips. The gel oat is very nice, the layup is light but solid. I found it possible to cram a week's worth of gear inside.
The bad:
The factory backband in my '96 was inferior, I replaced it with an IR right away.
The gel coat finish is nice but I've some cracking at the bulkheads. The skeg arrangement needs work for this boat as a rock gardener and rough water boat. I'm looking for options here as I've kinked two cables already.
In flatwater with wind, the boat is a dog. And if you paddle harder you just get a larger bow wake to fight.
It needs a large oval front hatch, the tiny round hatch is insufficient.
The hatch screws are capped inside the hull with cap nuts - which come off the first time you try to cram gear inside. IMO these should be glassed over.
All in all, having heard the previous cautions regarding speed, I've no reservations using this as a week-long tripping boat in rough seas.
I picked up a used Pintail…
Submitted by:
akdmint
on 10/12/2006
I picked up a used Pintail earlier this summer. Keyhole cockpit and no pump. I fell in love with it paddling on a windy, wavy day. At 5'5, 120 lbs. it fits me much better than many other boats, however I am currently working on padding it out some more.
I have taken it on long day trips and a couple of overnighters. With a backpacker's mentality, there is definetely enough room for a weekend trip and I'm confident I could even get enough in there for a two week trip. The boat handles great with some weight in it. The dry hatches are a joy! Even after lots of rolling, they are still bone dry.
Easy to roll, edge, and manuever. If I want to go straight I do drop the skeg, and it does it's job keeping the boat on track.
It is not the fastest boat out there, but on a day trip with a couple of friends in faster boats, I was able to keep up and even get ahead when the wind and waves picked up. Fun boat to surf waves with!! And finally, it's a really pretty boat and ya' gotta love the compliments other people have when they see it on the water.
My Pintail followed eight…
Submitted by:
paddler231748
on 8/17/2006
My Pintail followed eight years in an Anis Acuta. So I'm sold on the Valley quality and heritage. The Pintail feels big after the AA, but I've always thought of it as a padsdling sports car on water. I roll it almost everytime I'm out, I ride waves downwind, play in surf, and do long point to points, all with equal eaze. Mine is all pistachio green done up in Kevlar, keyhole and foot-bilge pump. The AA was ocean cockpit, and I went to the keyhole for easier entry and exit and do appreciate that. But sometimes I miss the comfort and fit of the smaller cockpit. I think people should own both in life.
If you have a newer Pintail, beware of pushing the skep cable if the skeg is pinned in. The cable kinks and it must be re-wired (a small job for a skilled kayak technician). Happened to me, but the local Valley shop had it figured out. ( Yes, we have one!)
I'll never need another kayak unless I take to long camping expeditions, or need something under 40 pounds (mine is 48 lbs).
I've owned my old Pintail for…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 5/3/2004
I've owned my old Pintail for 8 years...and it was used when I bought it. It's had hard use in rough conditions and is still in great shape--testimony to the excellent construction of Valley boats. The performance characteristics of the Pintail have been well described by previous reviewers, so I'll only add two points. This boat is a joy in the hands of skilled paddlers, yet I've found that even novices feel comfortable in it, as long as they have the skeg down a bit. What really prompted my review, though, was the previous reviewer's perspective on the ocean cockpit. I disagree. The small cockpit provides enormous security in rough water--you won't get popped out of this boat unless you choose, and your spray skirt isn't going to implode on you under almost any imaginable conditions. Tough to enter? maybe at first--practice solves the problem. Tough to re-enter in deep water?--learn to roll reliably; if you don't come out, you don't need to get back in. And if you do come out--the small cockpit actually facilitates a re-enter and roll, and cuts the water load you'll take into the cockpit. It does take more work to take advantage of the little cockpit--but it's worth it if you want to venture out. This boat encourages you to challenge yourself!
Pintail is…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 4/26/2004
Pintail is perfect(figerglass, skeg, chimp pump); quick, turns perfectly, amazing in rough seas, beautiful to look at; only issue is ocean cockpit - in cold, rough weather its nerve racking entering / departing, thinking of keyhole in future.
For what this fiberglass boat…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 8/18/2003
For what this fiberglass boat is and tries to be, it succeeds admirably. It is thin, long and lightweight--which makes it fast. It has enormous rocker which means that after surfboards and jetskis and dingies it has the tightest turning ratio of anything on the water. This really came in handy when I accidently rowed into two sunbathing alligators up the local creeks around here. It has medium chines and a nice little flare down the bottom of the hull which gives great deep stability. I generally use about one quarter skeg to compensate the way all that rocker pushes around the bow and stern. Even with one quarter rocker down, the thing still turns on a dime. In addition I have learned how to quickly correct bow right pushing by leaning left an lengthening paddle shaft on the left and vice versa. This has become instinctive and I do it all the time. So I get great speed and possibly the best manueverability with this boat. I both surf kayak and go up narrow rivers and creeks with it. As my skills improve however, I am considering a longer boat, for more speed and with less rocker. My leaning/paddling technique will need to improve even more to rapidly turn a boat with less rocker. Even with the best skills, I probably won't be turning on a dime like with this boat. So, I am not fully convinced that I want to go that route. All in all, then, the Pintail is a great boat for giving both speed and manueverablity. The guy above was right, the only hardwear that sucks on it is the seatback, which is easily replaced. I am certainly extremely satisfied with this kayak.
