Paddling partner
is a type of ballast system for kayaks. You fit them into a hatch in your boat and it gives you some extra weight, and it holds it against the bottom of the boat, where you want the weight. You can look them up online. Probably works just the same as putting sand bags into your hatches to give you more stability. The reviews I read said that it makes a noticeable - though subtle - improvement in stability.
Since it is free with the boat, I’ll take it, but I’m not sure I will use it. If it feels tippy enough that I feel like I need that, it may not be the right boat for me in the first place.
I like the sounds of the Eliza composite, especially for what I’ll be doing, but I’d have to buy new and it would cost around $3000 to get it to Saskatoon.
If it really comes down to it, though, i won’t let the price stop me. If Eliza is a better fit for me, I’ll get it instead, maybe next spring after I can demo it.
Until then, I’m hoping I can at least demo the poly version of Eliza so that I have SOMETHING to compare Suka to when I try it.
paddling partner
when you find the right boat w. the right fit it will settle into the right trim for your weight. And this will in all likelihood be an aid to stability.
As for the Suka, you are paying a premium for a light kevlar composite boat, then throwing in a bag full of shots or sand or whatever to add back the weight you just saved by buying this composite, plus some… makes no sense.
I get where you are coming from
and I do agree that if you need to add ballast weight it may not be the right boat for your purposes…BUT…I don’t think it is the same thing as a heavier boat.
My understanding of adding ballast is that it has a low center of gravity - it helps your boat stay stable. A heavier boat period(such as if it were poly) wouldn’t have the same stability as a composite with weight in it.
Besides, I’m not seeking out this kevlar model because I want a super light boat. I’m seeking it out because it is snug, a well-designed boat, and the only second-hand Suka I’ve seen come my way.
he didn’t say
perhaps something is being lost in relaying the info. Sometimes kayak industry ppl speak in a kind of shorthand form that we consumers do not. I don’t mean that it’s done as any kind of deception or bad intent.
Of course they repair kevlar kayaks w. fiberglass (!)Why? Because.fiberglass.is. on. the. exterior.Kevlar exposed offers a lot of sharp itchy little fibers, insulation for kayaks if you will. It has to be encased and this is one reason.
“one layer of glass”… as phrased, in that context… I’m not really sure what was meant
I commend you for trying to get answers and doing your homework. $2300 is a lot for a kayak several years old, excellent condition and all. The ones I have seen, some younger, are listed for $2100 or $1900, even $1700.
Now being kevlar does command a bit of premium, and so does including gear like a neoprene sprayskirt, cockpit cover, and a good paddle. Other than that, pls. realize most kayak prices are set a bit high, figuring that some bargaining will be done.Only if a listing says “firm” is that possibility excluded. I have had great success going to try out a kayak, looking it over carefully, etc. Then fanning out a nice bunch of $100 dollar bills a few short of the asking price. People’s eyes go right to the cash. The cool customers counteroffer, the rest say “Deal.”
You might try that w. Canadian currency. And go see the seller w. a male friend. You are a young lady. I know it’s Canada, it’s selling a kayak, etc. but you are female. Pls. err on safe side. Besides, if you have a male friend who knows kayaks, all the better.
There are a lot of CD owners out there (not necessarily Suka owners, it’s a niche model) and a number of them have chosen kevlar/fiberglass. I hope a few more will chime in.
I can’t recall seeing any murmurs - or roars - of discontent w. the CD kevlar/glass layup on any paddling boards, or this one for that matter. Layups and problems w. them are a popular subject.
Appreciate your time
Thanks for all your input RavenWing - and everyone else!, you've helped me quite a lot, especially having paddled both of the kayaks that I'm considering.
I'm not sure what he was trying to convey by saying they repair kevlar boats with fiberglass. Maybe that, even if the scratch went deep enough to go into the kevlar, they would still patch it with fiberglass? I'm not sure, but it is hard to get much of any interpretation from single-line email responses ha ha! I have seen some repairs where they patch with kevlar and there is just some sort of clear coat on top. But obviously that is for boats that don't have glass on the outside.
My husband will be coming with me to check out the kayak..I'm just like a kid, I don't meet up with strangers! ;) As for the price..he is including a spray skirt, so that is one thing. But I know he is firm on the price. Unfortunately he is not very motivated to sell; if he doesn't sell it he plans to keep it as his second boat. He just doesn't like the color (magenta..makes me think he must have bought it from someone else or bought a demo boat). The other thing is, that in my province (any of the prairie provinces really), you NEVER see this boat, so I imagine that jacks the price up a little. If it looks more dinged up than he said, I'll definitely be insisting on a lower price and hope he bites.
Don’t worry
It’s a fine kayak
Almost certainly what he meant was
that the one layer of FG was the outside layer (as it should be) and that they know to do outside repairs with FG, not Kevlar.
If they use one layer of FG in an otherwise Kevlar boat, where would they use the FG, unless they are complete idiots. As the outside layer. Probably it’s gelcoated over that.
There are special circumstances where one might use Kevlar for an outside patch, especially if the patch is going to be in a zone experiencing tension rather than compression. That happens in ww boats, not sea kayaks.
Center of Gravity
you are a small (petite) woman. You have a great natural COG. Trust that and not a “paddling partner.”
btw weight added is weight added, ballast or gear or beer, no?
If you like the Suka fit and it feels good on the water, go for it. It’s a fine design, made for ppl of your size, & has a great family tree being the smaller relative to the Caribou, which is a very well regarded kayak of over 10 yrs production.
