Romany Sport

NDK Romany Sport hybrid plastic composite sea kayak robust tough fun
  • Best for: playfulness, guiding, coaching and day trips
  • Sizing: up to 2.0m/6’6″ tall. Medium or large frame
  • Max shoe size: UK11/EU46
  • Length: 489 cm
  • Width: 54 cm
  • Depth: 33 cm
  • overall volume: 282.5 litres
  • front hatch volume: 55 litres
  • cockpit volume: 160 litres
  • day hatch volume: 27.5 litres
  • rear hatch volume: 40 litres

What’s it like?

Sport by name – sport by nature! Take it into the biggest tidal races, visit your favourite rough water play spot or put on some style in the surf. Developed from the peerless Romany Surf, what sets it apart from every other roto-moulded sea kayak is the glass-fibre cockpit rim and glass-fibre seat.

NDK Romany Sport rockhopping play British Sea Kayaks Sea Kayaking UK

It provides a rigid environment for the sporty paddler when “playing the sea”. You get greater connectivity with the boat. This makes it feel more like paddling a paddling composite kayak. But if you mess it up, contact with rocks is going to be absorbed by a tough plastic hull and deck. The best of both worlds?

The seat is height and reach adjustable too, making the boat suitable for paddlers in a wide range of sizes.. The outfitting is the same as the composite kayaks and there is an additional benefit of foam bulkheads which provide additional buoyancy. The proper day hatch has a composite rim. This means easy to get on and off try doing that on most plastic sea kayaks! This is a kayak that is a cut above the rest, and ideal if you’re taking British Canoeing awards and don’t want to scratch your gel coat during the assessments. Get one of these and you’ll be laughing all the way to the bar!

Available in a range of colours, all with contrasting cockpit rim and seat. It’s also an ideal boat for centres, clubs and organisations that are looking for a great all-round sea kayak that can soak up abuse. No other manufacturer in the world offers a hybrid construction sea kayak.

My opinion?

This kayak has taken me by surprise. I thought that I was an absolute convert to composite and would never paddle a plastic kayak again. However, it really doesn’t feel like a normal plastic kayak. That slightly vague, wobbly, slightly bendy feeling just doesn’t exist with the Sport. It’s stiff, tough and the connectivity is amazingly good. The stability is excellent and I take this kayak more often than I had expected to.

Is there a downside? Well, it is a bit heavier than a composite kayak but sometimes I need to sacrifice the kayak to save students. In those situations I’m simply grateful for the tough qualities!

British Sea Kayaks Romany Sport NDK kayak rotomoulded

How the designer describes the Romany Sport

A responsive kayak that surfs well for the medium to large sized paddler. The hull design offers high stability and the shaped foredeck allows for large feet up to size 11/12 (Europe 46,5). Designed for rough water and ease of handling in conditions. It has more volume in the rear compartments than the Romany Classic. It offers extra leg room due to a raised area either side of the cockpit. The seat can be set higher for a smaller paddler and the raised area in the front deck can be padded if needed.

Price: £1800