Tempest 170

intermediate paddler 6 feet 180lbs, tried the fiberglass version for a test, wilderness system hit a home run with this pro version of the kayak, no longer made in fiberglass, if you find one buy it, good primary and excellent secondary stability, playful, turns well on edge, quick easy paddle, ergonomics are spot on, tracks well enough without even using the skeg, was so impressed by the kayak that i m trying to find one now

I absolutely LOVE this kayak. It's quick and stable, yet nimble enough to be fun. My experience on other kayaks is pretty limited so my opinion might not mean all that much. I went from an ill-fated, new Focus 15.5 to a used Tempest 17 and never looked back. It's taken me up and down the Hudson River, around Manhattan and on some great camping trips. The only reason I might replace it is for a newer Tempest of a different color. You won't go wrong with a Tempest!

Great kayak! After reading a lot of reviews here I'm so glad I went with the 170 over the 165. At 5'9" 165lb this is a perfect fit. But I have no idea how anyone larger than me would fit. Maybe it's because I'm coming from a 12' recreational kayak, but still it's a tight fit for me even though that's what you expect from this type of kayak. Great tracking, quick, and the skeg is amazing when even a little wind picks up. Perfect amount of storage for a longer trip, plus some left over for any extras you may have needed to skimp on with a smaller kayak. The only thing I wish it had was a paddle holder like my Perception Carolina. But I can probably add one easily.

The Tempest 170 (roto-molded) is my first kayak. It's a great entry level boat to ramp up for longer distance kayaking, touring or camping without breaking the bank. This roto-molded boat is sturdy, of tight construction and has the Voyager seating system which is reputed to be the best in this price range of kayaks, I did find the aluminum adjustment system of the Voyager backband to be problematic in that the previous own failed to rinse of the saltwater after his five-day paddle in Haida Gwaii, (aka the Queen Charlotte Islands British Columbia), so I replaced it with a Seals back band that features all plastic hardware and sets up in a little better spot on my back.

This kayak can take a lot of punishment like dragging over rock beaches and teach the aspiring touring kayaker a lot. Tempest 170 is not the most playful kayak around (57 pounds) but it will respond to your turning abilities as they develop and give you decent feedback. You can surf this kayak no problem. It's not the easiest kayak to learn to roll in. But you will, eventually and when you do, you can be confident that you can easily roll a lighter more playful kayak with even more aplomb.

The boat responds well to dropping the skeg for long straight-line paddles as well as raising when you want to get more playful (spin, roll etc.). It will "tell" you to drop it as you paddle in wind or across a current. I personally prefer skegs to rudders for ease of ladder or cowboy self-rescuing. Mine did have a kinked cable when I bought it used and replacing that is a $60 part and about an hour of labor. The skeg system is not the easiest in which effect a skeg cable repair but there is instruction online and anyone with a modicum of mechanical skills can figure it out.

My Tempest 170 has peg and track slider foot-rest adjustments which can be fairly easily adjusted even using your feet while underway. The boat has plenty of storage with a day hatch just aft of the cockpit, and very generous forward and aft main hatches. Deck-lines and storage cords run the full length of the boat.

One more advantage to owning the Tempest 170 is there are a lot of them around so you can find parts and swap tips with other owners. Again, mine is the roto-molded version (New = $1,500 used $1,000 or less), Wilderness also sells the Tempest 170 in pro/fiberglass version which retails new in the $2,500 range.

If you want to learn kayaking and aren't sure the bug is going to take but want a safe, sturdy boat, consider the Tempest 170 from Wilderness Systems.

I used the Tempest for recreational day use and light touring. It has terrific primary stability. Great for beginners. It has a very comfortable seat and thigh brace system.

I give it 3 stars due to the skeg operation - the skeg controls can be lodged with sand, silt and salt after a period of use, resulting in the inability to use your skeg until you disassemble the skeg and control line and clean everything out. This would happen after 4-5 months of heavy use.

I paddled the Tempest in the past and last year purchased one that was used. The tempest is a solid boat that cuts the water nicely. It has a drop skeg that can help with keeping a heading in waves by anchoring the stern.

The Tempest is reasonably quick and turns nicely on a lean turn. On a 4 mile paddle I averaged 5.2 mph with top speed of 6.8 mph.

I replaced the backband because it was broken when I purchased it. This is very unusual and not likely a design issue.

I have had three sea kayaks now, paddled several others, been kayaking for eight years and am probably and advanced intermediate. At 6ft 235lbs I am probably larger that they intended for this boat, but I find it stable, I learned to roll in it, and it is a joy to paddle for me. My favorite kayak. Stable enough that I have put complete newbies in it and they are comfortable. The seat bottom is the best I have seen and my tailbone does fine on long paddles of several hours. The back band allows a layback for rolls, but for me does not offer much support, a compromise. The hatches allow good use of space and the day hatch is appreciated. The safety and storage line rigged around the boat are both well done and well placed. I find it tracks well with no skeg, and takes very little to track very well. I did move the seat back about two inches to easy getting in and out and it seemed to have no notable effect other than what I intended. The cockpit coating is rounded enough that carrying the boat on my shoulder is almost comfortable. Great boat, I love it and recommend it to all levels.

