Tip and Roll Testing a 2015 Oasis

As recommended in multiple posts, I did some tip and roll testing with my 2015 Oasis. I made sure everything was secure, as to avoid losing expensive parts (I use leashes for the mirage drives). I did this in the Tennessee River with no waves, and about 85 DEGF water temperature (great practice conditions). Here are some observations:

-The Oasis initially feels tippy, but it is actually quite stable and only rolled over when I tried
-It is fairly easy to walk forward and aft in the boat without it tipping over
-Hanging my feet off the side while sitting in the Vantage seat is a non-issue
-It is still reasonably stable (but more tippy) when in the "Vantage" position
-A paddle will likely come loose when you roll it
-Paddle's float for a long time without taking in water
-If left upside down, the hull will quickly take on water through the front hatch
-Removing the water seemed impossible without a pump, or taking it to shore and draining it
-Mirage drives stay locked in the drive wells. Flippers will fall against the bottom of the hull when inverted
-It is quite easy to roll back up-right
-Climbing on from the side is easy for a tall lanky person (6'3" 175 lb)
-It may be easier to climb on from the stern by pushing down on the stern so the rudder goes down and between your legs
-Moving from the stern to the seat is a little tricky, but very possible if you practice and take your time

When I lost the paddle, it was 20 minutes or so before I realized it was gone. It drifted quite away down stream (1/4 mile or so). The entire paddle was floating. If it went too much longer, it would have gone under a series of barges tied to the shore.

I spent maybe five minutes with the boat upside down. I was going underneath and putting my head in the air pockets in the seating area. I spent a little time washing mud off the seating areas. The boat took on ~5 gallons of water, and took quite a while to drain.

Awesome boat. It is worth taking the time (and a lot of fun) to see what it can and can't do.

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2015 Ivory Dune Oasis

Your test was a smart thing to do as most owners just get in and go.....(censored) happens when you capsize the first time and leashing the paddle plus the Mirage drive is key to survival after you right the kayak.
I carry a hand operated/manual bilge pump....maybe $20 at the most and worth its weight in gold when you need to use it.
You can operate the pump even while in the water if needed.
Lastly, not all of the water will be at 85F when disaster happens, so knowing how to recover from the capsize in good training!

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Dr.SteelheadCatcher
Warrenton, OR

good lessons learnt!