y
KAYAK REVIEWS
Avalon Viviane by KajakSport
LengthoverallBeamVolumeCockpitsizeCockpitcoamingheightForwardAft
Height of seatWeightCenterof buoyancy*‘With 250-lb. load
211/215.4 Cu. ft.
12¾’8”1’/258¼lbs.46%
Speedvs.ResistanceThesefigures arederivedfrom mathematicalmodelsbasedonalimited numberoftowing testson flat water.
Kayakweight+ 250-lbpayloadResistancein pounds,shownto hundredthsto dif-ferentiatefiguresformerlyroundedto tenths.A fitpaddlercanmaintaina cruisingspeedat 3 poundsof drag.Only a few canwork against5 poundsofdragfor long distancea.SeeAugust‘98 page43 formoredetails.
Calculatedby theKAPERprogramby JohnWinters(Factoraddedfor softplastichullswhenapplicable):
2knots3 knots4 knots4.5knots5 knots6 knots
0.962.013.534.807.19
13.38
CalculatedbyMatt BrozeusingTaylorStandardSeries:
2 knots3 knots4 knots4.5 knots5 knots6knots
0.941.983.644.756.59
11.50
Hydrostatics
PaddlerweightCargoweight*
WateglinelengthWaterlinebeamDraftPrismaticcoefficientBlockcoefficientWettedsurfacein sq. ft.Lbs./inchimmersion
150 lbs. 200lbs. 150 lbs. 200lbs.none none 100 lbs. 100 lbs.
17’ 3.3”20.7”4.6”0.480.29.19.4685.8
* Fixed“paddler”weighthasitscen-
ter of gravity located10” above thelowestpartof theseatand10” forward
17’ 5.8”
21.1”5.2”0.490.3021.3991.1
17’ 7.9”21.3”5.8”0.500.3223.1895.4
17’ 9.7”21.5”6.4”0.500.3324.8599.9
oftheseatatback.The “cargo’s” centerof gravity coincideswith thekayak’sapproximatedcenterof gravity.
Calculatedby NautilusSystemTMcomputerprogram
Righting/HeelingMoments(Fixed-weight)
‘222
0~
ou
70—--—--
60
50
40—--
30—
20—
10
2
—
4
3
0 10 20 30 40 50 60DegreesofHeel
70 80
RightingMoment HeelingMoment
Thesameforcethatrightsakayakonflatwatercontributesto itsrolling
motiononthefaceof awave.
90
Stability Curves
1. 150lb. paddler,no cargo2.200 lb. paddler,no cargo3. 150 lb. paddler,100lb. cargo4. 200lb. paddler,100 lb. cargo
Calculatedby NautilusSystemTMcomputerprogram
ReadingtheStabilityCurves
Thesteepertheslopeofthecurveasit risesfrom 0’, the higherthe initial stability. Be-yondthemaximumrightingmomentatthepeakof the curve, the kayakentersan un-stableregion of decreasingstability whichdoeslittle to slowtherolling of thekayaktothepoint of imminentcapsize.
Note:Raisingthecenterofgravity slightlywill decreasethestability of a kayakwhilelowering itwill increaseit.
12 SeaKayaker D April 2000
Avalon Viviane DesignStatement
TheViviane is afasttouring kayakde-signedfor advancedpaddlerswho de-mandspeedandperformancein all con-ditions. The brainchild of an accom-plishedFinnishkayakdesignerandracer,it hasenduredyearsof rigoroustestingandcontinuousrefinementin theformi-dableArctic seasoff Finland andNor-
Avalon Viviane Review
Reviewers:KB 62”, 205-poundmale.Daytrips, 22-mileoutingwith30poundsof gear.Windsto 12 knots;wavesandwakesto 2’.TE 61”, 200-poundmale.Day trips inconditionsfromcalmtowindsof20milesperhourandcrestingwavesto 21
/s’.KW6’2”, 200-poundmale.Overnighttripwith 70poundsofgear,windsto 15knots,wind wavesto 3’.
All ofthereviewersliked thelook oftheViviane’s “appealinglines andnice fin-ish” (KB). Thehull-to-deckseamisglassedinsideandout.The Viviane is “well bal-ancedforsolocarrying,althoughcarryingany 19-foot kayakis awkward.The endtoggles arecomfortablefor two-personcarries,but they’re installedtoo far fromtheendsof theboatto workwell asgrabhandlesfor aswimmingkayaker”(KB).
