er,Looksha V,I am so effing out of shape,it’s been three mo. since I’ve been in a kayak. Anywho had a chance to take out Neckys LookshaV,15-20mph breeze on slightly choppy water. Anywho this is Neckys better Narpa,or what I’d call a Chatham17XL. It’s more a Chatham than it is a Looksha. Perfect for 250lb paddlers.
For folks who get nervous paddling with waves off the stern or don’t like high wind this is a good choice.
Good to know
I’ve got the out of shape but not the 250 lbs. How was it for turning upwind and downwind?
ok
it’s a big and heavy boat with lots of stability,it was lightly loaded so the stern moved around easily albeit slowly, really didn’t get much time out in the wind/chop without the rudder but with the rudder up it was a lot more predictable/maneuverable than a SeaLion,ok that’s not saying a lot, but overall the weathercocking for such a light load was less than the Looksha boats or old Narpa and more responsive with the amount of tracking it had.
The only real shortcoming,or tradeoff is that what makes them so good down wave presents a bit of a splashing bow wave that the wind can kick up,in comparison the Extreme or Gulfstream have more of a slicing entry and less spray. Minor stuff.
Wow!
Can’t remember the last time I heard anyone comparing kayaks mention the old Sea Lion! Good show!
few other thoughts
When the rudder is up on the deck it won’t stay in it’s slot when paddling. The slightest foot pressure popped it up and out messing up bracing and paddling.
The rudder stop places the rudder just above the slot and against the sides of the v of the on deck rudder holder.
At first I thought “razza frazza GD push/pull footbraces, shouldn’t exist in any kind of kayak, what the f*** is wrong with people who allow this kind of bs…yada yada”…
But looking at it again it’s evident that the blade could be filed down 1/16" where it hits the stop. THEN someone could put in fixed footbrace rudder controls.
rudder? no skeg?
Rudder? On a Chatham? I thought they used a skeg with the medical grade stainless slide cable that won’t kink.
Are they really making a Chatham with a rudder?
Wade
It’s called a Looksha V
I’m saying it’s more of a Chatham hull than a Looksha hull,the hull isn’t defined by having a skeg or rudder.
Not stainless!
CD
I saw some fixed/adjustable rudder controls on a Current Designs Solstice that looked good. Can’t believe manufacturers still allow push/pull rudder controls