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Hayden · Surf lifesaving spec · Out of production

Hayden Hayden PR2

Traditional SLSA spec-ski hull: narrow beam for speed, low-volume bucket seat close to the hull, single footwell. Base shape for the wider 'Fat Boy'. Built for surf-lifesaving club racing, not offshore/downwind touring.

Length
5.79 m
Beam
48 cm
Deck
33.5 cm
Lightest
18 kg
Side view unavailable
Top view unavailable
Hayden Hayden PR2, Outline drawn to scale from published length and deck height
Outline drawn to scale from published length and deck height · Surfski Index

Specifications

Length
5.79 m
Beam
48 cm
Deck height
33.5 cm (est.)
Category
Surf lifesaving spec
Usually paddled by
Paddlers in chop
New price
Not listed new

Layup weights

Fibreglass18 kg

On-water profile

Stability
3–6
Editorial estimateLow confidence
Speed
7

Our estimate from published descriptions and reviews. Low confidence. Speed is our rating. Both are given at the hull's own design weight.

These ratings are Surfski Index estimates, worked out from published dimensions, traced hull shapes where we have them, and reviews. They are not supplied by the maker or timed on the water. How a ski feels depends on your weight, skill, set-up and the conditions, so use them to shortlist skis and paddle one before you buy. How we rate.

Stability here means how steady the ski feels sitting still on flat water. Where two craft have overlapping ranges, we can't say which is more stable. Downwind handling is a separate thing, covered in the evidence note below.

Evidence note

This band is a cautious editorial estimate; it is not backed by a hull trace. Qualitative context includes 3 paddler reports and 2 linked sources.

Suits: Flat-water club racing, moderate surf/side chop; less stable than beginner ocean skis, not for open-ocean downwind.

Paddler weight

The estimated sweet spot is 72–84 kg, with a broader estimated guide of 60–87 kg. This estimate is a guide, not a limit. Seat fit, conditions and paddling style matter. Lighter paddlers can still enjoy a larger hull, especially downwind. A test paddle is the best check.

Estimated from hull dimensions using a formula fitted to makers’ own paddler limits. It does not establish the designer’s intended paddler weight. How this is worked out.

Generations

~2008-2015

Standard SLSA-spec racing/surf ski from Hayden Surfcraft (Sunshine Coast, QLD). Referenced on surfski.info 2008-2015; widely used in Australian surf-lifesaving club racing. Superseded by the PR3.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Fast for a club spec ski
  • Well established, 10+ years of SLSA use
  • Simple single-footwell layout

Cons

  • Narrow, tippy in side chop per multiple reports
  • Seat too narrow for larger paddlers
  • Long out of production as a distinct model

What paddlers say

surfski.info (2011): found it fast but seat 'a tad too narrow', didn't suit them for stability.Reported experience
surfski.info (2012): 'quite tippy in side chop... seat a tad too small'.Reported experience
FatPaddler.com (Jan 2013): the Fat Boy is 'pretty much the same as the PR2 apart from being roughly 51cm wide, 3cm wider'.Reported experience

Where to buy

The Hayden PR2 is out of production. You can only buy it second-hand.

Hayden Surf Craft ↗

We don't have a dealer listed for Hayden yet. All makers and dealers.

Discontinued from Hayden's current catalogue, which lists only a generic 'Hayden Surf Ski' and 'Hayden Double Ski' (2023-2026). No published price.

Sources

BetaRatings are estimatesRatings are estimates. How we get the numbers. Prices checked October 2026, may be out of date.