Kestrel 140SOT

This Product Has Been Discontinued

Kestrel 140SOT Description

The Kestrel 140SOT is a kayak brought to you by Current Designs Kayaks. Read Kestrel 140SOT reviews or submit your own review to share with the paddling community. Check out a few other kayak recommendations below or explore all kayaks to find the perfect one for you!

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Kestrel 140SOT Reviews

Read reviews for the Kestrel 140SOT by Current Designs Kayaks as submitted by your fellow paddlers. All of the reviews are created and written by paddlers like you, so be sure to submit your own review and be part of the community!

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5

Light weight and East to…

Submitted by: Djs_2000 on 7/10/2020
Light weight and East to handle on and off the water. Great dry storage just behind the seat for cameras, food, snorkel gear. I paddle rivers and the ocean in south Florida. It has been great for snorkel trips and exploring. I am about 5’10” and 165 pounds.
5

I was torn between the old…

Submitted by: paddler497203 on 4/1/2019

I was torn between the old and new style 140 SOT I like the tank well on the newer model.The newer model has a lip around the cock pit and when I measured it was about 9" from that lip to where your butt rests on the fiber glass.The older model with no lip had a cockpit depth of 10 3/4 inches.The other problem I see is though the new foot braces are on adjustable tracks, they are mounted far back from the front of the bow thwart. If you are tall the older model probably has more room to brace your feet since the older foot braces go all the way to the bow thwart.

5

I have taken this 14 foot…

Submitted by: wsrsc2003 on 9/8/2015
I have taken this 14 foot Kestrel on many types of water and always had a great time. I have paddled open saltwater bays to distant islands off the coast of SC, NC, and GA without any problems regardless of wind, tides, and current. This kayak glides quickly with little effort and tracks very well. I have also paddled this kayak down and UP many rivers and across lakes on windy days and never had difficulty moving quickly and directly where I wanted to go. My favorite paddle trips in this kayak have been through huge swamps with many submerged stumps, thick masses of lotus and water lilies, and tight grouping of cypress trees. This kayak made these trips easy due to great maneuverability and excellent stability. After well over 100 trips, I have never turned over in this kayak! There is plenty of room to take camping gear. ENJOY WITH CONFIDENCE!
4

I have a mango colored…

Submitted by: paddler235654 on 7/3/2014
I have a mango colored fiberglass SOT. I have owned it for four or five years and used it many times on the Colorado River and it is very nice in the summer because you can get wet easily. However, self rescues are a bit bruising. It is fairly comfortable if you have a nice seat. The two hatches are roomy and watertight, has a small molded cup holder between the legs, good deck-lines, good carry handles forward and aft.

I am 5'2", 130 lbs., and the footholds are molded in and fit me fine but may not so much for a large person. My only complaints are (1) the side handles are very small and rigid and it is almost impossible to carry the kayak solo unless you use a shoulder harness of some kind. Weighs around 40 lbs. (2) Even though it tracks fairly well, a skeg would have been better. Overall, it is a very nice looking stable kayak.

4

I recently found a new, but…

Submitted by: patriot on 6/4/2014
I recently found a new, but damaged, Kestrel SOT 14 composite in the back room of the local outfitter. After some grinding, glassing, and gel coat I took her out for a 8 mile test. Primary stability was better than expected for the high center of gravity, better than the Argosy canoe I normally paddle. It carried speed very well against the current and wind; was able to shoot up a class I rapid without eddy hopping. It tracked well and steering corrections were easily accomplished by a hard pull and lean. Secondary stability was very good which helps when edging a turn. Side draws were more effective than expected. Compared to my canoe it was extremely comfortable for my 235 lbs but not as easy to exit. Water from waves breaking over the side quickly drained from the cockpit. Why did they stop building this boat?
4

I am 87 years young due to…

Submitted by: paddler235400 on 11/22/2013
I am 87 years young due to about 20 yrs discount courtesy of kayaking off and on a lot since about age 15. At my 87-20 years of age weight of a boat starts to be a concern handling it on dry land, off and on some rack. A boat with the dimensions and weight (Kevlar) of Kestrel 140 is ideal for super senior paddlers who would like to stick with their sport and could afford it even in carbon at 30lbs. I have the Kevlar version satisfying my requirement of less than 40 lbs. I have a 20' long surfski with a beam of 17" so this around two feet beam is super stable for me but the performance cross section minimizing wetted surface could be some concern to a beginner.

