Perception Acadia 12.5: very fast kayak for its length!

I read it is just for rivers, stable but slow, it doesn't track etc but I find it perfectly fine at sea and even in choppy water. It is fast not only considering its very short length but even compared to much longer sea kayaks (16-17 ft long).
This clip is part of a 29.5km / 18.3 miles trip and I am on my way back. I could keep an average of nearly 8 km/h / 5 mph for about 2h in a messy sea. I have a rudder but I don't use it often because it tracks well without it.
I am using an Orka Super Flex Pro wing paddle that I really enjoy. More details about it at www.orkapaddle...
I modified a bit my +20 yr old Acadia by removing the rotten polystyrene bloc in the bow and replaced it by 2 air bags (like those used for white water kayaks).

[@gadgetman_nz4092]

Not too shabby there. I tend to only average a bit over 6km/h in mine over a 4 hour paddle.

[@kayakintro]

This little Acadia always surprises me! It’s a pity it doesn’t have a bulkhead at the bow. I got a Squall which is much faster but it has a narrow cockpit forcing you to slide your legs in first. I am not that flexible anymore and a paddle float is required if I capsize!

[@gadgetman_nz4092]

@@kayakintro There will only be a couple of hundred mm at most between the foot pegs and the front polystyrene if it is like mine. My middle daughter would have s good half a metre (not that I'm saying anything). I'm hearing you on the flexibility thing, I entered my seventh decade about a month ago.

[@kayakintro]

@@gadgetman_nz4092 😂 well 53 here but a bad knee (tennis…) for a couple of months now. It’s hard to use my legs and push the footplate on a surfski. With a sea kayak I am still fine. The polystyrene is gone on mine. Some water went through it and it was falling apart. I am using an air bag for now. My only problem with the Acadia is the round hatch at the back. Should have been oval! I can’t fit my Railblaza trolley and have to leave it attached to a stair.

[@gadgetman_nz4092]

@@kayakintro Yeah, five damaged discs in the lower back, at least one in the neck, two frozen shoulders and a brain tumour. If I was any other species someone would be before a beak for no having me euthanised. Mine has no bulkheads so trolley storage not an issue but will stuff a drybag in the boot if venturing far from sure. My sea kayaks are quite narrow and tippy so company is wise.

[@kayakintro]

@@gadgetman_nz4092 You are doing well despite all that!! I finally got a paddle float so I will try it soon.