This Sea Kayak Was Scared For Its Life!

I don't live near the sea, but that doesn't mean I can't test a sea kayak in rough water. I took the P&H Sea Kayaks Volan 160 down the Main Channel of the Ottawa River to see how it dealt with BIG water. Watch and see for yourself!
Watch the full review of the Volan 160 - • This is What a Luxury ...
Gear I have tested and recommend:
Paddles:
Aqua-bound Manta Ray Carbon 2-piece (rec/touring) bit.ly/43KLWQb
Aqua-Bound Manta Ray Hybrid 2-piece (Rec/Touring bit.ly/41VdlND
Aqua-bound Shred (whitewater) bit.ly/3L9h04E
PFDs:
NRS Chinook PFD (fishing) bit.ly/3AaGAzS
NRS Zen PFD (whitewater) bit.ly/3odrMxK
NRS Odyssey PFD (Touring and Rec) bit.ly/41yCpK0
Dry Gear / Layers:
NRS Flux Dry Top bit.ly/41EvCyC
NRS Riptide Splash Jacket bit.ly/3L9awmd
NRS Axiom Dry Suit bit.ly/3A6RdUj
Shirts:
NRS Silkweight Long-Sleeve Shirt - Mens bit.ly/3KOMegb
NRS Guide Short Sleeve Shirt bit.ly/41jskkf
Pants:
NRS Benny Board Shorts bit.ly/41fyAtm
Footwear:
NRS Boundary Boot: bit.ly/3Lb8Clo
NRS Kicker Wetshoe: bit.ly/3H6Sjna
NRS Paddle Wetshoe: bit.ly/3V3cYhx
Astral PFD Sandal bit.ly/41EiFVc
Sunglasses: Wiley X Outdoor Sun Glasses bit.ly/3NtJQKR
Other Paddling Gear:
NRS WRSI Current Helmet bit.ly/3L90rpz
NRS Drylander Shock Cord Sprayskirt bit.ly/41g8C9l
Surf Ears Ear Plugs bit.ly/3AbMl1y
GoPro Hero 11 Black amzn.to/3ZWVXHN
Rapid Pure Purifier amzn.to/3iuIo1C
Zoleo Satellite Communicator amzn.to/3kv0hOt
NOTE: These are affiliate links in which I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you, but it is a great way to show your support.
Special thanks to my Global Partners for supporting my mission of helping get people on the water and creating life-long outdoor participants.
Outdoorplay: www.outdoorplay.com/
NRS: www.nrs.com/
Wiley X: www.wileyx.com/
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[@qaannat]

That looks like a ton of fun. Thanks for having us along!

[@peterkennett1404]

Joy is infectious. I was chuckling throughout the video. Thx

[@comic8124]

Keep filming and producing like you do and I’m sure we will all keep watching. I’m new and have been enjoying the massive back catalogue of amazing content you have. All the best and keep paddling. :)

[@PaddleTV]

Thank you! Glad to hear you're enjoying it!

[@craigmarson6917]

Amazing what that sea kayak can do in such skilled hands! Great fun to watch.😅

[@darlenemccomic6083]

Ooooo my goodness…. It is awesome! Thanks so much for sharing your ride ! Wow

[@maze400]

Nice to see you in action.

[@bobbell853]

Keep making your honest reviews and all your paddle tales videos. I sure enjoy them, take care Ken.

[@PaddleTV]

Thanks 👍

[@SirJustonian]

Great video man! I like the commentary.

[@damselinflight]

loved this video, great tip about the lock getting caught on your sprayskirt and taping it up too... last week I went in sort of a mini rapid with my boat and it was an experience to say the least. paddle on.

[@gadgetman_nz4092]

Great video with miles of smiles.

[@shawnkdodds]

I really love your videos! Informative, fun and interesting sometimes exciting...I may never kayak anything faster than stillwater, but can always live vicariously through your adventures. Thanks so much for these!!

[@PaddleTV]

My pleasure!

[@pennerarch1]

Thanks for inspiration...not many videos of sea kayak on ww rivers...hope to run the Thompson River here in BC..

