well now…
the size difference between the Z’s isn’t as great as it is in the T’s.
That said just1more you’ll be happy in the smaller, 155 and kocho will ONLY fit the 160. my guess.
The boats are slowly making it to dealers and should be available within a couple weeks or a month.
good luck
steve
Ya
I just watched it through to the end and noticed that he hit the pier also.
Flatpick, re: Zephyr fit
Steve, the thigh braces were too close in and putting firm pressure on my inner thigh which was a bit uncomfortable. i have exceptionally long legs so this never surprises me, but i did not spend any time looking at the tuning options on the braces, and seat. you mentioned there is a couple of different settings, but i was with the boat only for a short time. my friend’s shop will get one and we’ll go over it with a fine toothed comb and really sus it out eventually.
Thanks Steve
I am excited to try one in future. Test paddled some other brands last week and nothing feels right or as good to me like my tempest ! good thing as I save money this way 
of course the zephyr just might change that… for a slightly different boat to add to my fleet!
Thanks for the heads-up on the 160
Big feet are really a problem. Even some cars don’t fit me unless I wear “driver’s” shoes or smilar very low heel footwear (normal office shoes are usually too long for some cars). My foot gets stuck b/w the gas and the brake pedal under the dash unless I slide it just so behind some plastic pieces - not a good feeling if you need to make an emergency stop! This was one of the reasons I did not buy a Yaris Hatch as a city car - too constricting foot room and that is a big safety issue.
So, translate this to a kayak and you can see that there are very few choices that are not “huge” otherwise for a regular daily paddle use…
cool
yes the thighs have quite a number of options. not only the longitudal holes but the braces have 2 nuts, one inner and one outer for a good width adj as well. sometimes they don’t poke out the material on the inner most nut and you have to go looking for it. If you take the brace off you’ll see what I mean.
good luck
steve
you’re both welcome!
as stated below the thigh adj could make a difference even in getting your feet to fit!
steve
A few more 1st impressions
– Last Updated: May-19-08 10:14 AM EST –
As I said here:
http://www.paddling.net/message/showThread.html?fid=advice&tid=878601#881159
EDIT: I suppose I can't link to a specific post in a thread - scroll down to "Zephyr & Tempest
Posted by: kocho on May-19-08 7:04 AM (EST)"
Tracking
So, size 15 shoes are tough. Good thing to know. I didn’t notice any tracking issues and haven’t used the skeg yet. The other guy I work with had the kayak out on Sat for a short paddle in 35 to 40 mph wind gusts, sustained 25 to 30 and said it tracked great on all points without a skeg, and with the wind behind, he was able to use his paddle as a sail and steer with his hips.
I suppose it’s all a mater of perspective and skill level.
Good stuff to know.
RE: Tracking
Relatively speaking, it traks less well than the 17 foot tempest or the 14.5 foot Tsunami 145.
And skill may as well be afactor.
I can paddle the Zephyr straight without the skeg no problem. But so can I paddle a WW boat, jsut takes more attention and some wasted energy.
All I’m saying is it does not track as well as less maneuverable boats, unless I’m using the term incorrectly. What I mean is that with each powerful stroke it tends to move left/right somewhat, where the Tempest would do less of it. Is this what you would call “tracking” or am I using the term incorrect?
Agreed. i love this boat.
– Last Updated: May-19-08 3:55 PM EST –
I'm a plastic tempest paddler, and was delighted to see a new wildy boat to demo this w/e at a symposium. Only light wind waves and ripples, and a few boat wakes.
I might have definitely bought boat this boat had it been out last year, when I got my tempest. I demo'd a prototype at a symposium last year, and am glad to see this in production.
I tried out both the 15.5 foot (22.5 inch beam) and 16 foot version (23 inch beam), both in plastic. They fit as well as my tempest 170, though the fit is a little different.
I've never spun a boat around so easily, 180 degree, before with a bow rudder. In other words, the zephyr has amazing maneuverability.
I didn't do miles, so I don't know how this boat would do on a long grind with other paddlers. I had no trouble going straight in it though. Or moving it backwards fast, or going backwards on edge with a reverse bow rudder.
And I have never been so aggressively pulled upright on a roll before by a boat. I have rolled many yaks, and this one just about rolls itself. It wants to roll you upright.
So...my butterfly rolls were effortless in this boat. Static braces I'm sure would be much easier in this boat than my tempest.
Thats because, I think, of secondary stability. My tempest on edge doesn't really have a sticking point. When you edge, you'll edge right on over and flip if you go to far, so its a balance trick.
This boat, you edge, then have to push the edge, and then go past a sticking point to flip the boat. I could still get a 45 degree edge on it with no problem, and hold it in motion.
And of course, the lighter weight and smaller dimensions make this boat an easier boat to carry and hoist up on your car than a plastic tempest.