As a 6'4" 235lb strong intermediate I have personal experience in how different boats behave for different people as I tend to be somewhat of the atypical paddler. I've enjoyed my WS-T170 for several years now. It's one of 4 boats, including a Cetus HV, Tahe Greenlad T and Romany Surf, and is my go to boat any time I may be banging around on rocks. I love it because it fits me like a glove without being constricting yet is low enough around the combing that I can get solid hip action with it. It is a very solid all around boat that I've been recommending to folks for years, good in wind, good in rough water, good glide, well built, easily adjustable, a boat you can grow into, which is what I did.

This past weekend I took it out into steep 3' waves thanks to the "fresh to strong" breezes blowing across the bay. I felt perfectly fine in the boat in every orientation except for when I was consciously trying to surf the waves. It was fine paddling in the following sea, but if I tried to catch a wave it was nearly impossible to keep the boat straight. Leaning forward, leaning back, skeg, no skeg, and waves caught pre and post break didn't matter, it was going left or right just fine, but never once straight. The only way I could stop it was to rudder to the point where I slowed and missed the wave. I was out with someone who teaches surfing skills and they said I wasn't alone in my experience with the T170.

So my verdict is still that it's a great all around boat that's a joy in most conditions, but when the next opportunity to practice surfing arises I'll be grabbing one of the other 3 boats. Safe and enjoyable paddling everyone!

The Tempest 170 is my 1st long yak. It is fast and has good storage for a kayaking camping excursion. The only drawback for me is entering/exiting. I am 6'2" had have to be careful entering/exiting because of my leg length. Other than that I love my Tempest.

Out of my ten kayaks, this is the one I paddle all the time. I love all my boats and even have one I built myself but every time I go out I seem to grab my Tempest. First and foremost is the speed and glide. I can paddle with ease and still get somewhere. I love the narrow beam and I can still get all my camping gear inside. There's enough rocker to make this a fun boat and really carve a turn but the drop down skeg keeps her tracking really nicely when you want it. You can add just as much skeg as you want to fine tune your tracking depending on wind direction. It works almost as good as a rudder that way. Here in Alaska we get some pretty nasty weather but I have never felt my Tempest wouldn't bring me back safely.

I did modify it a tad. I removed the bulkhead that separates the day hatch from the back hatch so I can stuff my tent and bedroll in the widest part of the boat. It didn't affect the boat structurally at all. It was easy to cut out with a serrated knife. Now I love my boat even more.

This kayak had been on my list to purchase but I didn't get a chance to either try it or buy it until now. I rented the Tempest from Paddle Toronto for the day and travelled across the busy Toronto harbour to Toronto Islands. Within about two minutes of battling the boat wake I instantly realized that this should have been the boat for me. Here is why:
It tracked really well and yet was responsive to edging. I didn't need the skeg at all even in sections where there was a 3/4 wind/wave combination.

The boat was comfortable with easily adjustable footpegs and seat back. The seat back was lower than I am used to, but was comfortable just the same. In fact it felt as if I had a greater range of motion in my torso. When crossing large boat wakes it rode the wave as opposed to diving through. i like this feature as it keeps you dryer.

Both primary and secondary stability were impressive and it always felt stable yet manoeuverable. Can't really comment on hatches but the deck rigging was ample. Lots of places to strap gear to the deck.

The only reason for a 9 would be that I couldn't test the boat loaded. Otherwise it was a delightful paddling experience and I will be on the lookout for a used one ASAP.

I really like this boat. It has very good stability, very fast, comfortable seating and excellent outfitting. It took me a while to get used to it. My previous kayak was a British Style. So initially I was comparing the handling of the two boats. I do/did have some issues with the round hatches leaking a little, but I put bungee around them and that solved it. Other than that I'm really starting to love this boat.

What can I say? I love my Tempest! A few years ago a friend of mine sold me their Tempest because they were moving away. I was going from an old Dagger 14' so the maiden voyage was a little different at first. (my Dagger was very wide and flat bottomed)

I have now owned my Tempest for 3 years and it is definitely my go to boat. My only complaint would be the skeg. Wash it out the minute you get home if you ever take it to the shore or in an area where there is small gritty pebbles. The debris will get stuck up inside and when you go to deploy it the cable will kink. Otherwise I am perfectly happy with keeping this boat for a long time.

