Kayak Noise_ Nootka Island

Kayaking Nootka Island 2010.........

Alex Matthews & Friends – Nootka Island 2010

Alex Matthews here, signing in on the ‘Kayak Noise’ blog.

Last month I had the chance to take off up the coast of Vancouver Island for a 10 day trip to Nootka island and the Nuchatlitz area, launching from the small town of Zeballos. Nick Castro of Active Sea Kayaking (http://www.activeseakayaking.ca/) was the instigator, with his partner Sandra, and their good friend Jen rounding out the gang.

I was paddling Spike’s newest sea kayak design - the Looksha Elite. I’ve logged quite a few miles in the Elite now, and it’s a cool boat that combines positively HUGE storage capacity with a very efficient hull for good speed, and tremendous maneuverability. Because the stern of the Elite has so much rocker it spins on a dime and is very fun and sporty to paddle (great down wind), but it’s quite rudder dependant in some conditions. I really like it and it’s become my “go to” boat for multi-day trips. If I was still guiding I would definitely be working out of an Elite: it’s fast, comfy, is really easy to swing around (ideal for doing a head-count when keeping track of guests behind you), and positively swallows gear! It’s also stable enough when loaded that I think you could put a client in it without worrying about them flipping.

The only downside I encountered is that when FULLY loaded, the Elite ends up weighing a ton (duh)! I wanted to see just how much I could stuff into the boat and went a little crazy. I ended up with my usual gear, plus enough food for over 2 weeks, extra water, extra clothes, and a full complement of camera gear. The kayak swallowed it all with ease but was of course really heavy. So it’s like the old backpacking adage: “be careful with a really big pack, because you will have a tendency to fill all the space available. And then you’ll have to carry it!”

At a measly 150lbs, I’m definitely small for the Elite, but it does a really good job of not feeling like a big boat. And while I am campaigning for a lower volume version, I must admit that all that cargo capacity is pretty corrupting (I’m getting old and soft, and luxury certainly has its appeal). I’m not sure that I’d be willing to give it up.

All photos by Nick Castro or Alex Matthews

Kayak Noise - Looksha Elite

Alex Matthews talks about the Elite....

Kayak Noise - Looksha Elite Video

All about the Looksha Elite....



Here is some info about the new Elite

kayak Noise - Looksha Elite

My new Elite has arrived....
Unwrapping my new boat it is always a great day.

Kayak Noise - Elite Review

Adventure Kayak Magazine takes a look at the Elite......
Check out more here
http://www.adventurekayakmag.com/adventurekayakmag_fall09/

Kayak Noise - Quadra Island

Alex and crew head to Quadra.....

Alex Matthews here, reporting in on the ‘Kayak Noise’ blog.

Last weekend I headed up-island from Victoria to Quadra Island. The crew consisted of the usual suspects: my beautiful wife Rochelle, my good buddy Dave Aharonian (see the article about him in a previous post), and the inimitable Nick Castro of Active Sea Kayaking (http://www.activeseakayaking.ca/).


We loaded up with a couple of Chatham 16s, Dave’s Nordkapp, and one of the highly coveted and all too rare Looksha Elites. Our plan was to stay at the Discovery Islands Lodge (http://www.discovery-islands-lodge.com/) for 3 nights and paddle daily at Surge Narrows – a local playspot of rare scenic beauty just 20 minutes paddling from the lodge. The constricted channels and bottom geography at Surge create a couple of good play waves on a flood tide.

An awesome time was had by all – we played hard, ate like kings thanks to Rochelle, and relaxed in total rustic luxury at the lodge. If you’ve never stayed there, then you should! The owners/operators Ralph and Lannie Keller are wonderful. Check out a slide show here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/45728820@N04/sets/72157623028104976/show/

Still not convinced? Then consider this: every day after paddling, we would stoke up the sauna on the dock in front of the lodge and bake our sore muscles until we were relaxed pools of goo. A quick hot rinse in the outdoor showers, and then we could head upstairs for a mellow evening in front of the wood stove - my idea of a perfect getaway!

P.S. We ran into local paddlers Brent, Paul, and John, who shared beta on the best spots and generally welcomed us to the area. Thanks guys!


All photos By Alex Matthews or Rochelle Relyea

Kayak Noise - Elite Review

Canoe Kayak Magazine review the looksha Elite....
Click the picture to enlarge

Kayak Noise - Looksha Elite

Pictures of the Elite at the Beach.....

Kayak Noise - Looksha Elite Edging

Alex Matthews Edging Necky Looksha Elite.....

Kayak Noise - Looksha Elite

Alex Matthews thoughts on the Looksha Elite........


Hello Spike fans! - This is Alex Matthews checking in from Vancouver Island as guest blogger.

I’ve been lucky enough to be paddling one of the new Looksha Elites over the last month or so (1 of only 2 of this new design on the entire west coast so far, I believe), and I’m really enjoying the boat. I typically get the chance to paddle a great many different kayaks, and this one is a real stand-out for me.