It has one shortcoming for me. I use racing strokes with wing paddles and push with the feet on the paddle in the water side by extending that leg to initiate body rotation at you sitting end. Your knees should look as if you were bicycling using your bigger muscles to tire less. The foot brace system I got does not help doing this. I got this boat by some gent buying two, one for the wife one for him. The wife did not like it so it was 1/2 price almost brand new.

I can highly recommend it for general purpose kayaking/touring/surfing with its optimized least effort design cruising at moderate speeds. It is an easy to surf boat even in moderate waves.

5

I love the speed of the new…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 6/17/2011
I love the speed of the new yak...and am adapting to fiberglass Kevlar composite. I love SOTs.

Boat has a HUGE waterline & is supposed to be very fast. Goes straight very well. I'm having trouble with turns, especially upstream. I feel much more confident that I can go a bit more into the open water with the Kestrel and get back more easily. The Kestrel is better for more difficult paddles.

The 2010 kayak is a year old. Seat is not impressive. Ripped at a seam and the velcro is coming off. so I ordered a SKWOOSH.

Drainage is inadequate...no drainage in seat.

Kestrel has some things I wish were better. But she is a beauty...and for dry storage...she cannot be beat. Hard to get into hatches, but anything you need should be easily accessible on top. Note: ALWAYS loosen the hatch after each trip...so the seal doesn't crimp.

I rinse the kayak especially the foot pegs after each use (especially after salt water). My yak is white. For Florida white may be an ideal color.

It IS easier to wet entry. I use a double paddle with sling backwards reentry method. But I only need one paddle float with a dual float. NOTE: use stiff paddles only. I use spare paddles rigged underside the kayak with webbing.

Tippy? Not exactly. Has a very slight "rock" due to slight v bottom. It was easy to get adjusted but I am aware.

4

My wife and I test paddled…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 10/12/2010
My wife and I test paddled the new style CD Kestrel 140 SOT (foot brace has tracks instead of stepped braces, but it has a higher seat than the old style). It was at a Demo day, and the Kestrel had the factory seat installed in it, no thigh/knee straps on it.

Compared to our RTM Discos it was faster, but a good bit more "tippy" on initial stability. I was able to take it to almost the gunwale without going over, but could tell it was as far as it could go without dumping. It was tippy at rest, and also while paddling. Neither of us dumped it, and both of us thought we could adapt to it.

I tried the Kestrel 140 SINK (same exact hull design), and it was very stable with the factory seat about 1.5" off the deck. This lead me to believe that the old style kestrel SOT with the deeper seat bucket would be more stable than the new design SOT.

Another taller paddler tried the 140 SOT extensively, and he intentionally was pushing it to and beyond the limits (right next to shore). He dumped it at least 3 times, but was not discouraged by that. He'll likely buy one.

My wife and I talked it over and decided to see what deals we could make. Another shop we visited the day before had old styles for $1300, new for $1699, and would give us $375 trade in per RTM Disco, but only on the new style boats (more profit margin).

The shop who hosted the demo day had the old style for $1399, new for $1640, and would do $250 trade in per RTM Disco. For us it was a toss up on old versus new. We really liked the foot brace track on the new style, but also really liked the deeper seat for more stability on the older style.

On the older style, the deeper seat does not bother us at all, but the stepped braces do put pressure on the leg. On the RTM Disco stepped braces, they are only on the sides and do not put pressure on our legs. On the old style Kestrel the braces are on the sides, but also on the bottom, and are a fairly sharp edge that feels uncomfortable (on the bottom side). I have some ideas on mitigating that.

Sitting in the older style, we both fit one stepped foot brace bare-footed, but were between with our normal paddling water shoes on. The dealer put in a Hobie seat with thicker back rest as a test, and then we both fit. He offered to throw in the Hobie seats along with the original seats.

I asked them to drop the price from $1399 to $1300, and take the Discos in trade at the offered total of $500, with 2 seats per boat (original and thicker back rest Hobie seat). They took the deal. We left the shop with 2 older style Kestrels which we still had not paddled yet (only the newer style demo).

