Aiming into a bulldozing beach break or down the meat of a local class III rapid, the rockered bow pops over the waves and punches through the troughs. When surfing, that same rocker keeps the bow on the sur- face and maintains the Karma RG’s excellent maneuverability, perfect for carving back and forth on the face of a wave.
Quick acceleration and hull speed are critical to catching waves, match- ing the pace of swell to line up a pour-over, or touring down the coast to access rock gardens and remote beaches. Morley and the Jackson team worked hard to balance maneuver- ability and speed, and the Karma RG seems to have an ideal blend. It holds a course well—drop the skeg to aid tracking on longer crossings or in pushy currents—yet is easily recov- ered if you get off-line mid feature. Outfitting and sturdy polyethylene lay-up are straight out of Jackson’s whitewater boats. Rather than foot pegs or pedals, a solid, foam block forms a comfortable, safe bracing sur- face and is infinitely adjustable with a cleat mounted on the below-deck cen- ter pillar. No forward bulkhead means you’ll want to use a flotation bag in the bow. A nine-inch round hatch on the stern deck accesses a dry storage area with space for carefully packed overnights.
Perimeter decklines were conspic- uously absent from our demo boat, but can be quickly retrofitted into the existing deck rigging.
Jackson Karma RG Length: 11 ft 10 in Width: 25 in Weight: 58 lbs
Max Capacity: 325 lbs Price: $1,249
www.jacksonkayak.com
“The Karma RG is not a sea kayak in the traditional sense,” says Morley. It’s not intended for extended touring with all the camping comforts, or for cranking out miles on flatwater. But if you love nosing into nooks, crannies and river eddies, this could be the boat you’ve been waiting for. VIRGINIA MARSHALL
DIGITAL EXTRA: Click here to watch a video review.
www.adventurekayakmag.com | 65
Economically shipped directly to your door As easy to assemble as furniture Lightweight and easy to use and load
Ottawa • Ontario • Canada • 800-558-5178
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UNTIL DECEMBER 31 , 2014
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