http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/foru ... 2&t=163531
I wanted to seperate the report and the review of this kayak.
On to the review:
When I first saw the post about the Raptor, I was very skeptical about the design. To me, it lookes stable, but slow. It was also not a SOT. I wondered about how it would handle rough water as well as how hard it was to get in and out of. After spending 4 days living out of this boat, all I can say is WOW!!!!!!
Stability
When I first climbed into the raptor, the first thing I noticed was the lack of wobble. To say this thing is stable would be an understatement!!! I normally paddle an Ultimate 12 and thats what I took on my last trip down the devils. The raptor has the ultimate beat hands down no contest in the stability department!
High wind and rough water stand up paddling!
Thats almost 200 lbs hanging off the gunnel and its not flipping
Even climbed back out of the yak
Handles rapids with ease (as long as they are deep enough)
Ok so now I know its stable. My next worry was deep water reentry. how the heck am I going to get into the cockpit if I fall out of this thing? Turns out my worries were unfounded!
A rope sling between the pontoon handles would make reentry even easier. it could be used as a step to assist with climbing back in.
I also tried reentry from the front of the boat. I spent time sitting on the bow and then climbed in. I can honestly say this is the most stable kayak I have ever been in hands down. Id call it almost unflippable, and all of this was done with 50 lbs of gear loaded in the yak.
Speed/Efficiency
When it comes to efficient paddlecraft, they are usually not as stable. Stability is usually a trade off for speed. Notice I said usually! This boat is a bit different!!! Does it paddle like a SPTW or a T-160? No, but it can hold its own with any boat in its class. We had 3 other boats in our group. A Drifter, A stealth 14, and a really nice wooden boat. The Raptor could hang with them all even in 30 mph headwinds. I would compare the speed to my ultimate 12 or a T-140.
Tracking
The raptor tracks like an arrow when moving! When stopped, the bow will make an abrupt about face and the nose will point straight downwind. This is great if you are drift fishing as it puts you in the perfect position to fish, but in paddling too and from the fish, it can be a pain if you want to take a break for a second because it tracks so good when moving that it can be hard to turn. Understand, I didnt have the rudder installed for fear of damage while running rapids! This could be the solution to the turning problem! Only other point is that in swift current, the nose tends to get pushed around alot more than most kayaks.
Comfort
I'd have to say it is more comfortable than most SOT kayaks. The seat base has a molded place for your rear, and the foot pegs are easily accessible. The open cockpit feels snug but not cramped which gives it a feeling of even more stability. I did find the lip of the coaming rubbed just below my knees and over 4 days left bruises. This would be simple to fix by mounting some padding to the coaming in that area.
Fishability
With the Raptors Stability, layout, and paddlability this thing is a fishing machine!! The tankwell is extremely easy to access as is all the other storage areas. As stated in another post, I look for a poling platform for the raptor to be built in the near future! The ability to store 4 rods below deck makes it easy to carry spares. The only negatives I found were the factory mounted flush mount rod holders. Also there needs to be a notch molded into the front of the coaming to lay a rod in while paddling. Last thing would be the boats draft. at 6-7" loaded with 260 lbs worth of gear and padder, it drafts a bit more than the average yak.
Camping
I like to kayak camp so I'm going to throw this one in here! Even with enough gear for 4 days on a river, the only thing I had in the tankwell was my PFD and a tacklebox! I've been told the tankwell will hold a 54 qt cooler so this is a definate+! Unless you are paddling a really shallow river, I see this boat being VERY popular among kayak campers due to its ample storage, easy paddling and rock solid stability!
Summary
Pro's:
Stability
Speed
Comfort
Ease of reentry
Lots of storage
Well built out of quality components
Cuts through the wind
Cons:
Coaming lip rubbing
Deep Draft
Wants to be pushed around by current more than most yaks
Conclusion
The raptor is a great all round fishing platform for all but the shallowest water. A few minor mods and this thing cant be beat!!! I see a VERY bright future for the raptor as well as Santa Cruz Kayaks!
Most of the rest of us should be able to do that as well. Re-entry in a SIK is always a concern but doesnt look like it would be much of a problem at all in the Raptor. Perhaps easier than some SOTs. Neato! 
