Artisan Millennium by Kajak-Sport

LengthoverallBeamVolumeCockpitsizeCockpitcoamingheightForwardAft

Heightof seatWeightCenterofbuoyancy*~With250-lb. load

12”9”

571/4 lbs.

47%

Speedvs. ResistanceThesefiguresarederivedfrom mathematicalmodelsbasedonalimited numberoftowingtestson flat water.

Kayakweight+ 250-lbpayloadResistancein pounds,shownto hundredthsto dif-ferentiatefiguresformerlyroundedto tenths.A fitpaddlercanmaintainacruisingspeedat3 poundsof drag.Only a fewcanwork against5 poundsofdragfor longdistances.SeeAugust ‘98 page43 formoredetails.

calculatedbytheKAPERprogramby JohnWinters(Factoraddedfor soft plastichullswhenapplicable):

2 knots3 knots4 knots4.5knots5 knots6 knots

0.921.923.545.117.76

13.81

cak.datedby Matt BrozeusingTaylorStandardSeries:

2 knots3knots4 knots4.5knots5 knots6 knots

0.911.923.544.827.16

13.45

* Fixed“paddler”weighthasitscen-

ter of gravity located 10” above thelowestpartof theseatand10” forward

of theseatatback.The“cargo’s” centerof gravity coincideswith thekayak’sapproximatedcenterof gravity.

Calculatedby NautilusSystemTMcomputerprogram

Righting/Heeling Moments(Fixed-weight)

c

1~

Stability Curves

1. 150lb. paddler,no cargo2. 200lb. paddler,nocargo3. 150lb. paddler,100 lb. cargo4. 200lb. paddler,100lb. cargo

Calculatedby Nautilus SystemTMcomputerprogram

RightingMoment HeelingMoment

The sameforcethatrightsakayakonflat watercontributesto its rolling

motionon thefaceof awave.

Readingthe Stability Curves

Thesteepertheslopeofthecurveasit risesfrom 0”, the higherthe initial stability. Be-yond themaximumrightingmomentat thepeakof the curve, the kayakentersan un-stableregion of decreasingstability whichdoeslittle to slow therolling of thekayaktothepointofimminentcapsize.

Note:Raisingthecenterofgravity slightlywill decreasethe stability of a kayakwhileloweringit will increaseit.

Waterlinelength 15’ 3.7” 15’6.4” 15’ 8.9” 15’ 11.1”Waterlinebeam 20.8” 21.2” 21.5” 21.7”Draft 4.0” 4.7” 5.2” 5.8”

18’2~/s” Prismaticcoefficient 0.50 0.50 0.51 0.5122~/s6” Block coefficient 0.36 0.38 0.39 0.4013.47cu. ft. Wettedsurfacein sq. ft. 18.23 19.91 21.51 23.0

Lbs./inch immersion 82.1 85.70 88.5 90.8

10 20 30 40 50Oegreesof Heel

October1999 0 SeaKayaker 13

Millennium Design StatementThe newMillennium, modeledfrom

historicalGreenlandstyling,is designedfor expeditionuseby paddlersof variedabilities. It hasa long waterlinewith alight,V-shapedhullwhich,coupledwithlow wind resistance,makesit fastandlight to paddlein all conditions.It is alsoajoyin surf.TheMillenniumis designedin a distinct fish form, for directional

stability, yet it offers outstandingma-neuverability due to its considerablerocker.Theinitial stability is goodandthesecondarystability is excellent,as-suringpaddlersasmoothtransition.Ad-vancedpaddlerswill bedelightedwithits superbability to roll upon demand.

Although lightweight, at just overfifty pounds,theMillennium is afull-volume kayak, capableof handling

most paddlers and expedition-sizedloadswith aplomb.

TheMillenniumalsooffersbest-in-classstandardfeatures,including:state-of-the-artproprietaryKajak-Sporthatches;threebulkheads;a retractableskeg;and re-cesseddeckfittings.

Phil WongGlobal Outfitters

USandCanadiandistribution

Millennium ReviewReviewersMH 510,190-poundmale.9-daycruise,generallycalm;winds 5-15m.p.h. withguststo 25. Tiderips.SC 511”, 160-poundfemale.Day tripswithdutcargo.Winds15-20knots,wavesto 2~/2’.TE61”, 200-pqundmale.Daytripswith-outcargo.Windsto 10m.p.h.,wavesto 1’.

TheMillenniumhasa“truly gracefulappearance.It hasaflawlessfinish withreinforcementmall therightplaces”(SC).The“welllaid-outdeckfittings,glassworkanddetailssuchasthecoamingandthefoot pedalsshowcarefulthought” (MH).The hull-to-deckseamis glassedinsideandout. “The undersideof thedeckhasresinpaintedonto sealthehardwareandmakea smoothsurfacethat won’t snaggearbags”(TB).