[@macfawlty]

The consistency of your forward stroke in the sped up flatwater section was remarkable. Within an inch or 2 on every stroke.

[@08Barclay]

Respect!! Holy smokes! I’m a pretty novice kayaker, a lot more comfortable in my 17ft Clipper prospector expedition canoe. As a retired Firefighter with swift water rescue certification, I’ve got lots of respect for big water. Got my certification on the Thompson River after Labour Day weekend many years ago, from “The Frog” to the confluence of the Fraser. It’s been too long since I’ve had experience of any kind in that kind of water! The thought of paddling my old, Current designs, “Expedition “ 18’ 10” in that, is enough to bring on nightmares! Thanks for your hard work to bring us this kind of content.

[@GH0ST369]

Nice recovery.

[@kevchard5214]

Good vid Ken.

[@bowrudder899]

The fun for me was seeing an older Ken Whiting. Hadn't seen him in years. Awesome video as usual. Up to snuff.

[@dreman5547]

Hey Ken you might be able to use a piece of bike inner tube on your paddle to keep lever in place.

[@slighwentwalking2024]

This was a great learning experience for me...thank you Ken Seeing that point of view was amazing. It looked like fun/terror 🤥 That skirt took a pounding but held. I paddle a small sea kayak 15/8 also composite it was good to see how it may behave.

[@PaddleTV]

Great to hear! Cheers!

[@lipsticklodge7526]

Thanx for this Ken! I took the course up there and missed the last day on the Ottawa River.. I had an experience prior to the last day where I lost it on staircase so I went on a rafting trip instead...especially after hearing about the garburator, I was not ready to continue to the course end...I sold my ww kayak and have stuck with seakayaks, rec kayaks and I have a dive yak also.

[@PaddleTV]

Staircase can do that! Even though you're not whitewater kayaking anymore, I'm sure the skills you've learned are proving valuable with your other kayaking. Enjoy!

[@boatman222345]

I've paddled thousands of miles in similar boats but I can't say I was ever tempted to run white water in them. You did pretty well all things considered. As for the paddle I've been using an Aqua Bound Versa lately and love the paddle…happily I never had the lever lock unlock.

[@RayFreemanleftcoastinsights]

I’ve been looking forward to this video, Ken! Great water level to experiment with a sea kayak. I guided on the Ottawa in the 80’s and could not have imagined paddling a long boat down those rapids back then. I have a Volan and it’s a great kayak to surf in Tofino. If you bring this kayak with you out West some time, I recommend trying it on the Thompson later in the summer. Similar to the Ottawa, but with more continuous rapids. Keep bringing the great content!

[@marytetreault8168]

Very enjoyable! Thank you!😊

[@PaddleTV]

Thanks! Love the Thompson, although I haven't paddled it in about 20 years. There are some great surf waves on there!

[@silentrabbit247]

Hi Ken, why not cut a bit of an old Bicycle inner tube to put over (around) the flip lock on the paddle - would be pretty strong. I use a piece to cover the joint and button on my Werner paddle to prevent very fine sand / clay getting into the mechanism. Thanks for all the PaddleTV videos, greetings from Scotland.

[@comic8124]

Thanks you! That’s a great tip, I’ve had the same incident recently and been wondering what to do.

[@PaddleTV]

Good idea!

[@NWKayaking]

Looks like a fun river😊

[@iowaadventures4701]

I wish I had the talent you do when it comes to kayaking

[@christopping5876]

I went on a 3 day kayaking camping trip above Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River many years ago. One participant was a US military nurse whose 4-5 day rafting trip through the gorges below the Falls had been abandoned. The reason why was because a man had been jumping off a rock into a whirlpool eddy that brought one back to the shore behind the rock. Except on this one occasion where he disappeared and was never seen alive again. Water does not play. If you do not understand the forces of nature, there is only one winner.

[@kevinrogers2686]

Thanks for the video Ken, you got me into kayaking this year and that looks fun and little terrifying at the same time!. I have done whitewater rafting on the ottawa river a few times but its a much different perspective from that boat! Do you offer or ever considered doing lessons of multiday excursions in your area. I would gladly pay to experience some of these adventures with you and gain a fountain of knowledge! appreciate your work.

