KAPE Master 51

Flatwater touring kayak

This long-time workhorse is in our fleet for more than two decades. Still this general-purpose touring kayak is a popular choice for relaxed paddling & touring on flat water.

Compared to modern flat water fitness kayaks the Master 51 has a more traditional symmetrical shape, so widest around the seat section, giving the bow more buoyancy to surf, predictable handling at all speeds, but allowing a more blunt entry. The seating position is also located closer to the bow and the paddler sits more straight, so the catch area is closer and strokes are shorter and more relaxed. This is less efficient but more comfortable in the long run.

Gentle spoon bow performs well in a choppy lake or river and tends to pick up less weed.

As a result this model is mainly for recreational use at clubs or rentals, or for beginner individuals who do not wish to advance to fitness kayaking. A good choice for one-day excursions of more portages when a bigger cockpit size is preferred, but bigger hatches and deck fittings are not a must, they only add unnecessary extra weight.

  • Paddler weight

    60 - 100 kg
  • Length

    520 cm
  • Width

    51 cm
  • Stability level

    8/10
  • Boat weight

    Standard: 16,5 kg / Standard+: 16 kg / Super: 14,5 kg / Extra hard: 14.5 kg / Extra light: 13 kg / Premium: 14 kg
    (Specified weights are valid for standard fittings. They are approximate and may vary by ± 5% due to manual production.)
  • Cockpit size

    ?? x ?? cm
  • 01

  • 02

  • 03

  • 04

  • 06

  • 07

  • 08

  • 09

Features & fittings

As standard, our kayaks are equipped with high-quality and easily adjustable fittings intended for general use.

Seat

    Flatwater touring are available with two main type of seats. For greater stability all boats come with a light weight & low positioned touring seat as standard, but they are also available with various racing seats. The racing seat provides a higher center of gravity, better position & allows good posture and paddling technique. This comes at the cost of decreased stability, and they also weigh somewhat more.

    Racing seat options are as follows:

    • (Low back, high position) racing seat with the most popular shape in the market,
    • Low position racing seat reducing seat height by 1 cm giving more stability for the athlete,
    • High-back racing seat for athletes looking for a better grip on the back,
    • High-back, low position seat aims for more stability and better grip at the same time.

    Touring seat and racing seats are not convertible, so it is important to choose the suitable one. If the decision is not sure, we recommend to start with the touring seat, since it is much easier to retrofit the seat platform of the racing seat than removing the rails of the touring seat.

    Rudder

      The kayak is equipped with a responsive plastic understern rudder as standard. It provivides excellent tracking and easy steering but is exposed to imact damages of both the rudder blade and the boat hull.

      However choosing the durable stainless "marathon" rudder will slightly decrease the response of steering, it minimise weed pick-up that is often a must for summer paddling in still water. Hence this is our most popular non-standard fitting option for a fitness kayak.

      Footrest

        Fitness kayaks have tiller bar (T-bar) steering as standard and they are equipped with simple yet reliable footrests with easy-to-adjust spring sliding system. The fixing frame & fittings of the footrest are positioned behind the footplate, so the full width of the boat is available for your feet. This provides comfort & full use of the tiller bar for effective steering. It is also perfect for club use to regularly adjust the footrest distance.

        Reaching under the footrest you can find two thumb nuts at the bottom of the fixing frame - they are to secure the footrest position. Don't forget to realease them before adjusting the footrest distance by the spring slider.

        In non-STANDARD constructions, the footplate is covered with EVA traction pad for non-slip and increased comfort & equipped with adjustable foot strap to add more power to paddle strokes through leg drive.

        Full & adjustable angle footrest is also available for maximum leg drive & customisation.

        However our spring sliding footrest system provides high adjustability, let us know if the boat is for a much shorter or taller paddler (approx. under 170 cm or over 185 cm). Then the complete footrest system will be moved more forward or backward during the construction of the kayak.

        Bulkheads, compartment & deckfittings

        Rear and front bulkheads are installed as standard in all fitness kayaks.

        A bulkhead (partition) is an upright wall within boat separating watertight compartments so that the capsized boat does not sink. The divided area (compartment) behind the rear bulkhead is also for cargo storage.

        Rear compartment has enough space to store cargo for daytrips. A simple threaded hatch with a diameter of 20 cm is installed on the rear deck as standard. Leaving it open when the boat is not in use lets the rear compartment to dry and to ventilate the stored boat.

        A smaller (d: 15 cm) hatch can be also placed in the rear bulkhead. Through this, smaller objects (eg. key and water bottle) can be placed in the rear compartment from the cockpit.

        A rear compartment divider can be installed 40 cm behind the deck hactch to prevent the cargo slipping to the stern.