My review is specifically for the plastic model.
I briefly owned a used 2008 model last year and fell in love with the boat after paddling it for the first time. The problem with the 2008 boat was the stern hatch. The larger oval hatch cover wasn't rigid enough to stay sealed properly. I knew I couldn't trip out of this kayak with the hatch like that. I let my ex keep the kayak since I didn't want to deal with the hatch problem. I also had to seal up some leaks on the bulkheads (which are made of dense foam). Other than that I knew I would want to own a newer Tempest (with redesigned hatches).

Earlier this year I purchased 2 new 2012 Tempest 170 RM's for my girlfriend and myself. We love them. This boat glides through the water and paddles like a dream. It tracks great. I use the skeg often to maintain a straight course. One must be careful not to kink the skeg cable when deploying it. The older models had a metal bar on the slider to prevent the cable kinking there. When I deploy the skeg I keep my thumb against the cable as I slide it back and it works fine. Looks like WS cut back on some costs. They should have left it the way it was.

The boat has good speed. It handles great in rough conditions, rolls effortlessly. It has great deck rigging and has very comfortable seating. The seating does seem to be more cheaply made than the older model.

My girlfriend's Tempest came with a few problems. The underside of the combing and plastic part of the thigh brace support were not sanded down and were very sharp. We both received good cuts while practicing wet exits. I sanded them down when we got home. My boat was nice and smooth from the factory.

Both boats needed to be sealed in spots on the bulkheads. I sealed the bulkheads where the skeg cables passed through them. As well, one boat had a big gaping hole on the bow bulkhead near the deck that had to be filled. I think the quality control might be down a little at WS. I haven't tripped with the boat yet but it can easily be done. It doesn't have huge volume for cargo but there is still enough for a well planned week.

I gave the boat an 8 only because of the few problems and the quality control. The truth is, I still love this boat and love every minute I am on the water with it. If I had my way and could have my Tempest made with a few changes, this it would be them:
- add the metal bar back to the skeg cable slider
- make the bow hatch into a larger dome
- use Valley hatches (they may be a pain to put on and take off but they are watertight)
- uses plastic welded bulkheads
- somehow make the Poly boat more rigid like Valley has done with their poly boats

I only transport my boats on their sides. These are plastic boats with foam bulkheads and can easily suffer hull damage while strapping them securely. Strapping them on their side allows the boat to be snugly strapped without crunching the hull.

If you are thinking of buying a fun stable boat then take a Tempest out for a test paddle.

I have been paddling my Tempest 170 for a little over 2 years so a review is now appropriate. First, I'm giving this boat a 9 because all of the ratings seem like high numbers and I want to match that scheme. The very best boats out there should really rate 8 to leave room for something way better in the future, but that's not how people seem to rate boats.

My boat was a very worn rental kayak when I bought it. I had to fix some of the seat straps and replace the skeg cable. The boat is scratched up quite a bit. I also replaced the small plastic thingies that hold the carry handle in place. All of the work I did was easy and nothing in the design of the boat caused me problems.

I really like this boat. I've paddled a Necky Zoar Sport (14') with a rudder and a Necky Manitou (13') and the performance I get from the Tempest is great. It is faster of those boats and handles rough conditions very well cases. I can roll the boat easily. The rigging handles everything I want to stick on the deck including a spare paddle. The only things that are not quite right are the kayak steering itself to the left and the skeg being too small to handle surfing short wavelength waves. Neither of these are really important since the steering is probably due to the hull being bent from abuse before I got it and the fact that no skeg or rudder is big enough to handle the waves I encountered a few days ago. The left steering problem is not my stroke. I can be out on a calm day and give a strong stroke on the left side and the boat will still turn left. In more typical conditions, the skeg is great and can be adjusted to account for wind and waves from any direction. It performs almost like a rudder when dealing with a consistent wind.

I have paddled up to 16 miles in the boat in one sitting and have been comfortable enough to not hate being in a kayak that long (4 hours). I'm 6'1" and about 200# and there is room to move around in the boat to stretch out a little while resting. When paddling, the cockpit, seat, pads, etc., all fit well.

I can roll the boat easily even with gear on the deck. I need to make a small adjustment to the thigh braces to tighten things up but the adjustments are there to make when I get around to it. The boat has a good balance of initial and secondary stability and is not easily knocked over by any waves so far.

Overall, it is a good, appropriately stable, reasonable fast boat. It is just "light" enough for me to get this on the top of a Nissan XTerra myself but maybe heavy for someone smaller. I don't camp but there seems to be lots of room for at least a few nights worth of gear and probably a weeks worth for a hard-core camper.
I like it and I'm going to keep it.

I bought a 2010 Tempest 170 in May 2010. Since then I have paddled it several hundred miles on day trips and on multiday trips. The longest trip so far was a 7 day backcountry adventure in the Adirondacks of NY.

The more I challenge this boat, the more it impresses me. Whether fully packed with camping gear or nearly empty, this boat paddles fast. It tracks well without the skeg, but can still turn better than most boats several feet shorter. With the skeg down it tracks like an arrow.

