Profile

My wife and I have a pair of 1975 Hyperform 435 kayaks.

The boats were built for touring. 14 feet long with room for us enough gear to spend several days/nights on the river. If we had a better ice chest to keep the beer cold, we may have able to spend a week.

Over the years some of the gel coat has worn thru under the seat but, they are still ready for the next adventure. The boats were built for "larger" paddlers. Funny, when we got them I was 5' 11" and 140# and my wife was 5'2" and 100#. We glued cut up ski belts to the cowling sides so our hips would touch the sides of the seat. Another cut up ski belt was added for knee bracing for my wife's boat. I had to turn her foot braces around to allow us to move the pegs closer to the feet. I never dreamed that I would grow into my boat. Funny what 40 years will do!

The basic hull is fiberglass and weighs about 35 pounds empty. The boat tracks straight and has a long glide which is great for paddling on flat water or long pools.

We were fortunate on a trip to Arkansas to accompany a Park Ranger on the Buffalo River, Boxley to Ponca run when the river was closed due to high water. When we arrived a Ponca water was still over the bridge. The Ranger informed us that the river was still closed, but he would be happy to have us come along to check it again tomorrow. That trip was the heaviest white water we ever encountered. I was glad I had a big boat to go down river. As for the next day, heck yes!