Although the light weight for length (16’6") is not the primary reason you’re interested, believe me you won’t mind at all lifting 41-43 lbs and moving with it on the water.
Don’t need no stinkin’ paddlin’ partner lol. Find a goodlooking man instead (per sissy’s suggestion upstream) 
I have
landed my very own handsome paddling partner, 5 years ago! He’s fun, if not altogether stable!
glad to help/magenta/location
esp. as I have the same model in the same layup.
Glad you are not going alone.
A spray skirt is a plus, the top quality ones in full neoprene go $120-$140 USD. If it’s nylon, meh, worth about a third of that at best.
It does sound like he’s not the original owner.Odd to consider a man buying a magenta boat. For all practical purposes it’s a deep pink. Not sayin’ it couldn’t happen but…
just for grins ask him if he has the CD Statement of Origin - CD has one for each boat made, kind of like a title that has the boat description, Hull Identification Number (HIN) and date of manufacture. I can also be used to mark date of transfer from party to party.
What province are you in?
what a great piece of gear lol
you’re very well equipped to paddle
I’m in Saskatchewan
I’m getting excited
about trying out the Suka! Tuesday is when the fellow selling is going to be passing through my area and bringing the Suka with him. Last weekend I rented a Tempest 165 pro, which is also for sale. I can’t demo a Necky Eliza this fall because the shop sold their floor model and won’t be getting another one in until spring. So I think if I don’t buy the Suka, I’ll buy the Tempest, I really liked it.
Even with all the extra adjustments (which I love) that you can do on the Tempest, I still felt like there was too much volume around my thighs/knees. I would have to really splay my legs to feel the sides of the boat. If I buy, I’ll probably put some foam in to snug it up. I don’t know if it matters if it is snugger, performance-wise, but I like being “tucked in”. On the other hand, it was stable, well behaved, decently maneuverable, and just a general pleasure to paddle. I did my first and only self-rescue of any kind(I chose cowboy rescue) which was easy as pie and over in a minute or so, because the Tempest was so easy to get along with. The Suka will have to fit like a glove or be a dream to paddle to beat the Tempest for me. The Tempest might not be an exciting boat to most people, but for a novice like me, it is nice to sit in a boat that gives you confidence while still allowing you to grow into it and learn a lot.
Bring it on Suka! I know you are beautiful, but are you a b*tch like your name says you are? Come onnnnn Tuesday!
having paddled both
Tempest 165 pro (the glass version) and the CD Suka I own (kev/glass version) I 100% agree that for ppl our size the Tempest is invariably overly open at one or more contact points. The difference for me was pronounced esp at the thigh braces which didn’t come up far enough on my thighs or at the hips where there was a lot of room. You can pad out the hips but elongating/enlarging extg. thigh braces is another thing entirely.
Also, I much prefer paddling straightlegged.The idea of paddling froggy style, as I understand it, came from the older instructing emphasis on creating a tripod for greater stability esp. for newbies and esp to compensate for some male paddlers who had/have large upper bodies and less COG.
For those of us who aren’t that, and don’t need that, we can lengthen our legs, improve our push on the pegs, and paddle w.less tension in our legs, thus less fatigue.
This is why I think you being slim and 5’6" will really appreciate the Suka. Not dissing the Tempest at all, fine design, and deserves its popularity.
I know small women who have had a Tempest 165, and done alright w. a lot of foam, but I see later they have all moved to true smaller paddler seakayaks like the Suka or the NDK Pilgrim/Pilgrim Expedition, the Avocet LV, Necky Eliza in glass, etc. Those who enjoy a minimalist Greenland style gravitate to the Tahe/Zegul Greenland, the Black Pearl, etc.
A Tempest 165 pro looks noticeably larger in comparison to any of these.
Bought the Suka!
What a nice boat! It was in near-pristine condition; it’s always nice when how they describe it is accurate! It was definitely a more tippy kayak, but not a way that made me feel unstable, if that makes any sense. It mainly just felt agile and very maneuverable, like it was way more tuned in to what my body was doing and that made it seem “tippy”, when really it was just reacting to my motions.
And it really flies, compared to the Tempest. The Tempest made me feel instantly at ease, and I do appreciate that, but I love how peppy the Suka feels.
Also, the cockpit fit MUCH better. It’s amazing what a half inch smaller here and there does, even though the cockpit is less adjustable compared to the Tempest, it fits like a glove.
Yay!
Now the only thing I have to grumble about is that the Malone saddle up pro carrier I got awhile ago won’t work I don’t think. The rear portion of the carrier is too curved to fit the hard chines on the Suka. Grrr…I knew I should have gone for the Thule!
Congratulations and…
pleasant waters to you and your new boat.
somehow
i just knew it!
Dance w. the Suka, trust her as you find that edge and lean, carve, and edge forever…you’ll love her and before you know it you’ll be an accomplished paddler. To find one that is on the edge of tippiness is just right.
And there will be many many days you won’t be missing the extra weight. Glass/kevlar boats are nice on water and off.
afa rack accessories, see if you can score a pair or two of the old Yakima Land Sharks. Found mine on eBay and they show up on craigslist too. Great fit for hard chined kayaks. See if you can get at least one pair to install aft. Then sell a pair of Malones on c-list, they should go pretty quickly. Rinse, repeat w. a second pair.