The Millennium “balanceswell for asolocarry” (TE),butit’s “abitmuchformeto lift ontothecar,althoughIcouldmanage”(SC). The togglestied into theendof theperimeterline madethetwo-personcarry“quiteeas/’(SC).

MH liked thedecklines,butTEmissedhavingbungiesaft to helphold asparepaddle. SC thought thebungies,espe-cially thoseriggedfor thepaddlefloatoutrigger,were “a bit thin andsuscep-tible tofraying.” Thepaddle-floatoutrig-gerbungiesare“threadedthroughplas-tic hooksthat fastenthebungieovertheblade.Thedistancebetweendeckfittingsis toonarrowtoslideabladein sideways,so you haveto usethehooks.Thereis aloop to releasethehook,but it hasthewrongangleto releaseit. I’d rebuildthesystem”(TE). The recesseddeckfittingswould make it easyto replaceandreconfigurethedecklines.

“Thecockpitopeningisnotlongenoughfor me to do a seat-firstentry, but thecockpithasplentyof roomandgooddear-ancefor size12shoes”GTE).“Themostcom-fortablefit I’vehadin akayak.Thecoamingallowsfor leaningbackandholdsa spraydeckverywell” (MH).

The seatis “very comfortable”(MH)andpivots onasinglebolt on eitherside.MH andSCwedgedfoamundertheseatto lock it in position,butTB,althoughhe

“initially thought it very odd,” foundthathavingboththeseatandthebackrest“swing with you when you leanbackfeelslike acomfortablerecliner.Theseatdoesn’tswaylaterally, andthepivotingdoesnot impairrolling or bracing.”

Thebackrestis “very comfortableandeasyto adjust” (SC) and “providesgoodsupportwithout limifing my rangeof mo-tion,butthehooksthatsecurethebackresttothecoamingcomelooseeasily’GTE).

The thigh bracesareflangesmoldedinto thecoaming. “They arein a goodposition for comfortandafairly positivegrip even though it’s a slipperyglasssurface. Thereis no foam padding,though,whichisn’treallyneededforcom-fort somuchasfor friction” (TE).Thefootbraceshave“largepivoting footpadsthatareverycomfortableandsolid.Thepivot-ing allows your ankleto takea comfort-able angle and the large areapreventspressurepoints” (TB). TheMillenniumisdesignedto takeanoptionalrudder,andthefootpadsaredesignedtoprovidebothsteeringandsolid footsupport.

“TheskegontheMillenniumwasabreezeto use”(SC).“Its controlis easytoseeandtooperate.Thecontrolknobis attachedto analuminumrod,ratherthanflexible cableason someothersimilar systems,whichpro-videspositivecontrolwithouthavingacablebendandbuckle.Nicedesign”GTE).

TheMillennium has“goodinitial andfinal stability.It’s slightly twitchy sittingwithoutapaddlein hand,andit doesn’tprovide rock-solid resistance,but it iseasyto setuponedgeandcomfortabletohold there”(TE).SCratedboththeinitialandsecondarystability ashigh.

“Loadedorempty,thekayakrespondsverywell to edgedturns,sweeping,draw-ingandDuffek strokes”(MH). “Withoutastrongleantherewasasluggishresponse”to turning, but with “an aggressiveleantheMillenniumturnsonadime” (SC).

“This boatwas really built to track.Regardlessofconditions,theMillenniumheldits course”(SC).MH neverneededtheskeg;theMillennium “tracked wellwhereverI pointed it.” “With theskegdroppedit lockshardontoacourse”(TB).

TheMillennium’s balancein thewindwas“excellent.Abeginnermightusetheskeg,x hichworksgreat,butl neverfound

theneedand kept theskegretracted”(MH). “I hadno troublesin wind andtherewaslittle to no weathercocking”(SC). “Waves get thebetterof thelowprofile” (SC). “In roughseasyou’ll getwet,but thebow ridesnicelyovermostchop”(MH).

“TheMillennium feltprettyfast.Withaknot meterI recorded7knotsataflat-outsprintoverashortdistanceand5’/2

knots at an exercisepace” (TB). “I’vepaddledfasterboats, but this kayakmoveseffortlesslyattouringspeedsof4knotsor so,anditsgreathandlingchar-acteristicsallow for higher speedinrougherwater” (MH).

The Millennium “surfs wind waveswell. I buriedthebow on occasion,butonly on somesteepwakes” (MH).

TheMillenniumwaseasytoroll. “Withabit of foamfor abettersurfaceon thethighbracesit wouldbefirst rate” (TB).

