Entertaining the Darkness with the corpse of Kaya Kay!

Celebrating Halloween-time with a most well-traveled corpse ..

Starting with:

"Kaya Kay’s most excellent Dark kayaking adventure at Whiskey Creek!"

(click pic to enter)

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/2016/10/12/further-entertaining-the...

Enjoy!

Flex Maslan

www.kayakfari.com

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Permalink Reply by Dave Briggs on October 14, 2016 at 7:46am

Great pics as usual. How is that RTM kayak. Looks like you might actually be able to use it for a camping trip? I have a Dagger Kaos for the surf but this looks like it may be a good surf boat. The Kaos is only good in the surf whereas yours looks like it may be a good surf/daytrip/ultralight camping craft.

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Permalink Reply by Flex Kayakfari.com on October 14, 2016 at 1:08pm

Thanks Dave! Yeah your Chaos is a specialized surf boat, kinda like a wave ski crossed with a whitewater boat. The best way to think about the RTM Disco is that it is a very short sit on top sea kayak! With the addition of thigh straps, the Disco can be edged/leaned/rolled just like a sea kayak - but it is only 14 feet long. I find it an excellent all around kayak for the warm waters we have in South Florida. I say 'warm waters' because it is a very wet ride, when you stop you're sitting in water. Once you start moving the scuppers suck out the water, but it'll come right back as soon as you stop again. I personally use my Disco (the 'Mojito') mostly for playing and surfing. I've found it's more fun than the specialized surf boats because we don't get really good swells here very often, also the longer waterline makes a big difference in straightline paddling. About the only criticism I have is that I wish the back lip of the seat well was lower and shaped for layback rolls .. but I tend to use a seat anyway so it's not a showstopper. I use a wing paddle most of the time in mine.

As far as camping, it's def capable as long as you keep in mind that interior space is very limited. I have a 10" hatch on the bow, plus a 6" pop-out in front of the seat well. In the back is a "tank well", that's actually egg-shaped for drainage. Basically what is needed is a very large dry bag, like the "backpack" style for canoes. That's where all the big stuff goes .. sleep mat, bag, tent, clothes.. etc. Then I just strap the whole thing into the well! There is also a weight limit, you should be between about 150-200 lbs + gear. The weight limit is listed at 265 lbs total!

Overall the Disco is an awesome choice for paddlers well under 200lbs, it's way more fun than any of the other plastic SOT choices. At about 50 lbs, it's also relatively easy to load and still value priced (new about $650) if you can find one locally!

http://www.rtmkayaks.com/en/fiches-produits/disco-2/

http://www.ftlauderdaleyakfishingclub.org/RTM/rtmdisco.html

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Permalink Reply by Flex Kayakfari.com on October 14, 2016 at 1:46pm

Here's a "behind the scenes" shot of the RTM Disco tank well ..

Hey, if it'll hold a corpse - it should handle your camping kit! ;)

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Permalink Reply by Dave Briggs on October 14, 2016 at 5:36pm

Hmmmm. I have the kaos and a whitewater boat I am thinking of selling and putting the cash towards something else. I use a P&H Cetus for day trips and camping and a P&H Delphin for surf and rocks (up north anyway). I recently moved here full time (Sarasota). I haven't used the ww boat or the kaos all year so wanted to make some space and when I saw your boat it seemed to fit the bill for a fast and light camping trip and fun in the surf. I am 6'2" and 220lbs. The RTM website says max wt 275. Do you think that at 220 I am too weighty ? If I ever used it for camping it would be ultralight style camping and only 1 or 2 nights.I canoe camp sometimes so have the large drybags.

It kinda reminds me of the old Ocean Kayak Cabo.

Dave

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Permalink Reply by Flex Kayakfari.com on October 15, 2016 at 12:37pm

At 220lb you could play in the Disco, but I think it really too petite for camping. A friend tried mine some years ago, about your dimensions and he found it fun to paddle but it was too small. RTM also market(ed) a model called the Midway which is kinda like a scaled up Disco but with less rocker and hard chines. That's the one my friend bought, and it fit him much better. However he always felt it was kinda 'tender' and never got really comfortable in his Midway. I'm 6'2" but only 160lbs, I had no trouble paddling the Midway, but the Disco is a better match for me. I'll add that the Midway tracks straight, but it requires constant input from paddler, not unlike a real sea kayak. You already have two excellent boats, I'm sure you'd have no trouble with it!

Here's one for sale near you: http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2016-RTM-Midway-101722544

https://www.jerseykayakadventures.co.uk/2014/02/25/dag-midway-sit-o...

http://www.ftlauderdaleyakfishingclub.org/midway/rtmmidway.html

It's no longer on the RTM site, but they do have the Tempo which is the same as the ol' Scupper Pro - another great all around Florida boat, but it's nowhere near as fun to paddle!

http://www.rtmkayaks.com/en/fiches-produits/tempo/

Dave Briggs said:

Hmmmm. I have the kaos and a whitewater boat I am thinking of selling and putting the cash towards something else. I use a P&H Cetus for day trips and camping and a P&H Delphin for surf and rocks (up north anyway). I recently moved here full time (Sarasota). I haven't used the ww boat or the kaos all year so wanted to make some space and when I saw your boat it seemed to fit the bill for a fast and light camping trip and fun in the surf. I am 6'2" and 220lbs. The RTM website says max wt 275. Do you think that at 220 I am too weighty ? If I ever used it for camping it would be ultralight style camping and only 1 or 2 nights.I canoe camp sometimes so have the large drybags.

It kinda reminds me of the old Ocean Kayak Cabo.

Dave