On the way home we tried the Kestrels with the deeper seat pan in Tampa Bay. With the Hobie thicker back rest seat in, it was a fair amount less tippy than the new design with the higher seat pan. I took the seat out, and sat directly in the pan - and it was only a bit more tippy feeling than our Discos were. I will experiment with the 2 seats, and just sitting in the pan before deciding what to do.

My wife is more stable on both old and new style Kestrels than I. She is lighter by 60 lbs, and shorter. We sat on the water side by side and could easily see the difference in "tippiness".

At our normal paddling touring/cruising pace (easy pace), the Kestrel was between 1/2 mph to .9 mph faster than the Discos pace, both up tidal flow and down tidal flow as per GPS. Both boats are 14' * 26", but longer water line (less rocker), Swede form, a bit more V, and "slicker" on the kestrel.

We are happy with our trade, but need to work on the pressure of the stepped braces on the bottom edge. I have some ideas to try with foam to even them out to level under the legs - and may test with duct tape first to see if it might work.

3

I had hoped the Kestrel SOT…

Submitted by: mkcfool on 6/9/2010
I had hoped the Kestrel SOT in a composite material would be a durable, light and fast boat. At 39 lbs, made of lightweight Kevlar with a gel coat, it met the light part just fine. With a fairly narrow entry, the speed is acceptable for its width/length ratio.

Durable, it is not. I don't know if I just got a bad boat layup, or if this is the way all of Current Design boats come out, but I have de-lamination and chipping of the gel coat all along the keel. I can't even barely bump it without more of the same. So, enough of the construction. It is a beautiful boat, elegant and clean lined. However, I feel the paddler sits too reclined. I know, its an SOT and it supposed to be that way, but this boat feels extra reclined even with the seat back in. I bought one in 2008, and I'm not sure of the year this one was made but Current Designs changed the foot well area. Good thing. Mine has four step style increments for placing your feet, and only a midget could use the first one. I am 5' 9", and I use the last one. These 'steps' also take up all the area around your legs, and there is no room at all except for the water bottle holder, which is so shallow its unusable. CD has changed it to a normal adjustable foot peg style, and the well area looks deeper.

I think Current Designs creates beautiful craft. I would buy another boat from CD, but I think they missed some key design elements on this one.

5

I waited for years for a…

Submitted by: keyccrazy on 11/12/2009
I waited for years for a slick, fast, lightweight, well designed SOT to be created. I bought the Kestrel 14 SOT as soon as one became available to my local dealer. All it took was one trial in that baby, and I was in love. I want a second one actually, as I repaired some little dings unfortunately, with a two part glue which has turned yellow, and I think it looks bad. I am looking for a 2008 or earlier version in nice shape...maybe I will find one on Paddling.net.
4

I needed a light weight…

Submitted by: kfsrmn on 9/27/2009
I needed a light weight fishing SOT and this review is mainly about the fishing ability of the 2009 Kestrel. To start with, it is one of the driest SOTs I have paddled. It handles well in the wind, tracks well, handled rough water well and has enough speed. With fishing , stability is an issue and one I had to work through. The boat is fine without the fishing gear which has to go above the waterline. Also where to put fish is important. I lined the rear hatch compartment with foam being careful not to block the bulkhead vents. I find that 8-10 lbs of ice bottles offsets the fishing gear nicely and is a great place to put fish. It is not like one of the fishing barges in initial stability but has good secondary unlike most of the barges. I have not come close to going turtle but you do get an occasional twitch. I am using a 1/2" foam pad for a seat and a back band. I have 2 ram tubes mounted behind the seat and a removable plate forward of the foot rests for my depth sounder and gps. The battery pack sits on the floor below the depth sounder. Except for the Ram mounting bases, everything is removable for transport. I installed pad eyes below the foot rests for the thigh straps. The original location was useless. I am not using the supplied seat as I don't like the high back.

Wish list; I would like to see the cockpit a little deeper for better stability. This would require a venturi instead of a scupper and would eliminate the need for a back band. A hatch instead of the bottle holder would be handy. A larger tab on the rear hatch cover would help. The boat is working quite well for me now but it did take a little time and effort to work it out. 40 lbs is a lot nicer than 60 lbs for loading. The older I get the lighter I want.

