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Santee 116 Sport

Santee 116 Sport Description
When you’ve got the best in-class recreational kayak, what do you do next? You think about how to make that design accessible to more people. Recreational means a lot of different things to different paddlers. For some folks, recreational means accessories, and accessories require space, so Hurricane took the Santee 116 and upsized it. They put some serious cubic inches in the cockpit and voila ― the Santee 116 Sport! A recreational kayak that gives you room for tackle boxes, rod tubes, dry bags and perhaps the family dog ― appropriately clad in a doggie PFD of course. In addition to the extra space in the cockpit, the Santee 116 Sport also features a sealed rear bulkhead and easy to use hinge hatch, and at 36.5 pounds you aren't sacrificing performance for extra space. Why? Because the 116 Sport rides on the same magic Swede form hull as the 116.
Available with a Sport Console: $1,049
Read and submit reviews for the Santee 116 Sport.
Hurricane Kayaks
Santee 116 Sport Reviews
Read reviews for the Santee 116 Sport by Hurricane 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!
Why the bad review? Well,…
Why the bad review?
Well, while it's a nice little kayak for short runs, and even has a decent speed for a recreational, but THE PRICE. At half price I'd say, ok; but for a rolls-Royce priced recreational I expect perfection.
Here are my issues with it. Basically there are design & manufacturing faults.
I've bought it a year ago, and realised after a while that the rear hatch was falling apart. On the water. Great. The only problem with it was a slightly-too-short bolt - which was obvious even just looking at it in pieces. I do not know why they'd use that at all! I got a replacement from their support, but it's baffling how it got past basic QC & testing.
After a while I've realised the seat isn't what you'd call comfortable; my arse goes asleep after about an hour and a half. Very bad.
Another issue with the seat (again, a design fault that wasn't tested out properly) is that if you're paddling, rotating your body, the wrinkles in the material near the rear edge of the seat rub your bottom. And I mean rub you raw. I had bleeding wounds as a result after a 3-hour run. I'm not oversized, 170cm/70kg.
I've contacted the support about this, too, but their offer was only to send a pad for a price ($100 landed in Aus ffs!) and I'd have to screw it on top somehow. That "solve it yourself" offer for a faulty design is not acceptable for me.
These, coupled with the extremely high price and you're better off buying something else.
Against my better judgement…
Against my better judgement my husband ordered this product online from Summit Sports for my birthday. Yes, its light and easy to load. Yes, it goes fairly well in the water. Is it comfortable? Not particularly. My problem, Estes Truckline delivered it with a 1 1/2" crack, a dent and scuffs. Summit only offered $100 off which my husband took instead of hassling with sending it back. Estes offered nothing. For as much as this boat costs and as fragile as it is, I just don't think it's worth it and I'm sorry I wasted the money.
This Kayak paddles nice and…
This Kayak paddles nice and straight. Glides fairly fast through the water compared to my friends kayaks. I've mainly used it on slower running rivers around Michigan. The only draw back is that I have long legs which makes it alittle more cramped when I want to relax and float with my legs on the top of the kayak.
Great looking, tracks well, fast, lightweight, but...