It's all over the place…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 7/29/2003
It's all over the place without at least a bit of the skeg in the water, but then again I've never had a kayak that was as sweet to paddle. Rolls and turns easily, is fast enough to keep up with others on a trip, and is good in chop. It's not a good choice for a gear head who can't bear to leave anything behind. Given the low volume, you'll be leaving a lot behind. But I have a lot of trouble imagining why I would ever sell this boat.
An update on a previous…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 3/26/2003
An update on a previous review. I finally got to surf my Pintail off the SC coast. This kayak is so great at surfing that I think if you put a dead monkey in it and shoved it into the breakers it would surf flawlessly and come back for more. I cannot believe how well it performed. It made surfing extremely easy. I felt like a kid again. Reminded me of sledding back in PA where I grew up. Very nice experience. I wont be selling this kayak for a very, very long time.
The Pintail is the sports car…
Submitted by:
guest-paddler
on 12/6/2002
The Pintail is the sports car of sea kayaks. Edges absolutely forever, rolls nicely, and turns on a dime both loaded and empty. Reentry and rolls are fun. The British style fittings are first class except the backband. Pitch it and put in a Snapdragon backband. If you want to take it out for a week you better have a backpackers mentality as this is about as low a volume production kayak as you will find. I can turn this kayak twice as fast as any other boat in my club with the skeg up. I am 5' 11" & 160 lbs. This boat was made for a guy of my size. You really do wear the boat. It is at home as the conditions worsen. Loaded it feels extremely solid and tracks better due to the kayak sitting deeper in the water and the hull length being lengthened. The Pintail is not a good choice for most paddlers but it is still my favorite. Some people call it down right squirrelly. Not me. Mine has an ocean cockpit and I won't return to a keyhole cockpit again. Way to comfy. Someone once told me that British boats are designed by narrow hipped skinney legged British/Celtic men. As I am of that ancestory, sex and description I am overjoyed to have found such a great craft used at a great price. The only other sea kayak that I think I would ever want to own is a Valley Avocet. I recently sold my plastic Avocet to finance the Pintail. Very sad to have to give up such a fine craft. Other quality boats are out there, but these two fit my smaller male frame and style best. Now I have to build a beautiful Greenland Paddle to compliment VCP's outstanding kayak. I plan on keeping it a long time.
The Pintail really is a…
Submitted by:
paddler228472
on 8/8/2002
The Pintail really is a paddlers boat. What it lacks in volume it more than makes up for in FUN!
If your goal is relaxed trips in sheltered waters there are a number of designs capable of the task.
If you like the challenge of big water, surf or rock gardens the list will get considerably smaller and the Pintail will soon be moved much closer to the top of that list.
VCP Pintail is excellent-from…
Submitted by:
paddler229444
on 9/4/2001
VCP Pintail is excellent-from calm waters, to heavy wind, it handles perfectly. Turns on a dime; skeg helps tremendously in windy conditions; great looking boat; it is a bit heavy to carry long distance-kevlar may help.
I'd second what the previous…
Submitted by:
paddler228766
on 7/23/2000
I'd second what the previous reviewer stated - it does handle rough water very well. I know the hatches seem small to Americans - but I have no trouble fitting in all my kit for 2 week unsupported trips... just leave the barbie at home!
Make no mistake, I love my…
Submitted by:
paddler228392
on 12/16/1999
Make no mistake, I love my Pintail. I just happen to think that the ratings are a little inflated on this site. Although you probably already know about this boat, let me give a quick description:
This composite boat has a 17'2"length, 22" beam, and 12" depth. The hull has a generous amount of rocker and has a retractable skeg to aid in tracking.
It has a decent amount of primary stability though it is not my first choice for a photography platform. The secondary stability is excellent. This has saved me when I have made some poor braces on occasion. What does this mean? Well, it is sometimes harder to relax in the boat, but this boat handles rough water beautifully.
Because of the rocker, you may yaw a bit when catching swells but you will not broach. Despite the boat's 17-foot length, I find the boat to be extremely maneuverable due in no small part to the rocker. However, the skeg is mandatory when trying to hold a straight line in rough water.
The interior finish is exemplary with no sharp edges from the deck hardware.
My only complaint is the small round VCP hatches. It is very difficult to fit anything through them. The large rear oval VCP hatch is fine though the skeg box takes up some room.
If you have any questions about this boat, e-mail me.