4

I own a Current Designs…

Submitted by: paddler232991 on 1/15/2009
I own a Current Designs Kestrel 140 SOT and overall am very pleased with the boat. My only complaint really is that there isn't enough space to put your hand around the metal bar on the side of the cockpit when carrying the boat on shore. Thankfully the boat is very light, but it's still tricky to carry as it's difficult to get your hands around that metal bar.
4

This boat is the best overall…

Submitted by: raftguy on 1/2/2009
This boat is the best overall S-O-T on the market. Period. My fiancee tried them all and I did too during her decision making process. This boat is way more boat than the Hurricane, I am afraid I disagree with Laura below. We went to the store to buy the Hurricane and bought the Kestrel. There is no comparison in build quality, tracking and overall comfort. Also, the Kestrel is faster with the same energy input due to the narrower beam than the Hurricane.

We are going to purchase a second one of these. I have a "full on" sea kayak that is a bit much boat for shorter trips so I will be purchasing a Kestrel.

The reason I am giving a 9 and not a 10 is because I do not like the new deck configuration on the 2009 model. If I can find a 2008 boat it is a done deal. Also, the 2009 has foot pegs and not "steps" which I like better. If I can only get a 2009 I will not be as happy but it will not stop me from buying it.

Short version: buy this boat and don't look back.

4

I purchased my craft in June…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 11/17/2008
I purchased my craft in June 08 and I have been very satisfied with my purchase. I have been paddling for approx. 1 1/2 years now and have covered approx. 450 miles (about 100 miles with my Kestral) and have paddled the Gulf of Mexico, Intercoastal Waterway, mangrove backwaters, flowing streams, and lakes.

The tracking on this craft is virtually faultless, it is a very "dry" SOT even in 2' waves and when any water broke into the cockpit, it flowed out the one and only scupper faster than I thought possible. There are very few "nitpicks" I have with this craft. It doesn't respond enough to "edging" into a turn and "ruddering" is often necessary to negotiate tight to moderate turns. It does, however, accelerate briskly away from those lower speeds and it does have a wonderful "glide". The foot rest configuration, while appearing adequate, fell between the needs of my 32" inseam. I had to apply an adhesive dense foam to the further step point to get my knee-bend where it needed to be. This has been addressed on the 2nd generation 14' Kestral SOT with a conventional adjustable peg system. I was very surprised when I opened my rear hatch to find that knee straps are standard but I find that they are not "required" to paddle this Yak.

I am 5'9" and 190 lbs. I have not felt the need to change the supplied seat system and I can say that I find this craft a very comfortable paddle. My excursions have run from 3 hours to 6 1/2 hours in this craft and that is a testament to their ergonomic set-up. The Heritage Ultra-Lite 14' Tandem I was paddling with my wife was only bearable for 3 hours at best. At 39 lbs. and $1,550, this is a great value. My "9" rating is only based on the footrest configuration and my wish for more response to "edging", and the lack of ability to add a rudder to this craft knocked it down from a 10-- my heart wanted to give it. I have no regrets with my purchase. The stability of this craft is fine once you reset your expectations (and balance) from what is required for a ''beamey" roto-molded craft to what my wife called a "racehorse" craft. I was acclimated within 10 minutes.

4

I've had mine about five…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 9/5/2008
I've had mine about five months. I looked at and tried so many yaks and thought I knew what I was going to buy, until I saw and paddled this baby. I live in Florida and I really wanted a sit-in rather than a SOT. But I kept finding myself pulling my legs out of the cockpits to cool off. What I really like about the Kestrel 140 SOT is I'm not sitting "on top" per se. Instead I'm sitting in it, at water level, with an open cockpit. The lack of foot pegs took some getting used to and I can see for long legs, it might be a tad uncomfortable. I use thigh braces to get added punch to my paddle stroke and speed. I intend to replace the seat with a Surf To Summit GTS. Lots of gear space, seems a bit tippy, but you soon learn to trust it. The final "buy me" point for this boat was the weight. At 39-lbs., it's not a problem to throw it atop my two-inch lift/32-inch tire Jeep Wrangler. Great boat from Current Designs...
4

After researching for a year…

Submitted by: paddler232596 on 5/28/2008
After researching for a year I finally decided on the Kestrel 140 SOT.
My criteria was a SOT that was as fast and efficient at tracking as possible for as close as I could get to $1000. The boat retails for $1650 but I was able to get it for $1500- well over my budget but I think worth it.

