bruce it is you LOL
My boat prior to the Aquanaut was an Elaho DS. So, most boats I demoed felt kind of leaden in the water, including the Explorer. The nearly constant motion of the Aquanaut hull felt the way a boat should feel to me.
The feel of the 'naut was so natural to me that I kept on recommending the boat to paddlers looking for a new boat. It was the feedback from those folk that formed the basis of my comment about novices preferring Explorers and at times made uneasy with the personality of the Aquanaut.
Tom Bergh referred to the Aquanaut as a ‘more demanding boat’ than an Explorer. I can’t argue with that characterization. An Explorer is easier to turn, roll, balance brace, etc…
Persoanlly I still prefer an Aquanaut to an Explorer, but now recommend an Explorer to more paddlers.
Thanks Wilsoj2- although I haven’t
indicated it before, your enthusiasm for the Naut and Chuck_IL’s laudatory comments about Valley boats, in part caused me to take a hard look at the Naut prior to purchase. Thanks for your many comments about it over the past couple of years.
See what this website does- you don’t even know me yet you have influenced my purchasing decisions. Isn’t technology great.
Welcome to the AquaCult 
Bruce,
The expected long boat among folk with whom I paddle is an Explorer - not that there is anything wrong with it. Part of my evangelizing for the Aquanaut is to get paddlers to think and stretch a bit.
And who knows, maybe Peter Orton will offer me a new Vally boat when enough people I have helped influence buy Aquanauts - My rough count is 6 LOL
The place that the Aquanaut really shines is in challenging seas. That is when the boat is confidence inspiring. No one I’ve spoken to who has been in conditions with a 'naut has not been very impressed the boat.
'naut twitchier than Explorer?
I’m hoping that’s not the case. Is the regular and LV 'naut the same hull, just lower deck on the LV?
I’m a relatively new paddler, and long torso. I tried to like the Explorer, but on two demo paddles, it’s just too twitchy. It wants to lay on one side or the other.
A local sales rep told me that the explorer is paddled more efficiently on edge, and that the 'naut has more primary stability, more similar to the Tempest. I hope he’s right. I haven’t tried the 'naut yet. I’d be trying the regular, not LV.
Paul S.
Explorer V’s Aquanaut Stability
I think “horses for courses” is the apt phrase, closely followed by all things are relative. I think the biggest mistake anyone can make is jumping to conclusions about a kayak before they have given themselves time to be accustomed to it’s individual quirks (takes a little more than your average half-hour demo) Given a few hours experience I believe most paddlers would be comfortable with the stability properties of both Explorer and Aquanaut. Although obviously biased and accepting the Explorer’s rock solid primary I believe the Aquanaut’s stability profile does inspire a little more confidence because the stability profile (to most people) is a little more progressive i.e. Slightly less initial, slightly more secondary.
One final observation, with equal loadings the LV will feel more stable than the standard Aquanaut because more of its hull will be in the water.
Really we are splitting hairs. Both have good levels of stability relative to the level of performance they offer.
Spot on Peter!
"Although obviously biased and accepting the Explorer’s rock solid primary I believe the Aquanaut’s stability profile does inspire a little more confidence because the stability profile (to most people) is a little more progressive i.e. Slightly less initial, slightly more secondary."
The most apt description I've yet read. The slightly lower primary and slightly higher secondary of an Aquanaut was borne out in the Sea Kayaker tests of each.
I agree that the Naut is outstanding
in challenging seas although I have only been in 3-4' waves (which is challenging for me). In those conditions, the boat has great stability and tracks wonderfully.
The Naut is also, IMO, a great flat water boat because of maneuverability and speed.
I guess you're correct Wilsoj2, I've joined the cult.
AquaMan- try it- I do not find the Naut (at least the plastic LV) twitchy at all.
you just need more seat time…
The Explorer is probably one the most stable sea kayaks currently out there which is why it is so popular. I haven’t found that it wanted to lay on a particular side although I’m probably much lighter than you. On the other hand the Nigel Foster boats are the ones that really like to lie on their sides which makes those boats both fun and challenging. From my little experience in the Aquanaut, it is probably slightly less stable initially than the Explorer. If there isn’t a huge rush, I’d say spend a little more time with your Tempest and sooner than you think, both the Explorer and Aquanaut will be “easy”.
For full disclosure, I am naturally biased towards Valley (although I don’t currently own one right now) versus NDK. I find Valley boats more exciting and NDK boats a bit… vanilla. (worth noting that vanilla is still the most popular of all ice cream flavors) I love the Anas Acuta, Pintail, Avocet, Skerray, and most recently I have a bit of crush on the Nordkaap LV. I’m looking forward to trying out the Nordkaap RM at some point as well since I can’t justify the LV with my Silhouette sitting happily in my tiny garage. 
how about compared to T170?
