Video – The story behind Lekker Kayaks

I’m excited to share this video about the story behind Lekker Kayaks. Whether you find it brief or lengthy (that might depend on your TikTok habits!), it offers a bit of insight into my journey and mission.

A special thank you to Ruan Kotze for his exceptional work on this project. He did a fantastic job of showcasing what I do and featuring a bit of the stunning Cape Town waters that serve as our playground.

If you like this, check out www.lekkerkayaks.com and follow Lekker on Facebook: Lekker Kayaks

Have the best day ever!

On December 7, 2010, time stood still for an agonizing moment, for me and for others who considered Hendri Coetzee a close friend. Hendri was one of the world’s best whitewater paddlers, especially when it came to expedition paddling. More than that, he was a philosopher, an intellectual, and generally a tough guy with utmost savvy when it came to the African bush. But on that fateful day in 2010, his life came to an end when a crocodile took him from his kayak during an expedition on the Lukuga River in the DRC.

For those who are not familiar with Hendri’s life and philosophy, I suggest that you visit https://livingthebestdayever.com/ to read more about him. More importantly, do yourself a favour and order a copy of his book “Living the best day ever“, which was published posthumously.

A few days after the tragedy, I wrote a piece about Hendri as my friend and as a Fluid team paddler, which ended up being quoted widely in the press at the time. I copy the piece at the bottom of this post.

In 2011, I decided to honour Hendri’s memory by making his personal motto “Have the best day ever!” the slogan of Fluid Kayaks, my company at the time. I announced this in Fluid’s 2011 brochure, pictured below, and proudly displayed that on all our media.

After I left Fluid in 2014, the slogan was remove from Fluid’s media and replaced with something like “get out there”. It’s been haunting me ever since. It felt like sacrilege.

Now, 10 years later, I am in a position again to honour Hendri’s memory in the same fashion. After getting the blessing from Hendri’s mother, whom I hold in very high regard, I just made “Have the best day ever!” the official slogan of Lekker Kayaks, my new kayak brand.

My tribute to Hendri Coetzee, written in December 2010:

Hendri walked into my office a couple of years ago, asking for sponsorship. By that time we knew about each other for a while already, but haven’t met yet. My answer was an obvious yes, his reputation for running the hardest stuff was already growing. Since then a close relationship grew between two paddlers who discussed everything except paddling. Our connection through paddling was too obvious, there was no need to talk about it. Instead our talks was about life. Hendri was a keen observer of life’s nuances and how people react to it. He tried to make sense of it all, and managed to do it in a way that few people are privileged to do. He completed a degree in psychology, part time, in between his expeditions. To him the degree was never a big deal, the theory was merely another tool to observe life.

Hendri was never a guy for half measures. When he decided to do a source to sea, he chose the longest river in the world, the White Nile. The journey took a few months to complete. When he decided to run the major part of the Congo River solo, he spent a few months in the DRC ahead of the kayak mission to learn to speak Swahili and to get to know the area better. When he has done the Murchison section of the Nile a few times as expedition leader, a continues class 5 section of big volume rapids with countless hippos and crocs, every time taking a couple of days to do it, he decided to do it solo in two days, a feat that is unlikely to ever be met. When he went to Thailand for some yoga, he didn’t go for a week or two, he went for three months. When he went to Norway to run some steep stuff, he did it with hand paddles. When he landed in Uganda the first time to paddle the Nile, he wasn’t content with the lines that everybody ran, instead he opened many of the back channels with much more challenging rapids.

Hendri was without doubt one of the greatest river explorers of our time. He was also the most humble of them all. He didn’t know what self- promotion is. It took me years to convince him to share some of his exploits and thoughts to the world, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who tried. When he did it finally by starting his blog http://greatwhiteexplorer.blogspot.com/ a few months ago, his writings were an inspiration to countless people. His view on life was unique, his quest for the best day ever was relentless.

When Hendri told me about the ambitious project he would embark on with Ben Stookesberry and kie as expedition leader, which would turn out to be his final mission, I wanted to send him a new boat. Any other paddler would have said yes, but Hendri’s answer was no. He told me he has never been one for shiny stuff, he was happy with his trusty, scratched old E Solo that he used during his Congo mission earlier this year. In fact, when I sent him the E Solo early this year for his Congo mission, he asked for a second hand boat that has been scratched already.

Hendri was a great chess player. Our count on matches won was even, and we were constantly planning to get together for the ultimate game to see who is really best. It hurts to know that game will never be played.

Hendri was more than just a team paddler. He was a great friend, a great expedition paddler and a true legend even in his own lifetime.

Lekker Kayaks – Skimmer

My range of kayaks keeps growing… Here is the second touring kayak in my Lekker line-up, the Skimmer!

The Skimmer (501cm / 16’5″) is probably my personal favourite in the touring line-up. It is no secret that I love speed and multiday trips. At the same time, I want a responsive hull and good stability for long days on the water. I designed the Skimmer to provide all that, and more.

