Overview:

The Stellar Intrepid 18 (SI18) Sea Kayak, a very capable and more traditional hull design. Hard chines, a defined keel and a retractable skeg provide excellent handling in the Rock-Gardens or longer adventures…” Stellar Kayaks

Stellar Intrepid 18 (SI18) Sea Kayak (Image Courtesy of Stellar Kayaks)

The Deets:

Material: Four composite layups available (Sport, Advantage, Excel, Ultra)

Class: Touring

Length: 18’

Width: 21.3’’

Deck Height: 13.4”

Cockpit Size: 17.3” x 32”

Capacity: up to 330lbs

Weight: 52.9lbs (Sport), 45.2lbs (Advantage), 40.8lbs (Excel), 40.8 lbs (Ultra)

Hatches/Bulkheads: Bow, Stern, Day, Deck Pod

Rudder/Skeg: Skeg

MSRP: $2500 (Sport), $2995 (Advantage), $3775 (Excel), $5115 (Ultra)

The Review

The Intrepid 18 (SI18) by Stellar Kayaks represents their first take on a British-style sea kayak. At first glance, this ultra-light, full-length sea kayak sticks out like a sore thumb in the Stellar line-up that is known for its racer-inspired designs. You’re not seeing things! This is exactly what it looks like; an 18-foot long sea kayak that is designed to handle bigger conditions while retaining the speed and efficiency that Stellar kayaks are known for. There is a lot about the Intrepid to be excited about but the three things that impressed me most were its maneuverability, weight and outfitting.

Paddlers typically look to long boats for their straight-line tracking and speed. Almost every long boat (18+ feet) that I have ever paddled has tracked as if it were on rails. This is great if you’re trying to cover some distance or hold course on open water. However, at some point you’ll have to come back to shore and maneuverability with these long boats is almost always something to be desired in these near-coastal situations. This is not the case with the Intrepid 18. It benefits from moderate rocker and very solid secondary stability which help to make it quite limber for an 18-footer. Of course, increased maneuverability comes as a trade-off for decreased tracking. I’ve found that the Intrepid 18 weathercocks quite a bit. This behavior is easily corrected for with the smooth-operating drop skeg. When deployed, the skeg puts the Intrepid back on rails without creating noticeable drag or otherwise impacting speed and efficacy!

There is the undeniable trend in paddle sport in which the consumer has shifted their attention toward lighter kayaks. The reason for this is because folks don’t want to deal with lugging a heavy kayak on and off their car and to and from the launch. To achieve this dream, they are often willing to sacrifice the idea of a full-length sea kayak for something shorter to fit the “light weight” bill. I’ve even followed suit by complementing my 60lb, 16.5ft P&H Capella with a 32lb, 12ft Current Designs Vision 120SP and I haven’t regretted it. However, the thing about the Intrepid 18 is that it breaks the “long boats are inherently heavy” rule. Here we have an 18-foot-long kayak that weighs only 45lbs in the “advantage” layup (best bang for your buck)! 45lbs!…18ft!…WOW!!! Yes, you can get other lightweight sea kayaks (the Wilderness Systems Arctic Hawk come to mind) but not for $2995. Maybe we don’t have to sacrifice length for weight savings after all…

I also continue to be impressed with the complete and thoughtful outfitting that Stellar puts into their kayaks! The Intrepid is literally decked out with everything that a paddler could ask for. I found the cockpit area to be both accommodating and comfortable with well-placed thigh braces, foot braces that are easily adjustable from the cockpit, and sufficient depth for those of us with tight hamstrings and/or oversized (up to Size M-13) feet. You’ll notice that Stellar retained their noted paddle cut-outs on the side of the cockpit to prevent the paddler from knocking their knuckles and foster a more efficient, high-angle forward stroke. This feature is common amongst racing kayaks and in the rest of the Stellar line. I think that it probably under appreciated by the general paddling public but really like the cutouts and I’m glad that they were retained in this sea kayak!

