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This is a snapshot of my kayak, which until recently never really had a name. I had
it stored over at my brother-in-law’s house and when I went to get it the other
day my two nieces informed me that “Brucie” was hanging up in the
garage and that we were having chicken and rice for dinner because fish are
friends, not food.

“What?”
“Brucie?” “What?”

Aquaterra (Perception) introduced the Chinook around 1985. Designed by Lee Moyer,

it was the very first roto-molded plastic sea kayak, bringing performance and high quality at an
affordable price. The rear hatch was optional, and I installed it a couple of
months after I got this kayak, so I had to cut a hole in the top of the boat
with a jigsaw when I installed it. This boat does flex and had an annoying dent
right in front of the seat when I got it, I guess because it was sitting on the
edge of a crate when they shipped it. The manufacturer said it would pop out
again if I put a hot towel on it so I got some boiling water and a bath towel
and went at it but that never seemed to fully correct the problem. Later I
added an upright foam block which made things a lot more ridged. I didn’t see
it the other day and I have since found out that that stuff is really expensive
for some reason. It’s what they usually use to make bulkheads inside the boat.

Anyway the boat has been hanging in
the garage by the bow and stern pulls (not my idea) and the bottom of the boat
seems to look better than it did the last time I checked but of course now
there is a little bit of waffle in the top deck of the kayak. Like I said, this
is the first of its kind so a few quirks are to be expected. The year after I
got my kayak they were offering the new ones with an aluminum tube running down
the keel inside the boat.

My kayak does not have an expensive
rudder on it and for the most part I think a rudder would be in the way on our
typical river trips here in Missouri. There have been a few times when I was
crossing a wide windy lake that I would have liked a rudder. I have tried
sailing this kayak with a big square para kite a few times with limited
success. It’s strictly a downwind thing but with the newer kites you might be
able to sail off the direction of the wind a little more.

I wish this kayak had a bigger front
hatch and I’m sure if I ever get another one that it will. I lot of stuff has
changed since I bought this boat but I still like if a lot. I never really was
able to roll it though one of my experienced whitewater friends was able to get
it all the way around a couple of times. The cockpit is really large and the
deck is high so there is not much to brace against with your knees. Of course
quick exits are a breeze and you can even hang your feet out of the cockpit if
you get bored or want to stretch.

Notes: Sea Kayaker Magazine, Issue 4, Spring 1985, page 52: “The CHINOOK by Aquaterra”
Kayak reviews, CHINOOK by Aquaterra

http://www.eskimo.com/~joelm/sk_covers.htm 

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