Paddling Perfection, N.Z. - Slingshot Sea Kayak
 

'Slingshot' kayak by Paddling Perfection of Auckland, New Zealand

Some of this info is from the company's brochure - except my comments at the end - which are unbiased - until they give me a kayak.
 

The slingshot has good storage space with 135 litres in the front compartment and 130 litres in the rear.  It has a fully retractable rudder with separate up and down lines and locks down to give positive steering in the roughest seas.  It has foot pedal steering that provides solid bracing points for feet and is comfortable even with bare feet.  The rubber hatch covers ensure that your equipment stays dry.  Slingshot is a very fast sea kayak, suitable for intermediate to advanced kayakers who want to cruise yet still paddle the fastest sea kayak on the market.
 

Construction options

Fibreglass version - 26 kg
Kevlar version - 20 kg
Ultimate version - 16-18 kg
(I ordered the ultimate slingshot version with a manual foot pump & mast step and the boat still only weighed 23kg)

Length 5.65 metre
Width 0.52 metres

My thoughts:
I used this kayak in the 2000 Murray River Marathon and had the fastest time of the sea kayaks and 2nd place compared to the open TK1's. I didn't feel uncomfortable or get a sore backside even with the first 2 days of the race being 92km.  I didn't know the Mirage 22s existed at that time.  For a flat water race I would use a 22s now.  The slingshot is brilliant in rougher water.

This is a great kayak that absolutely flies down wind and catches swells effortlessly. In all other conditions it is still a lot better than the other sea kayaks. The only problem is that they aren't cheap, but they definitely are fast. They are a bit wobbly when sailing though because they are narrow and the deck is quite high where the mast step is. Even without a sail up it is faster than other kayaks with a sail.

If you are interested in trying out a slingshot or trying one of Paddling Perfections other models (such as the X-Factor) call Kim or Ian at Roaring 40's Ocean Kayaking on (03) 6267 5000 or email rfok@ozemail.com.au