The Looksha IV is a well respected older design. I’d go for it if your partner offers it to you. I have a fiberglass one, with the original slider rudder controls. Those are rather hard to slide, making the rudder feel stiff. I actually like that as I like to set the rudder at some angle to compensate for weather cocking and then leave it set there, without having to actively steer all the time. But you may find that upgrading to the newer foot controls from Smart Track or Sealect (as rstevens recommended) will make the rudder action less stiff. I installed these rudder controls in one of my kayaks and like them (they are similar to the Smart Track controls, but all-plastic):
As far as polishing a plastic kayak, I’m not aware that there is much you can do. But if you give it a good cleaning and then treat it with 303 UV protectant, that will make the color look richer.
My wife has a Looksha IV, although quite light in kevlar. We purchased it used about 10 years ago at $1400 USD. I did replace the sliding foot pegs, with Sealect I think. She definitely likes it and threatens me if I suggest a replacement.
You know the Looksha IV because it is your paddling partners boat, and hopefully you have test paddled it.
A Looksha was my first kayak and I loved it/wish I still had it. However at 6’1" and 185, it was too large for me. You mentioned your height & weight in an earlier post; based on that the Looksha is probably huge for you. I cannot fathom paddling that hull regularly at your size. Plus, it was rather heavy at 60lbs if I remember correctly.
The Lookshaw IV is an excellent boat (Disclaimer: It is essentially the same as my 1999 Kevlar Arluk 1.9 but it has a rockered hull). The rotomolded hull is nearly indestructible and the rocker makes it a bit more maneuverable than my boat, sacrificing a bit of tracking ability. It’s fairly fast and well suited to open water and distance paddling. It only has moderate primary and secondary stability and may feel a bit tippy to begin with, but with a bit of seat time this soon disappears. If you get into kayak camping it holds a fair amount of gear.
My boat didn’t come with perimeter deck lines, so add some if not present. They will fit with the same hardware as the bungees. To be honest, I almost never use the rudder with the exception of strong stern quartering winds. I use the rudder so infrequently, I never bothered to change the footpegs. THe footpegs are locked when the rudder is parked on deck. Your boat’s rockered hull may make a rudder a bit more necessary on windy days. The rudder will probably free up with a bit of use. A bit of W40 may help, but do not use grease as it attracts sand and grit. If you really don’t like the foot controls you can fairly easily swap them out for Sealect pedals. The rudder itself need not be replaced. I prefer Sealect over Smart track. The Smart Track pedals are subject to corrosion in salt water and the way the cables are routed causes premature cable failure. My wife went through two sets of cables with the Smart Track pedals that came with her QCC 600X before changing them out for the Sealect. Ten years on, not further problems.
There’s not much you can do with cosmetic scratches on a rolomoded hull, but it’s a boat after all, not a fine piece of furniture. Using 303 or a good quality marine wax may improve the look.
I’m your same height, although 10 lbs heavier, and have never felt the boat was too big. Been paddling it for 24 years.
Thank you for the link. I think I’ll consider the Sealect pedals. They look like a step up from the default ones. I like to take pictures, so I thought a rudder might be a big help for the times I put my paddle down to snap a shot. It would let me steer the boat as a glide to the right spot for the photo. Will the Sealect track/pedals fit in the same spot as the default ones?
I guess I’ll take a look at things more closely this weekend to see what all I might need to order. I don’t even know what size deck lines and bungie cords to get, much less the cord I need to raise/lower the rudder. I’m guessing that the rudder control cable is standard and the same for all kayaks?
I did just that! Loading my 17’ Sealion on my mom’s truck, put the bow in the rear j-hook and gave it a push up from the stern . . . it then proceeded to slide off the hood of the truck.
The weather might be decent this weekend. I should get the Looksha out on the lake and see how it feels for me…at least regarding overall size.
It does look larger than I need, but here in the southeast, we seem to be limited in what kayaks I can find. So far, lower volume touring yaks seem to be really rare. I have found no stores that carry delta and only one with a new eddyline Sitka LT that’s about 350 miles away. The used market is 99% recreational 8-10 foot boats or fishing boats, with the few touring yaks being high volume or surf skis. So this Neky that I’ve been offered seems to be basically all I can find unless I want to pay a mint to have a boat shipped to me next year.
The pedal assemblies are generally held on by two bolts each. I don’t know if the distance between them is the same for the Necky pedals and the Sealect pedals. You could measure the distance between the bolts and call Sealect to get their measurements. For what it’s worth, switching from Smart Track to Sealect did not require any modifications. Sealect is probably knowledgeable about the Necky pedal assemblies. If another hole must be drilled, it’s no big deal with a rotomolded hull.
Cables are standard and likely carried by any store that sells marine hardware. You might need longer cables.
I’d paddle it a few times before making any substantial changes.
Used is an excellent way to start out. You can always choose another boat when you have found out what works and what doesn’t. I installed hip pads for a tighter fit in the seat. Other brands are available.
I had a Looksha IV and absolutely loved it. It automatically found the fastest line down any river even without the rudder deployed. It was a really good all-around boat for flat water, rivers and ocean. The only thing I hated about it was how heavy it was.
