Decisions, Decision
So I have paddled or tried to squeeze myself into a Cetus MV and LV as well as the Aquanaut MV and LV (among the boats I am down to), and while they are certainly different, on flat water those differences aren’t as obvious to me as I would like. I am certainly fitting MUCH more comfortably into the MV in both boats as I couldn’t get my knees to the outside enough in the lower deck of either LV. Each has advantages and disadvantages and I wish I could spend time paddling boat for a week in all kinds of conditions but that’s just not practical. I’m leaning towards the Cetus as the initial and secondary stability are both comforting.
I’ll let you know what I decide later in the week 
Jenna
More to the mix
As mentioned above, see if you can get your hands on Etain
Another boat to look at might be Quest/Quest LV. Quest LV is, obviously, a bit smaller, but not in the modern understanding of the word. They both have higher decks in the knee area than Cetus line, IIRC.
Capella 167 might be a fun boat, worth some seat time if there is one available.
If you are leaning towards the Cetus,
I suggest you paddle it in 15 mph plus rear quartering winds. If you like the handling, go for it. If my Cetus had tracked and surfed like my Aquanaut, I would have married it as it was wonderful in all other aspects. If you encounter tracking issues, compare it with the Aquanaut in the same conditions. The Etain is a nice looking boat, can you demo it? Bill
paddle in conditions
Try to paddle the boats you are considering in come kind of conditions if at all possible. That is where you will feel real differences.
I was fortunate that Tom loaned us boats to paddle around Peaks Island on a day when the conditions were challenging enough that Steve Maynard brought his folks in. It was the Aquanaut’s behavior in those conditions that absolutely convinced me.
The Cetus is a wholly capable boat. Its personality is different than an Aquanaut. I prefer the 'naut’s, some prefer the Cetus. You won’t know which works best for you until you are in the boat in challenging seas.
The Etain may have the best of both design ethics…
Classic Demo Problem
"Try to paddle the boats you are considering in come kind of conditions if at all possible. That is where you will feel real differences."
To quote an L5 coach of some repute, “Paddling a boat in flat water tells you nothing about how it will act when how it acts will be important” or something like that. Not totally true, but essentially true.
Yet most of us find the offered venue for demoing boats to be flat water.
+1
For me it could have taken months before I had a rough enough day and then I’d have to make sure they still had the boats available for demo that day. So I demoed more for fit and other behaviors like tracking in wind, turning, comfort. I relied a lot on reviews for handling in conditions being sure to understand the reviewer’s background and the conditions. I bought my Aquanaut in large part because so many reviewers basically said “your speed will be acceptable in flat water but in rough water you’ll be up front because the nice handling lets you focus on making good progress”. The Nordkapp may be even better for this but the Aquanaut doesn’t require as much experience to feel that way. Sorry, not Cetus experience.
Etain, Capella, etc
– Last Updated: Mar-25-11 1:29 AM EST –
I drove a few hours to sit in an Etain, Sorry Suitam, it was way too big. I didn't bother to paddle it. A LV version is coming out but not available yet. The Capella is not what I'm looking for, for this boat.
Some of the comparisons being made above are with the Cetus and Aquanaut. The Cetus MV is a significantly different boat in it's tracking weather handling (as I understand from John at Sea Cliff).
Now off to find MY boat :)
Some typos edited, note: don't post from my phone!
Not just downsized?
From appearances (which can be deceiving) it looks as if P&H proportionally reduced the stern rocker and rear volume on the Cetus MV and LV compared to the HV.
Cetus evolution
Exactly. I think people often attribute characteristics of the original Cetus to the MV. In fact there was the original Cetus first, then the LV which was refined with feedback on the shortcomings of the Cetus. Then the MV which I believe us more similar to the LV. Now there us an HC which is a slightly refined version of the original from my understanding.
Cetus - Cetus MV
I’ve paddled each for a full day of work with John Carmody a year or so apart on Muscongus Bay. No challenging conditions, but some following seas etc…
The standard Cetus felt enormous and I fell out of the cockpit in my the first attempt to roll. I was able to pull myself back into the cockpit and rolled. Even with its high volume a standard Cetus rolls effortlessly. I was not happy with the boat’s handling in following seas. Unlike an Aquanaut it turns well without edging.
The Cetus MV fit much better and seemed to handle following seas better than the standard. I like its feel and performance better than the standard (or Quest LV) but not better than my Aquanaut. The Cetus MV is a perfectly fine boat, I simply prefer the more fluid feel of the Aquanaut.
That’s why so many used Nordlows
The flood of used Nordkapp LVs we saw a few years ago was mostly owing to paddlers buying the boat without having paddled it in challenging conditions.
Among the advantages of buying boats from someone who is primarily a coach (e.g. Tom Bergh, John Carmody) is that they are more likely to have you demo a boat more extensively than a brief outing on flat water.
It was only after the third time I paddled the boat (the previously mentioned circumnavigation of Peaks)that Tom would accept my order for the Aquanaut. When I wanted to buy a Romany from him, Tom would not sell me one until after he loaned me one to paddle on the Maine coast for nearly 2 weeks.
You are fortunate to be based in Maine. You have easy access to some of the best coaches and finest paddling.
Love It
I’m not sure who will see this, but for those that find the thread, I figured I would post my decision and first impressions. I probably couldn’t go wrong with either boat, but here you go anyway. I chose the Cetus MV, bought the boat in Carbon/Kevlar as a left over. I actually have hull #6. It is yellow with Light green trim and I actually think pretty. A bonus is the fact it has a keel strip. I had a compass installed. It has the P&H foot pegs which are nice and large, though I actually wish it had the Yakima ones.
I have paddled about 30 NM so far in 3 paddles, plus some messing around. One paddle to Egmont Key and around the island South West of St. Pete’s Beach from the state park in light wind and small one footers with some boat traffic, around the north side of Key West in pretty light wind going out but a nice (or not so nice) head wind coming back that was across my bow for part of the trip, and a 10nm circumnavigation of Key West in a 15 knot breeze that I got to face from every direction but mostly in my face, 2-3 footers with some white and blowing spray, confused seas and lots of heavy boat traffic.
I think the boat is pretty awesome. Very stable, easily tracks straight, especially with just a little skeg down, pretty fast (I averaged 3.5 knots including stops to drink water on the 10nm paddle by myself into a 15knot breeze for more than half of the trip for my third paddle of the season), so easy to edge and turn. I can’t wait to get in it, and paddle more!