Umingmaq has just ordered our first kayaks from Turning Point Boatworks (TPBW) kayaks. The TPBW Petrel Play & Petrel kayaks are some of the best composite boats in the world. Turning Point Boatworks offer designs that have stood the test of time among the home-built kayak community. The Petrel Play and Petrel kayaks were originally designed by Nick Schade for construction in wood. Joey Schott and his skilled craftsman at TPBW, along with designer Nick Schade, have adapted the Petrel Play & Petrel designs to be built in cutting-edge composite materials and resins.
The Petrel Play, as it’s name would imply, is a short playful kayak ideal for day paddles, a weekend trip or playing around in just about any aquatic environment imaginable: Surf, rocks, rivers, creeks, lakes and even open water. The Petrel Play is 14 feet long and 23″ wide. Even in the basic TPBW fiberglass lay-up, the Petrel Play weighs in at a featherweight 40 Pounds and when constructed in carbon fiber cloths can even get down to an astonishing 31 pounds!
- TPBW Petrel Play Specifications:
- 14 Feet Length Overall
- 23″ Maximum Beam
- 3 Hatch Configuration (with optional 4th “whiskey” hatch)
- Fiberglass Construction: 40 Pounds
- Ultra Performance Construction: 34 Pounds
- Carbon/Innegra Construction: 31 Pounds
- Optimum paddler weight range: 120-240 Pounds
The TPBW Petrel Play and Petrel kayaks are the only production touring kayaks in the world that are currently built with a durable composite cloth called Innegra. Adopted by high-end canoe builders after Royalex was discontinued, TPBW has done extensive testing to develop layups with Innegra to build kayaks that exceed the performance of many other composite kayaks for strength to weight ratio.
The Petrel is the newest kayak from TPBW and is a longer, narrower kayak which will satisfy traditionalist touring kayak paddlers who believe a kayak should be over 16 feet. The Petrel is 17 feet long and 20″ wide. While this may seem narrow, the hard chines and the fact that the maximum beam is virtually the same as the beam at the waterline, combine to make the Petrel a stable kayak for it’s beam. The Petrel will also satisfy the need for speed, as the longer waterline and slender width give the Petrel an excellent turn of speed.
- TPBW Petrel Specifications
- 17 Feet length Overall
- 20″ Maximum Beam
- 3 Hatch Configuration (with optional 4th “whiskey” hatch)
- Fiberglass Construction: 42 Pounds (ESTIMATED)
- Ultra Performance Construction: 36 Pounds (ESTIMATED)
- Carbon/Innegra Construction: 33 Pounds (ESTIMATED)
- Optimum paddler weight range: 120-225 Pounds
Hand-built in Virginia, using Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Method (VARTM), the Turning Point Boatworks kayaks have gained a reputation for being beautifully finished, paddling “magically” and having tractor-like durability. Umingmaq Paddle Touring Center is proud to have a new partnership with TPBW.
Our Petrel Play and Petrel kayaks should be in the shop for demos before the ice shuts us down for the winter!
If you’re in the market for the lightest, most versatile composite touring kayak on the market today, give us a call and we’ll get you out to demo the Petrel Play or Petrel kayak from Turning Point Boatworks.
Paddle Well, ~Umingmaq