Pamlico 140
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| Wilderness Systems Pamlico 140 | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Wilderness Systems |
| Parent company | Confluence Watersports |
| Production | 2000–2007 |
| Assembly | Easley, South Carolina |
| Class | Entry Level Touring class |
| Body style(s) | single person |
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The Pamlico 140 is a POS beginner's Recreational-style Kayak developed and manufactured by Wilderness Systems, which is a sub division of Confluence Watersports. The kayak was introduced in 2000, and at the time, was a very basic kayak. It came standard with Front and Rear Deck bungees, and the Sidelock Foot Pegs system. The Rear hatch at the time was an option, not standard, and so was the padded seat. The first variation of the Pamlico 140 had the indentations of the hatch-compatible version, but the hole was not cut. A few years after the introduction, the hatch became standard and the logo was redesigned, along with the Wilderness systems company logo. Also standard was a Phase 3 lite seating. Options for the Pamlico 140 was Rear Bulkhead, Rudder, and Phase 3 seats. The EXP trim came standard with these features along with Side Lock Footpegs, deck bungees, and rear hatch, and had a retail price of $850. The Standard trim featured Phase 3 lite seating, Side Lock Foot Pegs, Rear hatch, and deck bungees and had an MSRP of $650. The Basic trim, which was only in production for 2 years, came only with Sidelock Footpeg system, and deck bungees and had retailed for $500. All Trim levels share identical shells, but the outfitting varies. The Pamlico 140's total weight capacity is rated at 400 pounds, and is suited for paddlers below 330 lbs.
Length: 14'
width: 28"
Depth: 14"
Hull Shape: U-hull, with 2 parallel tracking channels.
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[edit] Capability
The Pamlico 140 is more of a versatile model than many kayaks. This means it does not excel or outperform in one particular setting but is capable of handling many different types of water decently. It performs best on flat water, due to its good tracking and initial stability. It is also rated for shallow slow-moving rivers and streams and has decent maneuverability. It can also handle mild sea conditions, although in rough sea conditions, an Expedition sea kayak will far outperform it because of the Pamlico 140's low secondary stability, which makes it less stable in chop and rough seas.
The cockpit opening is also too large to fit a spray skirt tight enough to ensure it won't implode from significant, breaking waves. Imploding is when the weight and force of the wave releases the seal of the skirt around the coaming, allowing water into the kayak. The added weight and movement of the water in the cockpit can seriously reduce stability of the kayak, even with sealed bulkheads or flotation bags. This is why the Pamlico 140 is not recommended as a sea kayak, and is why it squarely fits in the recreational category.
[edit] Construction
The Pamlico 140 is constructed of Rotomolded Polyethylene, named "Gen 2" by Confluence Watersports. In the building process, a factory will have one aluminum mold for every model, which is separated at the edge where the gunwale meets the deck. a Polyethylene powder is placed into the bottom of the mold, and spread out. The mold is then clamped together and placed in a large rotating oven, and the frame supporting the cast will rotate independently itself. As the plastic melts, it coats the inside wall with plastic. The mold is removed, the cast is cooled, then the kayak is removed. Workers then cut out the cockpit opening and hatch (On the basic trim - the hatch is not cut out), and outfit it properly.
[edit] Termination of production
While it is not confirmed as to why the Pamlico 140 was discontinued, there are several logical and possible reasons. Because the Pamlico 140 was designed in 2000, it was becoming obsolete, especially to some of its rival models which were much newer in both design and technology. Also, Wilderness Systems was in the process of introducing new models to the market (The Tsunami SP, Tsunami 130 Poly/Pro, Tsunami 135 Poly/Pro, Zephyr 155 Poly/Pro, and Zephyr 160 Poly/Pro), and may have needed to end the production of the Pamlico 140 in order to have the money to build new models.
[edit] Resurrection
Confluence has been considering a new 14 ft recreational kayak.
See Also