“The deckfittings werea bit spare:anylon grablinealongtheperimeterandafew bungiesacrossthe foredeck” (TE).“The shockcordbehindthe cockpitwastoo flimsy for asolid anchorfor apaddlefloat,andtherewasn’tameansofsecurelystowingasparepaddle.Fortunately,thereareplentyof low-profile deckfittings tocorrectriggingdeficiencieswithout add-inghardware”(KB).
“TheViviane’scockpitopeningis wideand long, making entry and exit easy”(KB). “The long, keyholecockpit workswell for theseat-then-legscowboyreen-try. Inside,thereismorethanenoughroomfor size12 shoes”(TE).Accordingto KW,“Theoversizedrim attherearofthecoam-ing madeit so easyto attachmy sprayskirt. Therim providedaniceslopedsur-facefor doinglaybackrolls.Anoutstand-ingfeature.”Theunpaddedfiberglassseatwas“verycomfortableandallowedunen-cumberedtorsorotation” (KB). “Theangleoftheseatwasjustright forme,andmadeit possibleto sit in anuprightposition forapowerfulstrokeandtrunkrotationwith-outhavingto relyon thebackrestfor sup-port” (TE).
“Thecontourofthecoatningprovidedabit of grip just abovemy kneecaps,buttherewasn’tanycontourto keepmykneefromslippinginward.I didn’t comeloose
way. The Viviane hasapparentlyben-efitedfromthedesigner’smasteryofaero-dynamicsasahighlyqualifiedpilot.Evenin windy androughconditions,it glidesquickly andsmoothlythroughthewavesalmostasefficiently asa planepropelsthroughtheatmosphere.TheVivianehashadmanyracingsuccesses,perhapsthemostnotablebeingthemarathonArcticSeaKayakingRacein Norway.
while rolling, but I’d addsomefoamtomakeamore positive connection” (TE).Thefootbraceshadpivotingfootrestsforusewith an optionalruddersystem(notincludedwith thetestkayak).Therubbermountsletthepedals“taketheangleof thefeet,for comfort,without compromisingbracing”(TE). “Very comfortable.Iplantoinstall theseon my ownboat” (KW). TheoverallfitoftheVivianemaderollingeasy.
The skegcontrol is recessedin thedecknearthepaddler’sright hip, “closeat handandvisible with a downwardglance.The controlknob is attachedtoanaluminumrodsliderthatgivesmorepositive control than cable that maybucklewhenpushed.Gooddesign” (TE).
The Viviane’s primary stability wasratedasmoderate(TE), medium(KW),and“niceandloose,butnotuncomfort-ably tippy” (KB). TE andKB thoughtthesecondarystabilitywasmoderate:“easyto edgetheboat,butIdidn’t feelthatthesecondarystability wasa wall to leanagainst” (TE). KW thoughtthesecond-ary stability was “excellent.I felt com-fortablewith theboatonedge.”
TheVivianeis notaneasyboatto turn:“edgingtheboatwill helpcarveaturn,buttheturning is slow. I hadto work itaround” (TE). “A difficult boat to turnwithout aggressiveedging” (KB).
TB thoughttheViviane trackedwell,evenwithout theskeg,andKB foundthat,with a30-poundloadaboard,theViviane “tracked steadilythroughanyconditionsI encounteredwithout usingtheskeg.”With thekayakunladen,KBandKW hadtroubleholdingastraightcourse,but “with the skeg deployedslightly, theboattrackedfine” (KW).
In thewind,TB foundtheViviane “didverywell goinginto thewind, andheldastraight coursegoing acrossthe wind.”With thewind and waveson thestemquarter,hewasableto holdcourseoff thewindbydeployingtheskeg.Withaloadinthekayak,KB notedthattheVivianehadonlyaslightweathercockingthathecould“easily compensatefor with acombina-tion of edgingand paddlestrokes.Thetendencyof theunloadedboatto weather-cockbecamestrongenoughto maketheskeganimportantcourse-holdingdevice.TheViviane’s unloadedhull andretract-
Although lightweight, theViviane is ahigh-volumekayak,well equipped,andcapableof handlinglargerpaddlersandexpedition-sizedloadswith aplomb. Ittrackssuperblyeitherloadedor empty,with orwithout deployingthestandardretractableskeg,and remainsremark-ably maneuverableatall times.
