IT’S HAMMER TIME. PHOTO: VINCE PAQUOT


P&H HAMMER Boat Review The Hammer


Three years ago, the P&H Delphin was considered radical. Since then,


the pioneering playboat has gained significant traction


amongst the traditionally conservative sea kayaking community. P&H Sea Kayaks owner and designer Graham Mackereth ad- mits his design team had no idea the Delphin would be so well received—only a hunch that the timing was right for a sportier sea kayak. Now, the Delphin has set the stage for an even more radical


design, the Hammer—prompting P&H to define a whole new category in their line-up: ocean play. Given their pedigree—Mackereth founded Pyranha whitewater


kayaks in 1971 and acquired P&H in 2003; and designers Rich Taylor and Robert Peerson split their time between modeling kay- aks for rivers and sea—it’s no surprise P&H are leading the way in this emerging niche. One of the first things you’ll notice about the Hammer is that


it’s built like a whitewater kayak. In fact, the heavy-duty, single- layer rotomolded construction meets whitewater specs for stiffness and impact and abrasion resistance. Like the “Surf” version of the Delphins, the Hammer’s Con-


nect 30 outfitting is straight out of Pyranha’s creek boats—a fully adjustable seat with removable hip pads and ratcheting backband is paired with aggressive thigh grips to maximize contact and con- trol. Additional safety features in the cockpit include a full plate footrest, hull stiffener and foam buoyancy pillar. The Hammer’s broad, flat hull and hard chines are very similar


to the planing hull and carving rails of modern river runners, and offer the same performance advantages. Held flat on a wave, the


40 PADDLING MAGAZINE || December 2013 By P&H


Length ...................13 ft 8 in Width .....................24.5 in Weight ...................50 lbs Paddler .................140–240 lbs Price .......................$1,799 www.phseakayaks.com


hull feels loose and fast, but set it on edge and you can carve some seriously speedy bottom turns. Initial, secondary and way-over sta- bility are solid on calm water, and even more confidence inspiring in the rough stuff. Defining features on the Delphin—generous rocker, high-


volume bow and a slender, squared-off stern—are even more pro- nounced in the Hammer, which features progressive bow-to-stern rocker for one-sweep-and-you’re-around maneuverability. When you’re dancing through toothy boulder gardens or catching rides on even the subtlest waves, the boat feels much smaller than its 13 feet, eight inches. Drop the skeg and fill the four hatches with overnight gear, how-


ever, and the Hammer has the mannered tracking and open water range of a classic light touring boat. Sure, cruising speed doesn’t rival that of a dedicated tourer, but it keeps up on shorter journeys and it’s more than adequate to get you to the next play spot. It’s this unique combination of features that impressed extreme


rough water paddler and coach, Paul Kuthe, after dropping the Hammer in the rocks and swell of California’s Mendocino Coast. “I think it’s the first true playboat built for the sea,” he says. From frolics on the coast to multi-day river runs and source-


to-sea expeditions, Mackereth and the P&H crew are excited to see where touring kayakers take the Hammer. Meanwhile, we’re looking forward to seeing where the Hammer takes kayak touring. The verdict is still out on whether the greater paddling com-


munity will embrace this radical hybrid as an evolutionary leap, or denounce it as a freakish mutation. But for those who love to play the sea—it’s Hammer time. —Virginia Marshall


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