Hurricane USA Skimmer 116

Okay, let’s just get it out there, the Skimmer 116 is a darn good-looking sit on top. The lines split the difference between beautifully classic and cutting-edge modern with a finish so glossy you can see yourself in it. It’s a sit on top that begs to be put in the water, and when you get it there, the Skimmer 116 performs.

With its touring style hull and FlowMax scupper system, the Skimmer 116, well, skims across the water, cuts through waves, and slices through chop. Oh, and it weighs in at a slight 17kg, which raises the performance bar to a new level.

Review of Skimmer 116 by www.paddling.com: https://paddling.com/gear/hurricane-kayaks-skimmer-116-kayak/#reviews 

Review of Hurricane Skimmer 116 by Jeff:

(also available in a bigger size of 128 w/rudder) 

This kayak is one of my personal favourites. It is great for recreational paddling, entry level touring, open water paddling and even surfing! The Skimmer 116 is made by one of our American flagship brands ‘Hurricane’. Hurricane’s slogan is ‘leaders in lightweight’, they specialise in manufacturing light weight kayaks and the Skimmer 116 is no exception weighing in at only 19.05 kgs.  For a 3.5 m kayak, that is impressive!  

The reason this kayak is so light is because it is constructed out of thermoformed ABS plastic which is one of the newest technologies in kayak manufacturing in the world. ABS plastic gives you the lightweight nature that fibreglass gives you while retaining all the durability of plastic (best of both worlds), ABS plastic is also much more affordable than fibreglass. ABS plastic is made to look like fibreglass giving it that nice sporty look.  ABS plastic is also one of the best construction types for longevity as it will never fade in colour in the sun and will never warp in shape, if for example is left on roof racks on a hot day. 

On top of the Skimmer being so light and innovative in its construction,  Hurricane focuses heavily on comfort and convenience.  Unlike most Sit-On-Top kayaks the Skimmer comes with a seat that is built in, so you do not get any movement out of it as you can with the clip in/unclip seats, plus you don’t have to constantly be clipping in and unclipping a seat each time you want to use it. The backrest for the seat can be adjusted in an upwards/downwards motion while also being able to be tensioned forwards and backwards, this allows you to completely fit the backrest into the curvature of your spine giving you fantastic support without having a big bulky backrest behind you. The Skimmer also comes with proper adjustable footrests rather than set moulded footrests that most SOT kayaks comes standard with.  

Moving on from the comfort features of the Hurricane Skimmer 116 and onto the convenient features that this all-round kayak offers. For starters you have a dry storage day hatch right in front of you for easy access to phone, cameras, keys etc. You also have a large stern well with bungy netting to secure bigger items while you are paddling, for example, you could fit a day pack behind the seat in the stern well and pack a picnic lunch. On the side of the kayak there is a paddle holder so you can secure the paddle without it floating away if you are fishing or taking a photo etc. There is also a bow hatch allowing access to the entire hull of the kayak to make dry storage a possibility for almost any sized object. A highly underrated feature that helps with convenience of lifting the kayak is fitted side handles on both sides, plus a handle fitted to both the bow and the stern. 

Finally, the Hurricane Skimmer 116 performs like a dream! The kayak is incredibly stable in flat or open water, with chines on the hull of the kayak offering great secondary stability in any rough waters. The Skimmer, as the name suggests, skims across the water with great efficiency. With its defined keel and great lines on the hull, the Skimmer tracks and turns well on either flat water, open water or on any waves you might want to catch. There is a scupper located in the middle of the kayak and in the stern well to allow easy drainage if any water comes onto the kayak. 

This multi-purpose kayak will bring any style of paddler endless enjoyment! 

Hurricane Aquasports - Leaders in Lightweight.