This boat handles the chop and swells of the Atlantic Ocean with ease. And glides on the glass like a rowing shell. The versatility is just amazing.

The cockpit could be a touch more spacious, as my 6'1" 220 frame cannot enter butt first. Always needing to go feet first, while balancing on the deck behind the cockpit is a bit tough at times. I do wish the back band offered higher support, and that the seat could be adjusted fore and aft on the fly.

The capacity of the hatches is fairly impressive, but of course, the skeg eats valuable space. But the advantages over a rudder outweigh this issue. I was happy to learn that a bear canister fits in the stern bulkhead. And again, I do wish the cockpit box was a bit larger, especially in the foot area. It is too tight for me to fit large shoes on my size 13 feet. Only thin water shoes will fit.

About a month in, I did have a foam bulkhead leak between the cockpit and day hatch. But the manufacturer mailed me some adhesive that addressed the problem instantly. They blamed the shipping process, but it appears that additional adhesive from start would also have helped.

The deck has a compass well for a permanent install. But it is so far forward on the deck, I could not read the compass. The rigging is certainly decent, but a better paddle stow setup would have been a nice touch. I would also have liked a bilge pump option from the factory. The cockpit coaming isn't quite aggressive enough, so water comes in a bit more than I'd like, even with a full neoprene skirt on.

But all in all, this boat inspires confidence, and makes me want to get on the water and paddle. And the value was great as I bought it on a 20% off sale in tax free DE.

I love this kayak. I've had it for 7 months and I've probably paddled it for 200 miles, including some long overnight trips. It is an '08 model and I bought it new. The hatches have performed well, including a lot of rolling in surf. The outfitting is very snug (I am 6'1" and 175 lbs) with a lot of hip and thigh contact so leaning, sculling and rolling are pretty easy.

While the foot braces were designed so that you could easily adjust them, I view that as a negative. With aggressive paddling, they can slip, which causes you to open the spray skirt to reset them. The kayak balances on your shoulder very well and it is easy to portage and put on and take off of your vehicle.

I have had a rotomolded Tempest 170 for about a about 8 months now and have logged 600kms on it on everything from rocky, tight shallow rivers with rapids, canals, open great lakes with huge waves and backcountry expeditions with long portages over rocky ground using a cart.

For the most part, I am very pleased with the Tempest and find it is an excellent all around kayak. I find it tracks very straight without use of the skeg in most conditions. It handles and turns well and it is relatively fast, I can sprint at up to 12 km/h for short sections. No complaints about the seat - it is good for sitting in it all day. The rotomolded version is very durable and can take anything I throw at it. I've certainly bounced it off enough rocks, scraped the bottom and dragged it over enough rocks while portaging and it still keeps going. The hatch space is more than adequate to hold enough gear to go on week long + trips.

My biggest issue I have with this kayak is the small quality issues by Wilderness systems. Loose fasteners from the factory I had to tighten up. The hatches are a slightly leaky through the bulkheads and the. I have had to re-silicone the bulkheads myself the first week after getting my kayak in order to seal them properly. I think the rear hatch is still leaking through the skeg control cable hole as well and I have to look at it and silicone it up to seal it before next season.

Other improvements I would like to see with this kayak would be a a GPS marine mount in front of the cockpit, and the skeg slider block is a bit hard on the fingers when actuating the skeg as it has hard edges on it.

Bought the tempest used (like new) last Nov so had not been out in the boat much until this year..I have the tempest pr 170 in Kevlar..it a beautiful boat..handles like a dream..it's quick... compared to my plastic Capella 166... light enough...around 53 lbs... and just a pleasure to paddle. This is my LAST boat! I am a happy camper.

I purchased a roto Tempest 17 last year after lots of research and several test paddles. While it is not as light as the composite model it is tough as nails! This boat is incredibly comfortable - really a boat you strap on and not just sit in. It handles very well and tracks straight with the skeg down. I have had a few issues with the hatches but these have resolved as I now take a lot more care in making sure they are secured properly all around. Overall a great boat for the money and I would recommend it highly.

Paddler: Male 6'1"/216 lbs; Conditions: Open Water 10 kt wind and light chop SF Bay Area.

I recently went for a paddle without my boat and was provided a rental. When asked what was the closest boat to the CD boat I paddled, I was provided the WS Tempest 170. I used to paddle WS boats and enjoyed them having both owned the ALTO and EPIC. The Tempest (compared to the EPIC) is a "Tank." I was not impressed and and found difficulty with the Skeg also. Although the design layup is nice, it is lost in the weight of this RM sea tank.

Would not recommend in Poly layup. To be fair - it may perform better in Carbonlite or glass.

