P&H Scorpio MK2 MV in CoreLite X: first impressions.

I have recently published a long term review of the Scorpio MK2 MV in the standard roto moulded plastic CoreLite. This proved to be the kayak I spent most time in last year, I liked it very much indeed. This new version in CoreLiteX promises to be both lighter and stiffer. Though I was away seakayaking for a week at the Glenuig Inn in NW Scotland at the time,  I was fortunate enough to get my hands on one of the first boats off the production line. This was courtesy of Mathew Wilkinson of P&H, Cam Allan of Gokayaking Perth and my regular paddling buddy Phil Toman who between them got it transported for me. Thank you all.

Unwrapping the boat revealed a blemish free exterior in a very fetching turquoise, which I think is just a little more vivid than the turquoise of last year's model. I particularly liked the use of yellow for the deck lines and elastics. The boat was already all fitted up for paddle sailing and It is the first time I have every unwrapped a sea kayak and then got it set up for paddle sailing in less time than it took to cut the wrapper off!

Inside the cockpit and the hatches was not quite so smooth as normal P&H RM finish because P&H are still tweaking the RM process for the new materials, which have different flow rates as they cool.

The overall weight of the test boat fitted with a skudder was the same as a composite Quest with a keel strip. As the moulding process is refined it is likely that production kayaks will be even lighter than the test kayak,

When two people carry a normal RM kayak to the beach a "boing" sets up as the kayak flexes up and down between the bow and stern as they walk. This CoreLite X Scorpio kayak did not do this. Remarkably, it felt as stiff as a composite kayak.

This initial testing took place on waters that were flat calm with zero wind to rough with F4 wind over tide conditions. Phil agreed to give up his beloved Quest and act as photographic model. He could not help smiling as he settled into the comfortable ergonomic cockpit.

One thing I noticed with the standard CoreLite Scorpio Mk2 MV was that its maximum sprint speed was a bit down on my composite Cetus MV.  I think that as the boat flexed it absorbed some of my paddling energy that would otherwise have driven it forward. Phil is the fastest paddler in our group and he was keen to...

 ...give the CorteLite X Scorpio laldy. He agreed with me that the stiffness on the water was unparalleled in a RM boat and Phil had no difficulty reaching his normal sprint speed.

  Fortunately for us he was enjoying paddling the new boat so much that he turned and came back.

On our second island Phil and I swapped over and I put the CoreLite X Scorpio through its paces. Stiff, stiff, stiff was my overriding impression.

This boat came with skudder and the new P&H sail from Flat Earth, which appears to be identical to the FE TradeWind 80 design. (Previous P&H and FE designs in the UK have leapfrogged each other as new designs were introduced.) I will report back on this after further testing.

The large cockpit certainly makes it easy to get in and out of the Scorpio MK2 MV cockpit. Neither Phil nor I can do this in a Quest.

The clean lines and immaculate exterior of the Scorpio MK2 MV are not what you expect of an RM kayak. It looked just as good as the composite kayaks on the beach!

On a 3.5km paddle straight into a F3 wind, Phil in the CoreLite X Scorpio again shot ahead of the composite boats and...

 ...I had to persuade him to slow down for some more photos.

After a final stop on an island we agreed that Phil and Maurice would use sails on the final 3.5km crossing while the rest of the party would paddle across at a more leisurely pace.

This was Phil leaving the lee of the island. It was the last we saw of the paddle sailors till we arrived back at base. The wind increased to F4 against the spring ebb tide and it got rough. I have no photos of this as I was using my Canon 5d mk3 (which despite its price, is decidedly non waterproof). The paddlers found the conditions exhilarating but the paddle sailors had an absolute blast. Phil said he never once felt he was in a poly boat. Despite steep confused waves, he was aware of no flex in the CoreLite X Scorpio. All he could think about was that he was going faster, where he wanted to go and in more control than he could have managed paddle sailing his composite Quest.

 In short steep waves on the Solway...

 ...the stiffness of the CoreLite X really shone through and...

 ...the Scorpio gave nothing away to the composite boats.

