subject: Review Of The Ocean Kayak Frenzy Kayak [print this page] The Ocean Kayak Frenzy is a 9-foot, tri-hull, sit-on-top recreational kayak. It is popular, ranking in the top ten kayaks at Amazon. Is the Frenzy right for you? To help you find out, here is an Ocean Kayak Frenzy review.
Whereas a typical, sit-inside kayak is a human powered boat with a covered deck and one or more cockpits that was developed by Inuit people, a sit-on-top kayak is really a kayak-shaped raft derived from paddle boards, which is to say, from surfboards. According to Ocean Kayak company lore, their company's original founder took an old surfboard and carved out two spots, one to sit in and the other for his scuba gear, resulting in their organization and product line.
There are both benefits and shortcomings to sit-on-top kayaks. They are easier to get in and exit than sit-inside kayaks. They don't require special training in performing the Eskimo roll or wet exit. They do require learning how to reenter them, a maneuver involving approaching from the side and "swimming onto" the kayak. They are easy to fall off of, which will be a problem in serious white water.
Sit-on-top kayaks are buoyant, hence are much harder to sink -- sinking requires a hull breach. But sit-on-top kayaks don't offer protection from the elements. They require wet or dry suits in icy water.
The Frenzy kayak has a medium-density polyethylene hull which is almost indestructible under ordinary conditions. It is stiff enough to hold its shape, but is elastic enough to survive bumps. This does mean that the kayak must be carried on the roof of an automobile or in the back of a truck. If you don't have the space to carry a Frenzy, you may want to look at inflatable kayaks. But the inflatable kayak hulls aren't as fast for gliding through the water. Both inflatable and polyethylene hulls may be repaired if they are breached.
The Ocean Kayak Frenzy is a single-person recreational kayak. Some sit-on-top kayaks have room for two adults and a child. Some kayaks are designed for angling, some for touring, some for racing, some for other specific goals.
The Frenzy is short -- nine feel long. Touring and racing kayaks tend to be at least twice as long which gives them the capability to hold their direction while being paddled and to slide through the water with less resistance. Short kayaks tend to wobble when being paddled. On the other hand, the shorter kayaks are more manoeuvrable and hence better for surf or white water or just fooling around. Travelling kayaks also have more cargo storage space than the Frenzy. Fishing kayaks need plenty of storage for the rods and other tackle.
As with many sit-on-top kayaks, the Frenzy has molded wells for seating and storage space. The seating well is 18 inches wide, equivalent to a commercial airline seat. There are wells for feet at several distances from the seat to fit most leg lengths. The Frenzy is self bailing through four scupper holes from the seating and leg wells to the bottom of the kayak. In keeping with it being a recreational kayak, it has a molded in drink holder. A seat with a back may be attached.
The Frenzy sports a "tri-hull" design. The "tri-hull" refers to the presence of a keel down the center and sponsons, shoulders, along the edges. The sponsons function like outriggers. These sponsons give the Frenzy great stability. The buoyancy of the sponsons fights any attempt to turn the kayak over.
You paddle the Frenzy with the conventional double-bladed kayak paddle. Some kayaks are fashioned to have a sail. Some are fashioned to be powered by peddles or by motors.
The opinion of this Ocean Kayak Frenzy review is that when you are interested in fishing, travelling or major white water kayaking, the Frenzy kayak is certainly not the best kayak for you, but if you are after entertainment, it's a different story. Given its constraints, the Frenzy is a very good kayak for warm-weather pleasure in the surf, on ponds, or in class 1 or class 2 white water.