My review is based on extensive testing of this kayak and other like it... and not as an owner. First of all, you must know what I look for in a kayak, which may not be your thing. Though I am in pretty good shape for 65, my shoulders are not getting any stronger, yet I plan to do many more years of kayaking on mainly flat water. So, lightweight (less than 40 pounds), comfortable seating, easily gliding, good tracking and turning is important to me. I have to say that the Hurricane Santee kayak look good, track and glide very well, turn rather easily, and seems to need very little water to float. I like the flat bottom hull with the keel that runs the full length. Much like the old Grumman Canoes. Some deep V kayaks that I've tested, also track and glide well, but sit lower in the water, where underwater logs or rocks could be an issue. However, there are several things about the Santee Sport that keeps me from making the purchase. The cockpit is way too large. Thus, no bungee tie down on the bow where it is most needed. I also use the front lip of the cockpit to lift myself up out of the boat, but it is too far away to reach on this model. I also lift myself up off the seat using the sides. However, this kayak flexes so much that you think it will break. And, from reading some reviews, including ones for the Santee 116, 126, and 126 Sport, apparently that does happen. Hurricane could take notes from Eddyline, which is a very sturdy composite. Then, I had wondered if the Santee 116 or 126 would have been any sturdier on the sides, since the cockpit is not as long. However, I never got to see or test one. The closest dealer over 50 miles away only carried the one model(116 Sport), and I would have had to purchase another just to see it. I do not plan to spend that kind of money on a kayak if I don't get to see or try it first. Next, the back of the airestream seat seams ok, but the bottom padding feels a little thin and hard. I can't imagine sitting comfortably for hours like I do. My wife was very uncomfortable in this seat. Because of the thin padding mounted down in a recess, there was pressure on her hipbones. Possibly a much thicker pad would lift one's bum out of that recess. I had no problem, but then I have no hips. Wilderness or Jackson, though very different designs, are much more comfortable. Lastly, the hatch on the Sport is very small. And, the hatch on the 116 and 126 is not only small but still a rubber cap. Not like Wilderness Pungo or Jackson Tupelo hatch covers which are large, oval with double lockdowns. I wanted so bad to like the Hurricane Santee 116 or 126, but at this time I cannot. I wish that I could take features from different manufactures to create my perfect kayak that would give me years of paddling enjoyment. One last thing, and this may only pertain to my area. I live in Erie, PA where we not only have Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay, but many inland watershed, lagoons and small lakes. A composite kayak would do very well here. Yet, besides the dealer 50 miles away in Franklin, PA where the composite won't do well due to fast rivers, rapids and rocks... the next closest dealer is 142 miles away, in Canada. Hurricane is missing out in this area of Erie, Cleveland and Buffalo.
After owning a 16 ft…
After owning a 16 ft wilderness systems tarpon sit on top that was great, I decided to purchase a lite weight sit in. The old boat weighed about 60-65 lbs. After a lot of research I decided on the hurricane santee sport 116.
It is lite,..35 lbs, it tracks well, the seat has numerous adjustments, the sport has an extended cockpit opening, it is well constructed, there is a surface mounted cubby as well as a cockpit cubby. and the mango color is very attractive. The lite weight also makes it easy to get on top of my jeep.
As 69 year old in great physical condition, my lower back , a life long issue, gives me a problem getting out. Simple solution...I purchased a strap that I attach to the front carry handle, usually back the kayak onto the shore or ramp and pull myself up. The large cockpit allows for easy exit. I can also sit one of my grandchildren between my legs for short and safe excursions.
The company staff has been VERY responsive with answers to any questions I h ave had regarding accessories. Suggesting other vendors if they didn't offer the item I was looking for.
I just don't get to use it as much as I'd like....but I'm trying to change that.
I've owned a purple Hurricane…
I decided to add to my…
I've had considerable more time in the kayak, which I continue thoroughly enjoy. As a 68 year old with some lower back issues the seat is extremely comfortable via its adjustability. I added a pull up strap to assist me in exiting the kayak but love to large opening. The boat tracks well, it can get some speed when I want to, and I find it stable. Mine is a mango color and I get a lot of compliments.. It's lite weight allows me to get it on/off my SUV. onto my Yakima rack.
Just bought Hurricane 116…
My Santee Sport is now 10 yrs…
This morning I launch from our home in east NC to go out and collect trash on our annual river cleanup. At one point I had over 50 lbs in bags on back deck and cockpit. A real work horse. Best times are when my dog Nelson is sitting on a pad ahead of my feet sniffing out adventure.
My boat, being one of the first editions, lacked somewhat in fit and finish plus a few necessities such as a security loop to attach lock. I made small changes and had to reinforce area under seat but she's done me good. I pull a 4 boat trailer with and Eddyline Samba, CD Willow in fiberglass and a Hurricane 128 Expedition for my wife. The boat that sees most water time is still the Santee. Nelson says if I sell he's leaving home.
New or used this is a great rec boat for all paddlers
Moved to the Santee Sport…
This is the thrid summer that…
I have the Santee Sport 116…
I love my Santee 116 sport…
I picked up one of these used…
Buyer Beware: In this boat…
The open cockpit is great for toting photographic gear, a cooler, a dog, or a small grandchild. This rec boat is oxymoronically sleek, light, and fast with space to stow camping gear.
