Where I tested the Baffin sea kayak
The river that I’m paddling is the Ottawa River. While the Ottawa River is best known for its world class whitewater, it also has countless opportunities for flatwater paddling adventures, whether you’re into kayaking, canoeing or SUPs.
The section that I’m doing on this day starts in Westmeath and finishes in LaPasse. This is my first time exploring this section of river, even though it’s only 20 minutes from my home. It’s just another example of how some of the best adventures in the world can be found in your own backyard.
The sea kayak I’m testing on this paddling adventure is the Boreal Design Baffin P3 touring kayak / sea kayak. After 20-miles of paddling, which took around 5 hours, here’s what I can tell you.
The Boreal Design Baffin P3 kayak is an all-conditions sea kayak, and the largest of three unique Baffin models.
What does the Baffin P3 cost?
It retails for around $1900 USD, which is right in line with other kayaks in its class. It’s 17’7” long, 23.75” wide, it has a capacity of 350 lbs (158 kg).
The plastic version that I’m testing weighs 69 lbs (31 kg). What does all of this mean? In a nutshell, it’s a long, single-person sea kayak, that is average in width, has lots of capacity for multi-day trips, and is quite heavy.
What Boreal Design says about the Baffin series of kayaks
“The Baffin is built for the rigors of rough seas. Its unique hull design provides paddlers with a lively, yet stable boat compared to other Greenland style kayaks. It is well suited for a wide range of paddlers who demand immediate control and predictability.”
Initial impression of the Boreal Design Baffin sea kayak
The Baffin P3 is a really nice sea kayak! It has all the standard features you expect from a sea kayak, including a retractable skeg instead of a rudder (if you’re not sure if this is right for you, watch my video about rudders vs skegs).
Baffin speed, is it fast?
At 17’7” long, the Baffin is designed to be a fast kayak, and it certainly is. That being said, it’s definitely not the fastest sea kayak on the market, because it trades some speed for stability and maneuverability, which is required to dealing with rougher conditions.
Baffin stability as a sea kayak
At 23.75” wide, the Baffin is a little wider than many sea kayaks, and it gives up a little speed because of it. The trade-off is a good one for this kayak, as it gains more stability than it loses speed. In fact, for a sea kayak, the Baffin was very stable. I could comfortably put my paddle down to mess with cameras, grab water, or turn around in the boat to swap paddles or access the day hatch.
Maneuverability of a 17′ sea kayak
Any 17’ kayak is going to take some effort to turn, and the Baffin is no different. That being said, the Baffin was quicker turning than most kayaks in its class. Perhaps more importantly, the Baffin was very easy to put on edge and hold on edge to facilitate turns, which is an essential attribute when dealing with rough water.
Comfort of the Baffin seat and cockpit
The Baffin has a very simple but comfortable cockpit. The contoured seat doesn’t have any adjustable, under-leg support (like the wonderfully comfortable AirPro seat in the Wilderness Systems Tempest 170), but it wasn’t an issue. The seat was very comfortable, the back band is simple, but very adequate, and there was nothing of particular interest to note about the thigh braces and foot braces – they’re simple and effective. The boat has plenty of space in the cockpit for bigger paddlers. At 6’2” tall and 195 lbs, I had lots of room and could imagine someone quite a bit bigger enjoying the kayak as well.
Quality of Boreal Design Baffin P3
Someone commented on my YouTube video, that the Baffin is built like a tank – a fast tank. I think that’s a great description of this kayak. It doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles, which means not much can go wrong. The only ‘weak point’ would be the skeg, which like every other skeg, could easily get jammed with rocks and sand in the skeg box. Otherwise, the kayak seems very well built, and I get the sense that it would last for years of hard use. Of course, you do pay for this a little with its weight.
Overall, the Boreal Design Baffin P3 is a very nice sea kayak. It is simple, well-built, and feels like it would last for years. Does it match Boreal’s description? Yes. The kayak is fast, easy-to-paddle, stable and maneuverable. The kicked-up bow and stern provides confidence in rough conditions – like it will blast over waves and maneuver quickly when you need it to. For multi-day kayakers, it has large hatches for gear, and despite the lower, Greenland style stern deck, it has lots of storage room. The one thing to note about the Baffin is that it is noticeably heavy, and so for many people it will require two able bodies to move it around.
Shorts: NRS Benny Board Short: https://bit.ly/2VIbK0L
Lifejacket: NRS Zen PFD: https://bit.ly/2VCfrF3
Paddle: Aquabound Tango Carbon Paddle: https://bit.ly/3j7Wza8
Paddle: Gearlab Kalleq Greenland Paddle: https://bit.ly/2WAKPUQ
Dry Bags: NRS Ether Lock 10L Drybag – https://www.nrs.com/product/55034.01/nrs-ether-hydrolock-dry-sack
Some of these are affiliate links where I'll earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
I hope you enjoyed this article. For more information, check out my gear reviews, tips, and adventures on PaddlingTV.
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