I am not sure it's cargo capacity. But, I saw that the front and back bulkheads were built in such a way that I would think it would pack almost as much as my tempest.
Flatpick, how do the cargo capacities compare, t170 to zephyr 16?
I bet this would also be a good surf boat, given the maneuverability.
An amazing, amazing boat. Big fun, and a real winner, just like the tempest. Congradulations, wildy.
Now, steve, how about that larger yak prototype I demo'd last year, also a great boat?
Tracking
– Last Updated: May-19-08 7:06 PM EST –
I guess I read your comment "it can't track straight without the skeg deployed at least a little" differently than you had intended. I read it as a very subjective impression of the kayak that differs greatly from my impression. My subjective perspective on the boat is tracks just fine. That's all a mater of perspective.
An objective statement could be the Z doesn't track as well as the T. Anyway, I read your remark wrong. Your clarification makes sense, we agree that the T tracks better.
I think the term for the motion of a kayak going from side to side is "yaw." Here's something from Chris Cunningham from the Sea Kayaker Newsletter 11/8/07, "Kayaks propelled by a paddler yaw in response to the thrust of the paddle on alternating sides. Excessive yaw will slow a boat down, so a kayak that resists yaw effectively is better at converting paddling thrust into forward speed."
That sounds more like what you experienced. I found it to yaw a bit. I'll have to paddle it a bit more, but it seemed to me to yaw less at higher speeds which would make sense.
boat caught my eye
Started a thread about looking for a fast 16’ boat to meeting rec racing class.
I’m looking to move up from a Manitou 13. Great boat!
Looking for something in plastic that is 16’ under and wider than 22" at the 4" water line. Zephyr seems to meet these specs.
With those specs for racing, I also want something that can turn quickly, so I can fit through the narrow channels on a loop I do on the Charles river, where I do most of my paddling.
And finally, want some more space for weekend camping/be able to get out in the ocean a bit more easily with a boat with a skeg.
Zephyr on paper seems to fit my needs. Missing anything?
Excellent!
glad you guys that have tried it like it!!!
It’s doing everything it was spose to do!!!
yes, like I’ve said a boatload of times the Z turns easier than a T. So… the T tracks better than a Z. Tracking being the freedom the boat has to YAW. (Your Angle Widens) One of it’s 6 degrees of freedom. Roll being another, again yes the Z has better holding power in the secondary roll plane. Easier to roll? I don’t think so, in fact that ability to hold the boat on edge strongly is a resistance to roll so…I feel the T rolls better. plus it’s narrower.
The T has way more cargo space. longer, rounder, domed decks, etc. The Z is a playboat.
The fit of the Z is more like a Tsunami with a backstrap. Same cockpit size, thighs and seat position. The T is smaller and more compact fit.
surf performance…d’uh!
wind performance…yeah baby, tho it’s a trade off with the better tracking Tempest. Both can benefit from their skeg in some conditions.
Believe me I’ve has 'em both out in just about every kind of ‘condition’! 
good stuff! thanks for the comments!
steve
the rolling zephyr
i understand what you mean, about the roll. I should clarify that after the hip snap, the boat wants to flip you upright. my t doesn’t do that. so, before the snap, there’s more resistance in the zephyr, i think. after the snap, the boat pulls you upright.
yep!
you got that right.
an oblong hot dog is harder to roll over on the grill than a totally round one but once it goes it flops over!
Everythings a compromise.
I just got done doing 3 boat control presentations using a T-170 pro and I’ll have to admit she is VERY EZ to roll! I did 8-12 rolls at each presentation. It’s also pretty EZ to show off in!!!
steve (BIG head after doing a BIG event!)
whaddya mean?
After a big event? what’s different?
P
nm-hee-hee-nm
Thanks for sharing!
It’s good to read someone else’s review. I put mine down as the first review under the Zephyr in the “Product Reviews” area. I’ve been on paddling.net for a while now, but haven’t seen the forums until now - you might want to cross-post your review into the reviews section so it can help out other paddlers!
tempest vs zephyr
hey there…im a norwegian,musician flycaster . and now obsessed with sea kayaks…etc… i have used a tempest 170 for about 4 years now, i got a nicew little deal with the importer, since im a very wellknown flycaster and i did some writing about the pungos…i first got a cape horn 17 since the plan originally was to use it as a fast craft for longer fishing trips…i soon got obsessed with paddling instead…then i bought the tempest…
im 173 high.i feel one with the tempest , and its great in bigger waves etc…but i do feel the need for a smaller more manuverbal boat… most people here say ROMANY, but i always goes against the stream…
im very happy with the stiffness of the tempest…i also have had a qaanaaq512 a boat nice for cruising in chop and protected water with wind. and “too” easy to roll. i like the tempest more for its soft dancing motions and responsiveness…so for more playing in heavy confused seas, the zephyr 155 might be right…
could the cocpit be to spacy for me…
thanks and congrats to steve S for a great boat…