Kaos

I can surf 1 foot to 8 foot waves in almost any condition although a recent face-plant off an 8 foot lip slowed me down a bit. I have leg straps and a good seat which adjusts my seat to perfect leg comfort. The foot-holds do hit the side of my ankles but I guess I've built in a mental resistance to feeling it anymore. (surf bumps on my ankles?) From the words surf bumps, old farts can tell I have been at this surfing business for over 50 years, I am almost 70. My health forced me to buy a CHAOS.. I have never been unhappy with that decision.

I can run rings around long boarders....they are usually surprised at its ease to drop into waves late as well as its speed across the face. LOVE MY CHAOS. I almost forgot that it does do an "oilcan" suck in right in front of the center fin under your seat...causes it to become concave and to tell you the truth I am still not sure whether that is a help or hindrance to the ride or cut...???

The boat is well put together with quality brass fittings and other components. Highly recommend a back band and thigh braces for maximum manuverability. I found it easy to use but beware of leaning too far forward just after you "catch the wave" as it will dig in and you will flip head over heels rather quickly. It has nice edges that allow for carving manuvers. The skegs are useful for big water only.

The molded footbraces should be replaced with a movable footpeg system found on the WS Tarpon when they update the design. They hurt your ankles when you attempt to brace.

It is a dedicated surf riding vehicle not really suitable for other activities like fishing or flat water paddling. Overall, it is a nice improvement over the standard sit on top and I recommend it for those ready to take the next step in surfing.

First, the Kaos is a true surf kayak featuring a relatively flat, wide planing bottom much like a surf board. The on-water profile is low and sleek, giving it the look of a surf ski. The nose is fairly pointed and turned up to handle fairly steep drops and aggressive bottom turns. Three fin boxes allow the kayak to be set up in a tri-fin configuration, which quite honestly, isn't necessary except on larger swells.

The craftsmanship is excellent with all of the mounting hardware in brass and molded in place from the inside. This vitally eliminates leakage... something the Cobra Strike did to access with its through and through pop rivet anchored hardware.

That's the good news. Now...the not-so-good. The seating seems to have been placed too far back resulting in a tendency to cause the kayak to sit aft down and out of balance on the water. If sitting back in the "designated" area, catching waves and generating clean, quick moves, is almost impossible. To achieve maximum performance, your butt must be so far forward that you are at the absolute forward edge of the seating area. This can only be maintained by installing a back band and pulling it to its most forward position.

The next apparent design flaw is the foot rests. They have molded the indentations so deep that once you have firmly anchored yourself in with the thigh braces, the last flanges press so hard against the outside of my calves, that they are actually bruised from the contact! This has necessitated my wearing knee pads moved down to my lower legs. A very attractive look!!

Having said all that, with a few adjustments, the Kaos is a fine sit-on-top surf kayak. In fact I do not believe there is currently a better on the market. While I have yet to test it in bigger surf (7'+), so far it is a very maneuverable yet stable surf kayak. It is forgiving enough to accommodate my wife's early ventures into the surf yet quick enough to satisfy my needs for more demanding, aggressive moves.

I fear that like sail boats and motorcycles, the more performance you get, the more you want. As proficiency grows, expectations increase. I have had this kayak a month and already I am thinking about faster and quicker. I guess that's what makes surf kayaking so addictive!