144 Water Street, Norwalk, CT 06854 (203) 854-5223
The Small Boat Shop is proud to be the world's first and only Betsie Bay Kayak dealership! Come down to our shop and try a Valkyrie, Aral, or Recluse on the water! We also carry Betsie Bay Paddles.
Betsie Bay Kayak
Betsie Bay Kayak has been building high-performance Greenland-design sea kayaks since 1984. The hard-chine, V-bottom design provides excellent tracking and edged turns while maintaining good speed and stability. Design refinements go far beyond replica Greenland kayaks to create neutral handling characteristics and advanced safety features.
Betsie Bay's wood/epoxy/fiberglass composite allows them to build kayaks as lightweight as kevlar or carbon composites (lighter than plywood kits or DIYs), but tougher because of their structural core construction. While this process is more labor intensive than cloth/resin construction, the strength and beauty of the finished product is worth it. Finishes are the best catalyzed acrylic/urethane products available and our kayaks require no more maintenance than kevlar or carbon composites.
Whether you choose a BBK kayak for its performance, lightweight or beauty, you get all three without sacrificing the others.
Valkyrie
The Valkyrie
The VALKYRIE is about 17 feet long and 20 1/2 inches in beam. It is fast with a medium weight paddler, and very controllable in challenging conditions. It has the same lower deck profile as the RECLUSE and is equally easy to brace and roll. The smaller paddler may choose the VALKYRIE for touring with moderate gearloads.
Weight: 29 to 33 lbs.
Valkyrie (val -keer-ee) — In Norse mythology, the Valkyries were the fierce battle maidens of the god Odin. They flew over the battlefield, taking the souls of fallen Viking heroes to Valhalla.
Aral
The Aral
The Aral is the newest addition to BBK's line of high performance, low volume touring kayaks. The southwest Greenland-based design features a full length V-bottom and hard chines for excellent tracking and turning in the most challenging conditions.
The Aral, at 18 feet in length and about 20.5 inches in beam is designed for optimum performance with paddlers in the 150 to 180 pound range.
Weight: (ready to paddle): 30 to 34 lbs.
Aral - The Aral Sea lies mostly in what is today Uzbekistan, east of the Caspian. In Michigan, off the Manitou shoals, Aral was a logging port on Lake MIchigan, abandoned after the last virgin white pine in the area was harvested.
Recluse
The Recluse
The RECLUSE is approximately 19 feet long and 20-1/2 inches maximum beam. It has excellent hull speed, and its narrow beam facilitates control in steep waves and chop that tend to pitch wider kayaks. The low rear deck profile minimizes windage and allows easy layback for Greenland style bracing and rolling. The RECLUSE is designed for the medium to heavy weight paddler, although lighter paddlers may choose this model when carrying moderate gearloads or paddling in mild conditions.
Weight: 30 to 34 lbs.
Recluse (ree-kloos) – Appropriate for a kayak alone out in front of the pack. The Hermit Boatbuilders favorite, designed with the independant solo coastal tripper in mind.
