First Paddle of the Eco Friendly Melker Rodloga
Vložit
- čas přidán 23. 07. 2024
- From the first time I laid eyes on the Rodloga I knew I had to try it. The striking lines, and sustainable story had an instant draw for me. After a few months of begging, pleading, and annoying Pelle from Melker I was able to get my hands on one. Any not just any one, the very first one to land in the Western US! After paddling it I can say that the Melker has captivated my interest and earned my respect. I'm looking forward to spending a bunch more time in this kayak in a variety of conditions to see how it performs. I'll be posting more videos about it along the way. I'll also be watching the Melker Instagram page closely as Pelle has some boundary pushing designs on tap for the future.
=========================================
Thank for joining us today
Please do not forget to subscribe and drop us a like!
=========================================
For more information head over to www.headwaterskayak.com
Facebook / headwaterskayak
Instagram headwatersk...
=========================================
Ready to Get on the Water? Use our Affiliate Links to Purchase:
FeelFree Kayaks: www.feelfreeus.com/?ref=a_qil...
3Waters Kayaks: www.3waterskayaks.com/?ref=a_...
Jonny Boats: jonnyboats.com/?ref=headwaters
Seastream Kayaks: www.seastreamkayaks.com/?ref=... - Sport
I learn more from you than anyone else about flat water kayak and canoe technique, thanks for your demos.
I appreciate that!
Your video capture and precise form make for compelling lessons! Hats off to you, Jay (75 year old 40 year paddler)@@HeadwatersKayak
That's so beautiful, to good to just lay on the ground, it's a work of art.... but suppose you can't always baby the things, nice paddling btw, that boat is awesome. Brilliant Dan.
Dan, that was an absolutely wonderful show of maneuvers! As I learn them slowly, I watch videos like this with greatest pleasure. Thank you and keep them coming. 👍👍
I learn the most from observation and listening (and trying them later myself of course). 😁
Happy paddles,
Tom
Many thanks! Have you seen my kayaking 102 video? I break down a lot of these more advanced skills.
Great Video! I can imagine filming is the hardest part of the presentation but I wondered if a small camera on your hat could show the front as it turns a bit?
@@HeadwatersKayakoh yes, I keep coming back to it regularly. 😁
Nice!
Great work on your reviews. You have a very engaging style. I have had my eye on this brand for a while.
you and alex are the best! thanks for finding these kayaks and reviewing for us!
It sound like a really good kayak!🙌
WOW what a great looking boat and seems like a great design,great video Dan thanks for sharing and look forward to more on this one.
A well detailed and display of the Rodloga. Thanks…
Beautiful kayak!
These types of yaks really don't do much for me. But I have to tell you, thanks to you I am in my 4th year of being a kayaker. I spent a few years researching which kayak I wanted to buy and you and your channel were one of the main sources of information for me. Thank you for all of your efforts and demos. I am currently in a Jackson Bite FD. Luckily I was able to snag the E-Drive while Jackson was offering it, they no long are as you probably know. I ended up building a trailer for it because it was much too heavy to rooftop it. My goal over the next few years is to sell off my worldly possessions and go "nomadic". That means I will be searching for my next kayak. Something I can rooftop load and something that I can motorize. Thanks again for all you do!
Nice paddle
This one is on my short list. I think it plays in league with kayaks costing much more. I can’t wait to see your saltwater / surf review. I hope it’s coming soon!
Would like to see you do a couple of drop stich infallibles, saw some 12 footers the other day, the owners said they like how they can throw them up on the roof of their SUV, bungy cord them down and drive away, to easy!....Love to see your indepth!!....they looked ok as well btw!
yay, this video helped me realize I can park in boaters only parking spots, never realized a kayak was technically a boat ^_^
hmmm...do you really want to test that on a busy day where someone complains and gets you towed away? i would check with the park employees first and record the conversation.
For the record there is no boat launch where I am putting in. It’s a kayak/ Canoe only launch.
@@HeadwatersKayak ah ok, nvm then lol. On an unrelated note, I just got my first touring kayak and taking it out tomorrow, but I don't have a spray skirt. It's relatively still water in a protected inlet. Do you think I'll need it?
Great video! I learned a lot. Can you do a similar one with the Sitka or Fathom? Would be interesting to see the differences.
I feel like I have some with the Sitka. I’ve spent more time in a Sitka than any other kayak. But yes I’d love to. Need to review a Fathom it’s been a while. It’s a tough kayak to have in these conditions because the lack of rocker.
Neat kayak and amazing scenery. Such a crystal clear stream, but your comment in the beginning about the river depth got me thinking. Would you take a fiberglass or ABS thermoform kayak into a muddy river where it would be hard to avoid shallow spots, or would you say that muddy rivers are the domain of rotomolded kayaks?
It all depends on the river. I paddoe my Eddyline on the Sac River all the time.
