Product Reviews
Long Haul Ute
Wooden Water Racer Looks Lovely, but Is Barely Seaworthy
Pinocchio's father might craft something like the Ute: handcrafted, beautiful, and classic in every sense of the word —and worthy of a spot on your wall. But, compared with similar boats in its class, it's not quite a real boy. The frame is made of heavy, varnished wood, and the skin is water-lovin' cotton with a rubber hull. There's even a stainless steel fitting for a mast. In terms of seaworthiness, the 12-foot, 9-inch 46-pound Ute also falls short: it takes on water and is hard to control.
WIRED Boat is a gorgeous work of art; all pieces fit together without any slack.
TIRED Everything is connected with small steel fittings, which will eventually get lost or rusty. The seat slides around, making the boat uncomfortable and hard to paddle. The cockpit is huge and the spray skirt doesn't keep water out.
- Sports: Kayaks
- Manufacturer: Long Haul
- Price: $2,800
See Other Sports and Outdoors
product reviews
Editors' Ratings — what do they mean?
- Metaphysical product perfection
- Nearly flawless — buy it now
- Excellent, with room to kibitz
- Very good, but not quite great
- A solid product with some issues
- Recommended with reservations
- Downsides outweigh upsides
- Serious flaws, proceed with caution
- Just barely functional — don't buy it
- A complete failure in every way
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