The 2nd generation V12 is designed to be the ultimate downwind machine for elite level paddlers.
Even though the Epic V14 has been very successful in major, openwater events (including 3 Molokai victories), our team riders expressed the desire for a surfski that is more nimble in the runs. So we added a significant amount of rocker, reconfigured the cockpit to give a dryer ride, moved the rudder forward for more control and added a hint of extra stability to give full confidence when it’s time to lay the hammer down.
We sent 3 different prototype versions of this boat to Hawaii for thorough testing by team paddlers in a variety of conditions. The consensus was that the new V12 was a huge improvement in downwind performance. Our riders had a few more tweaks that they wanted to add to make the boat even better.
Conditions were small during the Molokai event and I raced one of the V12 prototypes. Even in these small conditions, I felt better than I ever had in any boat. It seemed to pick up the small bumps without even trying and the stability made for a comfortable ride throughout the race. At age 56, I was on track to easily finish within the top 10 overall, until I took a risk cutting between reefs at the end and got washed up by a breaking wave. I still managed a respectable 12th place finish.
We’ve made the changes to our tooling and the new V12 is now ready for you! This is not a simple modification of our previous V12, it is a complete re-design from the ground up. Elite level surfski racers will appreciate the way it easily links the runs together in big conditions. Others will find they are able to step up from the V10 to the new V12 and reach higher speeds on the flats.
Highly skilled elite level paddlers with perfect stability skills will find the V14 slightly faster on flat water. But as soon as the wind and waves pick up the new V12 will be their weapon of choice.”
- Greg Barton (Epic Kayaks Designer)
Specifications Length: 21’ 6.4 m Width: 16.9” 43 cm Depth: 13.8” 35 cm Capacity: 310 lb. 140 kg
Approximate Weights
Elite 22 lbs 10.4 kg
Ultra 26.4 lbs 12.0 kg
