Gear Locker: Impex Currituck

August-September 2005

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
To download a pdf copy of the magazine click here: > DOWNLOAD

by Alex Matthews

First, a quick history lesson: until recently Formula and Impex kayaks shared common kayak designs, but each brand attached different names to their offerings. A reorganization of the companies has brought new clarity to the situation, with all products now being offered under the brand name of Impex. All Impex kayaks are manufactured in New Liskeard, Ontario, by the parent company: M id Canada Fiberglass.

The Currituck (formerly the Pursuit under the Formula brand) has the classic appearance of a Greenland-inspired, British style kayak. Both the bow and stern are upswept, giving the boat a sleek and attractive profile. Two large oval VCP rubber hatches, and an 8” day hatch, provide good access to storage compartments. All hatches are tethered against loss, and 3 bulkheads divide the cargo space. Deck fittings are recessed and perimeter lines and shock cords are sensibly laid out (although there is no provision for securing a spare paddle on the foredeck). A compass recess fore of the front hatch is designed for the Brunton 70P marine compass. A drop skeg is standard, and deploys smoothly via a cable slider, conveniently located by the right side of the cockpit.

The skeg control is a cable slider located beside the cockpit.

My test boat had a Kevlar® hull, laid-up in an infusion process, while the deck was hand-laid, in an open mold. The hull was very clean and smooth with a great finish. The deck uses a lot of multi-directional strand material (as well as mat in key areas) and had a few sharp edges, but overall the Currituck is a solid and well-finished package. The seam joining the deck and hull together is glassed inside and out.

The cockpit of the Currituck is quite roomy and entering and exiting the boat is easy. In fact, I found myself wishing for far more aggressive thigh braces that would provide a better grip on the boat. This is a minor issue, as a little time spent padding out the kayak would yield a personalized fit. A sporty kayak like this design, benefits hugely from a snug fit. The molded fiberglass seat is quite comfortable, but feels a little high off the bottom of the hull. The large and very comfortable back-band adjusts with cam buckles and provides great s upport. Pedals are very solid, and adjust easily.

A float, initial stability is moderate. At 21.5” wide, the Currituck rolls edge to edge readily, almost feeling more stable on a lean than on an even keel. I really liked how easy it was to edge this kayak. A fairly large amount of lean is necessary in order to get the kayak to turn really tightly, but once cranked over, the Currituck is quite maneuverable. Speed feels good, and the kayak is efficient moving through the water. I had the chance to paddle the boat in high winds and although it does tend to weathercock, this characteristic is readily controlled with the skeg. On an even keel, the Currituck tracks well, but is not super stiff. I liked the compromise in tracking versus maneuverability. In rougher water, the boat was predictable and well behaved.

The Currituck offers an appealing blend of performance and features. It’s a ‘Brit-style’ boat, with good handling performance, good speed for efficient cruising, and good storage capacity. While this kayak isn’t designed to swallow huge amounts of gear, there is plenty of room for even extended multi-day excursions for a careful packer.

Impex states that the Currituck is designed for paddlers in the 150-220 lbs range. A larger model called the Assateague, is very similar in design, but scaled up for the 175-275 lbs paddler, and offers more storage capacity.

At $2,990 Cdn, the Currituck is clearly a bargain, coming in at a considerably more affordable price than many other full-feature composite sea kayaks. I don’t know how Mid Canada Fiberglass does it, but I’m sure glad that they do!

Manufacturer’s specifications