This review is for anyone interested in knowing how a Splash Two compares to other similar kayaks. First let me say that I own both a splash 1 and splash 2 and am very happy with both. Second let me say that you should not try to compare the Splash 2 to a touring or white water kayak. They are not in the same category. Third let me say that you should not compare a sit in to a sit on top; if you are looking at the Crescent Splash 2, I presume you are considering sit on tops. I also would like to say that this is not my first kayak and I have paddled very nice touring kayaks as well as recreational sit ins – No white water though.
OK so what I like. The price, considerably cheaper than other kayaks. Kayaks I considered: Liquid logic deuce coupe, Wilderness Tarpon 130T, Hobie odyssey and Kona and cobra double. What brought the splash 2 to the top, did I say price…oh yes! We wanted a kayak that could be paddled solo and also would fit three. The Splash is very comfortable for two adults and one child in the middle and extremely comfortable for two adults. It tracks well and for the type of kayak it moves along the water smoothly and fast (once again, do not compare to a touring kayak.) It handles the waves really well and it is fun. This kayak is also supper stable. At 34 inches wide it is very hard to tip it.
What I also like is that you can stand in it and paddle it like a stand up board or just get a better view around. Notice that if you stand up on it don’t let your kids rock the boat…you will land in the water but the boat will not tip. It has really well defined seating wells but you must get the seats for a really comfortable ride.
The other thing we like about the Splash 2 is how well designed the middle seat is. Most other kayaks just had a (rear end checks) holder with no defined back rest. Solo paddling is great. Compared to others this kayak has a good amount of storage and we had the factory put a second hatch in the front for additional storage. It works well.
The bad: It is heavy. At 70 pounds and 12 feet long it can be awkward to handle especially for one person. If you are using it in flat water I highly advise scupper plugs. We put it in the water without the plugs and three people and we had water come up and stay there. Unless you exceed 300 LBS solo paddling should be OK without the plugs.I weigh less than 150, solo paddling form me is fine without plugs. Any how I still recommend the plugs. Scupper plugs give you better buoyancy and keep you dry. If you are using in the ocean or class one or two rivers take the plugs out…you want the drainage and besides you are going to get wet anyways. The kayak is made of very good plastic and definitely competes with all the brand name kayaks out there.
Bottom line: I like it and if one thing I could change is that it would be a little lighter. Otherwise it is a fun boat for relaxing, exercising, taking the kids out, and more. I would even do a weekend camping trip in it. Are there other kayaks I would have preferred? Sure, but once again price and features made this our choice. Hope this helps anyone looking at the Crescents.
Our family loves Crescent Kayak's Splash 2. We initially were looking at a pair of single sit-on-top kayaks from another brand, but decided to go with the Splash 2 since it could be used as a tandem kayak, or by one person in the extra middle seat.
So far it has been really durable and performed well. We've taken it out on nearly a dozen trips, and each time its been stable and easy to paddle out on the water. The best part about the kayak was the price. I saw comparable tandem kayaks going for nearly double what this one ran us. It comes in lots of cool colors too. We got a nice lime green one.
All in all, I'd highly recommend Crescent's Splash 2 to anyone that asked.
We bought a pair of these sit on tops directly from their factory in Carrollton, GA. They outfitted them right on the spot and the price from the factory can't be beat. We took these to Florida and proved to be very ocean worthy and great on the back waters too.
The Splash II has 3 molded seats it's great for me and my twins. Easily handles two adults and cargo. They track great in the wind. Also nice and wide, and extremely stable. You can even stand to fish.
The negatives: They weight in at 75lbs+ outfitting. A Kayak cart is a must for these babies. The wide beam can also make it difficult to rack these... I use a trailer so its not an issue, but they would be a beast on a car top.
I was looking for a stable kayak that I could use either as a tandem with my wife, or solo if my wife didn't want to paddle. We already have a tandem sit-inside that works well for when we both paddle but with non adjustable seats it wasn't suitable for solo paddling. Our last few camping trips to FL convinced me that a sit-on-top for use on the beaches and for easy climbing on and off for snorkeling would be a welcome addition to our fleet. After doing a lot of research I came across the Crescent Splash II, which is billed as a tandem kayak, yet has 3 seats so you can move to the center seat when paddling solo. We could also carry a small child in the center seat when we paddle tandem which would be impossible in our tandem sit-inside.
I've used the Splash II on 3 trips now. Two were on lakes and the latest was paddling 10 miles down the Chattahoochee river. The Splash II is very stable, and it paddles well. It also tracks straight due to it's built in "keel" so it worked well with my picture taking. The middle seat is probably just a little in front of the center of gravity, so if you don't have any gear in the back you are probably riding just a tad low in front, but that was not troublesome at all. We had steady winds yesterday on our outing but they did not affect our speed or direction much so this is much better in the wind than our canoe is. We have the optional high back "Seals" seats that are very comfortable and have brass clips that allow you to switch from tandem to solo easily.
The Splash II is heavier than most sit-inside kayaks but at 66 lbs seems to be average weight for tandem sit-on-tops. Although it weighs less than my old Scanoe, it does have the drawback of not having any side handles to help one person lift it or steady it after you lift it. I can get the kayak up on my shoulders and carry it easy enough but without handles on the sides to hold onto while doing that it's pretty unmanageable. I temporarily solved the problem by wrapping one of my tie-down straps around the center and that gives me something to hold onto and maneuver easier when it's on my shoulders. I plan to install two handles that I ordered on the sides to solve this oversight.
Overall, compared to other tandem sit-on-tops I think this is an excellent value and hope to have many happy trips on lakes, rivers, and beaches.