The flared sides allow a relatively narrow waterline beam. A narrower waterline means less wave making and less frictional resistance for a given load.

The bow shape promotes laminar flow over more of the fore-body. Laminar flow has about four times less frictional resistance than turbulent flow.

The stern designs minimize separation resistance (vortex-shedding or eddy-making). Eddy-making causes much greater resistance than even turbulent flow.

The Swede-form shape (greater underwater volume aft of the midpoint) has less resistance moving at the water's surface than either a fish-form shape (its opposite) or a symmetrical hull. The finer bow more gently parts the water for less wave-making resistance and a longer area in laminar flow. (Note: A fish-form shape has less resistance underwater or in the air where there is no wave drag. This has confused some designers who have consulted hydrodynamic texts, but not gotten the full picture of what happens at the water’s surface. Fast ships, canoes and kayaks are Swede-form. Fast submarines and fast fish are fish-form.)

A Swede-form hull has many other advantages over Fish-form. They include: less pounding in head seas, easier and quicker turning, less weatherhelm, more of its volume is usable storage space, and a narrower beam where the paddle enters the water means easier more efficient paddling and less turning moment produced with each (less off-center) stroke.

The raked and flared ends increase the effective waterline length allowing a faster top (hull) speed without the extra wetted surface (frictional drag) at normal cruising speed that longer waterlines suffer.

Mariner kayaks catch and surf waves easier than other kayaks. This is not only due to quick acceleration and high top speeds but also to the planing shape in the midsections. This shape lifts Mariners more out of the water at surfing speeds. The hard chines fling the water away from the sides reducing the wetted surface (and therefore frictional resistance) at these speeds. Also, the stern configurations start sliding down a wave face when the kayak is still in a more horizontal attitude allowing you to take advantage of the energy in even smaller waves. The wave crests seem to push you along.

Mariner kayaks are easily kept on course in conditions that are difficult for most other kayaks. The hull design, windage balance and instant trim changing capability of the sliding seat all contribute to this. This excellent tracking is not at the expense of maneuverability, as with "stiff" tracking kayaks. Many kayaks are so stiff tracking that it takes several hard strokes on one side to make a correction every time wave action pushes their long keels off course. Some designs may turn quicker than a Mariner, but most of these also require constant attention to keep on course.

Excellent tracking AND quick turns may seem to be an outrageous claim, "common knowledge" considers tracking and turning as opposites where one must be sacrificed to get the other. Actually it is a lot more complicated but if you understand the details you can even design a kayak with enhanced tracking and quicker turning in just the situations where they are needed most. We have timed and recorded the turning and spinning in place times of over nine hundred different sea kayak designs. The results support our claim.

At cruising speed in calm water Mariner kayaks can be turned more than 90 degrees using only one strong sweep stroke and tilting the kayak towards the stroke side by lifting the opposite knee. We call this carving a turn because that's what it feels like. Leaning the kayak lifts the keel and tilts it, allowing the stern keel to easily shed water and swing around to the outside of the turn. What's more, when a Mariner is heeled the hard chine becomes a curved keel that significantly adds to the turning force already created by the leaned hull's waterline shape. This is what our "integral rudder" is all about. Hold the lean and you will continue carving a turn until you bring your Mariner back to an even keel to track confidently off on the new course. The angle of tilt controls the arc of the turn. Steeper angle, tighter turn. Leaning helps most kayaks turn and a few are quite responsive to this technique but none are as responsive yet still track as well as a Mariner.

In a Mariner kayak you can stop fighting the waves and start using their energy to surf along at amazing speeds. The pronounced keel and hard-chine after sections not only improve tracking but also help minimize the tendency (of all boats) to broach in quartering and following seas. Combine this with the ability to "sit back" into following waves by sliding the seat aft and you gain exceptional control in this normally difficult condition. This is so effective that even when caught sideways by a small breaker a paddler can usually turn to point a Mariner forward down the wave, allowing them the choice of backing off the wave or sliding bow first up the beach rather than skidding into it sideways.

In addition to the decrease in resistance and paddling effort, the narrower waterlines allow our kayaks to sit deeper in the water, improving tracking and reducing lateral drift in beam winds. The rounded "V" fore-body, as well as the narrower bow waterlines (Swede-form) minimize pounding and slapping. Progressive buoyancy from flare above the bow waterlines prevents the bows from plunging under waves and also avoids a harsh ride. Mariner Kayaks rarely get water on the deck in rough seas so the paddler stays drier and more relaxed.

All Mariners perform admirably in whatever surf the paddler is capable of handling. Coming in the bows do not easily dive. Heading out through reasonable waves and soups the bows ride up and over with little or no solid water racing up the deck to slug the paddler in the chest and stop progress. It takes little momentum to get a Mariner through a breaker that would be difficult to punch through at all in a kayak with a low buoyancy bow. Therefore, there is less chance of being accidentally swept backward by surf. This ease of slicing through and lifting over waves also means more speed and a dryer ride beating into the weather. Our most maneuverable kayaks, the Coaster and Express, are so superior in extreme conditions that they have become favorites among paddlers who regularly play in the surf zone.