My Hurricane is beautiful.…
I have had mine for three…
Recently purchased the 116…
I'm a kayak fisherman and own…
I rigged up a fishing console for her that hooks over the front of the coaming, so that I didn't have to put any holes in her hull to install rod holders and a dry box.
She's very light and comfortable, and she tracks and maneuvers well. She's also durable. I'm ashamed to admit that she's been dropped onto my garage floor, rammed into my garage door while on the roof of my car and dropped onto the ground from the roof of my car, but with no ill effects whatsoever. And did I mention that she's pretty?
The only disappointments I have are that her hull material is fairly soft (e.g., I gouged it the first time that I grounded her on some gravel) and she's not as fast as I had hoped, although my expectations were probably unrealistic for such a light and small kayak. Regarding her weight, since she weighs only 36 pounds, she's the easiest kayak I own to get onto the water and back, so I take her out a lot.
This is a very nice boat for…
The seat is very comfortable and easily adjustable. It has a cup holder and protective pads on the sides of the cockpit. The carrying handles are comfortable. The boat seems to be as light as advertised.
The boat performs well for my purposes (which are mostly photographic). My wife doesn't like the way it tracks though.
The only negative I have is the material. We also own an Eddyline Skylark, a more expensive boat, but with some comparable specs on paper. The Eddyline composite is much more solid and stiffer than the Hurricane's. They're not even close. Before you purchase the Hurricane you may want to check out the Eddylines. That being said, I think the Santee will hold up and there is a significant price difference. My point here is that not all composites are created equal.
I purchased the Santee Sport…
I feel the Santee is super manuverable, edges well for a rec. boat and has great primary and secondary stability (almost to the point of being a bit boring.) Compared with other recreational kayaks of the same size the Santee seems to track a bit better than most and has very good glide. Speed is also decent although I guess I was hoping for more. I would give the Santee a rating of 9 but Hurricane has provided my with such outstanding customer service I feel compelled to give it a 10. My boat started to develop slight bulges in the hull under the bulkheads and with a simple call to Hurricane they are rectifying the situation to my complete satisfaction. I even spoke with Hurricane's VP Brad Taylor and he was both very kind and helpful. Once again Hurricane appears to have wonderful customer service which is worth a great deal these days.
In summation, I would say the Santee Sport 116 is a fun, super stable good looking boat that is quite durable and is probably one of the top performing recreational kayaks available in the 12' range. My next kayak will be a Hurricane Category 5 as I am looking for a little more speed and excitement. Plus edging the swede form hull in turning is just plain fun!
I bought a Santee 116 as my…
My wife wants to get involved in kayaking so we went to a local lake and rented two Necky's. I thought paddling my Santee was much easier. Looks like I may be buying another one for my wife. I have a closed cockpit. Being 60 years old I am not as limber as I used to be, so getting in and out is a bit more difficult. The Necky's we rented were open cockpit. I think I might have been more comfortable with that. My wife's will be open cockpit so hopefully she will let me try it out.
After having it in the water 3 times I am getting a small amount of water in both the fore and aft lockers. I will keep an eye on that.
The pro's are transportability, ease of paddling (see no need for the optional rudder), pretty comfortable seat, Trilone appears to be rugged enough, and the looks.
The con's would be that the accessibility of the foot pedals is cumbersome, and possibly the hull to deck joining (were the water is likely to be getting in the lockers)although a bit of marine grade caulk will fix the problem once found.
All in all I am very satisfied with the Santee 116.
I have had the Hurricane…
The Santee Sport has met and exceeded all my expectations. It is light, easy to carry and quick in the water. It tracks well, turns easily and is a joy to use. Highly recommended.
My wife and I have been…
We may eventually move on to more serious boats, however we are having a blast with these. They are a great value for the money
I have owned my kayak for 18…
I recently purchased a Santee…
When the wind is at your back, it doesn't track very well. It has excellent glide, but only fair speed. Being very expensive, compared to the roto-cast kayaks, it delivers on looks & comfort but is so-so on performance.