Hello:
The list above is what is available in the near future anywhere near where I live and need some advice from those that have paddled these models please.
I’m, 215 and 6’1” and I’ll paddle on flat l water and want speed (first priority). But I’ll also get out in open ocean swell (Florida) and want something that can handle the bumps as well.
Pros and cons? All advice is appreciated!
Submitted by Jupiterpaddler on Fri, 03/10/2017 - 6:16am
Only can give comment about the Kahe Kai....I am 6'3" and 220 pounds....loved my pueo 1 but it sat too far in the water for my weight. . As far as the Kahe Kai I found that it had the kind of "float" I was looking for....works well in flats, nimble on swells. The standard model is very light. Feel that I am more on top of the water then trying to paddle through it. ..better glide ...not going much faster then my pueo but hull speed is easier to get and maintain.. Heard the Antares is similar and works well for a larger paddler.
#1 Fri, 03/10/2017 - 1:01pm
Super curious myself about this topic as well. I'm debating between the Antares or the Kahe Kai. I'm leaning towards to the Kahe Kai but I need to know if either boat will do well for a 250lbs+ dude like myself.
#2 Sun, 07/23/2017 - 7:06pm
I went with the Kahe Kai and I love the canoe.
I’m 215 and feel this canoe could handle a lot more….
This is my first OC1 and thus I don’t have prior experience to compare it to. That being said, it’s very fast on flatwater and handles rough water well too. Pierces waves very well and I’ve been able to surf a few small waves earlier in the season. Had my share of huli’s in rough water and that is probably my lack of experience
Antares appears to have storage webbing both in front and behind the seat, Kahe Kai only has it behind and I wish it was in front too.
Kahe Kai has a footwell cover that does work – it sheds water from away from the footwells.
The specs on the both canoes appear to be similar, maybe contact OZONE and get their feedback?
Ideally you can demo them both.
Interested in the experiences that others have had……
#3 Mon, 07/24/2017 - 1:58am
I went with the KaheKai as well. Honestly I was leaning towards the Antares (since I had good experience with my Scorpius XM) but there were none to be found. AWESOME boat! Stupid light, fast in the flats and chop and surfs like a fiend! Love the deep footwells and they drain quickly. I'm definitely huli-ing more but that's due to the short iakos and light weight ama. A friend told me to shim my seat on the right and that's helped until my balance improves. I'm 6' and 230lbs and it floats my fat ass fine (could def handle more). One thing I've noticed is the ability to "trim" the boat with my weight by leaning forward or back. I'm sure it was the same on my Scorpius but it's much more pronounced (I think it's due to the light weight and cockpit position). Kinda cool. Overall I'm very happy with da boat :)
#4 Wed, 07/26/2017 - 9:49pm
PizzaBoyOC: You say your KaheKai is tippy. It may be because of your weight. Friend has one and he heard from someone else his size to sand the end of the back iako (where it sits in the back of the ama). Gotta sand it a little or else it won't fit in the ama. Once doing that, the boat was no longer tippy. That friend is about 6'1" and weights 220 lbs.
#5 Thu, 08/03/2017 - 5:07pm
Gothor you callin' me fat?!? :)
So let me understand you saying sand it back so it sits deeper in the ama? Makes sense just making sure that's what you mean. Thanks for the tip.
#6 Sun, 08/06/2017 - 10:35am
PizzaBoyOC: My friend is 6'1" and 220lbs and all muscle. No mention of "fat" in my posting.
Yes, without any modifications, he could only sink the back iako into the ama up to where the dull part ends. To set the iako further in, he sanded the shinny part to make it the same diameter as the dull part.
Before my friend did that, with his weight, the canoe was tipping to the right (non-ama side). Once he got the back iako to sink further into the ama, he was able to level the canoe out so that the boat was no longer tipping to the non-ama side.
BTW, nice color combination on your Kahekai.
#7 Wed, 08/09/2017 - 3:20pm
Hi guys, not to beat this subject to death but in my ongoing quest to add some stability to my KaheKai I believe I've found a nice solution. On all my previous boats (Viper, Hurricane and Scorpius) I was able to adjust the arm (length) of the iakos. While you can set the depth into the ama on the KaheKai it only has one setting for the arm. I ordered a pair of pushpins from Ozone, simply drilled an additional hole (2" further toward the end) in each iako and installed the second set of pushpins. While 2" doesn't sound like much it's enough to get the hull to lean slightly left towards the ama and dramatically increases the stability. The nice part is when it's flat I can rig it using the factory pins to develop my balance and go faster but when it's rough I can set the ama further and give myself a little more stability.
#8 Sun, 10/22/2017 - 3:46pm
Any thoughts on suitability for a 195 lb guy looking at the Ares or the Kahekai for Monterey Bay. I'm an advanced beginner as far as skill level. Would like to do some fun races, but primarily train for fitness.
Thanks JR
#9 Wed, 10/25/2017 - 6:53pm
Hey PizzaBoy OC:
I know I would benefit from longer iakos and your idea is a great one - I will try that.
Any special precautions/techniques of drilling into carbon fiber? Similar to fiberglass where you tape over area to be drilled to prevent fraying/chipping?
Thanks for sharing the idea.....
#10 Thu, 10/26/2017 - 6:16am
Jupiter none at all. Like you said I just taped it and grabbed a 3/8" bit and drilled. Slid in the pushpins and went paddling. Seriously works really well.
#11 Thu, 10/26/2017 - 6:40am