P & H Quest... positive/negative reports (2024)

I,ve paddled it & liked it alot, have a look at the review written by Dave Evans for the canoeing press, it's an independent review by Dave who has no association with P&H apart from being asked to test a few of their sea kayaks.
The review can be found at www.phseakayaks.com/lifes...hp?c=Quest

Craig.
www.bcu.org.uk/sea
Edited by: Craig Addison at: 4/1/02 10:20:57 pm

Anyone else with any experience of the Quest? I'm interested too, as much from the perspective of a bit more room for me and for kit in comparison to the Nordkapp I paddle now.

(Biggish bloke - N/k is a little tight).

I don't want to loose the N/k's speed advantage though I hear the Quest is fast. Further comments anyone?

Mike.

> And at the time I was a little concerened as to where the ballast might settle if I ended up
> wrong side up.

Following a significant epic a few years ago, where a bulkhead separated from the hull and the back compartment flooded, I now air bag out my sea kayak. This means that all unused space is filled with air not water should a hatch pop of whatever. It also means that you don't get that very anoying flask rolling round the bottom of the boat thing. If you put the balast in first and then the air bags on top, it should hold the balast in place.

Quick update - I changed to a Quest and it got it's first proper outing over the holiday weekend in the Sound of Jura area.

Immediate impressions are that it's extremely comfortable and also stable, but still responsive. I was able to sit side-on to a biggish sea and felt totally stable, yet when I had to start some rock dodging and needed to get the boat into a given position quickly, it did it.

Lots of room for kit and easily packed with nice big hatches.

We weren't an especially "fast" group but the Quest certainly seemed to move along nicely and I never felt I was having to work to move it. In fact, most of the time I needed to slow down and I'm not an especailly quick paddler.

Down sides? It's rather wetter than I had hoped for in that the bow tends to ship water a bit more than the N/kapp did or the Skerry in our group did. It's not a significant problem, and minimised by keeping the front load light.

Build quality is ok. If anyone is having a foot pump fitted I'd suggest being generous on the inside-leg measurement though, especially if you are of a "heavish" build!!

Apart from the fact that it's wettish, my only real complaint is that the rear elastics are too close together and there aren't enough of them.

If you want a big, fast, comfortable boat that seems to handle a range of conditions well, then I think the Quest is one to look at. I suggest though that you paddle one first, especailly if you are small build and/or light - it's a lot of boat. In truth, I like it a lot.

(No connection to P&H or any retailer btw)

Mike.

Realised that I've said exactly the same as Mike, but I'll leave it here anyway........

=============

Just got back from a trip round Mull in a Quest. TR later when I have time to write it!!

I've paddled a NK and Sirius before and got my hands on a Quest for this trip. I'm about 85kg (?) and 183cm. The boat is super comfy, stable and fast. Holds it's course well in a side wind and swell even without using the skeg, using the skeg almost made things too easy!!

It's got more storage space than my shed (and that's saying something) and it's a doddle to pack. I had a few early teething problems but that was due to personal inexperience. By the end of the trip packing and trimming was still really easy, especially considering the excess kit that I had.

Backing up Mike's comments....It's a big boat that feels and performs like a small one.

Wettish? It shedded water off the front deck as well as the Baidarka and North Shore Mariners the other guys were paddling.

Rear elastics were fine for the splits I was carrying. Not too close at all. I was carrying all the useful stuff on the front elastics!!

hf
roo
Edited by: roo at: 6/10/02 1:06:42 pm

Looking forward to hearing about your trip, Roo...

-----------Mark Rainsley

I owned and paddled a Quest for 2 years. It's a big boat and unless loaded bobs about like a cork.

Properly trimmed it comes into its own, fast very stable in big seas and easy to roll. Wonderful in following seas and capable of punching through surf.
Even with the skeg it does have a tendency to weather co*ck and needs edging which can be tiring on a long crossing.

I paddled in the company of Nordkapps and it could do anything they could.

And absoultely love them.

I took to mine like a duck to water, and just love it...absoultely love it. I have been paddling on the sea now for 5 years and previously owned RM Capellas.

Empty, just the initial stability can be a bit nerving, but the secondary stability is awesome, just awesome and perfect for edging.

Its a bit slower to turn than the capellas, but thats to be expected being a longer boat, but again this can be solved by doing your edging.

Packed, again its just awesome, and can carrying everything needed for a weekend away easily all within the hatches.

An very fast boat too.

I love mine to bits, although still getting used to it and have no regrets whatso ever.

My fiancee, who is a bit lighter than me has struggled a little bit when the boat is empty, but this is easily solved with some ballast. 2 bags of sand.

Again when packed, she finds the boat no problem either and actually enjoys it. She can even keep up with me no problem, and in rough water, when weighted, inspires her with confidence.

Extremely comfortable boat too.

I say...go for it.

Just to add - I was once paddling in the company of a Valley Pintail, a Nordkapp and a hard chined Greenland type kayak whose name I cant remember when we were hit by a freak squall. Every other boat capsized instantly but the Quest just sat there! Everyone rolled up 'cept the guy in the greenland who panicked and bailed out....doh

I eventually sold the boat onto a woman who just couldnt get on with it - she said it was too big for her to handle (she was heavier than I was) and kept capsizing. After a month she sold it on to a bloke who as far as I know is still paddling away.

I have a Quest and really like it.

Other people report that it dip its bow in chop but when the waves get bigger it is no worse than other boats I have paddled with and whilst the bow may get wet, the waves do not reach the paddler any more often than on other boats. The flip side of this is that, for a relatively large volume boat, it seems very easy to paddle into a wind/sea.

I do not find it unstable when empty- but I am quite big and there is no need for ballast! It carries quite a lot but if you are heavy it does sit quite low in the water when it is loaded for a week's trip.

It rolls well, does not seem to weatherco*ck with me and keeps a straight line well.

Disadvantages- few- the high foredeck immediately in front of the co*ckpit does stop the waves sloshing as far as the paddler but it is quite high to paddle with a Greenland paddle. It is not as quick to turn as other boats unless you edge quite a lot.

P&H have obviously aimed the Cetus at a similar market but as I haven't even seen one I can't say whether it is an improvement. The Quest is great though and I'd recommended it.

Hi there

I was looking with interest at your thread, if any of you potential Quest purchasers are in the Exeter area, I noticed that AS watersports on the quay have a Quest demo boat to try. Dunno how much use that would be paddling around the basin but at least you could get some feel for it.

Great shop, but I have to leave my credit card behind whenever I go anywhere near... :-)