Thanks Peter. Would you say the Tempest has considerably more primary stability than either the Aquanaut or Explorer?
edit: Let me ask this another way. How would you compare the stability profile of the Tempest 170 to that of the Aquanaut regular?
Paul S.
Sometimes twitchy is GOOD…
If it is twitchy at first it will give you something to grow in to. I am bored with my stable boats, great for fishing but not a lot of fun.
One of the reasons I ordered a Nordkapp LV for a fun day boat was because most reviewers called it “twitchy” to “twitchy as a squirrel on steroids”.
However when I demo’d it on flat water I didn’t find it twitchy at all… I hope that changes in the bumps.
I found the Nordkapp LV and the RM…
to be very close. The RM was just a smidge more cockpit volume for my legs. I felt the turni-ness was good and if I were in the market for a sea boat would put that on the list.
Regarding the stability of the Aq vs the Ex, I couldn’t tell them apart. Honestly, do a Pepsi vs Coke blind fold test, if you can tell after that I would be impressed. Relying on someone elses published comments, in my opinion, is folly. Just adding a different body type changes everything.
Augustus Dogmaticus
MMVI
twitchy as a squirrel on steroids?
Lol, I like that! I am jealous that you’re gettin an LV though. You’re right that it definitely isn’t twitchy. Compared to the Silhouette (which I freely admit is a bit twitchy), it’s rock solid.
I’m also of the opinion that stable boats are boring. Of course if I was circumnavigating a country and was being assaulted by confused seas for days on end, I probably would welcome the comfort of a “boring” kayak too.
Kayaks for Courses
"I’m also of the opinion that stable boats are boring. Of course if I was circumnavigating a country and was being assaulted by confused seas for days on end, I probably would welcome the comfort of a “boring” kayak too."
Which is the essence of “horses for courses” I guess and applies to kayaks big time with regard to the use made of them and the match to the people who paddle them.
I find the Force 4 to be an absolutely delightful/wonderful boat and I also find the Anas Acuta to be an absolutely delightful/wonderful boat. Yet they are absolutely delightful/wonderful in very different ways and the experience of paddling them in the same conditions is not even remotely similar. Well, maybe they both slap down on some waves, but basically opposite ends of the spectrum.
a Nordkapp LV for a fun day boat
I’d like one as well!
I didn’t find the 'kapp LV twitchy on flat water - the only place I’ve gotten to paddle one. Unladen it felt less tender than a Nordkapp H2O and maybe a bit more tender than my Aquanaut. It feels to have more rocker than either of these other Valley boats, along with lower volume, it is much more playful.
In edging and balance bracing the Nordkapp LV felt less reassuring than an Aquanaut. Like other 'kapps I’ve been in the secondary disappears suddenly. It rolls even easier and faster than the 'naut.
Tempest
sorry although i have paddled the Tempest i wasn’t in a position to try it back to back with anything i could compare it with and was only in it for a very short length of time.
aamapes has both
Alan, who posts here as aamapes, has both a Tempest 170 and an Aquanaut. If he doesn’t weigh in, you might consider emailing him on how these two boats compare.
Prijon Barracuda versus Valley Avocet
Interesting reads, above. I agree with posters from grayhawk and schizopak onward, that a challenging boat is in fact most rewarding. I had obvious trouble with my tri-hulled German 21 inch rockerless Barracuda for the first, oh, I'd say 12 months. :0 But after plenty of seat time and some fairly challenging swims, just like 'pak and others espoused on Pnet, I am completely fine with it now. And now that I am delighted with this red plastic boat, I see best it's virtues and vices. It's primary vice remains, even to this now more experienced paddler, its skittish tendencies in chop. It's flat arrow-like design just ain't made for soup.
Enter the Avocet--which I think by definition is 'low voilume", no?, and I was heavily influenced by Charles_IL, who fancies his playboat Avocet, and by bruce, who demonstrated the high quality of Valley boats during our together paddles. Avocet RM is playful (man, that word comes up every time I hear about an Avocet), and indeed it is just that--low to the water (wear that sprayskirt when edging, that is a fact), more rocker than a retired curmudgeon, and better plastic than Pam Anderson's... er...sponsons. These Valley boats are legendary, esp the Nordkapp, and I can now see why. Love the 16 plus foot Avocet at 55 lbs as a nice foil to my Barracuda water dart. They make a sweet pair... like my fun pitching wedge (a little less power, but plenty of finesse and curves) meets my hard core driver (straight, long and crushing).
Original poster, consider the Valley.
Poly 'naut LV is beamier
Scanning back through this thread I realized that sometimes without note we have been unclear to which Aquanaut we are referring.
I believe that the poly Aquanaut LV is the widest in ratio to its length of any of the 'nauts. Though I hear it is a fine boat, it may feel somewhat different than the composite Aquanauts.
Playful Avocet
Isn’t that the truth? She doesn’t seem truly happy on flat water, but when she gets some waves under her keel she perks up and starts encouraging you to try more fun goofy stuff.
are you serious-
really?