The stiffness of the CoreLite X also benefited the Scorpio Mk2 MV's performance with a sail. Every gust drove it forward rather than wasting energy bending it. The CoreLite X and composite boats were paddle sailing neck and neck.

I have the demo boat for at least 3 months and will report back further at the end of the test period. One thing that Phil and I both noticed was that the seat did not seem as comfortable as that in the Scorpio Mk2 MV in standard CoreLite which I returned to P&H in January 2016. As the kayaks are supposedly identical, some further investigation was called for. It turns out that the seat had not been fitted square in the boat. The seat was one notch forward on one side. These adjustment notches are not designed for user adjustments. They are for the manufacturer to fit the same seat to different kayaks. It proved to be a real difficult, expletive laden job to straighten it out. This boat was one of the first batch to be sent out to coaches, testers and team paddlers and I have to admit I was guilty of badgering for early delivery. It is something P&H will need to watch out for once commercial production and deliveries start.

This is my first overall impression of CoreLite X construction:
I think that given the demo CoreLite X Scorpio's outstanding stiffness and resistance to flex that one of the traditional reasons for choosing a composite boat over an RM one has now gone. Indeed if P&H can reproduce the weight/stiffness ratio of this test boat into full scale production then I believe they will have achieved a major step forward in kayak construction. The main reason for choosing a composite boat over RM (CoreLite X) may become dependent on how badly you want a glitter finish!

The adjustable grip hitch for sea kayak sailing rig stays.

Following on from my post about fitting a Flat Earth Kayak Sail to a P&H Aries 155, Alec commented:

"You say that your stays are a "fixed length" but you seem to have some sort of slip knot (see pic ) for adjustment. May I ask what knot you are using?"

Yes I do use a locking slip knot for fine adjustment. Previously Geoff has recommended a trucker's hitch (which needs tied every time) and Shawn Armitage has recommended the easier to adjust three-turn tautline, both of  which I have used previously. I have also used the Clamcleat CL266 Mini Line_Loks which are very easy to adjust but these slip in winds at the top of F4.

I currently use the adjustable grip hitch as it is as easy to adjust as the three turn tautline but it is also easier to remember how to tie in the field.

Start by making a loop by bringing the loose end over the stay (which is tied to the mast at its other end).

 Now wrap the free end twice round the stay side of the loop.

Now take the free end once more over the stay side of the loop and bring it back under both sides of the loop and thread it through itself.

Pull the knot tight. If you pull the end of the loop, the knot locks tight. However, if you grip the knot itself you can easily slide it in either direction to make the loop longer or shorter.

The reverse of the knot looks like this.

I normally thread the loop through the closed end of a 32mm snap shackle. This means that I can quickly remove and replace the rig from the kayak without knot tying.

To get the tension in the side stays just right, I bend the mast back then gradually shorten the stays by sliding the grip knots. I test the tension by putting the mast into the vertical position, repeating the process until I get the stays "twang tight".

Fitting a Flat Earth sail to a Necky Chatham 16 Polymer kayak.

The Necky Chatham 16 is a manoeuvrable kayak that should suit a Flat Earth Kayak sail very well.
 

Unlike the P&H Delphin, which has a rigid foredeck, the Chatham deck is soft and would not be stiff enough to support a mast foot without some modification. The stiffest area was between the compass recess and a central deck elastic fitting. This was also in line with the deck line fittings, which saved drilling extra holes for the side stays. To make the stays easily adjustable I used Clamcleat white CL266W/R Mini Line-Lok cleats.

To stiffen the deck, I cut a piece of 3" thick black closed mini cell foam and pushed it into place so that it was under moderate compression.

The black sheet and the red uphaul were led aft to a pair of Clamcleat CL 213 and CL214 low profile line cleats. note how the red uphaul is threaded behind the rear deck elastic then forward...

