Vision 140

I own the fiberglass CD Vision 140 both with and without the rudder option, and purchased this as a small and light kayak I could carry on my truck while pulling a trailer. For reference, I've owned over 75 different kayaks and spend most of my time fitness paddling on very long and skinny surfskis. I first bought the non-rudder option for use in a shallow, narrow, and winding river, but realized that I really prefer that all my kayaks have a rudder even though I can certainly get around with a short kayak like this without one. What I can say about both these kayaks (and frankly every Current Designs kayak I've owned) is that the construction quality is top notch, the tracking is stellar, and stability is very good for the width. A 14-foot kayak will not win races against longer and skinnier kayaks, but for most recreational users this kayak will do wonders and easily keep a 4 to 5 mph touring pace. At 6' 1" and 200 lbs this easily fits me, and while I'm used to much tippier boats this is very suitable for beginner paddlers in flat water conditions. Even around speed boat wakes I had beginners do very well in this kayak.

I would highly recommend this kayak if this is what your storage space and weight lifting ability allows as I don't think there's anything better in a 14-foot package. If you have the space and hauling ability, as well as more open water, my CD Solstice (17') or Extreme/Titan (19') would be my preference, with any of those kayaks modified with a SmartTrack (gas pedal) rudder system.

what I like here about the Vision 140 is the low wind cross section as any paddler knows is a bear to paddle across a lake with any wind hitting the boat.the easy access cockpit is convenient for a person my size ( 6 ft and 220 lbs ). I think the rudder option is a good choice for me, less paddling in close to shore with lots of boaters about.43 lbs is light enough for me to portage short distances.the adjustable thigh pad is great for someone with long legs and a wife with shorter one so we can both enjoy the boat.

When I bought this kayak this spring I was actually looking for a Current Designs Kestrel 140. I was convinced by the sales staff that this narrower kayak would track through the water better. I was always listed as having more storage capacity than the Kestrel. My wife and I are recreational kayakers and often carry camping gear downriver. As soon I got in the Vision I knew that it wasn't going to work for me. I'm 5' 11" and 190 lbs. That kayak was just too narrow for me. The seat had pressure points on the sides and I was very cramped in the small cockpit. While paddling the kayak seemed nose heavy and didn't track as well as I thought it should for a kayak that narrow. I gave this kayak a few tries and paddled it one day for 3 hours and was all I could take. I traded it for the Kestrel that I wanted. I'm sure this kayak would be fine for a small person that is in need of that type of kayak. It just didn't work for me. My fault. Try it before you buy it.

Exquisite! I never realized how small a 3 mile- length lake could be ..... I've only had it for one week, but I look forward to many many more! Now, if I could only figure out the absolute essentials that I'll want to take on my adventures. :)

Very quiet thru the waves, and swells I see in "big river" boating.
I am 6'0", 170lbs, pretty fit and have easy entry/exit into the keyhole cockpit.
Excellent quality, and craftsmanship displayed in all aspects of this craft.

It's a nice looking kayak, very high quality job visually. It handles very nice. Rudder works great. It's a great asset to have in a cross wind but naturally, it's a good thing to know how to use different paddle strokes in case the rudder ever does break. The cleats & deck lines were all great. Initial stability is great!!!

I now would give this kayak a 10 out of 10. Thank you Current Design for producing a quality product & for standing behind your product. I would recommend this product. Two thumbs up now!!!

This spring I took the new yak back out and LOVED IT. A vast improvement over what I was paddling. The narrower beam combined with less depth in the cockpit really made a difference for me. This yak handled well and the speed was outstanding. Even my husband could not keep up!!!

Some of my impressions from the 30 minute session were that the seat was very comfortable and the boat did seem to fit me well, you cannot adjust the foot peddles while in the yak as the adjustment releases are behind the moving foot peddles. After spending a few minutes getting the feel of the boat I wanted to see how well the boat accelerated up to a cruising speed. I thought this boat was no speed demon and on a par with my Old Town Cayuga which takes a little bit to get going so I was disappointed in that category.

As far as turning, this boat needed the rudder to make it turn which is OK with me as I'm a rudder person anyway. The rudder deployed and retracted flawlessly each time I engaged it much more than I can say about my Old Town Rudder. Both hatch covers were easy to remove and put back on. This yak is Made in China.

I might have bought this boat if it was faster than my Old Town Cayuga plus it was 15 lbs lighter at 40 lbs which makes for easy car topping loading. I guess I'll keep searching for the perfect yak for me!