Ventura

This is an amazing kayak, live on the New River and as a smaller woman I can handle this kayak with ease. Even in low water I glide right through. Perfect for a lady to own, light making travel easy! I refer to everyone!

This is a really nice boat to play around with. There are faster sit-on-tops, but not many, and there are more surf-friendly sit-on-tops; many, but for hanging around the bay with a cooler of beer behind you or lounging with your feet over the side, it's as good as any.

I've taken it on a bay-to-bay paddle with sea kayaks and stayed up with them for about 13 or 14 miles, although I was aware all along that I was working harder. On choppy days it's a really wet ride, and it's less stable than some sit-on-tops because it's designed for slightly better speed than most, but on calm, sunny, flat days it's sweet and fun; good for napping.

I keep the rudder up 99% of the time, always around surf launches or entries. Landing through surf bigger than 2' generally means you're going to get wet because at 15' it's going to turn sideways to the wave every time, and it's not fast enough, like my sea kayaks, to blast in between waves. That doesn't bother me because in the weather I choose to paddle this boat in falling in the water is fine and fun.

If you want to paddle relaxed, don't want to surf, maybe want to fish out a ways, and you prefer a sit-on-top, you might really like this boat. I think it'd be a decent snorkeling boat, too. It's a shame Islander stopped making it when they went Walmart-style cheap & mass market. I think it may be their best boat. I think it's a 9 only as compared to other long sit-on-tops, but that's the way to look at all boats.

Why Islander discontinued this model I really don't know, lots of storage space, a nice high and dry seat that's still well balanced, good initial and secondary stability,I can sit on it sideways with my feet in the water. big forward hatch that I can drop my kayak wheels in ,tank well generously made and room to install another hatch on the stern. took it out in 20 knot winds and 1-2ft chop and while it took a lot of spray and waves over the bow the seat remained dry. The bow is kind of blunt, while quiet it's wetter than most, why islander didn't put the moku's bow on this boat I don't know. the other paddlers with me had hobies and were really taking on no spray over the bow. generous legroom ,easy to move about on and i paddled it stern first with great sucess,was drier and faster backwards!since it's so long it takes a few extra strokes to turn.cup holder perfectly placed could use a paddle keeper but thats easily installed yourself.A WINNER! the moer expert kayakers tell me it has poor preformance But I'm not as serious as them ,recommend it!

I think this is the greatest sit on top ever created! I tried many a boat and this one is the greatest. I like the versatility of the sit on tops. You get hot, you jump in cool off and climb back aboard. Plenty of storage both dry and on top. This boat glides through the water like a missle, paddles easy, tracks as straight as an arrow and very stable. I paddle mainly on lakes and lazy rivers, however, have had it in the ocean and in the bay and I couldn't have been more pleased with how it handled. Cut right through the surf, the wind didn't effect it nor did the chop. Amazingly enough it's a very dry boat too, I paddle all year long in Virginia and water coming up through the scupper holes has never been a problem. Great boat for anyone looking to cruise or just have fun paddling around. I recommend it for all level paddlers.

Just bought my husband and myself the ventura. We use it mostly on the lake and it is great! It tracks well and is pretty dry. We plan to plug the holes for late season use. I am very happy with my new toy. I would recommend it.

I bought this boat for exercise/sightseeing on large lakes in Texas with the occasional overnighter on a slow river. It handles choppy conditions and wind very well. The Ventura is similar to the Scupper Pro TW but I think it is a little faster, tracks better and has a dryer seat. It is not as fast as the Necky Dolphin but I think it holds a straight line better. Its profile is very flat, which means it won't act like a weather vane and lays nicely on a roof rack. It has a hull similar to a Perception Carolina with the accompanying stability, true tracking, and what some would consider sluggishness. I don't think it needs a rudder as this would probably only help on really rough water and otherwise just slow you down. The high-volume bow stays on top of the waves and doesn't make that annoying slapping sound. It has a 10" round bow hatch like on the Heritage Sea Dart. I bought a good seat, which was worth every penny! If you need the storage space and speed to chase Eskimos up the coast of Alaska, this is not the boat for you. But it's easy to get to a lake on a sunny day, and a nice ride once you're there.