My wife and I have now owned our Tempests for 3 years and have put quite a few miles on them in both flat and bumpy water (2-3 waves). I would reiterate my earlier review that I think these are good boats, however I believe I now understand the complaints with leaky hatches. We always use the bungies that came with the hatches. I had the opportunity to use a Tempest at Sea Kayak Georgia's BCU symposium last October (a great event!). This boat did not have the same hatches that ours did, nor did they have the bungies to secure the hatches to the boat. There was never a day that went by when I didn't have at least a quart of water in the back and day hatches. This is definitely a problem for those who might want to keep their kit dry. So, my strong suggestion is that if you want to assure that your stuff stays dry, use the bungies! If you do, our experience has been that the hatches are pretty water tight.

I have the 170 in Poly. I think it is a great kayak and would buy it again. I would even think about it in glass. Why the rating of 8? Customer service is practicaly non existant. If you have an issue (broken part or replacement part needed etc)it will most likely not be resolved. The people that answer the phones are very uninformed. They seem able to send out hatch covers and the like but just don't expect them to be for your boat! : ) Otherwise I am happy.

Bought a polly 2005 this year and have about 50 hours in it so far, mostly flat water. I love this boat. I never use the rudder or spray skirt and don't miss them (yes the skeg does rattle slightly when deployed). I rolled the boat at least 15 times in a pool one night and never saw a drop in the compartments. I am 6'1" and 185lbs and I usually go out for two hours at a time, and I must say that it is very comfy. I can go fast, but when I want to turn around to see the sites, or lay back to stretch I don't have to worry about tipping over. I have one circuit that includes carrying the boat for almost a quarter mile. However, this is not done easily at all. Many times I wish I had the glass/kevlar boat, but I have yet to cry when scraping rocks (I seem to have a knack for finding them). I know few women that could carry this boat any distance (I would recommend glass for them). I bought this boat last winter without a test paddle based on all the reviews. I am not disappointed at all.

Leaky Tempest 170 hatches? I bought a poly version used and had the problem until another Tempest 170 owner told me I was missing the three hatch-cover bungees which seal the covers well and good. I called WS and they mailed out two sets (6 bungees) at no charge. The bungees did the trick! Now the hatches do not leak when I roll. In addition, if you have a hard time pounding down the hatch covers over the lip to seal, treat with "303 Aerospace Protectant" -- easily found at most paddling stores. Spray it on both sides of the hatch cover and wipe off after 15-20 minutes (don't let the solution sit overnight. It will make the cover too pliable).

I love my Tempest 170, but dang those leaky hatches! Half a dozen capsizes for rescue practice and the day hatch is accumulating enough water to make the boat unstable and hard to scramble back in, and the front and back hatches both seem to perpetually have minor but annoying leaks.

Noisy skeg I could live without too, but overall, this is a very comfy and great handling boat. There must be a solution to the leaky hatches but I haven't found it yet, and another outfitter friend reports that her new Tempests also leak.

Fix those leaks, Wilderness!

I bought my 17 ft. Tempest (plastic) after renting one on Cape Cod two summers ago. The guides there claimed that the plastic Tempest closely mirrors the feel of a glass boat. After adding a Sealine pad to the back band I find the cockpit to be extremely comfortable and it's easy to feel connected to the boat. With the skeg up you can practically spin the kayak and with the skeg down it tracks very well and resists weather cocking. I find it easy to put on edge and don't miss the rudder on my old Cape Lookout. The kayak is wicked fast (despite its 61 pounds), playful and loves the waves. The bulkheads stay dry and when one of the bungees snapped, WS sent me another even though I bought it used (A lifetime warranty!) I could not be happier with this boat.

Just purchased a roto version of the 170 after renting one on Cape Cod for a week over the summer. I tried a few other boats over the last two seasons. Overall the Tempest seems to be forgiving enough for a beginner like me to learn on...with the added benefit of being a boat that someone can grow with over time and not get board.

Boats like the Cape Lookout and Horn have better primary stability...great for using the rudder to turn, but less uncomfortable when leaning into waves and turns. Tried a plastic Carolina...primary and secondary seemed less comfortable to me, and overall the boat seemed cheap compared to the Wilderness boats. I was pretty much sold on the Horn until I tried the Tempest. My first impression as I was gliding along getting comfortable was that this might be too much boat for me, but I soon realized that this boat can rock from side to side but it's not going over. After a few hours in the waves (later) I learned to really trust this boat's secondary stability.

Used the rental boat a variety of conditions... a few times in some good size waves, with water breaking over the back hatches more than a few times. I did notice some water in side, especially the large rear bulkhead. The one I purchased is a 2004 model and has bungees for the hatch covers. So far no water. Could be because the rental had no bungees, or that the hatch covers seemed looser (it was a rental and had been well used).

Someone mentioned the skeg banging around ... I noticed this on the rental, but on mine I've only noticed it in waves where I'm broadside (or nearly so) and the stern is lifted up and down. Other wise the skeg seems quiet to me so far. I did notice that the boat tends to carve to the right, especially when gliding. I then noticed that the skeg has a pronounced front to back curve. This the only defect and my dealer will replace the skeg this week.