Firstly: the Elite is quite fast – it’s a Swede form so the bow entry is long and smooth which makes catching even small waves easy.


Despite its speed, the Elite is pretty stable and easy to paddle, so it’s definitely not an “experts only” sort of boat (whatever that is?). But the rocker profile is pronounced, so while the Elite’s tracking is very light, it benefits an active paddler who will gladly trade tracking for great maneuverability. Translation = you need to be happy with dropping the rudder when conditions dictate. Pull the rudder up and you can carve super tight turns.

All of that rocker, speed, and very nice cross-sectional shape, translate to terrific edging response and maneuverability.


Build quality on my demo boat is really excellent (in stark contrast to some of the very poor composite kayaks that I have seen come out of Necky’s East Coast US facility). If all the boats coming from Cobra (the Thai company now building Necky’s composites) are this good, then Necky should be really stoked.

I tip the scales at a rippling 150lbs, and the Elite is a touch on the big side for me – which is fair enough and probably right on target for paddlers in the more average 180-200lbs range. Having said that, the huge cargo capacity is pretty seductive and the fit is good, generating solid contact with the thighs. As a matter of course, I’m already gently campaigning for a Low Volume version but would likely still want the current size for long trips.

The Elite is a real hoot to paddle, and a little different from so many of the other boats out there. Its speed, efficiency, and its ability to carry a huge payload, have made it my new “go to” boat for multi-day trips. But heck, I’ve been paddling it everywhere (including and especially play sessions) and having a blast. It’s a winner – Spike’s going to have a very hard time getting this particular boat back from me!

Kayak Noise- Paddling the Looksha Elite

Hornby Island B.C.............

Paddled the Looksha Elite around Hornby Island. Sunny calm day with no wind. Didn't use the rudder in these condition which is unusual in the Elite for me. I prefer to use the rudder in this boat as I get great glide and responsiveness from the hull since it does not have a strong built in keel (speed brake). I did not race just a steady cruise and it took about 3hrs. I stopped a couple times to drink etc. I was really happy with the boat it glided along beautifully although it is a responsive boat so you need to stay active but you get so much more from a boat like this rather than a tight tracking boat and it's way more fun.

Here are a few stats

Distance 13.8knts/15.87miles/25.55km

Average speed 4.6knts/5.29miles/8.51km

Top speed 6.2knts/7.13miles/11.48km

View Hornby Island in a larger map

Kayak Noise - In Thailand

Thailand Production....

I travelled to Thailand this week to visit Cobra the company that is making our composite boats. I was there to see the first production boats of 3 models the new Looksha Elite ( 17ft'r ), the Eliza and the Manitou 14. After 30 years of making composite boats these are some of the nicest I've seen.

It was only 30 -35 degrees this trip which was nice. I was checking over the lay ups and testing the first models of the line. Below you can see the pressure test being done. This makes sure that the storage compartments are air tight.

The Elite is in full production as you can see the boats in progress on the racks. It's always great to see a boat going into production after you have been working on it for a year or so.

After everything was looking good with the boats I managed to get out for a paddle on the Gulf of Thailand. Just did a paddle for a few hours down the coast but it was good to get out. The water as you might expect was incredibly warm. Possibly the warmest water I have paddled on. Warmer than Costa Rica, Malaysia, Hawaii or the Cook Islands.

17 ft'er Prototype 2

The new 17 ft'er has been moving along. Here are a few pictures of the model I will post more on the changes we made in the next few days. The lastest changes have made the boat really interesting we've been trying to keep the great glide of the first proto and get a better lean turn which seems to be working.

Temp Mold

For speed we seal the foam and build a mold. From that we can make the boat. We have the process down to only a few days to get from model to prototype.

CNC Cut Plug

After the plug comes of the machine we still do some hand work to get the details and adjustments that you just can't see on a computer screen (Even with a big screen). It is just fine tuning but it makes a big difference.

Stability Curves

It does not mean much with nothing to compare to but I'll add in more as we go.

Next step

So once the model is looking ok we start to make a proto. I have stability curves on it so we have a record to compare to later protos. At this stage we don’t put in any details like RDF’s etc as we just want to get the hull and the fit right. So next we will cut the model out on the CNC machine and make a temporary mold.

Water line cross section and Draft

Draft at 250lbs

Typical entry/exit. Has dips in bow/stern

New 17ft'er waterline with 200lbs person in it. Bow entry looks clean stern still has a little dip

Cross Sections

Vertical cross section 14" from the bow.

The full entry not only gives lots of volume for a dry ride but provides a smooth entry with little bow wave. I will cut the model at waterline to have a look at the entry.

Hull cross section at the paddlers hip. Reasonable amount of V and full chine. Hopefully will give us great glide and a responsive lean turn.