The PROS: fast, light, tracks in a nice straight line and glides for quite a ways after removing paddle from water. The boat has front and back hatches, the 2nd hatch is double sealed for very dry storage. It also has several hook points and bungee lines. AND it only weighs a mere 39 pounds!

The CONS: It does not have foot pegs therefore you miss a bit of the custom fit and comfort. My 6'1" husband could not use this boat as his long legs laid on the foot ridges and was immediately uncomfortable for him. I'm 5'5" and was OK with them.

The boat feels very tippy when I get in but only takes a minute for me to feel settled in. I guess if it were a more stable boat it wouldn't be so fast! I can't wait until we get some really light ergonomic paddles so we can really enjoy longer paddles.

Note: If you're looking for a nice, non-rotomold plastic SOT for much less $$, look at the Hurricane Phoenix 140. My husband bought this boat. It has the foot pegs and the benefit of both closed and open storage, looks great and retails at just under $1000. It's not quite as fast as the Kestrel but that's a good thing for my husband and I. Since he is a much stronger paddler, the fact that my boat is a bit faster enables me to keep up with him.

5

I have had my CD SOT for a…

Submitted by: betteweena on 3/28/2007
I have had my CD SOT for a year. I love the boat! It has plenty of storage. I added a bit of padding to the seat for my derriere and now I can sit in it for much longer periods of time. I agree with other reviewers that the boat was a little tippy at first; however it didn’t take long for me to feel confident and stable. The boat is a composite hybrid. The weight is just right and was one of the contributing factors in my purchase. I test paddled several other SOT brands and none came close to the speed and maneuverability of this boat. Of most importance was the fact that when I noticed a crack in the gel coat, Current Designs responded with a brand new replacement boat. Others have tried the boat and either love it or hate it in relation to overall comfort. The rating is based on my experience with this boat.
5

I am a newby to kayaks. I…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 11/27/2006
I am a newby to kayaks. I bought my first one 3 months ago. Prior to this I have always used canoes. In September I bought a Malibu Kayak Extreme. I bought it because of the stability and comfort. While I still like the Malibu I was not happy with the weight which is a bummer about all the plastic boats. While shopping for other stuff at a dealer I noticed the Kestrel 140 SOT composite hybrid. I was very happy to find a SOT in composite at such a good price. Having just bought the Malibu I was a bit reluctant to buy a second boat already but I kept going back and looking at it. I was very impressed with the construction and finish quality.

Needless to say I couldn't resist and I bought it. I am very pleased with my purchase. At first the boat seemed a little tippy but I quickly got used to that. I also had trouble getting a comfotable seat and seating position but I just solved that by slightly modifying a Surf to Summit GTS high back seat. I am very comfortable now. I was in the boat for 3 hours the other day doing some spirited upstream paddling and I was very comfortable.

With my limited experience I find the boat to be very nimble and quick. On the upstream paddle I was easily out performing my colleague's Tarpon 14. I am 6' and 200 lbs. The boat fits me like a glove. If you are looking for a sporst car SOT this is it.

5

I just received the Kestrel…

Submitted by: guest-paddler on 9/13/2006
I just received the Kestrel 140 SOT that I ordered this past April. It was well worth the wait! This is the new sit-on-top version of the Kestrel 140 that came out earlier this year. I have been paddling for the past 5 years. I am 5'10" and 180 lbs. I have only paddled SOTs, everything from from OK Scramblers to WS Tarpon 160s. I'm a recreational paddler who likes to paddle around harbors and behind jetties out here in So. Cal. I'll paddle the open ocean whenever conditions permit. I'm over 50 and car top, so kayak weight is an issue. I rented a Kestrel 140 SOT during a vacation in FLA. and immediately decided to order one. It is made of a composite of fiberglass, kevlar and graphite. At 36 lbs. it is much lighter than any other decent SOT. It is also sleek, especially in the bow. This boat is fast, I think faster than anything else that I have ever paddled. I've been out on it twice so far, both times in the open ocean. It handled the moderate chop and swells very well. It felt tippy at first, but I am adjusting to it and am beginning to trust its stability. I think this boat is going to provide me with the ability to bump up a couple of notches with respect to skills and experience. I'm also impressed with the quality of its construction.