perhaps reconsider your remarks
I'd never make the comment "so you can waste people's time" as a means to invite people to your free event to anyone in a public forum full of potential customers. I find it difficult to believe you didn't know that this is a common practice at demo events. If you don't like it - don't have a demo event.
You guys have a very good reputation but that was a really bad look.
What braces?
There were no thigh braces that I could find in that boat. I recall the dealer stating that Valley provides foam so the padding can be added after purchase.
I just plan on taking a supply of pool noodles and foam sheets in case I need to Rube Goldberg something for the Sirona - and a retry of the Avocet LV. Maybe a roll of duct tape as well, if they’ll let me use it.
Not sure what you mean about the length issue being huge, Celia.
Braces
Granted there is nothing so aggressive as the thigh braces in the NDK Romany, but I definitely found a place for my thighs to find a padded spot under the coaming for edging. That boat may have been set up better with minicell by the dealer than when they first come out of the plastic. I spent a full day paddling it but it was a while ago now.
Thigh length matters to be able to get a spot under the coaming for thigh contact without having to do froggy legs. The Avocet LV has quite a narrow cockpit in width, so as it starts to round going forward, a long enough thigh will find a spot under the coaming.
That said, I am a bit taller than you and know very thin women two inches taller than me who feel their fit is good. Hence my thought about the thigh length.
15.10 is it as small as Avocet LV?
Is the 15.10 as small as the Avocet LV? Have any petite paddlers tried both models? I see Valley’s Facebook page shows the suggested weight for the 15.10 at 88-154lbs. I have been waiting to hear some comments on this boat now that I hear they are going to offer a RM version. Shame about the 12" deck height if that’s accurate.
https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/r90/11236172_970843596306808_72331477777089366_o.jpg
humm
According to that chart the sirona 16-1 RM will be 20.75 inch wide which is narrower than my Avocet RM which is 22.
Who does valleys website, a 5th grader? Most of the links for the kayaks go to blank pages with just the name of the kayak at the top. I use there contact form to let them know but that doesn’t work of course, lol.
http://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/r90/11236172_970843596306808_72331477777089366_o.jpg
Valley’s web site
Is an ongoing saga. Several years ago they were paying an outfit who designed it and did the maintenance. The currency suffered at least partly because the Valley folks who did boat updates and changes never got the hang of a good working relationship with the outfit that was supposed to be maintaining the site. Having been on the web site end of things myself, I suspect the issue laid much in the transmission and confirmation of a “done” state on what was transmitted to the outfit trying to do the maintenance.
Then Peter Orton decided to take it over himself. As can be expected, trying to create and a new web site and maintain it is not easy when you are also trying to run the company. That produced some initially better information but things fell out of date again.
I am out of date by a few years on what their current scheme is, but the track record of Valley is that they do a better job of making boats than assuring a current and responsive web site. These kayak makers are still small companies by most corporate standards.
Redesigned website,
supposedly started in October 2015 per Valley on FB, but clearly unfinished. Last comment on their FB page was December 2015.
The Kayak Centre of RI website lists the Sirona LV as:
“Length: 15’10” Width: 20.75" Depth: 12" Weight: 45 lbs. Recommended Paddler Weight: 143-220 lbs."
Valley states the Sirona LV length is 15’.11" and recommended paddler weight is 88-154 lbs.
My Samba cockpit is 31.5 x 16.5. Sirona LV cockpit is larger at 31.5 x 18.25.
Cockpit
Cockpit size doesn't worry me much other than deck height. One of the boats my wife fit best had the largest cockpit opening. I'm more concerned with hull volume and water line. I'm hoping it's similar to the Avocet LV or even better the Pilgrim. Mainly I'm hoping it's a fair bit smaller than the Scorpio LV that I'd like it to replace.
And yes Valley's website is terrible. Don't they realize how much business they are losing because of this? It would sure be nice if all manufacturers would post waterline pictures along with their suggested paddler weights so you can get an idea if it's a good fit or not.
