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Post by ZEBRA on Mar 2, 2007 14:05:58 GMT -1
Introducing the mini-x First impressions. The boat we have been loaned by kayaks and paddles to test and review is a stunning nancam blue  It’s very easy to carry around and I fitted it in the back of my estate car. It weighs just 40 lbs .the build quality is very high. full specifications can be found here www.kayaksandpaddles.co.uk/canoe/kayak/uk/shop/productpages/malibu-kayaks/malibu-mini-x.htmand here www.cheltenham-canoes.co.uk/products/malibu-kayaks/mini-x.htm as you can see from the photos it is a very well set up kayak with hatches .  Both have liners the front round one has a plastic bucket in it and the square one has a vinyl bag in it both are removable.  The hatches are very easy to open and close . Despite the fact the mini –x is only 9ft long there is plenty of leg room. It’s a very comfortable seating arrangement and all necessary ancillaries are within easy reach it is a very roomy kayak there is plenty of space to kit it out notice the large centre flat area perfect for mounting fish finders and gps systems on . The paddle keepers are in a recess so they don’t catch your legs. And the deep seating position should make this a very stable kayak there are no sharp edges to catch on anything .the carry handles are aligned centrally on both front and rear so it has a good balance to it for carrying. The rear tank well is big enough for a crate in fact it’s quite a deep tank well.  These are only my first impressions on the mini-x but I can see already without getting it on the water why the Australians rave about it so much and I will add to this review once we have had it on the water and given it a test . [glow=red,2,300]This review is also on the main website north Wales kayak fishing[/glow]www.northwaleskayakfishing.co.uk/id15.html |
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Post by ZEBRA on Mar 14, 2007 9:25:21 GMT -1
The mini-x part 2 . We have now had the mini –x on the water for the first time and gave it a good testing The weather was a bit rough and strong winds which would give any kayak a real test. we found the min-x easy to transport and being only 40lbs a real doddle to carry to the water its an easy kayak to control and turns very quickly it coped with the wind on the day a lot better than most of the bigger kayaks .  The stability well you can see for yourself its amazing how stable it is in fact you can see from the photos how difficult it is to turn over and fall out as demonstrated by hatter3 Kevin even stood up in it quite a few times.  It’s a quick kayak on the water not at all sluggish as you sometimes find on the smaller kayaks and a dry ride. The fittings are good and easy to reach while out on the water no water came in through the hatches at all. The type of plastic it’s made from is very strong we looked at the hull after we had all had a go and pulled it on to the shore line which was medium stones quite a few times when launching and landing and we could not see any of the usual scratches it a very tough little kayak. When deepwater re-entering we did find the small hook on the paddle keeper caught a little on the pfd,s as we claimed back in but this could easily be our methods of re-entering and with a few more practices it won’t be a problem we could not find any other issues at all with it. I can see this kayak being a firm favourite with us fishermen its very stable easy to carry and transport and has plenty of places to mount the various kit on it and is very manoverable .  before we put this kayak on the water it was the popular opinion that small kayaks are for close in work but this changed as we tested this kayak and fishing a mile or so out in the right conditions would be no problem at all the mini-x was faster and easier to paddle than most of the bigger kayaks on the day it handled the conditions better than Most of the 13 to 15 ft kayaks we had on the day. the first person to test it out was having his first go in a kayak and he handled it very easily and paddled about half mile .out and across the bay even considering the new paddler and the wind he never looked anything but in control and was at no time even slightly looking like he would fall out its so stable. When I did eventually get a go ;DI was surprised at how comfortable this kayak is and if fitted with an apex1 seat I could easily fish in comfort for a 5/6 hour session. This kayak is a real winner and 2 people on the day said to me they would be ordering them from kayaksandpaddles they were so impressed with it . before we tested this kayak most people thought of small kayaks as playboats but this kayak has changed all that the mini-x is a serious contender when looking for a fishing kayak we will be adding to this in the next few weeks as we get it out on the water a few more times . |
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Post by volusian on Mar 15, 2007 13:44:47 GMT -1
How did you find the twist and snap shut release catches on these type of hatches ? do they still release easily when covered in saltwater and sand ... does the grit of the sand make them stick or jam in any way .. ?
I personally like these type of hatches as opposed to the sit on types hatches with click straps ... they look much neater.
It would be worth giving the hatches a good test in wet sandy conditions to see if the hold up ok and in fact do release easily ..
