I've had my Scupper 14 for two years and I love it more every time I paddle it. Quick, maneuverable, stable, comfortable. I've done long weekend camping trips with it, raced it, and spent lots of time on lakes and rivers. Hauls easily on top of my SUV. Well worth the money.

Have a 2019 model. Very fast boat and I have had no issues regarding stability. I have practiced re-entry a tiny bit, but only a tiny bit because I found it so easy to get back into. May be tougher if I was substantially overweight. Didn’t pick it up in the review here, but if it swamps (had to deliberately do so) the raised scuppers at the front end do a good job of draining much of the water. I still carry a bilge pump which I can use to quickly drain the water out of the footwells if I don’t want to wait for the Venturi scuppers to do their thing. Also, if I paddled as much as I’d like to, just a matter of time before being involved in rescuing someone else and so a bilge pump is ALWAYS good to have on hand.

Another great review. Thanks for the info on the ACA course! I consider myself a novice, and I appreciate anything that will help me improve my kayaking/boating skills and safety.

Completely understand about biases.. but from what I see from your reviews is that you're very fair on your comments and again, it's all relative to the user based on what is more important to them. I'm biased towards sit in kayaks 😂 but I still enjoy sit on tops and it still gets me on the water to do some paddling! Just being on the water makes me happy no matter what type of kayaks!

Very nice review! Good point about biases. I like the look and features of this boat and will definitely consider buying it. It's barely wider than my 14 ft Perception Carolina.

Thanks Ken!! I'm a complete hatter of SOT kayaks. I'm very impressed with this kayak. The hatch,foot pegs,day hatch, the drainage. It handles rapids,current.(I watched your log jamb video) When you said rudder WOW!

Great review. Nice that there are a ton of options on this boat.

Thanks for the review, great info!

I have one of these here in the uk. Fantastic kayak. Fast,reasonably stable and I can carry a few days worth of camping gear. Highly recommended. Available from Cambridge kayaks uk,excellent company to deal with.

@The_Terrible_Tavern

2 жыл бұрын

Hello, I've had 2 kayaks from Cambridge Kayaks and they are good. Can you recommend the Swell Kayak. It looks different then most sit on tops. How stable is it?

@Fusilier513

2 жыл бұрын

@@The_Terrible_Tavern hi,it’s reasonably stable,hard to describe. When I first got it I was coming from an aqua glide chelas 155 which is like a floating sofa so I was a bit shocked at how tippy it felt but within an hour I’d forgotten about that and just enjoyed the speed and excellent handling. It really is a beautifully made boat I have the rudder which makes a big difference in the sea. By far the best kayak I’ve ever paddled

@The_Terrible_Tavern

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the reply. I think I'll definitely be getting one.

Any chance you could review the scupper 12? The 14 is too long to comfortably haul on my jeep. I’ve been considering the scupper 12 or the pungo 120. 2 diff animals I know but the scupper looks like it performs comparably.

@bradleycole9

2 жыл бұрын

I am also very interested in seeing a review of the swell scupper 12.

My first serious kayak was a scupper pro 15 which still holds it own in big water alongside sea kayaks, a true classic.

I just paid $150 bucks for an old scupper classic.First kayak,ever. I look forward to getting it to the lake,to practice paddling technique,getting in and out of it etc..

First, your bias is exactly why we watch your videos. Your bias is based on wonderful experience and your ability to express the information that we need to make a buying decision. Great job. Second, thank you so much for the ACA reference. I am going to put that on all of my Facebook pages, because people are woefully under trained. Third, Knowing you are so trained why aren’t you demonstrating proper dressing by wearing a dry suit in such cold water? A fantastic review. I’m going to save it. Thank you.

@PaddleTV

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Robert. It's a good (but loaded) question about the drysuit. These are the most difficult conditions to dress for - hot air, but cold water. In this case, a drysuit would have been too much. It was simply too hot to be comfortable paddling in a drysuit. That being said, it IS critical that you always dress in a way that you can comfortably survive a swim. There were other options available for me, that would demonstrate dressing for prolonged immersion in these conditions. But the reality of my situation for this shoot was that I stayed within a 60-second swim from shore, and I was always within an easy walk (in warm conditions) to my truck. Then there's the fact I felt there was virtually no chance that I would flip in these conditions. It doesn't answer your question about 'demonstrating' proper dressing practices. There's definitely a very good argument that I should always show using paddling gear that will keep me safe for extended periods of immersion... You've definitely provided food for thought... :)

@BobBohner4851

Жыл бұрын

@@PaddleTV thanks for listening. People just don’t think dry suits are a necessity. I know you know but they don’t. Thank goodness for my ACA and Wilderness Survival instructors pounding it in my head.

My first kayak was the old Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro a good 20 years ago. I think they improved on that original design and it looks like a great boat which I would buy in a heartbeat 👍👍

@PaddleTV

7 ай бұрын

They definitely improved it! Highly recommend.

