This group of boats is recommended for the experienced paddler or the beginner paddler looking to gain rolling skills. These boats have been chosen for this category because of their ease of rolling. They feature a cutaway back deck to assist in layback rolls and all of these models come with an adjustable thigh brace to help lock in the paddler. The tighter the fit, the easier it is to roll, but please bear in mind that there should always be enough room for a paddler to safely wet exit. If you are looking for a kayak that will make learning to roll easier, then this is a great sampling of kayaks to help you narrow your search. If you are an experienced paddler who already has a roll, then you’ll love the ease with which these models roll.
Watch as Freya does a rolling demo in one of the 4 "Freya" prototypes at the Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend (2012).
*The transverse Metacenter, in inches, is a measure of a kayak's initial stability. A higher number is more stable. All single kayaks computed with same weight person.
**Efficient cruising is a function of low frictional drag and low wetted surface (WS). Lower WS means a faster (less effort) cruising speed, here expressed in sq. ft. For example, the shorter Arctic Tern 14 cruises with less effort than the longer AT-17 until the AT-14 reaches 4.91mph.
***Top Cruising Speed (TCS) is determined by loaded waterline length (LWL). A longer LWL gives a faster TCS. At approximately 90% of its hull speed (when a kayak starts to produce a bow wake longer than its LWL) the effort required to continue accelerating radically increases. In general longer kayaks have higher top speeds and short kayaks have more efficient cruising speeds.
