Merlin LT

The problem I had with the Merlin LT is that it just did not want to carve a tight turn like other kayaks I have had. It did track extremely true but it is a pig to push through a turn. Speed was ok but not much better if at all than a Current Design 120 and 42 lbs. is kind of heavy for a 13'5" craft that retails for over $2100. While I am sure there are those paddlers that like the fancy retractable carrying bands I feel they were excess weight and something to go wrong. I have sat in the Fathom LV and it and the Merlin LT simply don't have much wiggle room in the cockpit. I have been noticing that the Merlin is being offered at $1400 at some dealers so I am guessing this is the last year it will be produced.

While it is a nice stable kayak I just can not get over the feeling that it is also a very boring paddle, not the "responsive kayak" my Eddyline dealer lead me to believe. Legendary design, I think not and I am not alone after reading fellow paddlers that are selling their Merlin LT.

Sorry Eddyline you have a good reputation for quality and customer service which I am not disputing, but it is time to offer your more modern crafts in lighter more contemporary materials.

First trip yesterday in Merlin LT on Blue Mt Lake NY. Entry was tricky due to smaller cockpit and built in thigh braces. I am 5'2" and 122, mid 50's. Would recommend a much larger paddler try out for entry and exit reasons. The boat turns on a dime, moves along nicely under a short gentle stroke, probably twice as fast as the Casco. I was out in good conditions, light breeze and it handled well. Love the deck hardware. Easy to load on top of high vehicle due to weight.

I was impressed with the initial stability and felt right at home almost immediately. The first time I put it on edge I was very impressed ... this kayak can turn on a dime and you feel confident the whole time. Speed is what you would expect from such a short kayak even though I had no problems keeping up with my wife on her 16 footer. Tracking is very good and even in 10-12 mph winds I was able to keep the boat on course with little correction.

I'm 6'0" and 180 lbs. with size 10 shoe and believe I'm at the high end of the scale on who would fit in this boat. I am very comfortable though and the cockpit fits me like a glove. After just a few minutes, it felt like part of me. The rudderless design is just that, I can't really invision a time I would need one with the way this boat handles. I would definately recommend this boat to anyone with similar kayaking interests.

I am a medium sized (I HOPE!!!) paddler, and my wife is considerably smaller than me. I weigh around 165. The boat is quite roomy for a small kayak. I've been in a couple of larger boats with far less cockpit room than the LT. The seat is easy to adjust and stays where you want it. Plenty of leg and foot room forward, as well as roomy forward and aft hatches. The hatch covers are exceedingly waterproof, and I can't wait to start learning the roll!!! It's a nice feeling to know that the hatch covers in this boat do exactly what they're supposed to. The deck fittings are recessed and laid out in a logical, attractive manner. The boat is very light weight and easy to handle solo. A breeze to car-top. The carbonlite material is very "glass-like" in appearance and in performance characteristics.

As for performance....some would say that not one boat does it all. I think that this boat comes as close to meeting all the sea kayaking criteria as any could. It's short for a sea kayak, but it's not slow at all. I just did a 16 mile circumnavigation of Siesta Key, in Sarasota, FL, in just under four hours....with a couple of leg stretching breaks and porpoise-chasing episodes. Because of a high-volume bow, it surfs exceedingly well. I never felt out of control, following the sea or head-on, or even broadside. The generous rocker of the boat makes it very manouverable, yet it tracks well with little or no weathercocking. Stability, initial and secondary, is superb. I took a few wakes from large yachts broadside just to see how good the stability is. Never had a problem at all. This kayak WANTS waves!!! Easy to put on edge to aid in turns.

At a price of $1549 (I believe this is the current retail), it's somewhat of a steal. It's price is approaching that of a similar glass boat, but I think that the advantages of the Carbonlite over other plastics certainly more than justifies the price tag. It's light, nimble, and pure fun to paddle.