Reviews for Arctic Tern Kayak by Pygmy Boats

The AT is 17' long, with a 23" beam, and moderate rocker: As such, it strikes the (seemingly) perfect balance between speed, stability, manueverability and volume (cargo capacity). It's plenty fast and spacious enough for expedition touring, and nimble enough for recreational day paddles. (Though it's not ideal for the latter, no yak will be perfectly suited for everything).

I've paddled it in everything from calm weather and flat water to winds of 15 mph, and swell about 5'. It seems to handle everything well: It's plenty fast and the rocker makes it gives it good primary and secondary stability. It's size and characteristics are suitable for average-ish size paddlers (about 5'6"-6').

So you're probably wondering why I'm not giving it a 10. There are two minor issues I have with it:
1) The stock seat is mediocre, and 2) The cockpit is a bit too large. Fortunately, these issues are pretty easily rectified:
It's easy to replace the stock seat with something better, and install thigh braces.

This is a beautiful boat and will be a conversation piece wherever you go. It's very light and easy to cartop. It came in right at 39 pounds and after adding a skeg it is 43 pounds. It rolls easily and turns very sharply when on edge. Initial stability is more than adequate for a beginner and with experience you will not be wishing for another boat and I have paddled quite a few now. Unless you are into competitive racing it is plenty fast.

Last year I did an 8 day solo trip in the Everglades / 10 Thousand Island area of South Florida and had plenty of storage room. With good planning and packing I'm guessing you have enough storage for a 2-3 week unsupported trip. Speed was good and it was easy to paddle fully loaded - I'm 5'11" and weigh 210# - probably had around 150# of water and gear.

Suggestions:
The stock seat is adequate but I replaced it with one I bought from Redfish Kayaks which I prefer. Paddle with it for a while first - it's no big deal to customize the seat. I got fancy and secured the hatches from underneath with a bungee system - it was very pretty with a nice clean look on the deck and fine for day trips, but if you really want watertight hatches use Pygmy's system with the straps on the deck. I ended up reverting to this. I added a skeg but if you're an experienced paddler you may prefer to go without. I would not add the rudder - developing basic paddling skills will turn you easier and faster. And if you're a first time builder with no fiberglassing experience get someone to help you when you glass the deck and hull if possible - if not don't let it get in your way. Add footbrace studs to avoid drilling holes in the side for footbraces. Add perimeter deck lines for safety and convenience. Add knee braces if you surf or roll. Pygmy sells these as accessories on their site.

These boats went in the water for the first time in the San Juans and then the following year in Bowron Park, BC, so they've been used for day paddles and week-long expedition paddles. With no previous experience, I think they performed great.

I haven't gotten around to changing the backband and seat yet. Those included with the kit are reasonable alternatives but are primitive. It can carry a fair amount of gear and not feel sluggish in the water.

AT was voted the best sea kayak kit by the readers of the "Sea Kayaker" magazine, but I chose it because it just felt and handled right - all things considered it came on top (for me) Here is what I like about AT:
- Turns very well with leaned turns - no need for any steering device
- Tracks well without a skeg.
- Large cargo volume
- Excellent primary and good secondary stability.
- Dry ride

Here is what I dislike:
- Not as fast as I would like - Coho and esp. Osprey HP are faster.
- ??? I guess these are all the bad things I can say about this kayak.

In general, I think all Pygmy boats are superbly designed, both from the "mathematical model" and the "hands-on experience" standpoint. The designer (John Lockwood) has been at this for so long he's learned a thing or two (or three), what cannot be said about some of the "garage tinkerers" in the kayak building community (As the saying goes "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing").

Besides the kayak, you need to also consider other things, like construction process. Pygmy kayak construction process differs from CLC and other makers. I'd say Pygmy process is very good, but the instructions that describe the process have, uhm, some room for improvement. If you choose Pygmy, make sure you read (and re-read), (and re-read) the manual until you really understand what are they talking about.

***NOTE TO PYGMY ***
If you happen to read this: How hard would it be to re-write your instruction to make it clearer for a beginner builder to understand? You are selling great boats and I would (will) buy another kayak from you (as soon as I have time to build one) but the fuziness of your instructions (not everybody is a skilled woodworker with 5 kayaks under his/er belt) is the only minus point in this review.

I just thought I'd add my thoughts for anyone considering building this boat, who might have doubts about their ability to do so. I'm the guy who got a D in middle school shop, never had the patience or fine motor skills for model building. But this seemed like a nice middle-age challenge. Still, I feared this boat would sit partially completed in my garage for years before I gave up on it. Well it didn't. I built it in about three months, probably putting about 120 hours into it, and loving every minute of the build. I made mistakes, but none that couldn't be corrected. The builders on kayakforum.co were always ready to give me advice and guidance every step of the way, God bless 'em. People who see it on my car are stunned by its beauty, and assume I'm a master woodworker, which amuses me to no end. It has many small imperfections, and as the builder I'm aware fo them all, but they are beautiful imperfections that make the boat my own. I have to say I've never felt so attached to a material possession before in my life.