        Bungee cord or a bungee net can be installed on the rear deck - usually right behind the cockpit.

        Carry handles can be installed to help moving boat to and from the water or to make portages easier.

        Note that above described not standard fittings results in extra weight!

        Available with overstern rudder

          Overstern rudders are also available for the model. They have a kick-up system so vertical impacts will cause the rudder blade to rise up and avoid any structural damage. It is to protect the hull and the rudder system at once.

          Overstern (kick-up) rudders are advised on shallow, quick rivers with rapids and riffles, in strong currents or close to rocky shores or ripraps when powerful and precise maneuvering required.

          The professional "SmartTrack" rudder (basically used in sea kayaks), as well as our in-house made "Klappsteuer" stainless overstern rudder can be installed. The "Klappsteuer" gives a very smooth and even steering around the center of a rudder wheel, but can't be fixed in horizontal position.

          To install an overstern rudder the stern of the boat must be prepared during production, i.e. they cannot be retrofitted to kayaks originally with understern rudders.

          Travelling paddlers, clubs or resellers might want to consider having the boat set-up to take both options by equipping the preferred rudder system during production, but also prepare the stern to let us retrofit the other one. So one can be change between understern and overstern systems as conditions change, they progress or the boat is sold for a specific use.

          CONSTRUCTIONS
          To let us meet the preferences of a wide range of paddlers we offer multiple constructions to choose from. These constructions are set up in line with the requirements of each segment of the recreational market - from rentals, clubs & hobbyists to athletes - while providing the most favourable quality and price conditions for that specific group of users.

          More about constructions

          Our composite boats are made in multiple constructions (layups). We designed them to meet the needs of as many recreational users as possible - from clubs & hobbyists to top-ranking athletes.

          Different materials and technologies are used in each construction. They determine the weight, stiffness and interior appearance of the boat. In practice, an upper construction results a stiffer, more lightweight & spectacular boat, but it requires more caution during use


          • STANDARD

            Economy fiberglass layup for hobby & recreational use. Long life, easy to maintain and repair.

            ease of handling
            easy to repair
            flexible hull
            heavy weight


            Single skin:
            woven fiberglass and choppend strand mat


            Polyester resin


            Hand lay-up


            Weight


            Stiffness

          • SUPER

            Stiff and light layup with sandwich core & hibrid reinforcement. Good trade-off between weight, stiffness & impact resistance.
            Recommended for fitness, fast touring, long distance river paddling & for experienced paddlers in extreme conditions.

            stiffer hull
            lighter weight
            clear carbon-kevlar hull available
            should be handled with moderate care
            limited repairability


            Sandwich core material


            Carbon-kevlar reinforcement
            (clear surface available)


            Vinyl ester resin


            Vacuum bagging


            Weight


            Stiffness

          • EXTRA

            High performance light weight carbon construction. Recommended for competitors, athletes and true paddling enthusiasts.

            light weight
            stiff hull
            clear carbon sufaces available
            should be handled with care
            limited repairability


            Sandwich core material


            Carbon reinforcement
            (clear surface available)


            Vinyl ester resin


            Vacuum bagging


            Weight


            Stiffness


          Design & colour customisation

          All boats are made to order. You can choose your preferred colour(s) of the hull, the deck areas, the trim (seam between deck & hull), the cockpit rim (coaming) and the seat.

          These deck designs are available in all constructions:

          • #0000 - MONO
          • #0101 - PARALLEL
          • #0201 - POINTED
          • #0201-02 - POINTED BULLET
          • #0301 - SLIM
          • #0401 - CHEVRON
          • #0402 - CHEVRON VAR
          • #0403 - CHEVRON WING
          • #0404 - CHEVRON WING VAR
          • #0405 - CHEVRON POINTED
          • #0501 - ZIG
          • #0502 - ZIG-ZAG
          • #0503 - ZIG-ZIG-ZAG-ZAG
          • #0504 - ZIG-ZAG-ZAG-ZIG
          • #0601 - NOSE-TAIL
          RAL 1001
          RAL 1001 "Beige"
          RAL 1016
          RAL 1016 "Sulfur yellow"
          RAL 1018
          RAL 1018 "Zinc yellow"
          RAL 1023
          RAL 1023 "Traffic yellow"
          RAL 2003
          RAL 2003 "Pastel orange"
          RAL 2004
          RAL 2004 "Pure orange"
          "KAPE red"
          RAL 3003
          RAL 3003 "Ruby red"
          RAL 3020
          RAL 3020 "Traffic red"
          RAL 3027
          RAL 3027 "Raspberry red"
          RAL 4003
          RAL 4003 "Heather violet"
          RAL 4004
          RAL 4004 "Claret violet"
          RAL 4005
          RAL 4005 "Blue lilac"
          RAL 4006
          RAL 4006 "Traffic purple"
          RAL 4008
          RAL 4008 "Signal violet"
          RAL 4010
          RAL 4010 "Telemagenta"
          RAL 5002
          RAL 5002 "Ultramarine blue"
          RAL 5003
          RAL 5003 "Sapphire blue"
          RAL 5005
          RAL 5005 "Signal blue"
          RAL 5010
          RAL 5010 "Gentian blue"
          RAL 5012
          RAL 5012 "Light blue
          RAL 5013
          RAL 5013 "Cobalt blue
          RAL 5015
          RAL 5015 "Sky blue
          RAL 5017
          RAL 5017 "Traffic blue
          RAL 5018
          RAL 5018 "Turquoise blue"
          RAL 5021
          RAL 5021 "Water blue"
          RAL 5023
          RAL 5023 "Distant blue"
          RAL 6001
          RAL 6001 "Emerald green"
          RAL 6018
          RAL 6018 "Yellow green"
          RAL 6019
          RAL 6019 "Pastel green"
          RAL 6026
          RAL 6026 "Opal green"
          RAL 6029
          RAL 6029 "Mint green"
          RAL 6034
          RAL 6034 "Pastel turquoise"
          RAL 7001
          RAL 7001 "Silver grey"
          RAL 7004
          RAL 7004 "Signal grey"
          RAL 7016
          RAL 7016 "Anthracite grey"
          RAL 7024
          RAL 7024 "Graphite grey"
          RAL 7033
          RAL 7033 "Cement grey"
          RAL 7037
          RAL 7037 "Dusty grey"
          RAL 7047
          RAL 7047 "Telegrey 4"
          RAL 9010
          RAL 9010 "Pure white"
          RAL 9017
          RAL 9017 "Traffic black"
          Clear carbon (limited availability)
          Clear carbon (limited availability)
          Clear carbon-kevlar (limited availability)
          Clear carbon-kevlar (limited availability)

          Tips & more about the available colours


          Think carefully about choosing black and dark colours!

          Such boats warm up more & they become matt very soon. Scratches and limescale are also much more visible on these surfaces.

          Less is more:

          We recommend picking only two, maximum three colours for a coherent boat design.

          More is more:

          (Because of the overlapping gelcoat layers) more colours results in more weight.


          Availability of clear (transparent) surfaces:

          Clear carbon seat & cockpit rim are available in EXTRA & ULTRA constructions.

          Clear carbon hull and/or deck (parts) are available in EXTRA & ULTRA constructions.
          (Bow & stern of the clear carbon boat are black gradient)

          Clear carbon-kevlar hull is available in SUPER construction.
          (Bow & stern of the clear carbon-kevlar boat hulls are colored)


          RAL colors CANNOT be displayed entirely proper on computer screens. The color depends on your monitor and printer. Therefore the exact shade of the product may be different than seen here! Please use these color samples as a reference only! We recommend you to see a physical and official RAL color guide to be sure of the correct color.

          FITTINGS
          Front & rear bulkheads are installed as standard.

          Standard Choice

          S131
          Low pos. "Stability" seat
          F121
          Narrow Footrest
          R131
          Plastic Rudder
          H24
          20 cm round, threaded hatch on aft deck

          Available at no extra charge

          S121
          High pos. "Fitness" seat
          R121
          Stainless "Marathon" Rudder

          Available for extra charge

          F233
          PRO (Full & Adjustable Angle) Footrest
          F172
          Foot Pedal
          R123
          Stainless Overstern Rudder
          +R1X1
          Spare Part: Plastic or Stainless "Marathon" Rudder
          M41
          Carry handles

          Similar models

          More agility: Spirit 55

          Kayak for the newcomers of fitness paddling or fast touring. Highly recommended and much loved for both personal and club use.

          More...

          Better equipped: Hunter 510

          All-rounder touring sea kayak for a wide range of paddler skills and waters. Predictable, straight tracking and easy to handle, still with lots of playfulness.

          More...

          Find a dealer!

          Our distributor partners from all over the world are happy to help you to get your boat as soon as possible. Find your nearest KAPE dealer!
          If you cannot find a dealer in your country, please contact us directly using the form below!

          Contact us

          Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us directly. We are at your disposal for any clarification
          Kape-Sport Kft.
          IV. körzet 81-2., 6763 Szatymaz HUNGARY

          info@kape-kayak.hu

          © 2023 Kape-Sport Kft.
          All rights reserved!
          PRIVACY POLICY , SITE NOTICE