My Review of the NuCanoe Frontier 12
That said, here we go...
Stability--- It lives up to the hype. In fact, it's not hype at all. There is no doubt it is one of (if not THE) most stable rides around. I have put it to the test and you will have to try real hard to turn it over. I will go out on a limb here and say, under "normal" conditions, it's not going to flip. White caps, fast moving river, bass boat wake and drive by jet skis. It can handle them all and then some. Standing up for casting or SUP is a breeze.
Speed/Paddling--- Speed was one of the main concerns I heard from veteran kayakers. For me speed wasn't an issue. I paddled both the OK and the Frontier the length of the "Mile Long Bridge" (Hwy 147 @ Rayburn) which is just over a mile and covered the distance both times in 15-20 mins. I figured about 4 mph with just a moderate effort. I don't know if I could paddle wide open for a mile and I haven't tried, so I really don't know how fast it is. I have no trouble paddling and it tracks great. Considering I can now put in within 1/2 to 1 mile from any of my fishing holes and be no more than 15 mins. away from anchoring up, it's more than fast enough for me!
Weight/Capacity--- At 77 lbs. it is a little heavy, but when you consider it 's rated for 650 lbs., it seems like a good trade off to me. I have put different loads in it to simulate different camp/fish trips and it passed the test every time. I am confident it can handle all of my fishing/camping needs. Honestly, it's a pain getting it up on the car, but nothing I can't handle. Then again, it's not such a pain when I think of how much I save by not driving my gas sucking p/u!
Seat/ Open Deck--- The seat is great! No wet butt and you can spin around 360 degrees. It fits in the tracks on either side of the deck and can slide to any position. The tracks also hold my rod holders and my newly modified stern light (more info on that in another thread). The deck has plenty of open space so you are not limited to how you can arrange your stuff. The only molded areas are the crate space in the back and the places on the sides for either Scottys or RAM's. Lack of molded spaces was a big selling point for me.
Storage--- It comes up lacking in storage imo. It has one front hatch with a dry bag. You can remove the bag to access the inside, but unless you have arms 12 feet long, you won't be accessing much. It does have a couple of places to tie to on the inside, so you don't have to worry about stuff sliding to the back. If the sides of the deck were just a little wider, there would be plenty of room for some 4 in. hatches with dry bags. A 'one man" model with a larger hatch and shorter deck in front would be most excellent. Storage didn't play too big of a part in my purchase. The only things going in there are my battery, camera and rain slicker. Everything else needs to be within arms length. It would be nice to have access to more of the inside but not necessary, at least for me.
Overall, it completely lived up to my expectations. I am extremely happy with the Frontier 12 and I am very glad I waited to buy. I hope this has been helpful.