[@kcountrycorvettes]

Me as well Kevin but sadly,I’m in Alberta.

[@PaddleTV]

Great to hear you've seen the Ottawa! As for lessons... I taught for years, but haven't done so in quite a while mostly due to time. Between filming my conten, running my small production company, and keeping up to my daughter on her adventures, time is short. I would love to start doing it again, but likely won't happen until my daughter finishes high school. Stay tuned! :)

[@vibrolax]

That did look like fun. We had our first whitewater experience this summer on la Rivière Bonaventure in Gaspésie. Even that would have been too much for us old geezers in our sea kayaks.

[@PaddleTV]

What a great first river! I filmed a segment stand up paddling on the Bonaventure about 5 years ago. What a place! Here's the video - the Bonaventure is the second half. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZamqol7brOZpc0si=RKOQVmGuE8Ndl-_B

[@elpeltys]

Fabulous. I normally just watch your review videos, great to see you letting off some steam! Side note - you're lucky I tolerated 27 seconds of ads at the start, most videos don't get away with that lol!

[@PaddleTV]

Thanks! Sorry for the ads :)

[@oldcreel]

Ken, come to Nova Scotia and paddle the Bay of Fundy with that Volan Sea Kayak. It would do great on the Shubie Tidal Bore or Gull Rocks tide race at Brier Island! 🌊🛶💨

[@PaddleTV]

Would love to!!! I've paddled Reversing Falls in NB a bunch of times, but that's all I've done around the Bay of Fundy.

[@timwonser7246]

Great footage!Would appreciate abit more info on setting up/reading the rapids so as not to ding the daylites out of the boat.I paddle quite abit[100plus days a season] BUT there is ALWAYS something more to learn.Inside and outside edging and appropriate strokes would be a great video with Your wealth of experience!Get in touch if in Wisconsin;2GreatLakes,the Bay[GreenBay]and plenty of great river runs.ALWAYS enjoy what You share!

[@PaddleTV]

Noted! I've been wanting to do some paddling in Wisconsin for a while. Hope to see you there soon!

[@feelingjustfine]

Great video Ken. Would you say this boat or the stratos handles better in whitewater?

[@PaddleTV]

Hmmm... the Stratos has the benefit of being 2 feet shorter, but the Volan is much lighter and 'feels' more nimble. The Stratos also has the benefit of being plastic, and so if you were to hit some rocks hard, you wouldn't feel so bad. The Stratos would be the safer (for the boat) choice... but the Volan is a nicer paddling experience.

[@barry4fish19]

Great, fun to watch too. Did you check the hatches to see how watertight they were? That’s been one complaint about the P&H kayaks is the hatches leak more than they should, but maybe that’s been corrected now with the newer models.

[@lipsticklodge7526]

Can't u put buoyancy bags in both ends?

[@PaddleTV]

Yup. No water in the hatches!

[@jmerodgers]

as a mere mortal i dont think i'll take my 16 footer in any white water any time soon. I have surfed it a bit though and it was great fun. I wonder how the Volan would surf? it seems fairly low volume in the bow? Might Pearl a little? Anyways, super entertaining watch, even if you are a big show off (lol)! P&H make a lovely boat, everything is well thought out and comfortable, and the build quality on the one i owned was excellent.

[@DixonsCarpetCleaning]

Really enjoyed the video. Just got into sea kayaking after a few years of river running. I would love try the main in my 17' Zegul Play just not sure if I have the nerve to risk a kevlar carbon boat. BTW what was the level ? looked like around 2' ? Happy Boating !

[@PaddleTV]

Thanks! You're very close regarding the level. I believe the level was a little higher though - around 3. It would definitely be easier at lower levels, as the long boat wouldn't get pushed around as much.

[@prophecy66]

Ken, if only you had hit lake Ontario this weekend, plenty of waves and wind for testing. My end of the lake was around 1m waves and wind from 35-55km/h. Out towards the east end of the lake I saw reports of waves up to 2.6m. Regardless, great video and testing, always interesting to see you take a sea kayak through rapids.

