Alternative Ulster - Alternative Energy

On Wednesday, I had the good fortune to be delivering a Scorpio to one of our customers in Lisburn. She'd arranged with a few other members of one of the kayaking clubs that she paddles with for me to bring some demo boats across. We had a mixed bag, including the Rockpool Taran, P&H Cetus MV & Tiderace Xplore. One of the guys paddled across from the other side of the lough at Portaferry in his Nordkapp Jubilee which he 'kindly' allowed me to paddle while he tried some of the demo boats. They also had a chance to try some wing paddles from Schwarzer the Zasteras and our best sellers from Mitchell Blades.



We paddled out from the ferry terminal at Strangford, past the Turbine. There were a number of whirlpools forming behind this, but it strikes me as a very reliable form of renewable energy, after all the tide has been running in and out twice a day for as long as I can remember...


A quick run down the lough to Angus Rocks where we stopped for a brew and then it was back up to Strangford so I could reload the boats and get back to Dublin to cross the Irish Sea the easy way.

I really enjoyed paddling this stretch of water, it was reminiscent of the southern end of the Menai Straits, but the abundance of wildlife didn't seem to have been disturbed by the new energy generation scheme in place here. Thanks to the members of Belfast Kayak club for their company and Navarat for making it possible for me to discover this gem for myself.

Scorpio Bargains

Barely has this new boat hit the water and we've secured stock of some cosmetic seconds. RRP is £1,199 and we're able to offer these (while they last) at £999.

A full 12 month warranty with them and the opportunity to bag a bargain on one of the most comfortable, stable and yet still responsive boats you'll find.

They've got to be worth a look at that price and I don't expect to have them in stock for long.

It's been a while

...because I've been busy with construction projects, web development projects and of course trying out the new boats that we're now stocking, I'll add a few posts to the blog over the next few days showing all of the new boats and giving some feedback on how they've handled.

I'll start with the Scorpio, for a plastic boat, it's so fast!! It's incredibly stable, yet turns very quickly, has plenty of storage space and the deck hatch is a work of genius, no more deckbags cluttering up my deck!!

I found the outstretched leg position incredibly comfortable (I find sitting in my river kayak makes my hamstrings really tight). After paddling this I was hooked and couldn't wait to get my hands on it's slightly more refined older sister, the Cetus.

We paddled out from Moelfre, to Ynys Dulas (we only had a quick window to paddle, I had concrete to lay), stopped at the Island for a quick coffee and to provide the Seals with some entertainment, played on the overfalls briefly and then shot back to Moelfre. All in all a pleasant break from working and an opportunity to realise just how good the Scorpio really is!

Still it beats working for a living!!