Great video! I didn't catch the weight on the LV? How does one repair this interesting composite material? Would you take this for a kayaker-head-high surf or is it better suited for touring and light dynamic water play? Looking to hear about its surf capability!
According to Melker you can repair it just like any other fiberglass kayak. I don’t have exact weight. The one I have is a pre-production model and it’s 52 pounds. The production models are supposed to be in the 40s. The one I have also feels like it’s built like a tank.
Thanks, great to see. There are some design similarities with the P&H Volan 160, that’s a fun boat too. Do you think this boat would be good for multi-day expeditions? I really hope you can try the Melker Ulvon too, it looks really different.
I think it would be ideal for multi day trips. Would love to take it on a tour on the Northern Ca Coast sometime. I have a Ulvon to test once I’m done with the Rodloga.
I have a comfy Old Town Loon120. Looking for an upgrade with comfort and performance.
Looks good so far. Apologies if I missed it but how heavy is it? Thanks!
54lbs
@@HeadwatersKayak 1 lb lighter than my 12 footer…😥BTW, love the “wood grain” deck!
Sir how do you get these kayaks . I tried to see how much shipping was for the Kelker you was test riding and I can’t even get here in Sacramento California
You’re in luck. All of our containers will be arriving in Lodi California at my warehouse. I decided to work with him as a West Coast distributor. I will have them available to demo at the Lodi Paddlefest on May 4. And available for sale starting in February. Currently we just have the two demo boats on the West Coast
What's your favorite lake/flatwater day trip yak for a 6' 240lb guy with lots of cargo? (I don't fish)
Man that’s a loaded question. Can I choose 5?
How do you compare the Melker against the Steller s14 or 16?
Very different. Slower, more predictable without a rudder, carves different because the chines. Secondary stability is better on a Melker. Totally differ type of craft. Also heavier. Stellar’s are crazy efficient for their length, and are more rudder dependent. My S-16 is one of my favorite kayaks I’ve ever owned. It’s just so fast and sporty.
What length paddle are you using?
210cm
Really interesting design concept. Though, as far as "sustainable" kayaks go-- why would someone go with this instead of a wooden kayak or skin-on-frame kayak?
Because neither of those are production made. Some folks like to build kayaks, but it’s not realistic for most.
Where was it you launched at
Nur Pon Open Space on the Sacramento River
where can I find one on the east coast of the US
I’m sorry not sure.
I don't see any point to having both a rudder & a skeg. Both or them are drag generating devices, so I don't use them unless absolutely necessary. Primarily I would use edging & paddle strokes. But these are temporary direction control, however in persistent conditions that are taking the boat off line, I will simply sit a little to one side or the other to trim onto the appropriate edge to maintain heading. Rudder or skeg are a last resort.
I would like to point that while you don't see fins on kayaks, these are a more efficient solution, because a fin flexes, yielding to the cross flow in a way that rotates the reaction vector to produce a small forward thrust while as resisting the sideways component of the flow. This would be a lower drag solution than a skeg.
It's a nice looking boat, but still continues the way too heavy trend that began in the mid 70s with rotomolded PE. Even the glass kayaks we built back then were half the weight of kayaks today & Kevlar or carbon were half that of glass.
My old 4 metre chopped strand glass Lettmann Olymp that I made in high school weighed 28 lb (12.7 kg).
These heavy kayaks are just too unmanageable in terms of transport, loading & unloading. If you can't just lift it over your head, on & off the car and carry it 50m on one shoulder to the water, it's just too heavy. It just isn't necessary for these boats to be so heavy, just don't use them as rock sleds.
I see now that Melker has decided starting next year, the rudder will be optional. That’s great for me, I stay away from rudders, it’s just a metal blade and an accident waiting to happen, causes drag and interferes with car loading, etc. I plan on ordering one of these with skeg only, that will drop the weight to 50 lbs or slightly less, and equivalent in weight to a Delta 17 or Eddyline Sitka XT, and about 20 pounds lighter than an equivalent polyethylene boat. So, if you are used to handling a long boat that is light for its length (think surfski), that’s not bad at all - just my take.
Well, I think rudders have their place in very adverse conditions that make course keeping by other means very energy sapping. Pretty much no one can hold an edge to maintain a heading for hours in rough aft quarter seas & high winds. You can sit a little offset to hold a prolonged edge & a skeg can help, but these only give an average control that allows the heading to wander about. A rudder gives a moment to moment trim, enabling a more precise course to be maintained, so I think they have a place, but it's very easy to overdo rudder deflections which creates excessive drag. It's especially easy in a kayak as you can't see what's happening back there. It may be good to add deflection limiters, 5-10 degrees or so, maybe. Yes, rudders are a thin blade that can cause injury, so are skegs & getting rammed by a bow can be extremely serious, even fatal. I had a kidney rupture from shuch a ramming in small surf. Something to think about with kayaking groups. @@barry4fish19