...where it is tied off to the loop formed where the yellow back stay goes through the snap shackle. To lower the sail if there is a strong wind from behind (on a run), uncleat the red uphaul, then pull on the end. This pulls the back stay towards you collapsing the mast. If you rig the Karitek way (with two rear set stays and no back stay) you can't do this and in a strong wind you need to turn the bow of the kayak from down wind round into the wind to drop the sail.

Flat Earth Kayak Sails Code Zero 0.8 long term test.

For the last six months I have been extensively testing the, soon to be released in UK, Flat Earth Kayak Sails Code Zero 0.8 m2 sail. I love it! Basically it comes along every time we go out.

Choice of sail size.
The Code Zero sails are available in 0.75, 0.8  and 1.0 m2. In the UK they are available from Karitek. We have used the 0.8  in winds up to the top of Force 5 and I think that 0.8m2 is the perfect size for NW Europe. The 1 m2 size is popular in Australia but there are differences in the wind there. We tend to get gusty low pressure winds while nearer the tropics, steady trade winds predominate. Also the density of the air is greater in cold dry conditions. When the above photo was taken the air temp was 5C and the humidity was 10% and the air density was 1.265kg/m3. 12 hours later, my brother in Melbourne experienced 38C and a humidity of 85% and the air density was 1.107, some 13% less. Since the force on a sail is directly proportional to the denisty of air and the square of the wind speed, for a given wind speed the force on the sail will be greater in cold dry air. In lochs and lakes the wind speed will be less than the open sea but as it will be gustier, I still think the 0.8 m2 is the most suitable size for NW Europe kayak sailing mostly in winds of Force 2 to 5.

The Code Zero has been tested  alongside FEKS classic line sails, both the Standard 0.8sqm with 18 degrees of twist in the head and...

...the later standard 0.8sqm with 12 degrees of twist. Comparative testing has been carried out on pairs of P&H Quest and P&H Cetus kayaks. 

I have also used it extensively on a Nordkapp LV and also the P&H Delphin, which has proved to be a particularly potent kayak sailer.

Design and construction.

The Code Zero 0.8 is made of a dacron, spectra scrim, mylar laminate that is resistant to stretching and has low water adsorption . It is only available in white. The cut is fuller than previous sails, with a further reduction in twist in the head. The outline shape of the Code Zero 0.8 has also hanged from the Standard 0.8 design. Basically the inverted triangle formed by the mast and the main batten remains the same but the boom is now angled more steeply up. The leech between the boom and the main batten has been extended to form a roach. This extra area is supported by two mini battens, which are sewn into the leech. Overall this has reduced the area low down on the sail and increased the area higher up. The longer chord provided by the roach has increased the power of this sail for the same sized mast and boom. It has also moved it higher up into cleaner air where the sail can be more efficient.

Choice of mast length.
Several people in Scotland and Australia have shortened the mast and brought the tack of the sail down to nearly deck level (a cut out in the luff is then necessary to attach the stays to the mast). The idea of this is to reduce the tipping force of the sail in stronger wind. In practice, this doesn't work efficiently as the sail is working in slower, disturbed wind near the waves. My friend John altered his Standard 0.8 rig in this way and last summer, we spent an interesting afternoon comparing his modified rig with my unmodified Standard 0.8 rig on a pair of Nordkapp LV's in lively force 4 to 5 conditions on the Solway.

Swapping between kayaks, we could not detect any difference in stability between the two rigs. Secondly, the higher rig performed significantly better on all points of sailing but especially when close reaching. John has now changed his rig back to the higher standard arrangement. (Another drawback of mounting the sail lower and attaching the stays through a cut out in the sail is that you cannot let the sheet right out and let the boom swing in front of the mast if you are overpowered on a run.)

Performance.
Launching the new Code Zero sail you are immediately aware of the increase in power. In a F4 wind the Code Zero goes up with a Whumph rather than the more gentle Whuffffff of the standard sail. If you are launching downwind in lively conditions it is definitely worthwhile paddling hard to reduce the apparent wind before launching. I also find it easier to launch on a broad reach rather than dead down wind in stronger winds.