Now for how it paddles. First, I'm not a master paddler. I've been paddling rec kayaks for about seven or eight years, mostly on lakes and slow rivers, and once a year I spend a few weeks at the ocean, paddling in calm conditions.

I'm 6 feet tall, about 195 pounds, with size 11-12 feet. Lots of room in this boat for someone my size. In fact I need to fit it out to make it fit me more securely.

It tracks like its on rails and I can't imagine ever needing a rudder. I've paddled it in stiff winds with no weathercocking, in chop and confused seas at the mouths of tidal rivers, and it handles beautifully. The hard chines allow me to lean hard and hold it on edge with no little threat of capsizing.

Other things I like about it: it is incredibly light 41 or 42 pounds. Extremely easy to cartop and to carry to the water. It is also incredibly sturdy. I feared a plywood and glass boat would be like a delicate piece of fine furniture that I was always worried about. No worries, this can handle a fair amount of abuse. Sure, like all boats, it will collect scratches on the hull over time, but it's still as beautiful as ever. And after a few years, a sanding and a new coat of varnish, it will look like a new boat again.

The Arctic Tern like most Pygmy boats is a larger volume EXPEDITION boat. It is designed to paddle with 250 to 350 lbs. of paddler and gear and at this it excels. With weight it will set down in the water but still leave enough freeboard to keep you dry.

This is an active paddler boat as are most hardchine boats, meaning it is very easy to turn if you lean it to the point where the chines take effect. It is very neutral and does not need a rudder or a skeg if loaded properly.

As a day boat it is OK to pretty good especially if you are a medium to large paddler but MUST be outfitted. The cockpit is very large and comfortable but you must be in contact to take full advantage of its design. I replaced the blow up seat with a carved Minicel, added a white water back band and thigh braces. When you are in contact it is a completely different boat.

I have had better day boats and if you are small or do only day paddling a smaller volume boat may better suit you. It does take some attention empty in a following sea. If I could have only one boat for day paddling and camping this would be the one.

The Tern rides high in the water (ok, I have never paddled it loaded and I am not a giant) and bobs like a cork in intersecting waves. It goes straight like a dream and is reasonably fast. It turns with less than grace. Even leaned, a lot of muscle is needed to get this boat to turn.

I took it to a class on rolling and decided this is definitely NOT the boat to learn to roll in. I'd love to hear from from someone who has rolled these! On the other hand, it's so stable it won't be an issue for most people.

While I can't speak for other 'kit' boats, the Artic Tern seems to ride extremely high in the water and is very sensitive to where the center of gravity is.

I'm 6' and 230lbs and while I fall into the weight limitations for the boat, too much of my 'bulk'(I'm longer in torso length than in leg length and built solidly around the chest and shoulders)was above the coaming and resulted in a high center of gravity and very unsettled secondary stability in chop and swells. A fellow paddler who weighed in around 200lbs and was shorter in torso length found the Tern both extremely stable and quick thru the same conditions I experienced unnerving 'edginess'. I wasn't all that happy with the limited foot space a factor I corrected via a shearwater full width adjustable foot brace design.

Ease of entry and exit (even for a big guy like myself) was excellent and the initial stability allowed getting in and out on floating docks a breeze and the boat displayed excellent tracking and fantastic edging allowing it to be paddled for hours without fatigue.

Because I had a second layer of glass along the keel my Tern weighs in at around 46lbs. Still; for a 17' boat this is a fantastic weight and allows me to car top the boat with ease even after a long paddle.

So: For my particular needs I gave it only a 6. I really believe this is one of those boats that require a paddler weigh in at no more than 210# and not be long of torso.

Here's the one thing-everything pygmy says about how long it will take and how easy it is, is.... more than stretched. I think I will spend that long just sanding, by the time I'm done with mine. I can't say I'm a decent woodworker, though, and I am doing just fine in building it, albeit by trial and error and cutting and sanding my mistakes.

But, I've paddled several others, and I absolutely, absolutely cannot say a bad word about anything about the boat itself.

The beauty of mahogany radiates through the fiberglass sheathing inside and out. With the added compass rose design or whatever you chose to individualize the kayak, it becomes a one-of-a-kind.

The medium volume packs well for week long trips and handles superbly in rough water. I use it primarily for camping, day touring and fishing on larger lakes and rivers. Lake Michigan's chop is fun to punch through with little water over the deck.

At 5'9", 175 lbs. with full load or not I can easily lean and brace with good stability. Straight line travel is a pleasure with little correction needed. It is not necessary to add a rudder although the option is available.

If carefully loaded, the boat has a minimal tendency to weathercock. It tracks strongly and has a tendency to broach in following quartering seas. It cuts nicely through head-on seas with a medium-volume bow that lifts sufficiently but not so much to cause pitching.