The entire review is available as a PDF and includes sea-trial reports, stability graphs, cross-section drawing, speed/resistance figures and the response from the designer.
DESIGN STATEMENT
Can an expedition sea kayak really be your best friend? That’s the brief for the Xcape; make a boat that’s high performance and efficient, but not too demanding to paddle. Just like a best friend, it looks after you when the going gets a bit bumpy, it urges you to run faster when the going is good and be bold when it’s safe to do so, it holds a straight line through the chaos, you can lean on it and its stability supports you, it smooths out the twists and turns, it’s reassuring and supportive when conditions get tense, and when you’re tired and just want to get home it takes you there immediately, without fuss. The Xcape has cutting-edge performance and delivers it without drama or aggression—is this the thinking person’s expedition boat?
How was this achieved and what’s different from the Xplore? The Xcape employs a symmetrical and elliptical waterplane, a little more width, a little more V in the hull, a little less rocker, a little more skeg and the same comfortable and dynamic paddling position as all the other Tiderace boats. The Xcape and Xplore share one characteristic: each is as fast as the other. The Xcape is suited for paddlers ranging from 5' 5" to 6' 2", and weighing up to 15 stone (210 pounds).
–Dave Felton, Tiderace Sea Kayaks
Length overall 17' 8 5⁄8"
Beam 21 5⁄8"
Volume 12.3 cu. ft.
Cockpit size 16 3⁄4" x 30 1⁄2"
Cockpit coaming height
Forward 11 7⁄8"
Aft 7 1⁄2"
Height of seat 1 1⁄4"
Weight 51 3⁄4 lbs.
