Into Infinity

Summer 2009

Wavelength reviews Current Designs' newest Brit Boat, the Infinity.

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 John Kimantas

Sometimes it takes an extraordinary event to fully appreciate a kayak. And we got one of those, in spades, during a test of the new Current Designs Infinity.

We had been playing it rather safe. When we invited this issue's guest reviewers along for an outing, it was under casual conditions in Nanaimo Harbour. A circumnavigation of Newcastle Island provided an introduction to the sporty boat for members of the BC Marine Trails Network Association, a group working towards establishing a paddle trail from Washington State to Alaska.

And so we all gained friendly first impressions of Current Designs’ latest entry into the ever-more-crowded skeg boat category. You might be wondering why another skeg boat if you’re familiar with CD’s legendary Gulfstream, a long-time industry leader among fans of North American-built Brit boats. But the two are quite different. For the Infinity, Current Designs has lengthened the Gulfstream, knocked out some of the rocker, flattened the hull bottom, made the beam narrower (22 inches versus the Gulfstream’s 23.75 inches), and generally made it a highly sporty option.

Newcastle Island, Nanaimo Harbour

The result, as you might have guessed by the description, is not a beginner’s boat. The Infinity is a specialty boat that will be at home in surf and rapids as much as it is on flat water. As we found out. That’s because our ad hoc Team Wavelength (in this case myself, Leanne Chetcuti and Carey Lockwood) got a chance to take the Infinity out to Nuchatlitz at the northwest end of Nootka Island. I thought the maelstrom off the reefs that surround Nuchatlitz Provincial Park would provide the rough water test. But the real challenge turned out to be the trip back up Espinosa Inlet. The weather changed from calm to gale force almost instantly, and in minutes we were being propelled by gusting winds above 30 knots. Williwaws (whirlwind squalls) kicked up and we were surfing whitecapped wind waves. In the Infinity it was a surprisingly gentle ride.

The basics: The Infinity cockpit is designed for a generally larger paddler. Our test group’s smallest female members were not feeling confident with their fit. Those nearer the 6’0” range of the scale found it fine. Given the narrowness there is some initial twitchiness but the overall stability is good thanks in part to the flat hull design. Tracking with the skeg is a breeze. The Infinity is well-equipped with a day hatch behind the cockpit, an adjustable skeg lever, easily adjusted footrests and rubber hatch covers that are surprisingly simple to remove and reseal.

The rating

Touring: The Infinity is billed by CD as a large expedition sea kayak for British boat design aficionados. For those out there not used to Brit boats and skegs, be warned the Infinity's skeg housing divides the stern hatch space (a hazard of any retractable skeg model) which in this case is already split by a day hatch (again, a hazard of the design). Brit boat fans likely won't have a problem; it's the nature of the beast. Others (like me, for instance, who is spoiled by the bottomless pit of the CD arsenal, the old Expedition) might be left head-scratching figuring out where to put the big-ticket items. The upside is the day hatch is great for loads of miscellaneous gear – a feature I grew to appreciate when organizing odds and ends (I got lazy and dumped, a strategy that worked well).

Playing: Being a sports boat, this is what the Infinity is really all about. It is well designed for rolling, a key feature being a low, flexible backrest – handy for fans of rolling, but not necessarily a fit for everyone (one tester found it shy on lower back support for touring). Overall the Infinity is ideal for fans of surf, rapids, rolling and more technical kayaking.

Stability: Initial stability is good and secondary stability very good. It tracked on or above par for a skeg boat in both broadside and following weather – a definite strong point to the design.

The positives: We tested the Kevlar model, and have to vouch for the weight savings on an already light model (48 pounds Kevlar versus 52 pounds fiberglass). The difference is notable when loading. Thoughtful accessories are found throughout the design, such as the easily-accessible locking footrest adjustment levers.

Overall: Buyers should note this is a specialty boat. Thankfully it also looks good on the straightaway and rides comfortably for most larger size ranges, making it an option for casual kayakers who may want to grow into a performance boat. The bottom line is the Infinity does what it is meant to do; Brit boat fans will no doubt debate the degree to which it succeeds compared to other boats for years to come. So let the debate for the best Brit boat rage on as it finally reaches Infinity.

Win this kayak

Current Designs has graciously offered to place the Infinity in the array of kayaks being offered in Wavelength's 2009 kayak draw. See page 37 for more information on how to win.

About our guest testers

Coast&Kayak Magazine invited directors of the British Columbia Marine Trails Network Association, a group so new the ink is barely dry on the incorporation certificate, to help test the Infinity and provide feedback. The group of representatives from kayak, paddling and outdoor clubs and associations from across BC has been busy for about a year now working alongside the BC government to establish a series of kayak havens along the BC coast from Washington State to Alaska and all points between. The result will be a network of safe havens, campsites and launch locations protected in perpetuity for use by self-propelled and beachable boatcraft. Visit www.bcmarinetrails.org.