“I thinkonecouldeasilygetawayforaweek-longtrip. Eventhoughit is quiteshallowin its storagespace,thelengthoffers more than enoughspace”(SC).Thetetheredrubberhatchesproved“wa-tertightafter repeatedrolls” (TB). Dur-inga reentry,however,TB “snaggedafoot oneitherthehatchor its tetherandinadvertentlypeeledthehatchcoveroff.”MH notedthat the day hatchandthesternhatch coamings“came ungluedfromthedeck.I repairedbothin thefieldwith epoxyandsilicone.” Thethreefi-berglassbulkheadsareglassedin placeandwatertight.

“I reallyenjoyedpaddlingthis kayak.It is efficient to load with gearand topaddleemptyorloaded.Bringthehatchesup to thestandardsevidentelsewhereinthekayakandthiswould beasupersea-touring kayak,agoodchoicefor begin-nersorseasonedpaddlers”(MH). “It wascertainlymadefor cruisingcomfortably.I think thefull rangeof paddlerswouldfindthattheMillenniummeetstheirneedsfor asea-touringkayak” (SC). “I’d do abit of easycustomizingon thedeck, butotherwisethere’snot muchI’d suggestfor improvement.Thehull performswellandhasgood turningandgreatspeed.Theaccommodationsarecomfortableandtheboathasagreatlook to it. Definitelyonmyshort list” (TB).

14 SeaKayaker El October1999

DesignResponseWe atKajak-Sportareimpressedby

thethoroughreview,andconcurwiththecommentsregardingourlatestcre-ation,theArtisanMillennium.Wearedelighted that the testers’ indepen-dent experienceaffirmed all thede-sign andperformancecharacteristicsof theMillennium.

The hatchincidentsarenewsto us!Wehaveneverencounteredeitherphe-nomenaoverthepastdecadeofproduc-tion and rigoroustesting.Kajak-Sporthatchesarestate-of-the-artandmostcov-etedin theindustryworldwide.We are

absolutelyconfidentthatall of ourkay-aks arecapableof withstandingevenunusually roughhandling. Regardingthepartiallyungluedrims,ourownpost-mortemtesting failed to duplicatethesameoutcome.Thus,wesuspectthatthedamagemayhaveoccurredduringship-pingfrom Finlandto Seattle.Regardingthe loosedayhatchduringreentry,wewill monitor it carefully for repeatedoccurrencesand,if warranted,we willtetherthehatchinsidethekayakinstead.

We agree that the paddle-floatoutriggersystemis unusual,butit is aningenioussetup.It is designedfor one-

handoperationduringandafterreen-try; the trick is to position theloopsunder the hooks, thus facilitating asmoothrelease.However, we arere-ceptiveto redesigningit if it proveswidely unpopular.

In conclusion,wearepleasedthatourdauntingtaskof creatinganexception-ally versatileseatouring kayak that issuitablefor awiderangeof paddlershassucceededwith flying colors. SinceitsApril debutin theU.S.,everyonewhohashadthepleasureof paddling theMillennium hasapparentlyput it ontheirshort list!

Phil WongGlobalOutfittersOptionsandPricing

DesignedKl999StandardLay-up:FiberglassandDiolene,handlaid. Extrabowandsternreinforcements.Butt-joinedandedge-seamedinsideandoutwith fiberglass.StandardFeatures:FourproprietaryKajak-Sporthatches(a9.5” roundfronthatch,a16.5”x 12”ovalrearhatch,a6” rounddayhatch,andaunique4” roundskeg-inspectionhatch);threefiberglassbulkheads;recesseddeckfittings (no exposedmetalparts);fullperimeterdecklines;keyholecockpit;adjustableergonomicseatwith deluxebackrest;retractableskegwith no-kinkskegcontrol;proprietaryKajak-Sportpivoting plywoodfootbraces(designedfor independentdirectionalcontrolof optionalrudder)mountedonKeepers;andoutfitting for easyinstallation(andremoval)of optionalrudderkit.Options:Take-aparthull (two or threesections);removablerudderkit; smallor largecockpits;extrastrengthfor deckand/orhull; extrafiberglassbulkheads;recessedcompassand/orpump;andmetallicdeckcolors.ApproximateWeight:51 poundsPrice:$2,495Availability: The exclusiveimporteranddistributorfor theUnitedStatesandCanadais GlobalOutfitters,Inc.,50 Moffat Road,Newton,MA 02468.Call ore-mailGOI for thenearestdealer.Phone:(617) 834-5623.E-mail: GOKajak@aol.comManufacturer’sAddress:Kayak-SportOy,Miintykankaantie2, Fin-27100Eurajoki,Finland.