Phil WongGlobal Outfitters, Distributor
ableskegarenicelymatched.AsIloweredtheskeg in small increments,the bowtendedto fall off thewind in correspond-ing increments.The hull held a steadycourseperpendicularto thewind whentheskegwasloweredhalfway,andadown-wind coursewith theskegfully lowered.”
TheVivianeprovidesadryride:“Wavesin the1’ to 2’ rangewerenosedto thesidewithoutmuchfuss.Thebowdidn’t poundorthrowspray”(TB).
“Kayakers who havethe power willfind this a fastboat.During aone-hourworkout, I averagedover S knots. TheVivianealsoworkedfine for covering22nauticalmilesatafastcruisingpaceof4to41/2knots”(KB). “It keptup goodspeedinafollowing sea,making it easyto catchfrequentlong rides on wave sets” (TB).“This kayakis fastenoughto catchwindwavesandboatwakes.Thehull doesnotbroachparticularlyeasily,butit’s hardtomaneuveronthewaveface,so it’s impor-tantto catchwavesata900angle”(KB).
TheViviane haslots of stowagespace,andeasyloadingthroughthehatches.“I’dhaveno problempackingfor amonth-longtrip” (KB). Thehatchesprovedwa-tertightandwereeasyto getonandoff.Thesmallhatchin thestern“hasafairlyloosefit and needssomethingextratokeep it from getting knockedoff acci-dentally, especiallyduring a reentry”(TB). The fiberglassbulkheadsalsoprovedwatertight.KB reportedthattheViviane “handled better with the loadaboardthanit didunloaded.”
KW appreciatedthelong cockpitandthe flexible foot rests,and recommendstheVivianefor “strongpaddlerswholiketo gofastandfar.Thestoragespaceisquitea boon for long trips.” KB thought theViviane would “appealto largekayakerswith thepoweranddesireto approachthehull speedandthestrengthandskill tohandleitinrough conditions.Largeexpertsmayalsowanttotakeadvantageofthelargecargocapacity.” ‘TIE ‘liked theperformanceoftheViviane.Itmaynotbeagreatplayboat,but thehull will gowhereyou point it. It’swell-suitedfor apaddlerinterestedin mak-ing gooddistanceandfastpassages.Itsstability profile would require a paddlerwith solid paddlingandbracingskills. Agoodchoicefor aseriouscruiser.” fr4
April 2000 I~ SeaKayaker 13
DesignResponse
Thank you very much to all theparticipants in this review. We atKajak-Sport truly appreciatetheirtime, energy and insight. We aredelighted that their experienceaf-firmed all the design and perfor-mancecharacteristicsthathavebeen
hand-craftedinto theViviane.At Kajak-Sport, we consistently
striveto designandproducethebestkayaksand accessoriespossible.WebelievewehaveaccomplishedthatintheViviane, aswell asin the restofourmodels.
Basedon thereviewers’consensus,it appearsthatwe havehit thetarget
with theVivianein termsof balancingdesign,quality, fit andperformancefor this classof kayaks.
TE offeredthebestsummaryabouttheViviane: “well suitedforapaddlerinterestedin making good distanceandfastpassages:agood choicefor aseriouscruiser.”
Phil WongGlobal Outfitters,Distributor
OptionsandPricingDesigned:1994.Standard Lay-up: Hand-laidfiberglassanddiolene.Reinforcedbowandstem.Seamsglassedinsideandout.Standard Features:Kajak-Sport hatches(17” x 10” oval fronthatch,16.5”x 12” ovalrearhatch,4” roundskeg-inspectionhatch);twofiberglassbulkheads;perimeterdecklines;keyholecockpit;ergonomicseatwith adjustablebackrest;retractableskegwith no-kinkskegcontrol;pivotingwoodenfootbracesmountedon Keepers;preparedfor easyinstallationof optionalrudderkit.Options: Take-apartkayak(two or threesections);rudderkit; smallor largecockpit; extrareinforcementsfor deckand/orhull;additionalbulkheads;recessedcompassand/orpump;metallicdeckcolors.Approximate Weight: 53 pounds.Price: US$2,795.Availability: In theUnitedStatesandCanadafromGlobalOutfitters,Inc.,50 Moffat Road, Newton,MA 02468. Call or e-mail forthe nearestdealer. Phone(617) 834-5623.E-mail: [email protected]’s Address: Kajak-Sport Oy, Miintykankaanie2, HN-27100Eurojaki,Finland.
