Review Detail

I took delivery of my Raptor SOT late last summer and made several trips offshore before the season ended. It handles the chop well and surf is really surprising. Going out through the breakers, the pointed nose and downward sloping sides let the boat pierce and divide the surf for very minimal resistance. It's so much faster heading out than my old kayak (I won't name drop, but it is an established offshore design). I had talked to Jim Martin, the designer and owner of Santa Cruz Kayaks, and he assured me that I should try coming in through the surf by riding the waves. No kidding! At first I tried coming in slowly the way I had learned in other kayaks. Finally I summoned my courage and tried it, fully realizing that for most kayaks this is the fastest way to roll over, but to my surprise and relief the kayak surfs along the wave face beautifully. It took a little getting used to, but it sure beat the old slow re-entry style! I use the paddle to brace on the high side as the Raptor drives to the beach.

Paddling is very comfortable because the kayak's front end is thin from the tip to just behind the seat. No banging your knuckles on the side during paddle strokes. The offshore chop does have a different feel in this boat when oriented perpendicular to the wave direction. Different? Yes, but I quickly got accustomed to it, and it still maintains that rock solid stability.

One of my favorite things about this kayak is how it behaves while drifting baits offshore. Left alone, it orients itself with the nose down wind. This is awesome! I usually run two rods out the back, so it really simplifies things if I am not required to keep paddling to orient the kayak to keep the baits spread apart.

There is a new optional seat plate available that allows you to mount a traditional boat seat on the kayak, and it's very solid but easily removeable. After adding the seat of your choice ride height is elevated a few inches but stability doesn't seem to suffer. And the best part? It feels like sitting on the couch at home. I love my new seat! If I choose to use the old kayak saddle for some reason, the seat and base plate are removed within seconds.

My last offshore trip of the season was during October, and the fish were really thick. Sharks were too, and I lost a realy large Kingfish at kayak side when it was ravaged by a huge bull shark. I kept fishing and hooked a bull that would have measured at least 7.5 ft. It took nearly three hours, but I finally got it boatside for some photos and video before cutting it loose.

Paddling this boat is easy, due to the keels in the rear of the boat. They keep the kayak tracking straight through the water until you ask it to turn. I have owned Ocean Kayak and Malibu models and enjoyed them, but this design is superior for fishing offshore. The combination of speed and stability still boggles my mind. I didn't believe that combination was possible until I experienced it. Now I don't plan to go back!