Over and over I find myself saying to customers “If I could only own one boat, just one boat, it’d be the Explorer.” Out of all the boats I’ve owned and all the boats I’ve paddled, why the Explorer?
I knew there was an Explorer in my future, after I climbed in Dale Williams’s carbon/Kevlar Explorer High Volume (HV) on Tybee Island in 2014. I found it surprisingly agile, shockingly light, and playful. I was hooked and I bought my first Explorer in 2016. I recently bought that very same boat I borrowed from Dale and had it refinished. It now looks nothing like the boat Dale paddled. But underneath those bright colors, lies the heart of the same playful, light HV I borrowed all those years ago.
“The author in her HV” Credit R San Luis 2020
The Explorer’s design is iconic. It is not a stretched out Romany. It has less rocker than the Classic and a longer water line. It has a roomy cockpit, and with three sizes on offer (Low Volume, standard, and High Volume) many people will find it is a boat that fits them comfortably. So iconic is the design, in fact, that “word is” the WS Tempest was modeled after the Explorer. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?
“Stock photo” credit SKUK
The Explorer is the choice of expedition paddlers world wide for a reason. It is built to travel, to chew through the miles. Whether on club paddles, or camping trips and expeditions, this boat shines. It can easily swallow 150 pounds of gear, or more, and still perform politely. A sixty pound load (say a two night, unsupported trip) isn’t even noticeable.
Given the choice for a long trip between the Explorer and a Latitude, say, I’d choose the Explorer every time. You might remember my story of our Hatteras Circumnavigation? “Suffering in Hatteras,” was published in the first issue of this newsletter. In that article I talked about the Latitude, and why it might not have been the best choice for a long, grinding trip in swell and wind. Two of the other paddlers, Rob and Dawn, were in Explorers. They brought guns to a gunfight, I brought a knife. D’oh!
It all comes down to the tracking. The boat’s long water line and reduced rocker results in straight and true long distance paddling. The Explorer just goes straighter with less effort over long distances. And of course, it has great capacity for gear. Those two things make it a true expeditionary machine.
There isn’t one boat for everything, and no one boat that fits every body type. But the Explorer has a range that allows some variance and it really does so many things well. For instance, like to down-wind? This boat is a down-wind machine. It is my and many other paddlers choice for tide races. It surfs surprisingly well for a long boat, agile and easily controlled for the skilled paddler. It rolls and sculls beautifully.
The various models:
The Low Volume has an approximately ½ inch lowered deck. It is created from a standard Explorer by cutting the deck down. These boats could once be custom ordered, and can be found used on the market only occasionally. Nigel says he will not make them anymore. Paula Reigel of Kayak Waveology, comes to mind instantly when considering paddlers who paddle this boat. She makes the boat dance in the tide races of both North America and Europe.
“Paula Reigel, Explorer LV.” Credit L Shore 2019
The standard Explorer has many fans. It is quite a popular boat and can be found in most NDK boat shops, as well as the used market. Examples of dedicated fans of this boat are Dawn Stewart, Rick Weibush, Greg Paquin, and Mitch Mitchell.
“Dawn Stewart in her Explorer,” Credit R Kruger 2019
The High Volume Explorer really isn’t “high” volume. It is quite similar to the standard Explorer in most measurements, other than those knee bumps. The knee bumps allow someone like me, with lower back issues, to comfortably paddle all day, every day, for many miles. Paddlers like me, who aren’t really “high volume” people, but need a high knee position may find this boat a great fit. Dale Williams is another example of a paddler who loves this model, for the lower back benefits.
“Dale Williams, Explorer HV,” Credit D Humphreys 2013
HEY! That boat Dale is in is my HV, the one that’s gold, orange, and pink now!
Yes, this really is the one boat I'd own if I were forced to be faithful. Ah, the one true benefit of being a paddling dirt bag, many boats and other floating toys. Check back for more reviews. Until then, paddle happy!
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