To test a kayak it is important to paddle her in different conditions. The weather is however a matter of luck: I mean that mankind does not have influence there. But today I was lucky. We went to the Noorderhaaks (a sandbank near Den Helder) an area known for the heavy conditions you can meet there. Today's conditions were: a WSW 4-5bft wind and a big swell from the north; the remnant of a storm somewhere on the ocean.
This resulted in a very choppy sea with cresting waves, especially on the north-side of the sandbank.
Crossing the Marsdiep, having departed from Den Helder, we met the first serious waves at the beginning of the Molengat. The Xcite rides this short steep waves splashing down after every wave. The accompanying Xplore did the same thing while the accompanying North Shore Mariner cuts the waves without so much splashing. But while the Xcite stayed more on the surface without water on the foredeck, the Marines often dives a bit getting water on the deck.
The designers of the Xcite designed her for the heavy seas near Wales and this means more volume in the bow. This is about making choices and every choice is a compromise. As a result the Xcite will splash more. But in this seas we paddled now I felt completely at home: the Xcite listening to every paddlestroke and hip-movement without delay.
Paddling against the wind and waves the Xcite did not show signs of leecocking nor weathercocking. The kayak is maneuverable enough to correct her course between waves.
I tried to film my companions to give you an idea about the sea-conditions along our trip (I reduced 2 hours film to 5 minutes in the film underneath:
Having followed the coast of Noorderhaaks we turn north at the westpoint entering a disturbed sea with crossing waves coming from behind and from the left. The stability is of the kayak is outstanding in this sea and I feel completely at home.
More north after turning east we get sometimes an opportunity to surf a wave. As the waves are very irregular there are no big runs, but enough to feel how eager the Xcite is to surf. But I made at least one big beautiful run; the skeg fully down.
In these disturbed following seas I do not need the skeg as the kayak is maneuverable enough to be easily corrected. Using the skeg is comfortable, BUT: as we are paddling next to the zone with cresting waves, we get sometimes a big cresting wave from the north on our left-side (a result of the big swell today). Not using the skeg makes it possible to react faster in turning the kayak upwave instead of being buried under it and washed away with the wave.
After a break we head at 45° for a crossing of approx. 5 km to the coast of Texel; knowing a nice restaurant over there. On this crossing we had to be very alert in a very disturbed sea, being the result of the big swell from the north and the following wind-waves from behind.
Stability of the Xcite is also very good in this circumstances. Nearing the coast the waves get more vicious because the swell meat the outgoing tide in the Molengat. Adding the cresting waves of the beach produced strong dumping waves. Landing on the beach I had to hang in a strong dumping wave from the left (not my strongest side). This felt a bit unaccustomed because I had to use a lot of power while edging the kayak in the (low-)brace. Later in a separate surf-session I can learn more about this. For now I think this could be the result of the flat bottom of this kayak making it a bit more difficult to edge maximal in these waves; but on the other hand I could have been a bit tired as well.
After a very nice break in the restaurant we headed out again; this time through the surf. The cresting waves were strong enough to wash me back to shore once, but the Xcite was under control the whole time.
Heading south we followed the coast just outside the surfzone. Meaning we had to stay alert for the unexpected cresting waves. As the tide turned in the mean time, we have a following sea mixing with the cresting waves on the coast. Again: creating a choppy sea
I still don't need the skeg and steer the kayak by moving my weight and using the hips combined with some sweepstrokes. I feel completely one with kayak AND waves. For me this is the most delightful part of the trip today. Essential for this is the perfect kneegrip, hip-contact and footplate making this possible.
I sit totally relaxed and it feels if paddling cost me no effort as all. Kayaks like the Xcite comes to live in this kind of sea and increase in speed.
Probably a kayak has to get used a kayak like the Xcite in a sea like this because the bottom is rather flat. As a result the kayak likes to follow the surface of waves sideways. In contrary to a rounded hull, which stays upright, you have to learn to let the kayak edge sideways by herself. The stability is enough to let that happen.
Of course you can paddle while keeping the kayak upright, but you will not paddle as relaxed as I described above.
The last part of the trip, crossing the Marsdiep again, is easy as we paddle while pushed by wind, waves and current; the waves diminished by now.
Summarizing my notes of today I would like to say that the secondary stability is very good, that it is a delight to paddle the Xcite in waves. And for optimal performance in waves it is advised to get used to letting the kayak go her own way following sidewaves. Finally you can make a remark that the Xcite splashes a bit; but I would like to say that this is part of a compromise resulting in a very seaworthy kayak.