I just bought a Scupper 14 from a woman who had only taken it out a few times and yesterday was my first run time taking it out. Great feel on the water and had zero issues with stability. Tipping wasn’t an issue at all. I didn’t like the side handles either cause they do pinch your fingers but otherwise it was a great first run on a flat lake. Really enjoyed it. I went with the 14 so that I could use it for camping. Im going to look at getting the Scupper 12 for my wife for our day trips though.

@genelamb4427

2 жыл бұрын

Your wife will have to work harder to keep up in a 12 foot kayak.

That thing looks SO GOOD!!! I believe the design is not at new, or unique to Swell. Perception debuted the Prism 14 in the 90's. It was 27" wide and had foot wells lower than the seat. Appears to me Swell refined and possibly perfected the design.

@chrishitchings8712

Жыл бұрын

It's based on the ocean kayak scupper pro which was around in the early 80s. Tim Niemier who pretty much invented the SOT created the scupper pro and he had a hand in the development of the swell.

Hi Ken, good to hear you starting to talk about leg length as well as height... it's more important to some of us and it seems to be more than my imagination that you're doing this more now. :-)

@PaddleTV

2 жыл бұрын

Happy it helps. I'm not sure if you were one of the people that suggested it. If so, thanks for the suggestion!

@petestack

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, I was, cheers!

If you get a chance to paddle a Stellar S14S I bet you'd like it. Less comfort perhaps but pretty darn slick on the water.

I had the vagabond marimba as SOT. Looks similair, curious what you think of that compared with the scupper 14.

Is it really that weight?? Or is it heavier. I have an RTM Dag Midway and that is sold as 23kg but with the seat and bracing console fitted it's 30kg. It's the same width as the scupper 14 but 3in longer.

Please review the Scupper 12!!!🤗

@PaddleTV

2 жыл бұрын

Look forward to it!

does this kayak has better performance then the wilderness tarpon?

Isn't there another type of watercraft that's open, but you can sit below the waterline? I think they've been popular in Canada for centuries. However, they aren't very suited to scuppers.

did ocean kayak sell the name and hull?

This boat, the Pinnacle fishing ski, and a Stealth 575 are the 3 boats I am looking at right now. I currently have 2 kayaks. 1 is a Moken 12 V2 and the other is a Viking Reload. The Moken is a pig but is considered a good paddler by fishing kayak sit on top people. I use it sometimes but find it frustrating because no matter how hard you paddle it goes SSSLLLLLLOOOOOWWWWWWWW. The Viking Reload is a great kayak but I want more performance and at the same time I still want great fishing capabilities. I want to go faster and not have to paddle too hard. I want the kayak to do well in the ocean and do surf launches as well. The kayak also needs to do well in a lake or river, and I want it to be good at camping. The only thing I do not like about the Swell Scupper is the weight. I think 40 to 45 pounds is good. I think 65 is the absolute heaviest kayak I would consider, and I would not be happy with that. I have not made up my mind yet, but I am thinking Stealth 575 would be best for me.

@bahmak2003

Жыл бұрын

😂😂😂😂

I was literally up river when my kayak paddle broke in half. Lucky for me, my husband not only loves me, he is chivalrous and gave me his paddles, taking mine and battled back to the truck in the wind. Which non- aluminum shaft paddle do you recommend for weekend kayakers?

@PaddleTV

2 жыл бұрын

Doh! That's no fun! My suggestion would be the Aqua Bound Manta Ray Fiberglass Paddle: bit.ly/3HINAqY It's got a carbon shaft, which is light, stiff for performance, and durable, and it has fibreglass reinforced Nylon (plastic) blades which are very durable. It's also under $200 ($175 I believe). In my opinion, it's the best value paddle on the market. Happy paddling!

@jonilaymon5018

2 жыл бұрын

@@PaddleTV You are much appreciated and we thank you. Happy paddling to you as well!

@dawncrossland3028

2 жыл бұрын

@@PaddleTV What Size Paddle Would You Use w/ This boat?

I very nearly bought one of these after giving up searching for an ocean kayak scupper pro. I had made up my mind to buy one when I got the chance to get a scupper pro ( I'm an OK fanboy lol). It's an amazing kayak, so fast, I've done 28½ miles at sea in 5 hours in it, next month I attempt to circumnavigate the Isle of Wight, 55 miles in hopefully below 12 hours! I don't think I'd have felt short changed if I'd bought that though there's definitely some improvements on it.

@jamieash5076

Жыл бұрын

Hi Chris I'm here researching this kayak with the exact plan as you of kayaking the IOW. looks like from your image you completed the paddle, did you use this kayak?

@chrishitchings8712

Жыл бұрын

@Jamie Ash yes mate, the picture is from the needles but not on the day of the circumnavigation and not in the scupper! It's a great paddle but not for the faint hearted! Make sure you're very very fit!