The Code Zero 0.8 takes a nice three dimensional aerofoil shape even in light winds. It definitly gets going quicker than the Standard sail in very light winds. However, rather surprisingly it does not point so high into the wind as the Standard sail in F2-3 winds. However, as the wind increases to F3-5, the Code Zero points significantly higher and travels faster than the standard sail when going up wind. Note the progressive twist in the sail from the clew to the head. The sail will point to about 68 degrees off the wind direction.

Here you can see the greater degree of twist in an early Standard sail. This does give a nice soft forgiving feeling and Phil's first experience of any sailing was with this sail in a F4 wind! He survived intact and was hooked! In a way I hope the standard sails will still be available for those that like colours and a softer more forgiving feel.

Expedition use.
I have also used the Code Zero on a fully loaded Cetus MV on a three day winter bothy expedition and a five day spring camping expedition. The loaded kayak obviously does not accelerate under sail power to the same extent as when day paddling. However, the help given by the sail at the end of a 44km day, when its getting dark and cold, has to be experienced to be fully appreciated!

Day use.

Last Sunday we paddled 14.5 km out to Ailsa Craig, an isolated island in the mouth of the Firth of Clyde. We paddled straight into a F3-4 wind and while we were on the island the wind increased to F4-5. I was using the Code Zero on a Cetus MV. We took off like scalded cats and the Code Zero behaved impecably even in the gusty conditions in the lee of Ailsa Craig. What followed was some of the finest sea kayaking fun we have ever had. Some 14km of exposure, the wind and the swell all added to the fun. The sails regularly allowed us to surf faster than the waves. Slicing up the back of a wave then surfing its front is incredible fun. We were regularly hitting 13km/hr and my maximum run was 18km/hr. At these speeds group control becomes more critical than our usual spread, so we paddled 3 abreast in tight formation and had our VHFs ready on channel 6 in case one needed to call for assistance from the others.

Finally, if you remain to be convinced, this short video shows the Code Zero 0.8 kayak sail in F4-5 winds along the cliffs of the south Ayrshire coast.

Wear and Tear.
The white material does show the dirt so it is worth keeping it clean. I have removed stains with a dilute solution of cold water and a few soap flakes. My sail has no signs of wear or delamination of the mylar backed material. The shape of the sail has not distorted with fairly extensive use. This has resolved my one quibble with the Standard sail. After extended use, the leech material can stretch a little and flutter.

Conclusion.
After testing the standard sail, I said I was blown away by it. After testing the Code Zero, it would take a hurricane to get it out of my hands. It has become such an integral part of my paddling, I cannot now imagine sea kayaking without it.

See also.
Flat Earth Kayak Sails Code Zero 0.8, first review
Flat Earth Kayak Sails preview
Flat Earth Kayak Sails fitting instructions
Is it worth tacking upwind with a Flat Earth kayak Sail?
Sea kayak sailing for non sailors
Flat Earth Kayak Sailing Code Zero 0.8 production version test and review.

Conflict of interest statement.
I was the first person to import a FEKS into the UK. I have bought two Flat Earth Kayak Sails as a normal customer but I have also been given two sails free of charge by Mick MacRobb (the designer) for testing purposes (I had to pay UK import duty on the first). I have since given the first test sail (FoC) to a friend but I still have the use of the test Code Zero sail and lend it to others, such as Mike in the first photo above.

Fitting a Flat Earth Kayak Sail to a Rockpool Alaw Bach.

I have updated the Flat Earth Kayak Sail Fitting Instructions page to include the Rockpool Alaw Bach.

Flat Earth Kayak Sails news!

An exciting package arrived at Seakayakphoto Towers yesterday. Its elongated shape and Australian postmark had me salivating in anticipation. Four prototype sails for future models of Flat Earth Kayak Sails have been sent for final testing to Florida, Queensland, England and Scotland, and am I lucky to get my hands on the Scottish one? Kathy in Florida and GnarlyDog in Queensland are getting 1.0sqm versions but Duncan and I in the UK are getting 0.8sqm versions. This in no way reflects any inadequacy in GB paddlers but represents that we don't get steady trade winds. Our winds tend to be generated by low pressure systems and as a result are gusty.