The Intrepid comes with a full assortment of hatches (fore, aft, and day) with plenty of storage room for a 3-5 day trip. It also has one of the most thoughtfully-designed deck pods that I’ve come across. The deck pod is easy to reach from the cockpit, doesn’t take up much space under the deck, and has enough room to hold a few small essentials at arm’s length. The best part is that you can actually reach your hand all the way to the back of the deck pod so that your things don’t get lost in the nether-reaches! My one knock on the outfitting has to do with placement of the compass recess. Shorter paddlers will notice that the bottom half of the compass is hidden from view by the front hatch cover. Taller paddlers may not have this issue but it would be nice to see the recess either lifted up an inch or moved six inches toward the bow.

Overall, I found the Stellar Intrepid 18 to be very interesting in terms of its handling, weight, and outfitting. It’s quite nimble on edge for an 18-foot-long kayak without sacrificing too much in terms of straight-line tracking thanks to a well-placed, smooth-operating drop skeg. The fact that the Intrepid weighs in at only 45lbs (for only $2995)  The Intrepid 18 would be a great choice for the mid-sized paddler who is interested in a light-weight kayak capable of handling everything from near-coastal to open conditions with grace, speed, and efficiency! Also, a little bird told me that we can expect to see two more sizes of the Intrepid 18 (MV and LV) within the next year or two…

-Kayak Dave

Pros: Fast, Maneuverable, Lightweight, Superb outfitting, Smooth-operating skeg, Great price point

Cons: Some may complain about weather cocking. Poor compass mount placement

Demo Notes: The Intrepid 18 was demoed on an inland lake with light winds and small waves.

KayakDave.com Rating:

Overview:

“Lincoln’s newest kayak symbolizes the beauty and exhilaration that comes from exploring our local waterways. Inspired through 25 years of paddling Maine’s unforgettable coastline, its precise and graceful lines are truly functional for everyday paddling. From open and exposed bays to calm and protected harbors, the Seguin is designed to be playful in nature without compromise to efficiency and handling in all conditions.” – Lincoln Canoe and Kayak

Image Courtesy of Lincoln Canoe & Kayak

The Deets:

Material: Kevlar/Fiberglass or Kevlar

Class: Touring

Length: 15’6”

Width: 22.5’’

Deck Height: 12”

Cockpit Size: 16” x 30.5”

Ideal Load: 110lbs to 170lbs

Weight: 42lbs (fiberglass/Kevlar), 38lbs (Kevlar)

Rudder/Skeg: Skeg

MSRP: $2999.00 (Fiberglass/Kevlar), $3399.00 (Kevlar)

The Review

The Seguin by Lincoln Canoe and Kayak is the newest model in a wonderful line of handcrafted kayaks designed and built in the great state of Maine. This wonderful kayak was born on a base of both art and science thanks to a collaborative effort between Lincoln Canoe and Kayak and The Landing School, one of Maine’s preeminent marine industry programs. Up until now, Lincoln had always designed their kayaks the old fashion way; with the grace and style that can only be achieved BY HAND. This time Lincoln’s master minds were looking for something different and they turned to the computer-aided design experts at the Landing School to produce a kayak that would literally break their mold and usher in a new age. The result is the Seguin; a dream of a touring kayak that is well suited for those of us with a broad paddling horizon!

One look at the Seguin is all that you’ll need to appreciate that it’s a sharp divergence from the classic Lincoln style. First, they traded in the notoriously voluptuous lines seen in the Quoddy Lite, Chebeague, and Isle Au Haut for a sleeker, more Greenland-esque look. Above the waterline one will notice a flatter, low-profile deck that allows for less windage on open waters and greater ease of re-entry. Below the waterline is an impressive hull that offers an excellent balance of stability and maneuverability thanks to it shallow-V shape and moderate rocker, respectively. Second, they traded in their open cockpit layout for a key-hole design with integrated thigh braces that makes you feel more connected to the kayak. Finally, they added in a cable-operated drop skeg (gasp!) as a tracking aid (more on this below).

