Welcome to my Sea Kayaking (b)log
A True “All-Ocean” Kayak
SIRONA
Summary – At around 16’ (488cm) the Sirona is short enough to be considered an Ocean play-boat but long enough to hold it’s speed, even when moderately laden. True, it is not intended for multi-week expeditions but it is certainly very suitable for most people, even those with overnight ambitions
Background – Many people still consider kayaks around this length (approx. 16’/488cm) to be the “gateway” length for proper sea kayaks and whilst we don’t rigidly subscribe to that view, certainly it is a length that allows comfortable multiday trips to be undertaken. The reason is simple, physics! The shorter a kayak is, all other things being equal, the more it will be affected by variations in load. This is because the smaller the footprint, the more it needs to sink into the water, to support a given displacement. So, at 12’ a rec-tourer might sink a further 2” (50mm), when carrying the extra kit required to camp overnight. Yet, in a proper 16’ sea kayak, the effect might be less than half this. The result is obvious, as the amount of hull in the water changes, so does the feel of the kayak, go beyond, what the designers intended and performance become seriously compromised.
Anyway, lesson over, this class of kayak is a great length for those who want a bit of everything, still short enough to be easily maneuvered, on or off the water but long enough, to have the speed to keep pace in any group and carry a load when required!
Design – When launched in 2015 the Sirona was an instant hit. Most testers commenting that it retained the versatility of its predecessor, the Avocet but also noting that it possessed a more playful personality reminiscent of the earlier Pintail.
Despite its playful personality, its sixteen-foot hull is one of the fastest in its class, whilst the hull also responds predictably to edging and has a stability profile that allows even newer paddlers to exploit this.
Although not conceived as a long-range expedition kayak, the Sirona is not limited to mere day-boat duties, it being more than capable of multi-day adventures, the hull speed again being of benefit, allowing a Sirona paddler to keep pace in any group, good seat ergonomics provides all day comfort and the predictable handling easily absorbs variations in load.
The Sirona is truly a kayak to enjoy at any level of ability and one that your skills will never outgrow!
Conclusion – .Of course, longer kayaks will ultimately have more maximum hull-speed but this advantage only appears at speeds above those of regular group paddling. Equally a full expedition kayak will more easily accommodate a heavy payload. However be realistic, if, like most people, your paddling consists of regular social day paddles, the odd overnighter and only the very rare possibility of anything longer. Then you might enjoy your paddling more in a Sirona
For more info : http://www.valleyseakayaks.com/ or on facebook https://www.facebook.com/ValleySeaKayaks
Paddled with Ashley, Brian, Kris and Si on what turned out to be a super day weather wise. Everyone was keen to get some miles in so we headed down the coast with a following wind to Silver Bay. Stopped for lunch and paddled back into the wind, via a quick surf at Rhoscolyn...
The video says it all really, although the wide angle GoPro footage does flattens the sea. It was a pretty rough day, blowing F6+ when we got on at Trearddur Bay. The wind and swell did weaken throughout the day though, with even the sun making a welcome appearance a few times. Not long...
The weather was set fair for Sunday, so what could be a better option? A trip out to the Skerries. We met up at Cemlyn Bay. A rather large group too, so Si and I decided to do our own thing, separate to the group. Mirco was leading the other group and planned on...
My first time in back in Anglesey since, gosh, last year! And what a super paddle. I met up, as pre-arranged, with Si and Kris and we decided to get on at Porth-y-post, just down the road from Porth Dafarch. From there we headed down towards CRAIG-Y-MOR at Trearddur bay, before heading off towards Rhoscolyn....
Another blazing hot sunny day in Devon. This time at South Milton. What a cracking day and best of all I get to have a paddle to the Hopes and to explore the Bolt Tail. It was a busy day at the beach with lots of people on Stand Up paddle boards on the...
On holiday with Mrs T in the South West and I get to go for a paddle! The first time since January, no thanks to Covid. Bigbury was flat calm, despite all the surf boards being carried to the beach. I opted to take my Valley Sirona. It was a blazing hot sunny day....
Simon and I had arranged to set off from Anglesey Outdoors at 8:00am, for some breakfast, before heading up to Cemaes Bay. Cutting a long story short, someone (ahem me!) forgot to pick up their kit from the drying room at Anglesey Outdoors. I guess a combination of still being a bit sore about...
With Saturday 14th December blown out, and the weather forecast or Sunday looking only slightly better; Simon, Ashley, Kris and I decided to meet up at the Menai Bridge Slipway at 0930 for a session in the Swellies. We played in the currents under Menai Bridge for a while before moving out to the...
The final truck stop meet of the weekend, but this time SI and I were meeting Andras. A chap I'd met before at Rhosneigr and who Si knew from paddling with in the past. The wind and swell had picked up overnight. With both Si and myself needing to get home at a reasonable...
Sunday and another meeting up at the truck stop where some consumed their breakfasts and others looked on aghast! With the tidal flow timings, we decided to head to Bull Bay and paddle with the tide, taking in Middle Mouse and take whatever else we can get before the tide turns. The weather was...
Saturday. Si and I met the others at the truck stop at 9:00am in Holyhead. We were joined by Ashley, Matt, and Gareth. Due to the tide, predicted swell and anticipated weather - a strengthening SW breeze, we decided to paddle from Porth Dafarch to Rhoscolyn and back. We didn't get to see much...
With holidays to use up before the year end, I agreed to meet Simon Williams on the Friday for four days of paddling. All week the weather had been looking extremely unpleasant, but surprisingly on the Friday it turned out not too bad. We agreed to paddle from Cemlyn Bay and to potter around...
The forecast for Sunday deteriorated overnight Saturday and the winds were going to swing around to the NW from just after midday. So, we decided to paddle once again from Newport and paddle in the other direction, up the coast to Ceibwr Bay as a one way trip. This should see us off the...
The weather was not looking too good for this weekend and many people dropped out in the week prior, leaving just Fiona (the organiser), Lynette and me making it to Fishguard, Pembrokeshire. We paddled from Newport to Fishguard, around Dinas Island, along some spectacular coast line, stopped for lunch in Lower Town and paddled...
Brian wanted big and bouncy and having arrived at Porth Dafarch for 9:00am, it is what we got. You could easily see the white horses of the breaking waves out at sea. We paddled around the coast towards Penrhyn Mawr, giving Mini Mawr a wide birth. It was fairly hard going with a big...
Battered and a little bruised from my surf kayak exploits at Rhosneigr the day before, I met Brain as pre-arranged at the Anglesey Truck stop 9am Saturday. We both acquiesced to decline breakfast at the truck stop and get on with paddling. As it turned out both of us are not exactly fans the...
Keefy Green messaged me earlier in the week, asking me if I fancied going along on simon B's trip to Flamborough. I have to admit I wasn't at all sure. Simon B tends to paddle from South Landing to North Landing and back again. It always seems a long way to go for such...
Well into my second week of my holiday, I finally got to paddle my Valley Sirona. We were touring Devon and Cornwall, in the campervan, and had worked our way to the end at Sennen Cove, then worked our way along the north coast of Cornwall. We were now beginning to make our way...
I had arranged to meet Kris, Si and anyone else who was interested at the Holyhead truck stop cafe for 0900. Kris had a plan to paddle to South Stack and then to paddle PM tidal race later in the day. As we left the Truck Stop, Kris bumped into a friend of his...
About ten miles from Holyhead on the Friday night, it started to rain. I think drizzle was expected, but certainly not this. Anyway I parked up at Dafarch for the night and settled in for a good nights rest. Early the next morning, it was fairly dull, but at least it was no...
