i’ve read the few reviews on line, but they are all from people who have demo’d them with the exception of Bryan. is there anyone out there who owns and has lived with one of these critters for a while? time to sell a fragile glass boat in favour of a plastic one that can take a hard life on the rocks without need of constant repair…
p-net search
Search for Zephyr and you will get a multitutde of responses.
a reliable quote says me:
horse mouth
Posted by: flatpick on Aug-23-07 1:21 PM (EST)
sorry I’ve been out in the San juan’s for a week.
Zephyr- new WS boat taken from the ol’ Meridian lines. tweaked a bunch but still similar. LOVES rough stuff, very loose and playful. NOT based on the Tempest but related. Composite and roto. 15.5 X 22 (soon) and 16X23 (done) should hit streets mid-winter. will have 16 at West Coast sympo. This is a FUN boat.
Essense- new PER boat. very friendly. Fast, GREAT tracking and big load capacity. (what I just took to SJ) skeg standard and rudder option. NEW, GREATLY improved airelite and roto. 16.5 X 22 (soon) and 17X23 (done)Will have 17 at WCSKS. This is a GREAT all-round boat.
If we looked at all 3 (Tempest/Essense/Zephyr) the Tempest is in the middle, the Zephyr a playboat and the Essense a fast tracker.
a relaxed steve
ols stuff
– Last Updated: Nov-27-08 10:20 AM EST –
that was. suppose to be OLD stuff!(can't edit title)
Just go buy one and YOU can be the one who can make comments!
:-)
The boats a sweetie, more secondary than many, it feels real solid on edge. it's highly rockered, with only a few with more (Pintail, AA, Q-boat) so it's maneuverable beyond belief. Typical wildy skeg, outfitting, etc.
steve
Also looking for input
I am looking at this boat for my daily boat and for surfing. I think the 16 would be the best for my weight and size. Funny I was thinking of posting this same question last night, but got side tracked. I like the price and the idea of a plastic boat I can ride harder then my Valley Aquanaut. Any other comments would be appreciated by those who paddle this boat. Would be interested in hearing about how it handles waves and surf
purchased zephyr 16.0 Saturday
I bought the Zephyr 16.0 last Saturday. I had taken my second kayak class in it that day. I had rented it two weeks prior, for about a 1:30 test paddle. So I have spent about 7 hours in the Zephyr.
I’m aspiring to be a skilled kayaker, but I consider myself a beginner at this point. I have owned a kayak for about 4 years, finally started going more often this year. A used Looksha IV purchased in August got me more interested in developing my skills. That kayak is really the only other decent kayak I have to compare the Zephyr too.
I am 6’ tall with some excess chub at 200 lbs. I have some sciatica and would go nuts after two hours in the Looksha, so I aimed for a boat that fit me first, then had other features I liked. I disliked the moving footpedals in the two ruddered kayaks I have, so fixed pedals interested me.
After the test paddle I knew that the Zephyr would fit me. I could obtain a 5.5 MPH sprint speed, similar to what I could get in the Looksha. My sustainable pace of 3.5 mph was also similar to the Looksha. I could could control the boat as well by leaning and doing a half sweep at the bow in the Zephyr, as I could using the Looksha rudder. It didn’t seem to have any trouble tracking, as I could do a lean to maintain my heading.
So I requested it for the class two weeks later. The instructor had to use his own kayak, since I was using the instructor craft ;). This class was a review of basic skills like primary strokes, t-rescue and paddle float, plus leaning, edging, draw/sculling/ruddering strokes, plus a few combinations.
I really like the firmness of the edge of the Zephyr. It made brace practices fun, and I really had a blast doing low brace turns. It is the first boat I could spin around in place using sweep strokes. It made me confident edging on opposite sides for turning. The outfitting is really great, in that it is easily adjustable, is comfortable, and allowed me to do hip snap/knee drive maneuvers without really thinking of the the fit at all, just sending the body the instructions, and seeing what the result was.
For me, the main reasons I bought it is 1) fit 2) adequate speed, adequate primary stability (so I don’t feel like I give up anything over the advantages of the other kayaks I have) and 3) potential for advancing my learning and skill development.
Also, it is eligible for the holiday rebate from Confluence if you buy before early January.
Dave
what he said!
this is a good review of what she’ll do for ya.
a great boat to grow into, and hard to outgrow.
steve
i need more demo time for sure
i have paddled the 16 on dead calm water for about 20 minutes and really liked it, but i need to get it in moving water and waves before i could make a decision.
Steve, you’ve been to Victoria i’m sure, and you know it’s an incredible paddling environment, so i’m so disappointed that i have to drive all the way to Courtenay to find a Z. our paddling stores here SUCK, there’s no passion for kayaking in the retail environment, no WS dealers. my interest in mountain biking has really sprung, and i’m always impressed with the retail culture around riding, why can’t kayaking be more like this? Steve can you come to Victoria and start an Alder Creek here?
Bikes vs Boats
– Last Updated: Nov-29-08 5:46 AM EST –
I also have paddled the Zephyr on calm water and need to get one out in the wind and waves and see what I can do with it. I also have wondered why more of my biker cohorts haven't gotten enthused about kayaks. I'm slowly learning that they're afraid of kayaks. It ain't manly to admit so they won't say it, but I'm sure several of my bike buddies won't try kayaking because they're afraid. I guess what I'm getting at is that since the kayak culture is so small, then the retail culture will be proportionately small.
yeah
I’ll get right on that!
actually now that I’m done with retail (did a 20 year stint) I am a happy camper. It’s a tough bidness!
sorry Vic is a weird market.
steve
More places to ride bikes in most
neighborhoods. Don’t have to drive as far to “put in” for bikes.
They take up less space in the garage.
No need to dress for immersion.
People can see your form fitting shorts when riding a bike.