Hey folks,
I am ready to upgrade to a new lighter and faster kayak, but I need some advice. I’m having trouble deciding amongst three kayaks, Stellar’s 14 or 15 foot and Lincoln’s Chebeague.
I have been paddling for about five years, but very casually, nothing serious. All my paddling is on lakes and small rivers in Upstate New York, so pretty flat water. I’ve been paddling a Wilderness Systems Pamlico 100 (10 foot). When I go out with my paddling group, I have a hard time keeping up with everyone since my boat is shorter and slower, and I would like to be able to have something easier to paddle.
Right now I’m leaning toward the Stellar 15’. My only reservations are about the weight (how can they say the 14’ and 15’ are the same weight, when it’s the same material and also the 15’ has a rudder added?) and whether I am “skilled” enough to paddle the 15’. I don’t want to feel unstable, although I guess I’ve got decent skills now after a few years. I have also never used a rudder, would it be easy to get comfortable?
How many layers of fabric are there? I have the same length kevlar carbon boats but one has much more fabric and resin. A tougher layup. The weights are not the same.
Its best you try them out. I bet that neither of the Stellar boats will please you but the LV 14 might. Don’t let the “baginner to advanced” scale spook you. Its often better to buy a little more boat than you are initially comfortable with as you will adapt to it.
The rudder has nothing to do with your skill level… Its for keeping course on rivers and tidal currents and following wind. Unless you anticipate paddling Lake George and the Sacandaga and the Hudson etc you don’t need it It can get wrecked on bony rivers.
You have to try on kayaks. Like womens pants the devil is in the fit.
The Chebeague being a little fatter is going to be a little slower. I had something like it for my first ever sea kayak. Lincoln used to be near my house. I miss them.
I can suggest an all American made boat that will more than keep up with your friends. An NC 15’-8" model. Right now, they have a sale going ($1000 off). Some models are available at $1799. These kayaks are fast, light and gorgeous to look at. They are also extremely seaworthy and no rudder, nor skeg to bother with (not needed).
If I were looking at a boat in that size range, I would want the best there is and NC is it. Go to nckayaks.com. and check them out. Don’t hesitate to give them a call to get the details. The phone number is on their website.
@magooch said:
I can suggest an all American made boat that will more than keep up with your friends. An NC 15’-8" model. Right now, they have a sale going ($1000 off). Some models are available at $1799. These kayaks are fast, light and gorgeous to look at. They are also extremely seaworthy and no rudder, nor skeg to bother with (not needed).
How maneuverable are the NC kayaks? That strongly skegged stern looks like they would have to be edged pretty hard to free the stern to turn the boat reasonably quick. Am I interpreting the pictures on their website wrong? I’m in IL, so I’ve never seen one in person.
I think you would have to specify what you mean by maneuvering. Normal turning and general handling of the boat doesn’t require anything special, but of course if you mean spinning the boat 180 degrees on edge, that’s no different than any other boat.
As I have stressed recently, everyone should learn to bow rudder and the days of stern ruddering are done, except for surfing. And yes, with the right kind of bow rudder, leaning the boat away from the turn does tighten up the turn a lot. Edging into the turn is more elegant, but is less efficient.
What you refer to as “the strongly skegged stern” isn’t really anything unusual in actual application, but the practical advantage of the design is that the boat tracks like it’s on rails. My 19 footer is designed with what I would call a strong stern fin and it makes paddling a pure delight as it wants to go where you point it, but it does force you to learn to bow rudder and that is a good thing. These designs are never going to be used in slalom racing as few sea kayaks are. Tracking is a very big deal if you paddle where there is wind, current and big sloppy waves. Even on flat water, it’s so nice to be able to just concentrate on concentric forward strokes and let the boat take care of staying on course without dragging a rudder, or skeg.
I’ll let others speak for Stellar experience but the Lincoln Chebeague’s fish form hull (widest forward of your knees) gives it dynamite primary stability and with a steeply raked bow and near plum stern maximizing the waterline length a good glide with strong tracking for a 14.5’ kayak.
I’ve got an all carbon fiber leftover that needs a home provided bright green is a happy color.
@UpstatePaddle said:
Hey folks,
I am ready to upgrade to a new lighter and faster kayak, but I need some advice. I’m having trouble deciding amongst three kayaks, Stellar’s 14 or 15 foot and Lincoln’s Chebeague.
