Mocean

Osprey Bay Outdoors in Clearwater now offers Mocean kayaks, one of the newest names in thermoformed kayaks, and one of the more interesting ones. Every hull is built by hand just outside Anacortes, Washington, in an 18,000-square-foot shop with a 5-axis CNC machine and a pair of thermoforming ovens — the molds, the parts and the finished boat all come out of the same building. Founder Michael Carey spent more than 30 years in construction before setting his tools down in 2019 to chase an idea nobody had pulled off: thermoforming an outrigger canoe in plastic. Early on he sat down with Tom Derrer, the founder of Eddyline — another line we have carried for years — who told him to come back once he had a design and a mold in hand. That old-school, help-the-next-builder spirit still runs through the company. The crew behind the boats carries more than 50 years of combined thermoforming experience, and their designer has spent close to two decades working with eight different paddling brands. Why we brought Mocean in Thermoformed ABS is what we point most Florida paddlers toward. It is noticeably lighter than rotomolded plastic, it keeps its gloss in our sun instead of chalking out, and it will not oil-can and go wavy on a roof rack. Mocean's three models happen to cover almost exactly the range our customers actually paddle: the 42 lb Ace for easy days and easy loading, the wide-open Scout when comfort and gear space matter most, and the 14'6" Ranger when you want to cover real water. All three are made in the USA and assembled by hand. Not sure which one is yours? Come sit in all three at the shop — that usually settles it in about ten minutes.