Caribe: a New Kayak Design

Marcelo Rossi returns to the pages of PaddlingLight with a new kayak that he designed:

A couple of years ago, a friend from the group of paddlers that we meet with on Saturdays told me that more and more new people are joining the group, so why don’t you design a kayak for beginners? It should have a wide and low rim so it’s easy to get in and out, and flat at the stern to make re-entry easier, as stable as possible, the length of an average car, for paddlers up to 85 kg (187 pounds), with hatches to carry water, food, a change of clothes, etc.

I got home and immediately turned on the computer and started to create a design. After many hours and several days, with a sketch already defined, a concern arose:

Why not a kayak for beginners that can also be enjoyed by those who already have years of experience?

Many more hours of hull redesign were spent until El Caribe was achieved:

• 14′ skin-on-frame kayak
• 22 3/4″ wide
• 4″ draft
• Skin-on-frame construction
• For paddlers from 65 to 85 kg, 6 kg load

Some of the design characteristics are perfect primary stability that supports 60 cm band waves (typical of the Río de la Plata) without the need for supports, and staying upright in waves and strong winds (just on the day of launching there was a wind storm and very cold). The secondary stability has lots of torque. The kayak tracks and keeps the bow on course and without the need for a rudder or skeg while having instant response to the slightest heeling. It has low drag for relaxed paddling and a wide performance that can keep up with the 17′ ones without much effort (and faster than some, haha). The large cockpit is watertight with bulkheads (in a SOF???), bow and stern hatches with enough capacity to camp for a weekend trip.

I first used it on a 3-day, 120 km trip. That morning I left last, when everyone had already left. It was very easy to board; I just had to minor adjust to the footrest to paddle comfortably. A few strokes were enough to realize how fantastic it paddled!!!

I caught up with the group on the trip and quickly left them behind, with the wide river clear of kayakers I decided to push it with a strong and sustained stroke, to which it responds by “flying” through the water (with the hatches loaded and the current against it!).

I advanced along the river, alone, for several kilometers and I stopped to admire the winter landscape and take photos until the group reappears.

This first trip showed me the incredible performance of the Caribe, a kayak that I had just used that day. It was very comfortable to paddle for hours without going ashore with numb legs and practically without much effort beyond its length.

In the open river it behaves wonderfully, super stable with side waves, with strong winds, with current and headwind it advances easily maintaining the course, with stern waves it surfs amazingly.

Something very remarkable is that despite being short in length you don’t need a rudder to keep the course and it doesn’t zig-zag, it is so docile that you only need to look where you want to go and it goes by itself.

Honestly, after hundreds of kilometers traveled, I really enjoy every paddle with the Caribe. I assure you that it has become my favorite kayak!