I’m looking for anyone who has demo’d or owned the NC17 or NC19 kayaks. I would like some input from those on how they like them, customer service from company, and quality control. They say their yaks don’t need rudder or skeg as they track very well without. Is that true? How fast are they compared to any other yak you have paddled?
Thank you,
KYLE
NC17
I have owned an NC17 overnight LT in the past. Bought it used and sold it 11 months later.
My stats: 5ft 6inch. 140 #. Advanced-beg - Intermed skills
Quality: One word. Top notch (maybe two words).
What I do like about the boat: Good hull for stability and learning. Rolling it is a breeze. So is bracing it. Does not weathercock much.
What I dislike about the boat. Hatches leak like a plumbing pipe in Bombay. And the owners/builders wont acknowledge it. This boat is for big people and the owner/builder claims their gf whose smaller than me paddles it just fine. I want to see it to believe it. Its not easy to turn. The integrated skeg causes major problems for that. And yes I lean it all the way past the combing. Its fine to do in calm waters …but not so fun to do in rough seas. Too wide for my taste and too much primary stability.
Eventually I sold the boat. If I could have multiple boats though and was a little bigger, I would definetly consider this a keeper. Light weight, stable (for beginners), fast. But if I only had a choice of one boat …I would get something narrower and more responsive.
-Assad
Owned an NC17 Explorer
I thought it was a good boat. But, as with any other boat, I would suggest you try it out before you buy. I found i was too big for the boat and thus it tended to get uncomfortable for long outings.
Pros:
- Most watertight hatches I have ever had in any boat. The only hatch I have had the literally did not let a single drop of water in the hatch.I found them to be more water tight than Valley.
- Reasonably quick boat.
- had an LT version, so was very lite and easy to solo load.
Cons:
- The 1 inch flange where the hull and deck are bonded together interfered with the stroke. Boats only 23 inch beam, but the flange makes it seem much wider. I was incessantly hitting my paddle on this edge. very annoying.
- not a lot of room under the deck. Deck pretty low, so good to check this out on a test paddle.
hatches
hey lrebensdorf.
You mention water tight hatches. Me and a fellow NC owner always complained about the hatches. Did you use it out in cold weather … thats when I would get the most leaks (warm weather it expands and gets a tight seal).
Thanks.
-Assad
NC17LT. (Quest)
My new NC17 was delivered last friday! I paddled it Friday night,about 5 miles!
I love it! But,its my first kayak, I have paddled lot’s of canoes and SOT’s. Never could get comfortable in a sot,always felt like i was in mid “sit up”.
I could see how turning could be an issue,although one of the reasons i choose this kayak was for it’s tracking.The straighter the better,for me.
As for hatches,My first paddle had no leakes.
It’s been ontop of my truck now for all of this weekend do to extreme heavy rain (Houston)
If it ever stops i’ll let ya know if they leaked.
Im 5’11" 200lbs, I feal like i need to have the foot braces adjusted all the way back?
So if your taller than me,maybe a tight fit??
Weight! Very light,easy to load and carry.
Finish! Nice paint (yellow to lime green)
Performance flange, or rub rail, Lot’s of paddlers on her don’t like it, As for me, I work on yacht’s for a living, I like rubrails! They save paint and glass. At some point your gonna bounce the bow of a dock or have it on edge shoreside.
Bulkheads?? They seem kinda thin and flexible to me,i would figure atleast 1/4 in?? but,there only 1/16th maybe 2/16th hard to say. (I did not measure)
I researched all the (major) kayaks! this is the one i wanted. I give it a 8 of 10.
No kayak deserves a ten and 9 is just chicken shi*…Proud NC Kayak owner:)