As far as I see it, Bic Kayaks is changing the rules on how we see the sit on top kayak.  Bic, yes the pen and lighter company, have released their kayak range in Europe to rave reviews and here at Fergs Kayaks we are proud to announce we have secured them in our two stores.  Bic has earned huge respect in the surfboard and windsurf industries and the next logical choice keeping with the water theme was kayaking.

Having paddled a few sit on tops in my time, when I first heard that Bic had released a kayak range, the jury was out for me on whether or not they could compete in the hotly contested NZ market. Now after having paddled the range I can see they have spent a lot of time and money distancing themselves from the 'norm' of sit on top kayaks.

An example of this is the Tobago tandem sit on top. I found both front and back seats really comfortable thanks to the EVA foam paddling which is standard.  The seat is also surprisingly dry thanks not only the raised position of the seats within the kayak but also the self draining scupper holes. These are positioned at the lowest part of the kayak to allow the water to drain out of the kayak cockpit easily. Add to this the advantage of an attached screw-in bung to keep the water out, and  I found this combination meant I wasn't sitting in a pool of water while paddling, adding to my comfort while on the water.

Another feature I noticed was the rear wheel built into the back of the kayak. Though relatively small it made the world of difference when it came to manoeuvering the kayak to the water's edge. Its great for flat ground or grass but for off road travel I would still use a trolley as I found the wheel just a bit too small for the larger rocks and obstacles.

Out on the water the Tobago was surprisingly fast and glided along really well with little effort.  It has a slight tri-hull design which gives the kayak solid stability while allowing the Tobago to track in a straight line. I've found other kayaks where this doesn't happen and it can get frustrating on longer trips.

I found more than enough room for myself and a friend on the Tobago, and could fit a child between us easily. With the ability to carry up to 250kg I can't see too many problems with overloading this kayak.

The Tobago has become a favourite double kayak for me, and if you like the sound of it too then check it out here>>

Other Kayaks in the Bic Range:

Yakka

Ouassou

Bilbao

Scapa