The fit and finish seems great to me, and the boat a natural fit. If you're thinking of a Horn or a Capella, try the Tempest and see what you think.

I have taken my plastic Tempest out in a variety of conditions now and my opinion remains the same---it's very good. I am relativly comfortable with it in rough seas(compared to my old perception vizcaya), like the speed and particularly like the skeg--much better than a rudder--it helps me go in a straight line, avoid windcocking and at the same time remained braced inside the kayak---a difficult thing to do with loose rudder pedals. If I had to fix one thing it would be the hatch covers. They are fine when the boat remains upright even in rough seas but when I roll with it a little water gets in the front and day hatches and a little more in the rear hatch(although it may be that I wasn't carful in closing it) I certainly don't have the fear of death that one of the reviewers below did---there was just a smidgen of water in the front and day hatches and less then a pint in the rear and that was after rolling about 15 times. Also all the covers stayed on---they were nowhere close to falling off and at that rate I would have had to roll 100 times before the water reached a level to effect the boats boyancy--my advice would be to keep your camping equipment in dry bags and make sure that the hatch covers are sealed by pushing the rubber down over the lip before the bungee cord goes on. Incidently I met a Registered Master Maine Sea Kayaking Guide while paddling last week end and he told me that this problem with the hatch covers is typical of so called British Design boats. He was paddling a Current Designs with similar type hatches and hull design as the Tempest.

The end of a long road - I've finally purchased a poly Tempest 170. The quest for a kayak started by looking at rec boats. I paddled a few, my favourite being the Necky Manitou. But in the process my wife and I realised we really wanted touring / weekend tripping kayaks. So the quest took on a new direction.

Given that the boats would do a lot of daytrips, we wanted "playful" boats as much as straight-line tourers. A Current Designs Expedition would not fit the bill for example. Given that we're buying two, glass boats are too expensive, and plastic boats are a bit more tolerant of our rocky beaches anyway. We didn't care about rudder versus skeg; we've paddled with both, and they're both okay with us. So the end criteria were: plastic, decent speed, decent tracking, good turning when edged, a boat that would surf when on the swells, comfortable, reasonable initial stability (so we can drift around & take photos) and good secondary.

I looked at the following boats: Boreal Designs Inuckshuk, Current Designs Whistler, Storm, Squall, Sirocco, Necky Elaho, Eloho HV, Looksha IV, Chatham 16, Perception Carolina, P&H Capella, Wilderness Systems Cape Horn 15, 17, Tempest, and some others I forget now. A lot of paddles and demos! Fun though.

Some comments on the boats that made the shortlist. The Capella didn't have enough initial stability for the "drifting around" and taking photos idea. Although it's quite stable when it's moving. The Elahos are nice boats, like to surf, but their comfort and outfitting just don't fit me all that well (5'9" 160 lbs); the seat would numb my legs, and the thigh-braces were in the wrong place. If the Elahos were more comfortable they might have won. The Sirocco was a real fun boat on a windy choppy day, decent comfort too. But it didn't seem overly keen on surfing the swells. Maybe that's a good thing for stability, but it's certainly less fun.

The Tempest won out. It's comfortable, with a good adjustable seat and well-placed thigh braces. The back-band is also decent. It paddles straight when it's kept level, and I found I didn't really need the skeg most of the time. Good initial stability. On an edge it turns great, and it happily surfs the swells. Even a small lean on the boat will have an effect, making it easy to keep yourself pointed in the desired direction.

Some folks commented about weathercocking. I took it out on a reasonably windy day (15 knot winds blowing whitecaps on the water) and had no difficulty at all. In fact I hardly needed the skeg in those conditions, although it did help a little.

The hatch covers are tricky to put on properly, but once they're on they seal very well. The rubber hatches need to hook *under* the plastic hatch combings. It's easy to just push the hatches on, where it'll appear that they're on, but in fact are not fully sealed. The trick is, push down on the edges of the hatch cover. If the edge moves, it's not on right. When it's on properly, the bottom of the rubber hatch cover touches the kayak deck, and pressing down on the hatch cover edge results in the edge not flexing down at all. The hatch covers are tied down from the inside, so you can't lose them. The retaining bungies are not however, so it's not a bad idea to tie them to their respective hatch covers.

Deck rigging is the best of all the boats on the list. One minor comment is the rear bungy which crosses immediately behind the cockpit. It's so close to the cockpit combing that putting anything under that bungy will get in the way of your sprayskirt. I'll be moving that one bungy aft just a little bit. Speed is good; on the GPS the Tempest was on par with every other boat on the shortlist.

So that's it; I've finished boat-hunting. Thanks to everyone for posting their kayak reviews on this site; it's really helped me. The poly Tempest 170 came out on top.

