ZEPHYR155

wow, what an awesome kayak. had my second trip in it today, no wind,no waves but a nice tecnique /roll session…

its so nice.Ultra responsive and manuvrable…a marvelous design…

cant wait to get this one out in some conditions…

Indeed!

I Rented One and Took it to…
“conditions”. It is THE most shin-friendly sea kayak I ever paddled. I would recommend it as a beginner boat due to the stability. The thing loves to sit up on edge.



I couldn’t make it do things much better than my Tempest 165 so I didn’t buy one.

tempest /zephyr
well im have all three. T170 T165 z155.

its VERY different…its ultra nimble, more that an avocet i think…subjective? they are all very different, yet they “taste” somewhat the same…the tempests are tougher…i feel…this is sweeter…

like a fender strat, P bass J bass …etc.

“bombs away…i guess im back in love again…”

Avocet LV

– Last Updated: Jul-23-10 8:33 PM EST –

I was lucky enough to swap boats for awhile and paddle the Avocet LV. Loved the way it turned and rolled. Very, very different feel than the Zephyr. The Zephyr has lots of secondary stability and the Avocet requires more caution. Zephyr - much more beginner friendly. Avocet LV - requires a little more uhhh... finesse.

avocet zephyr

– Last Updated: Jul-24-10 7:55 AM EST –

i paddled a avocet in quite rough conditions a few weeks ago..they are very different yet quite alike.
both are easy boats for both beginners and experts. the avocet has fish form. the zephyr has sweede form..
i prefer the zephyr, but again its subjective...as most things. i feel the zephyr is a very sophisticated design..more than many might realise. its only one cm wider than the avocet. the huge cockpit opening and low backdeck makes it a dreamroller, since you can move so much in the cockpit. i could sleep on the backdeck. steering from the bow, as steve S talks about is really working well. i use a 240 greenland paddle that adds to this. i very interesting boat ..
by the way i ordered a pintail yesterday hehe. yellow /white fiberglass/keelstrip..might get it before cristmas....and yes i forgot..i paddled the plastic avocet..ive been thinking about the LV too..it has to be a wonderful kayak...but now i have the Z155 and just ordered a PINTAIL ...thats my valley boat...i like the harder edges of the tempestes and as a expedition boat ill get a new tempest170 glass or roto , not sure which yet...
perhaps steve can say something about life length og a quite misused plastic temepsest hull...
plastic is extremely practical for my kind of paddling..but the compocites looked fantastic..might go for that.

YES to the AvocetLV
You’re right on the money about the AvocetLV.



Not only does it roll and turn easily, it’s also great in rocks. I’m a big rock garden fan and I found that I could slip through an opening by just edging.



On their website Valley says that the AvocetLV is a boat for an intermediate paddler and they’re right. While I’ve never found it to be particularly “tippy”, it can be tender. However, this probably contributes to its liveliness.



I thought nothing could replace my RomanyLV but the AvocetLV, while different, was definitely a wise buy for me.

Plastic?
Is your Z poly or glass? There was one in the shop when I was testing kayaks but it sold before I got a chance to test it! I was a bit concerned because the hull showed some deformation just from sitting on the rack in the shop. I spend a lot of time in hot weather so I wasn’t sure how it would fare. If you have plastic, does it seem stiff enough to you.



From everything I hear, Steve deserves a lot of credit for updating a design into a great kayak. But so is my Tempest 165 and I’m glad I went for something quite different in a poly Nordkapp.

zephyr

– Last Updated: Jul-25-10 5:00 AM EST –

i think the T and Z are the nicest plasic kayaks ive seen or tried. the old plastic 170might be a bit deformed under the seat, but i actually like the fact that it flex slightly,the greenlanders have had flexible boats for thousandds of years..it aslo seems to fix itself once in the water.hehe.and the zephyr is very light..the deck on the tempsests is rock solid hard as bone..
all of them moves extremely nice in the waves.tempest with its dancing motion due to the shallow V.boxy area around the cockpit its great when a breaker comes unnoticed from the side, i paddled the T170 in VERY rough conditions recently
current 30+kn winds oceanswell wind waves at 90 degrees underwater rocks reflections pyramids etc
im very glad i took the big t on this trip.hehe

the T170 T165 and z166 are all yellow plastic. this because i like to land on rocks and often have to get out of the kayaks fast and just drag them up..my Z155 was slightly deformed from the shop, but seems fine now. i havnt had any serious trouble with mine, but again i live i southern norway. im very pleased with the quality. they look great too in the plastic verison. i might buy a composite tempest 170 for long trips. but again. i like to camp on rough places, and having to worry to much about damaging the boat, can be a hindrance possibly dangerous..i havnt tried the Z155 in other than calm weather.
id say thet the avocet, zephyr , and tempests are kayaks that is very nice for beginners,and no limits upwards. in really rough conditions storms etc its no other boat than a tempest id be in. the T165 is terrific in high wind and rough seas..the low narrow rear seems to act as a keel inside breaking following seas..and its very well balanced in wind..