Nigel Foster Silhouette

Got to try one at the RI Rough Water Symposium. The owner had cut out the seat so that you sat directly on the hull (no pad). That was probably the only way I would have fit in the boat.



Man, a sweet boat! The most maneuverable 18 footer I have paddled. Felt as manueverable as a Romany. Really liked the stability profile. Tracked very well. Great secondary stability. More than enough primary. Fun to edge and fun to paddle. A hair slower than my Greenlander Pro though.



Definitely on my short list.



Matt

Foster
Yeah, it is a pretty sweet sea kayak. The Foster Legend has been one of my favorites for a long time as has the Silhouette. Both are nice designs and perform well.



Which kayaks do you have on your short list now Matt?



Cheers…Joe O’


I really liked the Silhouette, but was not crazy about the Legend strangely enough. I actually found the Silhouette more maneuverable than the Legend. Unbelieveable that a boat with such a straight keel line (appears to have no rocker at all) could be so maneuverable.



Some of this may be based on fit…or a lot of it. The Legend I paddled was not a good fit for me. The Silhouette fit me well with the seat cut out…but then I tried sitting in one with the factory seat and I could not really fit. Cutting out the seat is the only way I can fit this boat.



My short list??? Boats I would like to own / have been really impressed with: the Silhouette, the Romany. Greenlander Pro (have one but have to sell it). I am also going to include the Nordkapp LV…haven’t paddled it but plan to. Sounds like a perfect boat for me if I can fit in it. Sat in one once but it was snug. May need to rip out the seat and put in a foam one. The Explorer as well…not so much as a super-impressive boat, but certainly a solid all arounder that really does well in surf and rough water.









Matt

Silhluette Fit
The Silhouette, per statements from Nigel Foster when he was putting people into these boats at a symposium, was that it was the right boat for my size. 5’4" and 130-135 pounds. I suspect that some of the manuverability that you are finding over the Legend is that you are a bit oversize for the boat.



That said, yup it’s a real nice boat.

As Maneuverable as Romany?
You mention the Silhouette is as maneuverable (almost) as the Romany.



Do you mean “as the Romany EXPLORER”?



I own the Explorer and have paddled a Romany. Hard to believe a Silhouette is even CLOSE to being as maneuverable as a ROMANY.



Please explain…



Glenn