I bought my Tempest 170 last October after renting one in Canada. I got a great deal on it ($896.00 brand new at my local dealer's year end sale in Bangor) I had paddled a Perception Vizcaya for the past three years but felt the need to move into something that could hold more gear and take bigger seas. Also my Vizcaya had a rudder which I hardly ever used. I wanted an Engish style kayak with a retractable skeg, not only for esthetic reasons(looks a hell of a lot better) but because I've always felt more comfortable steering with a paddle then with a rudder, probably due to my coming to sea kayaking from white water river paddling. I find it much more secure to turn with a paddle, and hence being ready to make an instant brace, then using a rudder. I've had my Tempest out in October, November and in March, a couple of weeks ago. I was in 15-20 mph winds with 2'--3' waves on upper Penobscot Bay--the boat handled beautifully--to those critics who complain that the skeg isn't sufficient in a cross wind(at 35 mph)and that they had to do a lot of bracing, well acutually a rudder wouldn't have been sufficient either. I couldn't imagine going out in a 35 mph wind and not having to do a lot of bracing, unless you are on the Queen Mary. Where I really notice the difference between the skeg and a rudder is going down wind in a chop. On a rudder equipped boat, any chop 2' or more will lift the stearn and rudder out of the water when going downwind, causing the boat to weather cock and requiring strenous correction with the paddle. In a skeg equiped boat, unless the seas are huge---10' plus---the skeg will remain in the water going down wind and the boat will not weathercock. Also the Tempest rolls easier than a 2 doller chippie. Literally all I had to do was think about rolling up and up I came. Finally the seat is extremely comfortalbe when compared to my old boat. I can sit in it for two hours without geting the numbness in pain I used to get in my prior boat after one hour. I'm looking forward to doing a lot of camping and paddling in heavy seas with the Tempest this summer and will get back to you regarding this. But for right now I don't think you could get a better boat for the money.

I tried the plastic Tempest 170 at the Fort Worden symposium yesterday. I did not take it on a long paddle and the sea was smooth and calm, so I cannot say anything about the handling of this boat in rough conditions. What I can say is that (1) It handled beautifully in the calm conditions. (2) I have never sat in a better fitting boat. The fore-and-aft-adjustable thigh braces are superb,just like in whitewater boats. The seat is very comfortable and you sit in an excellent upright posture rather than laid back like in some sea kayaks. As soon as I got in the boat I thought: "This boat has been custom-fitted for me!" (3) I have never been in an easier to roll sea kayak. I thought my Romany was easy to roll until I tried this boat. This boat just about rolls itself. (4) The price is a bargain. If I did not already have a good boat (Romany), I would have bought this one on the spot, especially since one vendor was giving a generous discount. (5) This boat is much better for a long camping trip than my 16-foot Romany, which just doesn't have the room.

After many years of no kajakking due to studies, kids and career priorities, I found I missed the sport. So I went hunting for a kayak that was suitable for the climate, the rough surfaces of the few beaches I can access; one that was fast enough and manoeuvrable. I also wanted a boat that could take me AWAY from it all for more that a weekend. After some search I found the Tempest 170 with skegg. I remember how many times I got irritated by the rudder in my old kayak; I had 2 Nordkapps 20 years ago, one with a type 4 rudder and the other with a 'skegg like' rudder. I liked the one with the skegg best.

The Tempest fits me perfectly, I am 176 cm tall and I have long legs so the knee pads here are great! The seat is comfortable; the cockpit's opening large and safe to get out of. This boat has 3 compartments and all kept my stuff dry after rolling training in the sea. The boat I bought is orange so I can be easily spotted in the dark waters of the fjords...

I tried my Tempest in rough sea, which is, by my standards 2.5 meter waves. I did not even feel it! The Tempest is stable and easily manoeuvred in these conditions... The Tempest is made of Polyethylene, which makes it stronger against rough surfaces, although it is about 5 kg heavier than the lightest glass-fibre boats (28 kg against 22 kg). Here, in the western coast of Norway, there are many rocks and hard surfaces to 'land' on, so I did not want to repeat the worries I had with the old glass-fibre boats I had previously. If you want challenge, fun, speed, elegance, lots of carrying space, dependability and a boat that can turn around on a quarter, the Tempest 170/skegg is your Beast of Burden!

I rented a Tempest 17 (poly) this weekend for 2 days to "try before I buy". I currently own a Cape Horn 15.5' w/surf rudder. Over 2 days I traveled about 40 km in it in various conditions.

Quite frankly all the hype about this kayak is true: it's super fast, quite light, great hatches that don't leak and although narrow, it's quite stable. I also like the fact that it comes in Blaze Orange, which can be an important safety factor when traveling in congested waters. The Phaze3 seat is really good too, save for the lack of a cup holder. Basically you can go and go and go and never get tired!

