Orca 13'0 Tandem Kayak

Can I use a soft rack to transport the Orca?

Rubber Racks and Soft racks are very temporary solutions, especially for a kayak as big as the Orca. The Rubber Roof racks will work but the weight may be imprinted on your car roof depending on the material your vehicle is made from and the shape of the roof. Permanently installed roof racks are a better, safer option.

Can I load the kayak easily?

The Orca weighs 37kgs and is 13ft in length, so it can be a bit tricky to lift onto roof racks. You can make use of a kayak roller which will alleviate some weight on the lift as the roller attaches to the rear window using suction cups. Once in place then you can slide the kayak onto the black roll bar and slide the kayak onto the roof. Please ensure however that the suction cup surface is clean as this will affect the sucking ability and if not clean and secured correctly can cause damage to your car if the roller slips so preparation is key.

Can I beach launch with the Orca?

That would depend entirely on the condition at the launch. If the swell is very small and the water conditions are calm then a beach launch is entirely possible but large swell and choppy conditions would greatly affect the Orca as the surface area is large inside the kayak so remember to take out the scupper plugs prior to launch to avoid the water damming on the deck.

Can I mount a motor on the back of the kayak?

Absolutely yes. At the back of the Orca, you will find spaced brass inserts that are in place to mount a rear motor mount using the four brass inserts and the four T-Knobs provided. The Orca itself is not limited to what size electric motor you want to use. You can also add a 2.5hp or 5hp petrol motor if you want a little extra speed and power.

The foot pedals are very close to the front seat, and it looks very uncomfortable. Why is it so close to the seating?

When you are paddling as a tandem you will be using the hand steering mechanism. The front pedals will only be used when you have concerted your tandem to a single and have moved the seating to the central position. If you need a little extra space, then simply fold the pedal clips towards the seat and they will stay in that position until changed.

Can I disconnect the rudder and remove it?

Yes, you can, The rudder is in place to assist with extra tracking (keep your paddling line straight) but the single keel and flat-based shape of the hull will track adequately without it, and then simply use the paddles to steer. Please remember to loop your steering lines so as not to lose the lines into the hull of the kayak.

I see there is a rudder system, can I connect the pedals and the hand rudder at the same time?

Unfortunately, not. The rudder system is designed to work individually as if both were connected and if both paddlers try to operate the steering at the same time it could badly damage the rudder system. If you are two paddlers then connect the hand rudder system and if you are single connect the foot pedals.

Can the Seats turn around at all so my son can face me?

Yes, the seat design and base cross bars are equally spaced, this does work.

Could I buy an additional seat and install a seat for my child?

Yes, you can. There is more than enough space for a third seat and securing is easy by using the seat clips provided to lock the seat into position (Follow the above instruction)

Can you operate the Orca as a single seater?

Yes, you can. In the center of the kayak, you will see two molded grooves with two clips on one side and a single clip on the other side. By removing the two seats from there current position and taking one of the seats and inserting the bottom frame bars into the above-mentioned grooves you can now secure the seat with the three clips by sliding the clips over the bars and by doing so locking the seat in place.

The Orca looks very big, is it not too long and wide and awkward in the water?

The orca is surprisingly very agile and responsive for a larger kayak. The design idea was to create a very stable platform that could handle massive weights and retain efficient maneuverability. The flat-based hull is incredibly stable as there is a large area at the bottom of the boat that makes contact with the water. This, however, does slow the kayak slightly and that is why we have the channel throughout the bottom of the boat and the single keel to counter that loss of speed and ensure that the kayak remains nippy.

Do I need stabilizers at all?

The Orca is incredibly stable and doesn’t need additional support, however, should you wish to do some Fly Fishing on your Orca the stabilizers will add to the stillness of the kayak as they will add support to the sides of the kayak.

Can I use a soft rack to transport the Orca?

Rubber Racks and Soft racks are very temporary solutions, especially for a kayak as big as the Orca. The Rubber Roof racks will work but the weight may be imprinted on your car roof depending on the material your vehicle is made from and the shape of the roof. Permanently installed roof racks are a better, safer option.

Can I load the kayak easily?

The Orca weighs 37kgs and is 13ft in length, so it can be a bit tricky to lift onto roof racks. You can make use of a kayak roller which will alleviate some weight on the lift as the roller attaches to the rear window using suction cups. Once in place then you can slide the kayak onto the black roll bar and slide the kayak onto the roof. Please ensure however that the suction cup surface is clean as this will affect the sucking ability and if not clean and secured correctly can cause damage to your car if the roller slips so preparation is key.

Can I beach launch with the Orca?

That would depend entirely on the condition at the launch. If the swell is very small and the water conditions are calm then a beach launch is entirely possible but large swell and choppy conditions would greatly affect the Orca as the surface area is large inside the kayak so remember to take out the scupper plugs prior to launch to avoid the water damming on the deck.

Can I mount a motor on the back of the kayak?

Absolutely yes. At the back of the Orca, you will find spaced brass inserts that are in place to mount a rear motor mount using the four brass inserts and the four T-Knobs provided. The Orca itself is not limited to what size electric motor you want to use. You can also add a 2.5hp or 5hp petrol motor if you want a little extra speed and power.

The foot pedals are very close to the front seat, and it looks very uncomfortable. Why is it so close to the seating?

When you are paddling as a tandem you will be using the hand steering mechanism. The front pedals will only be used when you have concerted your tandem to a single and have moved the seating to the central position. If you need a little extra space, then simply fold the pedal clips towards the seat and they will stay in that position until changed.

Can I disconnect the rudder and remove it?

Yes, you can, The rudder is in place to assist with extra tracking (keep your paddling line straight) but the single keel and flat-based shape of the hull will track adequately without it, and then simply use the paddles to steer. Please remember to loop your steering lines so as not to lose the lines into the hull of the kayak.

I see there is a rudder system, can I connect the pedals and the hand rudder at the same time?

Unfortunately, not. The rudder system is designed to work individually as if both were connected and if both paddlers try to operate the steering at the same time it could badly damage the rudder system. If you are two paddlers then connect the hand rudder system and if you are single connect the foot pedals.

Can the Seats turn around at all so my son can face me?

Yes, the seat design and base cross bars are equally spaced, so this is definitely doable

Could I buy an additional seat and install a seat for my child?

Yes, you can. There is more than enough space for a third seat and securing is easy by using the seat clips provided to lock the seat into position (Follow the above instruction)

Can you operate the Orca as a single seater?

Yes, you can. In the center of the kayak, you will see two molded grooves with two clips on one side and a single clip on the other side. By removing the two seats from there current position and taking one of the seats and inserting the bottom frame bars into the above-mentioned grooves you can now secure the seat with the three clips by sliding the clips over the bars and by doing so locking the seat in place.

The Orca looks very big, is it not too long and wide and awkward in the water?

The orca is surprisingly very agile and responsive for a larger kayak. The design idea was to create a very stable platform that could handle massive weights and retain efficient maneuverability. The flat-based hull is incredibly stable as there is a large area at the bottom of the boat that makes contact with the water. This, however, does slow the kayak slightly and that is why we have the channel throughout the bottom of the boat and the single keel to counter that loss of speed and ensure that the kayak remains nippy.