Thoughts on Eddyline Nighthawk 16

Advice
#21

Some Additional Comments
I haven’t written my review yet, but I agree with all of the above. I’ve had my Nighthawk 16 for a couple of years. Here’s some additional comments:


  • I got to try the latest model which has this really cool design for the foot braces. There’s a little lever on each side within easy reach that releases and locks the foot braces so you can adjust them with your feet. I say this because if you decide to buy new, you may want to make sure you get the latest model so you get this nice feature.


  • the NightHawk comes with a pretty liberal 3 year warranty for you to consider when deciding new vs. used.


  • The Night Hawk tends to ride on top of the waves rather than punching through them. She also likes to surf and will take off on a wave with little provocation (yee hah!)


  • Carrying the Night Hawk solo takes a bit of getting used to. I found it kind of has a “sweet spot” and once you find it, it’s very easy to carry.


  • I know I’ve said this before, but, when I got my first roll in pool class in a ww boat, I took a rolling clinic with the Night Hawk soon after and found it just as easy to roll as the ww boat. I had no trouble getting on the back of the boat when doing a paddlefloat self rescue.


  • The only maintenance I’ve done is to hose it down throroughly after each use, and it stays good as new.



    Lou
#22

Nighthawk foot-braces
Lou:



I purchased my Nighthawk in September of 2003 and was surprised by the new style footpegs. I hadn’t seen them, but was built on order, and I couldn’t be happier with this change. I love those footbraces!



Glad to hear you found the Nighthawk as easy as a whitewater boat to roll. I’m going to start out rolling lessons with my Nighthawk and bypass the whitewater boat altogether.



I saw a guy trying out demo boats at the Port Townsend Kayak Symposium last year. He got into a Nighthawk, paddled it out and rolled it as easy as scratching an itch! It was so cool to see!



Thistleback

#23

Check out the seatback "live"
I rented one and liked the kayak overall, but that infernal tall “backband” dug into my spine painfully. Try the boat out. If you like the rest of it but hate the seatback it’d be worth finding out what it takes to replace it with something more useful.

#24

Pikabike: What height level for seat?
Pikabike:



Do you remember which level the seat back was installed to? There are three height adjustments, but they are not “on-the-fly” adjustable. They require the removal and reinsertion of a slot-head bolt in one of three holes.



When I first got my Nighthawk, I needed the highest setting - I had a weak back. Now I have mine set at the very lowest.



When it is at it’s highest position, the top of the seat rest extends about an inch above the rear of the coaming. Looks funny poking up from under the sprayskirt. But adjusted down, I find, suit me very well - but it is not as low profile as the true backband style.



Thistleback

#25

Can’t remember the height
I think it was already at the lowest setting. But I am short and used to paddling with a very narrow, low WW backband (made by Snapdragon).