I really wanted to like this kayak but the one thing that put me off over time was not having my surf rudder to control trim. I must admit that the skeg works fine. I guess I'm just not big on turning by bracing & paddle strokes. Yes, I can do it but it's annoying in cross winds and choppy water, I much prefer to drop the rudder and concentrate on other things. For much the same reasons I moved to a Cape Horn from a Manteo. A good analogy for this kayak is "it's like a great TV with no remote". You'll leave other kayaks in your wake but you won't do circles around them either.

For me this makes it one point away from 'absolutely perfect' so I give it a 9 out of 10. So, no sale either! I think I'll try out the Cape Horn 17' (longer and slimmer than mine too but with a surf rudder to boot).

There are no bad boats; only boats poorly suited to how they are used.

People loose sight of this fact and ask the impossible of their kayaks. A single kayak can’t turn on a dime, track flawlessly, win races, and satisfy an apprehensive novice. Every boat is a compromise. The challenge is to understand what you want and pick a kayak that hits the right compromise.

With this in mind, I’ve been on a quest for the perfect, rough water, expedition sea kayak. I want a kayak that (1) cruises well for long distance paddling, (2) turns tightly with a heavy lean, (3) tracks well in high cross winds, (4) has enough primary stability so I can relax a bit during a long day on rough water, (5) can accelerate and track well when paddling backwards, and (6) can handle rough surf landings.

My search for this mythical boat has stretched-out over the last few years. I’ve tried the British boats. They come close, but they sacrifice too much primary stability in their quest for macho, secondary stability. I’ve tried heavy-duty touring kayaks from North American designers, but they aren’t playful enough in the surf. I’ve enjoyed some of the more radical designs for coastal paddling, but they don’t cruise well for distance paddling.

I had despaired of ever satisfying my quest. Then I paddled the Tempest 170 from Wilderness Systems. This kayak is awesome. It hits the right compromises for rough water, expedition paddling. Of course, this is exactly what it was designed for, so I shouldn’t be surprised.

Here are the basic numbers. The boat is 17 feet long, 22 inches wide and 14 inches deep. The widest point is just in front of the cockpit. While I was using if for day paddling in the surf, I checked out the storage and figure it would be straightforward to pack a week’s worth of gear in the boat.

The seat was comfortable. It might be a bit high for some paddlers, but I found it to be no problem (and I like the leverage from a higher seat). The thigh braces fit well and had enough adjustment options to fit most any paddler. The seat included integrated hip pads which given my generously apportioned tush, I needed to remove to fit in the boat. The backband provided plenty of support but didn’t get in the way. I was very pleased that I could layback on the rear deck in this kayak.

This is an expedition kayak built with heavy surf landings in mind – and it has the weight to show for it (58 pounds with the fiberglass construction). This was a loaner boat so I didn’t test it by smashing it into rocks, but everything about this boat felt strong and solid. The deck rigging was complete – enough to make the staunchest BCU snob happy. The bow and stern handles were well designed for an easy carry (at least, easy given the heavy weight).

The boat accelerated up to speed nicely. I didn’t have a knot meter, but it seemed fast enough and easily kept up with everyone in the group. The tracking was good. It did weathercock slightly in a cross wind, but a drop of the skeg fixed that right away.

I tried to bury the bow and pearl the boat while surfing. I picked a moderately steep wave and shot straight down the face. For a moment, I thought I’d go tumbling end over end, but then the bow floated up to the surface and I had a wonderful long ride. This is a boat that likes to surf.

My biggest complaint about the boat is its hatches. They use bungie cords around the rims to provide additional pressure for rough conditions. This trick works well as the storage compartments were bone dry after a full day of surfing. Getting these bungies back on, however, was tough; especially on the larger stern hatch.

As I played with the boat further, I did find some limitations in the handling. My Necky Looksha Sport with its sharper chines turns more sharply on a strongly leaned turn. The secondary stability on the Tempest is well behind that of the British boats I’ve paddled.

But this brings me back to my earlier point; no boat can do everything. This boat is second to none for expedition paddling in the roughest of conditions. A serious expedition boat needs to carry gear, surf well, have good maneuverability, yet provide sufficient primary stability so you can paddle all day in rough seas without becoming overly exhausted -- Or stop bracing long enough to take a picture or assist my paddling-partners on the water. The Tempest 170 does all of these and more. No other boat that I’ve found even comes close to the Tempest 170 as a well rounded, rough water, expedition kayak. As far as I’m concerned my quest is over.

Note: the reviewer is a 5’8”, 230 pound male. Testing was done during a single day of paddling in the waters around Fort Canby State Park in Washington. Conditions were breezy with well spaced modest surf. Out around the south jetty, we did encounter some very large, steep swells and high winds. We finished the day with a surf landing on Waikaiki beach. All in all, it was a good day for testing a coastal expedition paddling kayak.