"Not really"
The Nordlow is really a play/day boat for average size guys. Sort of an updated Pintail with speed and tracking 
Yeah
At only 5â2", itâs no surprise the LV still felt too tall on me, in addition to the thigh brace placement issue.
What surprised me was the comment from another (female) demo-er who is âaverageâ size. She too said the deck felt too high.
I wonder if the seat was placed right on the hull floor? I didnât look at that.
Deck height
The Nordkapp that the LV starts from isnât a low decked boat up front - itâs relatively high compared to a lot of the more recent boats like the Explorer and Tempest. With that as the starting pointâŚ
Worth remembering that the original Nordkapp was getting white guys thru major circumnavigations when there was nothing else out there that could come close.
LV
If itâs your only boat you get used to it pretty quick. If your roll isnât solid, as well as bracing, it can be a nightmare. bowler1, when you get it out in really rough water you will be amazed. The rougher the water gets the more solid this boat becomes. Enjoy!
tvcrider, is teh Aquanut cockpit smaller
and shorter than the Nordkapp LV? If so, I should check that boat.
Well, I didnât get out the tape, but
the entire Nordkapp LV felt larger on me than the comparable Aquanaut even though I believe Valleyâs specs state that the Nordy has an inch less beam!
I went to the Kayak Centre in R.I. expecting to come away with a Nordkapp LV, but I ended up ordering the Aquanaut LV instead.
All I can give is the standard advice.
âTry before you buy.â
When did FBO startâŚ
⌠renting Epic 18âs to beginners? L
Naut LVâŚ
I think the cockpit opening is the same size as the Nord LV but the Naut LV is a much lower volume boat.
Waterline beam
â Last Updated: Nov-27-07 9:09 AM EST â
According to Sea Kayaker a standard Aquanaut and a Nordkapp LV have effectively the same waterline beam (@150 both are 20.4", @200 Aquanaut is 20.7" Nordlow 20.64", @250 'naut 20.9" Nordlow 20.88"). So I doubt the 'naut LV is beamier than a 'kapp LV. There are other factors that make it feel so.
The hull section and profiles are quite different, and though only 1.5" shorter, the Nordkapp LV has notably less volume than the full size Aquanaut.
Sea Kayaker gave the volume of the Nordkapp LV as 11.52 cu.ft., Aquanaut as 12.94 cu.ft., and Nordkapp H2O (now known as 'Standard')as 12.02 cu.ft. (For comparison, SK gave the volume of the Explorer as 13.36 cu.ft.)
As given on the Knoydart site, both the Nordkapp LV and Aquanaut LV volumes are listed as 330 litres. This site also lists the volume of the Standard Nordkapp and Aquanaut as 340 litres each. http://www.knoydart.co.uk/
Fit / RescuesâŚ
â Last Updated: Nov-26-07 9:39 PM EST â
I am fairly surprised that so many have felt that the LV is too big for them. Maybe I am just used to my Explorer which is a pretty roomy boat.
As one poster above stated, I too found the thigh braces uncomfortable at first. They just did not hit me in the right place and my kneeds wanted to slip off of them. Since putting the factory seat back in and sliding my position a big forward in the boat by moving the foot pegs forward and tightening the backband, I now feel very comfortable in the boat. It made a huge difference for me.
Interesting thoughts on rescues. Don't want to get too far off the topic here. I will try a cowboy scramble with the boat sometime. I think it may be a bit more challenging than with a boat like the Explorer, but probably still manageable.
As far as use as a rescue platform, perhaps I am wrong, but it seems to me that most any boat should perform well in this manner. Dealing with swimmers you generally have the opportunity either to brace or paddle, thus giving you stability.
In the case of an assisted rescue (T rescue), you gain stability from the victim's boat.
I guess though that there is some period of instability when reaching out for a victim's bow when approaching for a T rescue (that's when you need to ensure you have your paddle quickly accessible so that you can roll back up and continue the rescue).
I'll have to get out and practice some rescues with the Nordkapp just to see. I guess I never really thought of rescues being very boat-dependent.