I’ve had the pleasure of paddling the Seguin in a variety of conditions our lake and I was very pleased with how it performed! I’m especially impressed with how well the Seguin tracks despite its mere 15’8” length and “playful” hull shape. The first time that I paddled the Seguin was on a flat calm day and I was concerned that the excellent tracking that I experienced was too good to be true. So I purposefully waited for a stiff SW wind to churn up the lake and provide the Sequin with a real test. It didn’t seem to matter which way I traveled to the wind (up, down, cross, quarter) in these choppy waters; the Sequin always stayed on course without much corrective effort!

The stability profile of the Seguin is also something to marvel at. It displays confidence-inducing primary stability suitable for beginners with a smooth transition to excellent secondary stability. The solid secondary stability coupled with moderate rocker makes the Seguin quite playful on edge. This complements its straight-forward tracking quite nicely to provide a versatile kayak capable of both near-coastal play and longer trips that may require open crossings. The best part is that you get all of this versatility in a light-weight package (only 42lbs in glass, 38lbs in Kevlar) so that you can get down to the launch without breaking your back!

I was most impressed with the cockpit outfitting of the Sequin. My small frame has always left me feeling a bit lost in the more voluminous cockpits found in the classic Lincoln kayaks such as the Quoddy Lite. It just never felt like I had the connection with the kayak that I was looking for. The key-hole cockpit set-up in the Seguin was a great design decision. The integrated thigh braces are placed perfectly to make you feel one with this kayak! I really appreciate the 12inch depth of the cockpit as it balances the idea of a low profile deck while remaining accommodating. There is enough room in there for a size 12 shoe and the deck is still high enough to provide a comfortable seating position without forcing your knees down too low. I found the seat to be simple yet comfortable and the wide back-band to be quite supportive. The Seguin is rounded off with a lot of other great outfitting features including a day hatch, fore and aft deck bungees, and full-perimeter deck lines. I’m also glad to see that the designers resisted the temptation to add a deck pod to the Seguin because I feel as though it would have taken away from the great feel of the cockpit in this particular kayak.

There was only one thing that I wasn’t completely impressed with in the Seguin and that was the cable-operated drop skeg. The Seguin seemed to track well enough even in choppy, quartering seas to leave me wondering if the skeg is even necessary at all. A lot of folks like to have the option of a skeg but this may be an instance where removing it would save additional weight and rear hatch space without sacrificing performance. My opinion regarding the skeg was confounded by the fact that the skeg in the Seguin that demoed was hard to deploy and jammed frequently. This type of issue is common to cable-operated skeg especially if the cable is not sufficiently supported throughout its length such that it’s allowed to kink when in compression which happens during deployment. I’ve brought this issue up to the folks at Lincoln and they have assured me that it is a boat specific issue and is not reflected across the Seguin model.

Overall, I’m thoroughly impressed with the performance and feel of the Seguin! Yes, it’s a stark contrast to the classic Lincoln kayaks but I feel as though the designers really hit this nail on the head. The performance of the Seguin is exceptional with a balance of solid tracking (without using the skeg) and playfulness on edge. I was especially fond of the key-hold cockpit and the connected feeling that it creates between paddler and the Seguin. This is something that I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of in future Lincoln kayak models!

Pros: Excellent cockpit fit. Great balance of stability and handling.

Cons: Cable Skeg

Demo Notes: The Seguin was test paddled on an inland lake with 1ft waves and 10-15mph winds.

KayakDave.com Rating:

The Deets

Material: Polyethylene (as tested)

Style: Touring/Sea Kayak

Length: 15’6”

Width: 22.25”

Weight: 54 lbs

Cockpit Size: 32.25 x 16 inches

Ideal Paddler Weight: 160-220lbs

Rudder/Skeg: Rudder only

Hull Type: Shallow “V”

MSRP: $1,599 USD

Manufacturer’s comments

“At fifteen and a half feet, the Elias is extremely efficient for a kayak its size. Its relatively modest waterline translates into less effort for the paddler at normal cruising speeds, making the Elias significantly more efficient for everyday touring than other kayaks in its class.”