This sail is likely to be called the "0.8" (for 0.8sq m). The whole sail is made of what Flat Earth Kayak Sails call Code Zero cloth. This is a mylar/dacron laminate, which is reinforced by spectra threads. It is much lighter than either the standard all dacron sail or the XP sail, which is dacron reinforced with code zero material on the leech, like my blue/white sail. The current standard size sail is available in Code Zero cloth but this new sail has a completely different cut.

The new cut has oriented the panels and the seaming to encourage twist at the top of the roach but also to put more fullness into the luff than the previous sail. The length of the luff and the full length sprit batten are unaltered but area has been moved from the bottom of the sail higher up and appears as an extended roach in the leech between the top of the sprit and the clew. The roach is supported by two mini battens that are sewn into the leech. This effectively makes it a lower aspect sail and because the cut has also been altered to put a deeper draught into the sail (with the fullness well forward towards the luff) it should make it more powerful for its size. Because the mast length is unaltered, the centre of effort of the sail will be moved higher into cleaner air, which should encourage good clean laminar flow across the sail. I really can't wait to try it out.

Please note these are prototypes and the final production version is likely to change before it is introduced some time in 2012. As it is likely that the current well tried standard sail will continue in production alongside the new sail for some time, I would encourage anyone who is thinking of taking up sea kayak sailing to go ahead and buy the standard sail now. As the mast and fittings are the same, you could always upgrade in the future, by just buying a new sail.

Talking of fittings there is also a new prototype mast foot. As you can see when the mast is vertical the mast rests firmly on a large penny washer. (It would rest even flatter if I had not mounted the mast base offset to avoid the inverted V of the Delphin deck!) This should get round the problem reported by some high wind sailors where the old tendon joint deforms under pressure loosening of the stays in the gusts.

 Yet when the rig is lowered, the tendon joint magically reappears!

If you pull the mast back as far as the stays will allow, then you can see the secret. The tendon is fitted into a little stubbie  (I think that is the correct strine description) mast that slides into the main mast.

What an elegant design. I think this new design will benefit even more than the current design from having two side stays at right angles to the mast and a back stay. So if you just use two rear mounted sidestays and no back stay, now is the time to get the drill out!

Again this new mastfoot design is just a prototype, so Mick has instructed that I chuck as much sand and wind at it as I can. Delighted to oblige Mick!

What bonzer news from Flat Earth Kayak Sails! This new rig looks a right bottler!

Fitting a Flat Earth Kayak Sail to a P&H Delphin

When I first tried the P&H Delphin I was impressed by all the usual things: its comfortable ergonomics, its stability in rough water, its manoeuvrability, its surfing, its rolling, its behaviour in winds... but I really couldn't wait to put a sail on it. Those hard chines at the bow are just asking for a sail to provide the drive to push through the waves in front!

I mounted the pulley for the uphaul/fore stay on the front deck line recessed deck fitting (RDF). The pulley for the sheet and the back stay went on the front deck elastic RDF. The existing side deck line RDFs were just too far behind the mast to provide support when reaching or beating so I mounted two stainless steel saddles on either side of the mast and attached the side stays to them. If you were only interested in downwind sailing you could use the RDFs and do away with the back stay.

I mounted the sheet and uphaul cleats in front of the cockpit and to either side of the 4th hatch.

The ideal position for the mast base was just forward of the compass mount but the foredeck on the Delphin is peaked. Purists will be horrified but I just fitted the mast base to the right of the mid line on the flat part of the deck secured with two penny washers to spread the load below deck.

I use the same mast on my Nordkapp LV, which does not have a peaked deck. The side stays were therefore too short, so using bowlines, I adjusted loops of 2mm Dyneema cord through the saddles and clipped the snap shackles into them. If you only use the sail on one kayak you could clip the snap shackles directly through the saddles.

The beauty of the Flat Earth flexible tendon universal joint is that the mast is still vertical despite the mount and...

...the wind couldn't tell the difference!