I have been paddling for about five years, but very casually, nothing serious. All my paddling is on lakes and small rivers in Upstate New York, so pretty flat water. I’ve been paddling a Wilderness Systems Pamlico 100 (10 foot). When I go out with my paddling group, I have a hard time keeping up with everyone since my boat is shorter and slower, and I would like to be able to have something easier to paddle.
Right now I’m leaning toward the Stellar 15’. My only reservations are about the weight (how can they say the 14’ and 15’ are the same weight, when it’s the same material and also the 15’ has a rudder added?) and whether I am “skilled” enough to paddle the 15’. I don’t want to feel unstable, although I guess I’ve got decent skills now after a few years. I have also never used a rudder, would it be easy to get comfortable?
I’m a 5’4" woman, 140 lbs.
Any advice appreciated.
The S15 is 2" narrower than the S14 so that does save some weight. Right in the middle is the S16 @ 22" wide. I have test paddled both the S14 and the S16, both are very nice boats. Try to test paddle them to see what fits you the best.
These are really helpful thoughts, thanks. I had not considered the difference the width makes in the weight (duh). I tried the Lincoln out last weekend, but that shop doesn’t allow test paddles. It was a good fit, but they only had the fiberglass molded seat and I’m worried about comfort on long paddles. Probably easily solved with a cushion. This weekend I’ll be testing the Stellar models and that shop does allow test paddling. They all end up about the same in terms of price and it looks like it will come down to comfort and ease. It’s nice to hear that all of them are solid options, at least. Thanks for the feedback!
@Marshall said:
I’ll let others speak for Stellar experience but the Lincoln Chebeague’s fish form hull (widest forward of your knees) gives it dynamite primary stability and with a steeply raked bow and near plum stern maximizing the waterline length a good glide with strong tracking for a 14.5’ kayak.
I’ve got an all carbon fiber leftover that needs a home provided bright green is a happy color.
@UpstatePaddle said:
they only had the fiberglass molded seat and I’m worried about comfort on long paddles.
I no longer have it, but I paddled an ‘Isle Au Haut’ for a couple of years, on many 40+ mile day trips.
The fiberglass seat it had (I think the style as the Chebeague) was the most comfortable fiberglass seat I’ve ever had. (the seat is NOT the reason I no longer have the kayak)
Dont base comfort on seat material… Contour and cant are way more important.
The most comfy seat I have is in my Mad River Monarch… Its kevlar and glass and does not need padding… Most good seats do not though some install thin minicell so they are less likely to slip
What kind of rivers do you paddle? If not rocky rivers with strong current, you could consider thermoformed plastic. If you can get to Old Forge, check out Hurricane and Delta kayaks at Mountainman (if they have them in stock). I recommend the Hurricane Sojourn 135 or, for $1000 more, the Delta 14. These are all-purpose thermoformed kayaks that would be a very big improvement over what you have currently. The Delta 14 MAY have thicker plastic on the bottom to justify the higher price. The way to tell that is to turn the Hurricane and Delta over side by side and push down in the center of the bottom with your hand.
You should think more about the length. I had a 15.5’ kayak that had good speed but poor stability in rough water. I gave it up for the Sojourn 135 and was surprised that I didn’t lose much speed but tripled the stability. The Delta 14 has very good speed; you would have no trouble keeping up with your companions. Get the length you actually need and no more.
I went ahead and bought the Stellar 14 yesterday after a test paddle in the snow! It is so lovely to paddle, 20 pounds lighter than my current boat so really easy to load and carry, and I think will be just the right amount of boat for me, without being “too much.” I think the skeg will be a nice option for me, and I can always add a rudder later if I decide I want one, but I honestly think the ease of the much lighter and longer boat will probably be enough to keep me happy for a few years!
I bought it from Oak Orchard, in the Rochester area, and they were great. Informative but not pushy, and with really great prices. I felt really good giving them my business and would recommend them to people in the CNY or WNY area.
That Steller 14 should make a fine boat for you, congrats!
Some shorter boats can feel quite efficient for us paddlers with less power to drive the boat. My CD Vision 130 composite seems to move along quite nicely for this 5’6” and 160 lbs paddler. However, I can drive my three feet long Epic 16X at a higher top end speed.
@Yanoer said:
That Steller 14 should make a fine boat for you, congrats!
Some shorter boats can feel quite efficient for us paddlers with less power to drive the boat. My CD Vision 130 composite seems to move along quite nicely for this 5’6” and 160 lbs paddler. However, I can drive my three feet long Epic 16X at a higher top end speed.