When running broadside to waves a Mariner kayak will behave better than others because of the hard chines, pronounced keel, greater draft and flared hull. A narrower (deeper) hull is rolled and skidded sideways less by wave action. Of course this means our boats have less initial stability at rest than those with wider waterlines. At first paddlers accustomed to the stable feel of wide flat-bottomed kayaks may feel Mariners are somewhat tender. They soon discover the excellent secondary stability and secure feel in rough water, relax and enjoy the easier paddling, softer ride, and better control inherent in this shape.

Wider, more initially stable kayaks are hard to lean at times when it is desirable or necessary, such as to aid turning or to lean into a breaker to avoid a capsize. Tilting becomes even more difficult when stability is increased by the addition of a gear load. Tilting an overly stable kayak requires a body lean out over the water, a lot of effort and very secure thigh braces. Once tilted you teeter nervously on edge between flopping back upright or capsizing. A Mariner’s lower initial and high final stability as well as secure built in thigh braces makes tilting easy, comfortable, and secure with or without a gear load. Simply lift a knee or shift your weight slightly to one side while your body stays vertical above the kayak. Even if your knee were to slip it is unlikely you would capsize.

Expert kayakers don't all agree on how much stability is necessary (and need for stability varies with: a paddler's purpose -- fishing or racing, body size and weight distribution --heavier and higher is tippier, and skill and balance). This is one reason we have several models. Most experienced paddlers much prefer higher secondary and lower initial stability.

Mariners have a good strength to weight ratio thanks to their shape and tough vacuum-bagged construction. We use superior materials and selective reinforcements in the laminate. There is minimal bending and flexing in even the roughest seas. Flexing absorbs some of a stroke's energy that could otherwise go into propulsion. This is one reason polyethylene kayaks feel so dead when you are accelerating or paddling hard. If soft flexible hulls have a speed advantage (as some claim for Eskimo kayaks) racing kayaks would not be made as rigid as possible.

Our concern with safety is evident in the design features common to all our kayaks:

· Paddling ease, sea kindliness, soft ride in waves, cockpit comfort and neutral handling in difficult conditions all mean less fatigue.

· Raked and rockered bows slide over rather than stick into steep beaches. This makes landing in waves (especially dumping shore break) much easier because you can come straight in at full speed and slide way up the beach. With good timing and speed you might even keep your feet dry. A raked bow or stern glances off undersea rocks or unseen deadheads rather than being stopped dead by them--possibly with bone jarring  force. Raked ends are far less likely to spear the bottom in shallow surf (a major cause of damage to kayaks used  in the surf). Shallow raked and rockered ends also slide much more easily over seaweed and kelp.  Imagine you are backing out of a shallow rock strewn sea cave, approaching a mass of  kelp as a set of bigger waves are quickly moving toward you, steepening in the shallows, and about to break. The safety advantages of stern rake, good stern buoyancy and no rudder are obvious in a situation like this. That it is essential to have a kayak that travels easily over kelp when paddling an open coastline is less obvious. Breakers are rare in kelp so it is often prudent to paddle in or very near the kelp when the swell is big and seemingly random "boomers" abound. In some areas, where the seas are generally calm, paddling in the vast areas covered by kelp makes seaweed paddling difficult or impossible to avoid.

· Mariner kayaks have their control surfaces closer to the paddler than other kayaks. This provides better control and gives the wind and waves less leverage on them with which to wrest control from the paddler. Large vertical flat areas (including the rudder) near the bow or stern of many kayaks get trapped in (such as when surfing a wave) or batted around by steep and/or reflecting waves. Vertical flat areas don't shed wind as well as rounder shapes either.

· Mariner kayaks are easy to Eskimo roll due to the low back deck, seat position further forward in the cockpit, good side support at the seat, firm easy to grip built-in knee braces, solid footbraces,  and no rudder slowing the rotation.

· The low flat rear decks make it possible to carry an emergency passenger or other substantial deck load if necessary.

· If correctly adjusted, the spray skirt will not pop open when hit by a dumping breaker but is easily and quickly removed.

· Our sliding seat can be moved back in an instant (even when upside down) effectively making a longer cockpit. This makes entry and exit quick and easy even for those with longer legs. While this is a major advantage when launching or landing in surf, it will be much appreciated anytime you put in or take out, especially under less than ideal conditions.

· Self rescue capability and extreme stability are available using the outrigger paddle float system we developed and first introduced to kayakers back in 1981. Our rescue, now in wide use, is especially easy with Mariner's flat rear decks and deck lines.

· A spare paddle placed under the rear deck lines with a paddle float on each blade (sort of like training wheels or outriggers) provides extreme stability, with paddling still possible. This outrigger set-up provides far more stability and much less drag than sponsons strapped to the hull.

· Our spare paddle holder is secure enough to hold the spare in surf, yet so handy that the spare paddle can be removed and assembled in a few seconds, from the cockpit.

· Our paddle park holds the paddle securely in front of the cockpit while keeping it available for instant use, just grab the shaft with both hands in the paddling position and pull back.

· Solid stainless steel U-bolts 3/8 inch thick, embedded into both the bow and stern, allow you to securely lock your kayak to a car bumper or tree using a cable or chain.

· We provide four detailed manuals. They cover (1) safety, (2) rescues, (3) the kayak and its features, and (4) a detailed guide to paddling a Mariner kayak, from your first strokes through handling tips, expert strokes, and surfing skills.