Alex Horvath wrote:
I had erroneously assumed that NDK and VCP kayaks were made in the
same factory. It appears that VCP kayaks don't have the quality
issues.

AFAIK, the only connection between the companies was that they shared a
US distributor up until recently. VCP boats are much better built,
lighter weight and offer all the same options that NDK does. They're a
company that's made a lot of good moves in the last couple of years,
introducing new models that go head to head with NDK and upgrading some
of their older designs to give them more appeal to the US market. The
only lament I have about them is that they've reduced the number of
boats they offer with ocean cockpits, which I strongly prefer over
keyhole designs.

Another British company that produces nice boats is P&H. They've always
had a reputations for good quality and performance. Like VCP, they've
been introducing interesting new models recently. They're also pushing
the boundary of materials somewhat, with some designs offered in
carbon/Kevlar pre-preg construction. They're ultra-light by current
standards (under 40# for 17'-18' boats), more than double the price of
fiberglass and currently very scarce. A local dealer has a couple and
they're impressive. While they're out of the reach of most paddlers,
it's good to see a reputable company exploring the limits of kayak
construction. There's bound to be some "trickle down" from these to
their more affordable layups.