[@PaddleTV]

:)

[@flatheadfletch]

Amazing Ken, I bought this same boat because of your Tennessee river review. I have been loving it touring Alabama lakes and rivers. You showed me a lot about this boats abilities. My question is, did you feel at anytime that the river had grabbed hold of the boat because of the longer chines ? Did you feel completely in control at all times ?

[@PaddleTV]

Thanks! Paddling sea kayaks in river current is always a little tricky, because the ends of the kayak have a strong V shape. They offer a large surface for the current to grab. This can definitely take you by surprise at times. Did I feel completely in control at all times... No. :) But in my opinion, that's to be expected in whitewater. It's too dynamic to always be in complete control. Did I ever feel completely out of control? No. I was always in control enough to make the adjustments I needed to maintain 'enough' control' :)

[@flatheadfletch]

Thanx Ken I may start pushing my limits. Great video. Thanx again

[@petertamasboda511]

Nice all of this story

[@timjackson4927]

Have you thought about adding piranha thigh hooks ?

[@PaddleTV]

Interesting idea!

[@MartinMartin-yi9to]

A friend and i are planning to sea kayak down the Ottawa river next year. Maybe we'll meet on the river.

[@PaddleTV]

What a cool trip! How long a section are you going to do?

[@chriskelvin248]

There’s no scarier sea kayaking location than a heavy traffic recreational and commercial powerboat inlet. Never mind the potential natural tide and wind that may be present- confused, intersecting high speed boat wakes can wreak havoc. Be prepared and/ or stay away.

[@JayDeeKayaker]

You obviously know the River in that section very intimately and thus could avoid hitting nasty rocks. Did you touch any rocks at all? What does the gelcoat look like?

[@PaddleTV]

One of the joys of the Ottawa is that there are very few rocks to worry about, and so I didn't touch any.

[@bryanb8366]

I checked out the p&h cetus and found it was super uncomfortable just like the piranhas. How's the outfitting in that? I know I chose a NDK pilgrim expedition over the p&h

[@PaddleTV]

The seat and back band are comfortable (for me), but it doesn't have fixed thigh hooks. It has padding that you place in the appropriate place for your legs. This makes it much easier to get in and out of the kayak, and less 'confining' feeling, but you give up a little control/comfort for it. Obviously it wasn't a big control issue, otherwise I wouldn't have taken it down the Ottawa River! :)

[@bryanb8366]

@@PaddleTV me Seward Luna is like that really comfortable but does not have aggressive thigh. Hooks so it makes it harder to roll and less responsive. But not everybody likes to play 😉

[@iviewthetube]

I'd need to use a tupperware boat, otherwise, I would be afraid of breaking something.

[@canajian]

🖐😎👍🛶

[@bobm9509]

Dude you paddle fast.

[@paulmartin5889]

I do not understand the point of this video. I do know that P&H Volan kayaks new are $6-to-$7,000. My Volan was $7200. My friends and I run 2-4 foot waves and play in tidal rips. But to run this type of kayak in Class 3-4 rapids is nonsensical. That’s why some kayak manufacturers make River Kayaks. BTW, I’m thinking of taking my Mercedes sedan off-road on a jeep trail.

[@vladtepes97]

during my student-teaching days, i saw a grade-5 class with their teacher lined up at the door waiting to go to recess. i told them they could go as soon as one of them told me the difference between "its" and "it's". looks like one of the kids who didn't know the answer is writing titles for this channel.

[@thomasharold8362]

I can’t imagine how negative of a person you’d have to be to comment something like that, thanks for the laugh bud.

[@PaddleTV]

You're absolutely right... I was dreaming about playing outdoors instead of paying attention in class. 35 years later, nothing has changed. Cheers! PS. I corrected the title.

[@danhaywood5696]

Why?

[@PaddleTV]

For fun! Is there a better reason why?

[@jonathansharlin2306]

Try a Werner paddle. It wouldn’t have loosened up like that.