Day 13 - P&H 'Cetus'

We at Aqua Adventures consider Sean Morley "Vancouver Island circumnavigation record setter" to be a good friend. It seems as though he's an even better salesman. Now that he's on P&H's pro paddler team he has his hands on a small fleet of P&H and Pyranha boats. It 'just so happened' that he had to leave the P&H Cetus behind after our symposium last month. Of course you can't leave a boat on our dock and not expect folks to give it a try, all part of his master plan, I'm sure. It seems like everyone that's been in the Cetus has enjoyed it and today I finally had my chance to give it a try.

It was once again time for the Wednesday Morning Paddle and we were joined by many of the familiar faces as well as Bill from Napa CA who is in town for a conference. Our plan was to head out around the Ocean Beach pier but things were a little rough outside the channel so most of the group headed into Mariner's cove while three of us; Greg, Jane, and myself challenged the rough water a bit by rounding the red buoy at the end of the jetty. This gave me a chance to see how the Cetus handled in rough water and I was impressed. After rejoining the group we all headed to the Barefoot Bar dock then back in to Aqua Adventures. The short five mile loop was not enough to really appreciate the Cetus. With it's solid feel, easy glide, and ample gear hauling capacity that boat feels like it is meant to be taken somewhere big. Although the Cetus seems to fit guys much bigger than me, I felt very well connected and quite comfortable in it. I'm looking forward to getting back in it to give it a more serious try. The front deck 'day hatch' is a nice feature and much to my pleasant surprise when I opened it up this morning I discovered an unopened bottle of Gatorade, BONUS!

So far I must say that this kayak would be an excellent pick for anybody my size (5'-10" 160 lbs) or larger that is looking for a good gear hauling, expedition ready boat.

P&H Cetus Review

Manufacturer = P&H
Brand = P&H
Model = Cetus
Material = Fiberglass
Length = 17'-10"
Width = 22 1/2"
Weight = 57 lbs.

Location = Wednesday Morning Paddle - Around the red buoy in to the Barefoot Bar dock
Time = 7:00 AM
Distance = 5 miles
Duration = 1:30
Avg. Speed = 3.3 mph (group speed)
Conditions = Overcast and chilly (for San Diego standards) rough in channel and out to buoy - calm in the bay.