A lot more info is available here: lekkerkayaks.com/skimmer. First ones will be available in SA from Nov 2024, and in the USA from early 2025. If you want one, let me know!

Lekker Kayaks – Piper

Since my first child was born 19 years ago, getting kids into paddling and designing kayaks for that purpose has been a real passion for me.

I believe that the vast majority of kids should start out paddling with sit-on-tops. As a result, I designed two kids sit-on-tops in the past. The first was the Fluid Vaya, back in 2005. The second was the Vagabond Kwando in 2018. My kids grew up paddling the Vaya first, and later switched to the Kwando when I started manufacturing that. These two models have been instrumental in teaching them paddling skills and nurturing a love for paddling and the outdoors. At the same time, the hands-on experience and feedback that I received from them, as well as other kids who used the same, helped me to come up with the ultimate kids design.

Now I bring to you the Piper. Based on what I’ve done before, but more refined and with past glitches fixed. I foresee the Piper becoming the go-to kayak for parents with young children.

Check out lekkerkayaks.com/piper for more info. First ones will be available in SA from Nov 2024, and in the USA from early 2025. Let me know if you want to preorder one!

Lekker Kayaks – Albatross

I’m excited about every kayak I design. However, my excitement for the Albatross might be even more than usual, simply because this is what I got the most requests for from paddlers and commercial operators over the past two years, and I believe I’ve really nailed this design. I trust that this will become my most successful double-seater sit-on-top ever, which says a lot, given the legacy of the Fluid Synergy and Vagabond Mazowe.

Check it out at lekkerkayaks.com/albatross for more info. First ones will be available in SA from Nov 2024, and in the USA from early 2025. Let me know if you want to preorder one!

Lekker Kayaks – Gull

I’m happy to announce the second new model in the Lekker lineup, the Gull.

The Gull is a true pocket rocket. At 425cm/14′ it is on the short side for a surfski, but it carries enough speed for experienced paddles to enjoy in rough conditions, while having all the stability that a beginner needs to get into surfski paddling. On top of that, it boasts hatches front and back, making it a double up as a touring kayak too.

Head over to www.lekkerkayaks.com/gull for more info. First ones will be available in SA from Nov 2024, and in the USA from early 2025. Let me know if you want to preorder one!

Unsung heroes

Called ‘seconds’ or ‘shuttle bunnies’, these are the people that provide support for paddlers. Their role typically involves taking a vehicle to the take-out point of a trip, or in the case of river races, meeting their paddler/s at multiple points along the river to offer refreshments and spare parts. More often than not, though, their unofficial duties extend to that of being a cheerleader, cook, navigator, paramedic, psychologist, physiotherapist and emotional punch bag. The list of tasks is endless.

For these reasons, a more apt name for them would be ‘unsung heroes’. They are the true legends of the sport. Paddling can easily become a very selfish pursuit, and a very common manifestation of this is that paddlers take their seconds for granted. I mean, face it, why are they called ‘seconds’ in the first place? Second to what?

Heading for the Orange River
Heading for the Orange River

Our lives as paddlers would be quite miserable without sacrifices from shuttle bunnies. Here are some suggestions to keep the shuttle bunnies in your life on your side. Read More

Dusi River (including lower part of the Umgeni River)

The 3-day Dusi Canoe Marathon is the most well known race in South Africa, and one of the biggest races in the world. The first race was held in 1951, with 8 men competing. The only paddler to finish the race was Ian Player, who took 6 days to do it. The whole trip was non-stop and unsupported, and the boats used were heavy and made of all kinds of materials but fibreglass. Ian Player subsequently wrote a book, Men, Rivers and Canoes, which gained publicity for the race. In 1956 it was decided to hold the race over 3 stages, which is the format still used today. Since then it has grown to a huge affair with big sponsors.

The race has attracted close to 2000 entries in the past few years, with participants competing in K1’s and K2’s, wildwater racers and even touring kayaks. The race is not only famous for its rapids but also its portages, some of them kilometres long over rugged terrain. Some of the portages are compulsory to miss out sections too hectic for a K1, while others are taken just because it is quicker than paddling around some huge bends in the river.

Although the race is called the Dusi, less than half of the route is on the Dusi River. The confluence with the Umgeni is soon after the start of the second day, after which the race continues on the Umgeni River down to the sea. The section of the Umgeni used in the race is also described here for ease of reference. The race takes one through the Valley of a Thousand Hills, a scenic, but warm and humid, area. Read More

Mpompomani to Goodenough’s Weir

This a great day trip for competent K1-paddlers. The section is similar to 1-8 below Hella-Hella and should not be underestimated. It starts with long flat pools with small rapids scattered in-between. Be cautious when the river breaks up into channels, as one of the channels contains a bad rapid.

  • Ideal for: K1 and K2
  • Grade: 2 to 3
  • Length: 34km
  • Duration: 3 to 5 hours
  • Type: Pool-drop
  • Put-in: Mpompomani
  • Take-out: Goodenough’s Weir
  • Dam controlled: No
  • Permits: None

Read More