I generally paddle alone but I now have more than one boat. Funny as it may sound I have practiced T-rescues and towing, etc. using one of my other boats as an empty "victim" boat. Works fairly well. Maybe I'll try it this weekend and see if the Nordkapp is any harder at performing rescue maneuvers. My guess though is that it will do just fine.
Oh yeah...should have about 30 knot winds tomorrow..and from just the right direction. Looking forward to getting the LV out for some more exciting test conditions. I have had it out in such winds before and I was impressed with its performance, but that was before I got the fit down right. I am eager to see how the boat will perform in these condtions now that I have the fit right. It should do even better.
Matt
Wish I was there to test rescue with you
â Last Updated: Nov-27-07 12:14 AM EST â
Florida paddlers (grayhawk, alert your buddies): a 2007 VALLEY NORDKAPP SEA KAYAK 2007 on eBay now...search it; to order new from Valley is $3249!
Waiting to learn more on the NLV from the test kitchen of B1.
Video!
â Last Updated: Nov-27-07 1:09 AM EST â
The NOrdkapp LV as described by it's owner of VCP.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXilcmGCLxk
Thank you, Peter Orton.
ps For the 80-120lb set, the 2008 Avocet LV. It's pretty LV in standard issue... this new one is for pip squeaks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vv4h03ohZM
PPS Aquanaut in flight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0LsaGNPJtU&feature=related
as a Norkapp Jubilee owner
with over 1000 miles logged in it I read this whole threadâŚwhat I summated is that the Romany is for beginners and the Nordkapps for those with time on the water 
âeasy to throw aroundâ
â Last Updated: Nov-27-07 11:23 AM EST â
This video was part of what convinced me that Peter and the boys weren't really after an expedition boat for smaller paddlers but rather a fun boat for paddlers like themselves.
Some time ago Orton referred to the Nordkapp LV as a sports car as opposed to the Aquanaut which he characterized as an SUV.
Reading the narratives from the UK of folks paddling the Nordlow and it seems clear that these are average sized guys mostly interested in playing in lumpy and moving water. I don't recall any extensive discussion from a small paddler taking the boat out for a week or more camping and covering great distances.
http://seakayakphoto.blogspot.com/2007/01/valley-nordkapp-lv-test.html
Indeed I and most I know have picked up Nordkapp LVs for the responsiveness and fun of the boat.
easy to throw around
Very accurate description and one of the things that I like most about the boat.
My Explorer is quite maneuverable, but I would nto describe it as easy to throw around. The LV on the other hand is.
You can throw around and muscle the boat as if it were an Avocet.
This was particularly noticeable to me in rougher water where I was able to spin the boat around with properly timed strokes.
Dont know if I mentioned it in my review or not, but I was able to turn the boat up into a 25-30 knot wind with sweep strokes alone and no need to apply a bow rudder or cross bow rudderâŚimpressive in my opinion.
With my Explorer (which I find very easy to turn up into the wind) it takes a cross bow rudder in such conditions to do the same, or two consecutive applications of sweep and bow rudder.
Not the LvâŚjust spin it around with a good sweep and a little bit of body english under the deck.
Matt
"easy to throw around"
Or in my case âtoss aroundâ.
Lack of is the reason I sold a boat that when caught in in a sudden squall was nearly impossible to turn up wind.
Very reassuring knowing the LV will more easily point anywhere anytime. Like knowing you have side impact airbags.
Nord LV owners
The seat should be forward slightly perhaps, as B1 states.
Please look at your boats. Is the stock Valley seatpan fixed to the coaming? ie does it have to be cut to be moved forward. Or could the boat maker move the seat forward (ie is it attached to the fiberglass hull, but not directly to the coaming or any other fixed object).
Thanks
The new seats are bolted thru the deck
So moving/removing them is not a big deal.
Yup
â Last Updated: Nov-27-07 3:25 PM EST â
Two bolts to each side to a plate under the gunwale under each check plate.
Great, so if I ordered NLV from Valley
âŚI could ask them to please move the seat 1-2 cinhes forward. I know, I know test out first, but no retailer close enough to me to test sit.
But good to know they could move it forward as B1 states, seems better trimmed for 165 lb person this way, and thig contact with thigh pads would be better (I have short legs), if I read you all correctly.