I have a 34" inseam and big feet and have yet to sit in a ski that doesn’t result in my knees being too high. I do OK in my Seda Revenge since I removed the foot braces and put my feet against the end of the cockpit.
Suggestions?
Only 34"? How do you measure?
– Last Updated: Sep-10-13 10:28 AM EST –
By road bike standards I am 37" crotch to floor (36" for pants) and have more than enough space on the new V10 from Epic even with paddling shoes. I had 1 notch in the outgoing V10 Sport barefoot, filled it up with low profile paddling shoes/neo socks/latex socks/wool socks combo. The V12 is too short for me even barefoot. Think Evo II also gives me a few free notches and was longer than the outgoing V10 Sport in terms of leg room.
One thing to consider is that with more rotation you need less leg room. When I first bought the V10 Sport (2011 model) I had it on the last notch. A year or so later I had moved a notch or two back as I gained more rotation in my stroke. When I sit that way with both legs bent (facing forward) I have about a fist under each knee, when I rotate, the long leg is restricted by the hump so I don't need longer space... But if I was not rotating too much, I would want that extra notch or two to keep my legs lower overall.
Edit: about the "big feet" part. I am solid size 15 US but relatively narrow feet (M/medium width shoes areabout right or a bit wide for me). In the outgoing V10 Sport my feet were crammed agains the foot rails when in paddling shoes. The new models that came out this year redesigned the foot well and rails and added 1/4" or a bit more width there while making the overall cockpit width and volume smaller. Plus the foot strap attachment point no longer painfully rubs the side of my feet. Also, Epic came up with "long leg" and "big foot" versions of their foot boards (the first gives you 1/2" extra length, the other gives you an inch or two higher toe pedal position). I have the big foot option and the toe pedals are in the right place for me now (we're too low before), but the rails are still in the same place as before, which means the foot plate is now unstable - I'm thinking of adding a third rail in the center to secure it to the bottom of the ski so it does not swivel forward unintentionally.
Stellar
I would check out the Stellar SEL
stellar sr
I’m 6’ 2" with 32" inseam. Im not even 3/4 of the way down the foot well. You do know that a surfski is meant to be paddled with bender knees right?
Ryan L.
Epic
– Last Updated: Sep-10-13 4:30 PM EST –
Any epic boat will fit you. I'm 6'7" w a 37" inseam and paddle a new v10. on the last notch with 4" under my knees. The v12 may be a little short but the V14 is faster and is paddled by Matt Bouman who is taller than me.
The Fenn Swordfish also fit me for leg length but was tight on the foot width with size 13 booties.
The Think Ion fit for length but was tight on my large calves.
I found the stellars too tight at the hips.
The V12 is not just a bit tight - short
– Last Updated: Sep-10-13 1:20 PM EST –
The V12 is outright short - can't extend my leg for full leg drive to a point where it would nearly touch the hump. Barefoot. Add a shoe for cold weather and it is crammed. And yes, I too find the seat a bit tight on the V12 with the new V10 about right for my seat bones.
Second The Stellar SEL
You could have the leg length of Manute Bol and still fit it. I’m 6’1" and 34" inseam, with many detents left on the track. You’ll have HPS speed with intermediate boat stability.
Stellars and cockpit volume
The only downfall of stellars is all that foot well volume fills with water in big conditions and the high bow gets pushed around in the wind when going across or into the wind. If you end up with a stellar some people fill that area beyond the foot plate with blocks of foam to reduce the volume. For flat water use they are not a bad choice but I haven’t found anyone who likes them for downwind conditions.
I tried an Epic V-8 barefoot, and it did
not fit me.
How do you measure inseam?
I use the bike method: put a book between your legs, push it up tight but gentle against your crotch, stand upright next to a wall to square the book against the wall to make sure you measure accurately, and measure from the top edge of the book to the floor. The new V10 can handle probably 38" - I am 37" by this method and have space in it. The old V10 Sport (2010-2011, don’t know about older than that because it changed around that time) can handle up to my 37 barefoot comfortably, a smidgen short with footwear but still quite serviceable for me. If you are indeed 34", you should fit in just about anything made for a large paddler…
I recall paddling the old V8 and did find it a bit short with shoes, but this was a while back so my memories are foggy about how short it was and if it was comparable or longer than the V12 I also tried at that time, which I know to be too short for me even barefoot…
the v10s and v10 will fit
They both fit to 6’7.
But like others said the stellars have a ridiculously long foot well.
You should be able to fit your fist under your knees when they are even.
As far as a v8, I started in the V10sport and only came out about 5 times in my first year of paddling. This included getting out in 20kt winds and racing after owning the boat 6 weeks. It’s quite stable if you commit to paddling it on a regular basis. The new 10s is even more stable than my generation.
Stellar Can Accommodate Short Legs Too
As well as long legs. Just loosen the bottom center lock along with the side ones and slide pedals back, then re-tighten. Personally, I prefer the Stellar pedal adjustment system over the Epic and Fenn systems when under pressure and having to re-adjust them mutiple times during the day for various leg lengths.
Stellars Downwind
Here on the east coast we don’t regularly see the big, big water that west coasters do. I’ve owned the SEs and SELs and while I’ve found the SE gets pushed around in the wind, not so the SEL. We tend to get these short, steep, high frequency wave sets. My SEL punches through and sheds the water very quickly-very little comes over the foredeck. This is without the spray deck attached; I’ve never needed it.
I agree on the footwell volume. A minicell block and drinking system forward of the pedals displaces quite a bit of the volume, but even then, it’s cavernous up there. Thankfully, it drains fairly quickly, and the stability of the boat shrugs off any imbalance. I also find the SEL picks up runs quite well-you can sit right on top in complete control, due to the aforementioned stability. At 24 lbs. for my Ultra, jumping on a runner happens in a few strokes-surfs quite well.
They could improve upon the steering (Q Power Spectra and foot pedal tweaks really crisp things up), narrow the catch, and work on the bucket a bit more. Beyond that, they are fast, beautifully finished, well-crafted, and quite joyful to paddle.
Since Epic is only 3 hours away, I’ll
go try a V10S.
I know this is an old thread, but was hoping to revisit it. Like String, I cannot fit in an Epic. I went to a good Epic dealer with a lot of experience and had him try and fit me, and clearly I needed more length. I was a heck of a lot more than one fist. I only have an inseam of 36" and I understand at least one of you fits with a longer inseam, but I wonder if inseam is the end of the story. Surely the size of your pelvis (front to back) and possibly the way one sits, must enter into the equation.
In my case, a past broken back (compression wedge fracture of L2) and some other accidents, coupled with age, means that I sit too laid back. So that might force my bum forward. Also, my femur is significantly longer than my tibia.
Regardless, can anyone who has sat in both an Epic and one of the following 3 - Stellar SR, Fenn Bluefin or Carbonology Cruze - compare the length of one to the other. I’m not interested in how tall anyone is and how they fit in one or the other, I’m just interested in finding out which boat will be longer than an equivalent (V6/V7/V8) Epic, and by roughly how much.
Appreciate any info.
I would think it would have to, kind of like measuring size for a recumbent trike 
Yes, great diagram! Now if one could imagine that, but without the wall going up as far as the upper torso… (and with a bump under the knees) in my case there is a gap between the bum cheeks and the wall. Not the most efficient position for kayak paddling, but that’s my lot in life. Still working on it in physio, but I would like to get a surfski in the next 6 months, not the next 10 years lol.
Good luck. I gave up trying.
I once tried a used Findeisten I really liked but it was one size too small and I just couldn’t make it work as my knees were just in the way… 