Cetus Specifications
| Three constructions: | Diolen (D), Kevlar carbon (KC) & lightweight Kevlar carbon (LKC). |
| Length: | LV 531cm, MV 541cm, HV 548cm |
| Width: | LV 54cm, MV 54.4cm, HV 57cm |
| Weight: | LV D 24.2kg KC 23.6kg LKC 22.5kg, MV D 27.8kg KC 24.8kg LKC 23.3kg, HV D 28.2kg KC 25.9kg LKC 24.8kg |
| Max Carrying Capacity: | LV 105kg, MV 115kg, HV 135kg |
| More Information: | https://www.phseakayaks.com/ |
Cetus Review
There are a great many things about the Cetus that cause it to be an ideal choice of craft for multi-day or expedition style trips, although having said this, there’s a size available to fit almost all size of paddler, and every length of trip.
A Swedish-form, with the widest point positioned rear of centre and a wide, shallow V’d hull, along with the carrying capacity, efficiency and stability make the Cetus ideal for long trips in a variety of conditions.
The waterline is designed to be as low as possible, but also with as much consistency as possible between a light load and fully-laden, something to which the shallow chines and wide stern contribute great success.
This means that even when paddling in swell and windy conditions the Cetus doesn’t catch the wind too much, but keeps tracking well with minimal interference.
Also in the Cetus’ arsenal of long trip and expedition readiness-enhancing features is its speed, courtesy of its length and efficient hull shape.
Incredibly, the manoeuvrability isn’t compromised by these speed and tracking favourable features. Quite the contrary, the Cetus remains a nimble craft to most intents and purposes, certainly for the long touring and expedition-style trips you’d be using it for.
Any trip that requires a stable and efficient sea kayak that tracks well even in challenging conditions is fair game for a Cetus, so all manner or crossings and coastal day-trips are on the menu, too.
And its versatility doesn’t end here!
In the case of this boat the same features that enhance performance have some common ground with those that make a kayak beginner-friendly, meaning that the breadth of appeal includes everyone from novice to coach.
The LV model is particularly suited to the smaller paddler, and focuses on providing the same paddling experience as a larger paddler in a bigger model.
A nice addition to the latest models is the skeg system, which can be removed entirely for repair with ease even out “in the field,” as it were, further adding to the Cetus’ appeal as a robust expedition or extended trip option.
We believe that in the Cetus P&H have created and honed an exceedingly credible contender in the multi-day sea kayak arena, but that would also serve a paddler of any skill and experience level admirably as a general-purpose boat.
Pros
- Wide range of size options, making the craft suitable for virtually every paddler.
- Incredible stability and efficiency.
- Fast without compromising on manoeuvrability.
- Good option for beginners and more advanced paddlers.
- Removable skeg system for easy repair.
- Suitable for multi-day trips.
Cons
- On the higher end in terms of price.
- A large number of size options could make selecting the most appropriate size tricky for beginner paddlers.
Read some of our other sea kayak reviews and see how it compares to some of the other options available to paddlers in the UK.