Keith
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Post by ZEBRA on Mar 15, 2007 14:13:39 GMT -1
we did test out the hatches they were easy to open we could not see any degradation in the locking system either before or after the kayak was tested the mechanism for them to open is on the inside so no water or sand gets in to clog them up they are made in such a way that if water and sand did get in it would not stop the catches working .they are very secure when fastened and can easily be opened even with the coldest hands .
the front hatch on my p13 p15 and big game all leaked a bit of water it would be a definite improvement if we could replace them with this kind of hatch .but due to the shape and size this may not be possible on most days out i would maybe get a cup full of water in the hull which is quite normal and not a problem or a fault at all .
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Post by SpeciMan on Mar 15, 2007 19:08:09 GMT -1
This review of the Mini X mentions that it's suitable for offshore work (1 mile out). How does it fare against current?
Was wondering if the performance difference you found between the Mini X and 'some' of the P13/15's be down to paddler ability and not the difference in design?
I sold my Caper because it was inadequate against wind and tide - sure I could go offshore with it (went out 3 miles once on the little fella) & I could keep up with P13s (probably working harder though) but I felt I was pushing the limit as to what it was designed for.
Nice pics and thanks for sharing your thoughts. Looks like a well build craft - I would like to try one out.
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Post by SpeciMan on Mar 15, 2007 20:00:17 GMT -1
ooops forgot to ask what the tradeoffs are with this kayak?
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Post by hatter3 on Mar 15, 2007 20:33:02 GMT -1
hi SpecMan
i had a go on the mini x on that windy day and found it easy to paddle and keep in a straight line on the day
but i think that was due to the short length of the mini x and it not catching the wind as much as the 13 - 15 yak's
we need to get a calm day and give it another go to get a true idea of how it compares to the 13 - 15 yak's
but i think it will be a case of horses for coarses
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Post by ZEBRA on Mar 15, 2007 22:42:24 GMT -1
hi keith
the big hatch in the centre is a big hatch with a big bag inside you could get a lot of kit in it .
we did try getting stuff out of it while on the water and found we did need to dangle our legs out a bit to get in to it fully .the pad eyes on the inside are for the front seat straps they did not touch you at all they wont rub against you when paddling they are nearer to your back than your thighs .
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s2vto
valued Member
Posts: 33
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Post by s2vto on Mar 16, 2007 9:17:09 GMT -1
I quite fancy the mini-x as I could just chuck in the back of my van and go, most places I fish dont require much paddling!
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Post by ZEBRA on Mar 16, 2007 9:55:06 GMT -1
be great for that s2Vto i can just imagine for those long hot summer evenings it would be perfect for the mini come along to the next meet and have a paddle you can make your own mind up then i have an estate and can get it in that but its a bit awkward to drive because of the width it sticks in you a bit over your shoulder.
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s2vto
valued Member
Posts: 33
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Post by s2vto on Mar 16, 2007 10:26:36 GMT -1
I got a van and my first yak was 10ft and would fit in tidy. So the mini-x would be a great size! My friend 'needs' a kayak so perhaps he might go halfers with me  |
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Post by moniar on Mar 16, 2007 21:27:19 GMT -1
I paddled the mini x factor at the recent meet - first time out in a sit on top for me - I found it very stable, easy to paddle, and very easy to turn. Despite the windy conditions and the current that was running towards Puffin Isle when you got out a bit off the shore, I found when I turned it into the wind and headed back towards the shore/rocks I was able to make fairly swift progress (which then gave me the confidence to turn and go a bit further out).
I then switched into Kevin's Prowler 15 and had a go in that - I found that a bit more comfortable due to the better seat, but not quite as stable in the wind, and I had one scary moment on the way back towards the shore whilst side on to the wind and a big gust shook it. I then tried Ian's prowler elite, and found that easier to manoever and paddle than the P15, but not as stable and confidence giving as the mini x factor.
Overall conclusion from me is that it more than lived up to my high expectations - the build quality looked very good; it was very easy for one person to handle off the roof bars, carry down the beach, and put back on the roof bars. Sitting in it, everyone agreed it could do with a better quality seat with more back support than the standard prowler seat that was used for the test. I found that although it looks small compared to the elite or P15 or bigger kayaks, my 5' 8" 13.5 st body fitted in ok and still ample room for stuff up front and a basket/bucket behind.
I am seriously thinking of get one over the next few months, as it will be ideal to get me out over the inshore bass marks around the island, whilst still being able enough to go a bit further off shore in sensible weather. The main reason though is the stability for fishing off, and the fact that you dont need help to lift it on or off the roof bars - essential if I want to pop out for a couple of hours at short notice - am sure it will fit in my v70 volvo estate with the back seats down too.
If anyone else is thinking about getting one please PM me once you've decided, as I would like to try and negotiate a deal with the suppliers on the price and/or transport up here if there are a few of us who decide to get one.
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