Looking for recommendations on extremely stable kayaks in the 12-14 foot range. I currently have a perception Corona and while I love the rudder, it is just too tippy for me. I had a dagger Callisto 20 some odd years ago and had no qualms with it. I believe it was a flat bottomed boat. It was a recreational boat, as I recall. I really want to like the Corona, but it takes nothing to go from “safe” to about to tip over. It’s just not as enjoyable as I remember. All day today I was rigid and apprehensive over the tippiness. So I ask you, kayakers of the forum, what(not a sit on top) is a great, fast, STABLE kayak?
How do you plan to use the kayak? What type of water bodies?
1 Like
Hi Peter. I like lakes and calm rivers
1 Like
This is the second thread from this poster. A number of people advised them to get some lessons, me included, as it became clear that he wanted a faster kayak.
Past experience was with a Dagger boat which I may be the only one here who knows about, the boat came out about the same time as the Dagger Cypress transition kayaks that my husband and I first had. Yes, the Corona is more reactive than the Callisto.
DarrenR - You can’t have both fast and super stable. A boat with a hull that will be fast is less wide against its length and so more reactive. You can either drop fast as a criteria or find some place to get some lessons so you can get comfortable with a faster boat. Pick one of the two.
And you indicated in that other thread that you were OK with swimming. So I don’t understand why you would be so paralyzed with fear especially staying near shore. Fall out, get the boat to shore, dump the water out and go again. Eventually you will relax.
It just wasn’t as fun… It was more about not tipping over than about being out on the water. I tried to like the Corona, I really did. But I don’t. Ok, I can drop “fast” as a need. Can I replace it with “easy to move through the water”? The reason I ask is because my arms aren’t what they used to be. Tendonitis, etc… Come to think of it, IM not what I used to be. I don’t recall worrying about tipping over. Oh to be 25 again. 
1 Like
A buddy of mine who took several lessons from me over about 3 years sounds exactly like you. He was concerned both with outstanding initial stability in a sea kayak and his arms giving out. He transitioned into a Hobie peddle kayak and is now a happy peddler.
How about a ski? https://www.epickayaks.com/v5
A ski is designed to be fast, even though the V5 is a “fat, slow ski” in the grand scheme.
Its 1" wider than your corona, but being a ski is a glorified SOT, falling out is not a big deal, so that might make it seem more stable than it is. Falling off a ski is like falling off a SUP, you just hop back on. Your Corona’s 22.5" beam is skinny-ish for a sea kayak, though with work anyone healthy and determined should be able to master a boat of that beam.
To your other point, no. Choose stable or fast. You can replace the word “fast” with “Easy to paddle” or “good glide” or “covers distance” or “efficient”, but really you’re just talking about low hull resistance, and less hull resistance comes from a skinny boat, which is inherently tippy. Nothing that is extremely stable is also fast. Anyone who tells you otherwise does not have a high enough definition of Fast. They require opposite design criteria. (unless you can get enough speed to get up on a hydrofoil 
)
So I vote you look at the Epic V5 and get comfortable falling out and getting in until you dont fall out anymore. A ski takes away a lot of the fear of flipping, it has a small hatch, and is relatively affordable in Roto layup
1 Like
Thank you, I’ll look into it
They did not have any ski is. But they did have a freshly unwrapped …
2020 wilderness systems pungo 120!
I brought it home after testing it out. It’s plenty stable. I’ll adapt to it’s weight in the water. And it’s got really cool workstation that mounts to the front of the cockpit. No rudder though.
1 Like
Glad you have a boat.
Just understand that the Pungo should NOT be out in waves and well offshore. It is a rec boat hence not safe in that environment.
1 Like
Pungos are great starter boats. Very comfortable and fast enough until you feel the need for speed.
Be glad be it doesn’t have a rudder.That will make you a better paddler.
1 Like
Thanks, I think I’ll be good in this for a few seasons
Hi Darren,
I own two Pungo 120s. We’ve had them over 10 years and they are very stable on flat water. They aren’t meant for speed but they’re great for seeing wildlife and for fishing. Sometimes my wife and I would take our kayaks out on the water, and bring lunch with us and picnic on the water. I was trying to sell mine before this pandemic hit. They are still online if you want to see what they look like. We live in Delaware and Delaware is great for flat water kayaking: and if you want stability this is the boat for you.
MIke
Thanks, mike! I ended up getting the pungo 120. You are right, very stable
A great swamp and small river boat.
I have an Old Town Dirigo 120 that is very stable but I recently bought an Eddyline Sky 10 which I love and it is also stable and easy to maneuver, though it’s only 10 foot long. I am a 70+ year old small female with little upper body strength and both of these work well for me.
I saw theeddyline sky 10, it looked good. Ended up with the pungo 120 though. Thanks for the reply!
Welcome to Pcom! The Sky 10 is a tiny boat but a good decision since it’s the only boat that size on the market that has two sealed bulkheads. Very important safety factor.
Happy paddling!
2 Likes
Very thoughtful advise. Lessons are the only way to park fears. Paddled the Arctic around Svalbard last year.
1 Like
A sit on top or quality inflatable.