-Necky Kayaks

Intro

The Necky Elias is one of Necky’s newest releases for the 2013 paddling season. Designed and introduced as the “his” version of the popular women’s specific Necky Eliza, the new Elias is designed with a higher volume hull configuration to suit a wider range of paddlers. I had the opportunity to take a poly-version of the Necky Elias for a test drive at this year’s EORA conference in Killington, VT.

At First Glance

The Elias is available in three available layup options: Composite fiberglass, Composite Carbon, and RM Polyethylene.  Like the Eliza, the Polymer version is available with a rudder only option while the composite versions are outfitted with a retractable drop skeg. In addition, the Elias comes nicely outfitted with spacious bow and stern hatches and bulkhead compartments, reflective perimeter deck lines, and a comfortable touring-style cockpit configuration designed for a secure fit. Since the Elias Polymer is constructed of a single-layer polyethylene, the design team at Necky was able to keep the weight down to 54lbs without compromising stiffness.

Performance

During my test paddle, I was pleasantly welcomed by a very comfortable and easily adjusted seat and cockpit. Necky’s Comfort Fit™ seat and though braces have been a staple in their touring kayaks which I personally find to be comfortable and low maintenance. The foot pedals are adjusted via straps which are connected to operate the rudder system.

The stability profile on the Elias is similar in performance to the Eliza. The primary stability is a little bit tender and may feel tippy at first but the Elias’ hull transitions nicely to a rock-solid secondary stability. The stability combination provides a playful hull which allows for quick lean turns and confident edging. Although the Necky Elias is over 15 feet long, its overall waterline is coupled with moderate rocker which keeps the craft responsive.

Because of the Elias’ moderate rocker and playful hull design, I found its overall tracking to suffer when the rudder was not deployed. With the rudder deployed, the Elias performed well in terms of cruising speed and overall efficiency. I personally found that the Elias would mesh well with a drop skeg configuration, but the polymer version is only available in a rudder version.

The Elias has very attractive lines and reflects many design features currently seen in the Necky lineup. In terms of volume, the Elias has a very interesting profile with high volume in the bow and stern with lower volume in the cockpit area. This combination would set the Elias up as a great day or weekend tripper with hefty cargo loading capability.

An ideal paddler weight for the Elias would fall in the 165lb to 220lb range. Since its older sister, the Eliza, was designed with women paddlers in mind, Necky constructed a kayak tuned for smaller framed paddlers. Taking a similar design approach with the Elias, Necky built a playful and agile kayak with medium-to-larger framed paddlers in mind.

Overview

Overall, the Necky Elias proved to be an impressive touring kayak. At fifteen and a half feet, the Elias is only a couple inches longer than the women-specific Eliza but adds noticeably more volume. Moderate rocker allows the Elias to playfully respond to lean turns and edging. This playfulness does compromise the Elias’ natural tracking ability but can be corrected by deploying its foot controlled rudder. The Elias would make a great companion during a day or weekend trip, exploring coastal environments, or just playing around in surf.

^† Notes on paddler size/weight

Necky has designed two great niche kayaks, the Eliza for smaller framed paddlers (LV) and the Elias for medium-larger framed paddlers (HV). So where does that leave paddlers who are in between (MV)?

The Eliza fits paddlers in the 90-130lb range, the Elias fits paddlers in the 165-220lb range – kayakers (such as myself) in the 130-170lb range really don’t fall on either side of the spectrum. If a paddler seeking a kayak in the Necky family but tends not to fit in either the Eliza or Elias category, the slightly longer Necky Chatham 16 might provide the appropriate fit.

Happy paddling!

-Alex