@watsonlitchfield2306

Жыл бұрын

My next-door neighbor moved and left his Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro behind. I asked my new neighbor if he had any plans for it and he said that if the man that left it didn't come back for it in 30 days I could have it. For free! It's an older one that says Designed by Tim Niemier on the back (moulded in). I can't believe my luck. It even came with a paddle and seat. It still has all of the straps and the cargo hatch. It's my first kayak and I love it! There is a kayak launch about half a mile from my house with rollers and grab rails. As soon as I go into the water, water comes up through the scupper holes and gets my butt wet. That's the only thing that I don't like about it. It's no big deal in the summer, it helps keep you cool, but I want to use it year-round. I contacted Ocean Kayak asking about what size scupper plugs I need for it, but they couldn't tell me because it's been out of production for so long, but they did respond within two hours. I bought some foam golf balls, and they seem to plug the holes pretty well, but I haven't tried them in the water yet.

@chrishitchings8712

Жыл бұрын

@Watson Litchfield that's great 👍. Your solution is fine, I use drysuit trousers when it's cold or a wetsuit. Just be aware that when you block them you can't get the balls back out while you're in it. As you venture into rougher water it will get in and you'll end up sitting in a bowl of water! Good solution for calm water though, happy paddling 👌🏻

@matthewm7666

9 ай бұрын

28.5 miles in 5 hours in an Ocean Kayak sounds like complete BS.

Can portage this? Can you carry over your head like a canoe? Or carry on shoulder?

@chrishitchings8712

2 жыл бұрын

I have an ocean kayak scupper pro and I carry it fine and load it myself.

Went to their website. Didn't see anything about weight capacity.

Great review. Mind if I ask what vest your using? Looks nice and minimal.

@PaddleTV

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! The vest is the NRS Odyssey - bit.ly/3ibIk2n It is a nice vest. Made specifically for paddling, so it offers a lot of freedom of movement. Lots of pocket space too.

I don't see the link for the ACA safety course in the description.

@timothywiener5977

2 жыл бұрын

the link is in the second paragraph of the description.

@randystowe7593

2 жыл бұрын

I see that they have added it now. Thank you.

How wide and long is the seat?

This is always so confusing for me 😩 I don’t know what to buy …

How do you get this in Canada? I’ve been trying to find

@PaddleTV

Жыл бұрын

Great question... I would email them directly. Let them know you saw the review here! :)

I'm looking to buy either the scupper 12 or the sea eagle 393rl. With the scupper being a sit on top how does it compare performance wise with the sea eagle? The sit on top I have at the moment tootega pulse 85 hydrolite, doesn't track well I'm constantly correcting and ploughs through the water instead of cutting through it. Seen so many good things said about the sea eagle then seen this review! I drive a mazda 3 so transportation for the sea eagle isn't a issue however it might be for the scupper 12. Great content 👌

@PaddleTV

2 жыл бұрын

In terms of stability and performance, I would give the edge to the Scupper 12 (assuming it performs similar to the 14), because it offers a lower center of gravity and slicy hull design. The question is, whether a little increase in stability and performance is more important than the portability benefits of the 393? Tough call! Maybe you need to get both. :)

Remember the Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro? Fast, narrow, sit on tops from the 90's... Did they sell the name?

@slacktide_angler

2 жыл бұрын

They’re both designed by the same guy.

Ken, 45F water temperature and you're dressed for a day at the beach. Whatever happened to "Dress for the water temperature, not the air temperature"? Every boat is stable until it's not, every boat can flip in the right circumstances. Wouldn't want to end up in 45F water in what you're wearing.

@PaddleTV

2 жыл бұрын

You bring up an interesting discussion for sure. The idea of 'dressing for the water temperature, not the air temperature' is a good one, but not always practical or reasonable depending on the paddling excursion or the paddler's skill level. In this case, the chances of me flipping are the same as the chances of me tripping and falling flat on my face while walking down the sidewalk. I can say that, because it's true. I have spent almost as much time paddling as walking in my lifetime. On top of that, I wasn't in exposed water that could change character if weather rolled in, and if I did flip for some strange reason, I have the self rescue skills to deal with it quickly, and if I did get cold (despite the heat of the day), I was always within easy reach of the launch. My point is that I believe general rules are just that - general rules. It doesn't mean they make sense in every situation. That being said, they are a great 'default' plan for people to follow, until they have the experience, knowledge and judgment to make their own decisions.

No way there are tons of sit ontops with better performance but more $$$

Disagree. Gotta go with the WS Tarpon.

@PaddleTV

2 жыл бұрын

I agree - the Tarpon is a great boat! It's a totally different type of boat though... it's much more stable than the Scupper 14, but it doesn't come close to the paddling performance of the Scupper 14. It totally depends on what's most important to you.

More like a canoe