FAQ – Impex Kayaks

Some of our more frequently asked questions:

1. Impex Kayaks are priced at the top end of the market – what makes them value for money?

It’s true that Impex Kayaks are in the higher-end of the market, with only a couple of boutique kayak manufacturers making boats in a similar price range. Aside from the serious amount of research that has gone into designing genuine touring sea kayaks that successfully thread the line between speed & performance; we believe our boats offer outstanding performance, & quality that has to be seen to be fully appreciated. The Impex range in Australia are fitted as standard with ‘Immersion Research’ back bands and seat lining, padded thigh bracing, 3 VCP hatches, large diameter reflective decklines, double taped seams and rescue toggles as well as carry handles. These Impex standard features are often expensive ‘extras’ on cheaper brands. (Read about these and many other benefits on our Features page). Typically, included in the price of your Impex kayak is more than $800 worth of high quality extras. If you really want a sea-going kayak, ask the manufacturer to quote you on the standard inclusions in all Impex kayaks, we think you’ll find out pretty quickly that our boats are very reasonably priced. As well, we offer an after-sales support program second to none. On top of this, you can call Impex 7 days a week to answer your questions on modifications, skills & to offer general paddling advice.

2. What are the boats made from? We use two construction material methods, the first a combination of Diolin & X-Glass & the second our revolutionary new K-Lite. Diolin is a durable and easy to repair material in the same category as Kevlar in that it's an impact resistant material and doesn't tear easily. Our X-Glass lay-up reinforces the Diolin to increase the rigidity of the overall construction. We reinforce each boat at specific points in the deck & hull to provide a strong, sea going boat which is still light enough to hoist onto your roof racks. Remember, our stated boat weights include the weight of the seats, fittings & heavy VCP hatches – most manufacturers only quote weights excluding these features. The K-Lite is a modern wonder, used up to now for high-tech racing yachts. Using infusion technology, the Kevlar cloth is fully saturated with resin allowing maximum penetration for strength, & minimising weight. This increases consistency throughout the hull structure for maximum stiffness & strength. You can expect to save up to 5kg on our Diolin X-Glass lay-ups, with the sexy new look of a clear hull.

3. Can we have a boat customized?

We can offer a customized bulkhead positioning, colour or accessory according to your needs. Contact us with your requirements.

4. Impex kayaks don’t have a rudder – how can I make the kayak go straight without a rudder?

Rudders are an aid to tracking straight, & a good way to prevent your boat from ‘weathercocking’, or turning into a beam or quartering wind. A purist will tell you that they’re an unnecessary hindrance to developing proper paddling skills, in particular the ability to use your body & strokes in combination to turn & manoeuvre your boat.

To support this approach Impex Kayaks feature a slightly rounded chine to provide predictable stability on edge and a shallow “V” shaped hull to maintain directional control when the boat is not tilted. This combination of hull design features is ideal for boat control and is the optimal boat shape for use with a skeg.

Impex kayaks are fitted with retractable skegs as standard and these are designed specifically to fine-tune tracking on these sleek rudderless hulls.

Across the Impex range, skegs are not an afterthought or optional gadget but rather a simple, elegant way of improving tracking in challenging conditions. They are a further step in the development of the lean, low profile, rudderless boat designs originally made famous by British kayak designers and sought after by expeditioners all over the world.

(NOTE A skeg is a small fin that can be lowered into the water to help your boat to track straight in a crosswind. While it won’t help you to steer. It will keep you on a straight line when things get difficult.)