Update on the Prijon Interceptor project

Dave The Kayaker, , , , , , , , ,

You may recall me bringing home an old-school, Hyperform Prijon Interceptor last summer. https://davethekayaker.com/2017/08/10/a-vintage-downriver-racer/

I finally finished her restoration in between the thunderstorms and decided to make her pretty rough and ugly.

Here’s the back story.

Since the James River Rundown (JRR) is no longer, a new outfit, The Crosswind Paddle Co., is hosting a new race in August, The Richmond Paddle Cup. Rumor has it they added a 17-mile race to try to attract the JRR long-distance crowd.

Well, I have news for them.

It is going to work.

In fact, it is going to work so well that the elite JRR paddlers have agreed to enter the race but we will all compete with kayaks and canoes we purchase from Craigslist for $200 or less. It is known as the Craigslist Challenge and will be a race within the race.

I finished the restoring the old Prijon Interceptor and took her out for a paddle this evening.

She is the most uncomfortable boat I’ve ever paddled and the cockpit opening is so small it is hard for me to get in and out of.

Nonetheless, she will be my boat and I painted her up nice and ugly so nobody in their right mind would ever think of stealing her.

The boat is now a cross between a Swiss Army knife and a candy cane.

I hope her integrity and my lower back will be able to survive those 17 miles on August 11 on the James River.

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Published by Dave The Kayaker

Kayak racer and fitness enthusiast in Charlottesville, VA. Flat water & downriver. I have a weird fondness for old-school boats.

7 Comments

  1. I’ll bet it looks great. This hull design is really beautiful, I don’t think it would be possible to make it look ugly no matter how it is painted. In fact, researching, or trying to research, a Seda Spirit, is how I came across your blog and Youtube channel. This Interceptor is a very similar design and exactly the same length and beam as Seda Spirit. I guess this down river racer hull design was popular in the 70’s-90’s but has fallen out of favor because I can’t find anyone making it anymore. But that’s part of what I like about it. It doesn’t look like every other kayak on the water.
    Even if I don’t end up getting the Seda, I’m really glad my research brought me to your blog, I’m really enjoying catching up on the older posts and will read through all of them until I’m current.

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  3. Guess my eyes are getting pretty bad because this kayak does not look ugly to me. Sure, the red stripes on the hull are a little over the top but Ugly??. not in my book

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  7. Hi, Will the new Richmond Paddle Cup 17 miler go through rocky areas that will require a plastic boat like the Epic V7 or the Nelo 510 or is a composite boat safe for that section of the river?
    Darren
    Philadelphia, PA

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