Dolphin

Grap this old classic if you see one in nice shape for a decent price. ($300-450). You’ll be lucky if you find one with the large, removable watertight pod that keyed into the tank well.
The seat doesn’t lock you in like a Scupper or Prism yak because it’s 4” -5” above the keel. It’s still a fast fun SOT that can do most things well. The upswept Greenland style bow reduces the wetted waterline quite a bit, detracting from the tracking and speed verses other 14’s. But the huge bow rocker turns and surfs it like a much shorter kayak. I consider it lightweight at 55lbs. for a 14’ SOT. I have fished off it, but prefer it for fitness paddling, the Prism/Scupper Classic design is a better fishing platform. Like the above mentioned yaks, I would not recommend it for those much over 200lbs.

Great for flat water or surf

I've had the opportunity to own several quite excellent sit-on-top kayaks including the Tarpon 12 and 14 models and the Freedom 15 Greenland model. The Necky Dolphin is, as well, an excellent kayak for many reasons but the most compelling is that it's at home on the surf as it is in flat water - perhaps more so. On flat water it can actually be deceptively comfortable when it is actually fairly tippy with a low chine secondary great for cutting through waves.

Hatches stay dry until the neoprene no longer fits and that will be the case when you find one as this is an older kayak. Most will have a rudder and you can expect to pay about 500.00 for one in good shape. The dolphin is nothing like as fast or true tracking as a Freedom but it is easy to turn and easier to capsize so no one over 200 lbs should make the attempt.

If this suits you, however, it could be the perfect boat so don't shy away from one if you find it at a good price

I've tried Wilderness systems, and a few others. Checked dozens of forums. This kayak seemed to be the Fastest sit on top out there, and w great secondary stability. Loved it. Had to sell due to lack of space and old age.

I have had my Necky kayak for about 14 years now. I have taken it to the rivers, lakes, and Chesapeake Bay. I really like this kayak because of the storage space it has. The lids are large enough to stuff oversized dry bags in, and there is a center opening that makes it convenient to reach suntan lotion, phone, or whatever small items you want to store there.

The rear of the boat has been formed to fit a scuba tank and gear. I don't dive, but use the area for storage of coolers. I can reach back and grab a drink easily from the area. There are drainage holes throughout the boat so you don't have to worry about pumping out water. I have taken corks and plugged the holes if I didn't want the water coming up through. There is a rudder on the rear to help with steering. I use this feature almost all the time.

The Dolphin has been a great boat, and I have had no issues with it at all.

I've used my Dolphin quite a bit this season including a six mile excursion along the coast of Virginia and many inner-coastal trips. This vessel is so stealth I've crept up within feet of sea turtles, owls and even followed a few feet behind a large, meandering copperhead undetected.

I'm 5'4" and can pick up this vessel. My feet get wet entering and a little water remains in the foot wells, but generally my rear stays dry. For me this is a very comfortable kayak. Getting out through mild ocean swell is a breeze. Coming in is blast!

Maybe this boat is a bit on the heavy side, but it is well-made and not cheap to buy retail, but otherwise an excellent all-around boat for anyone, especially novice to mid-level paddler... a great boat to learn on, and NOT outgrow. DO NOT BUY THIS BOAT IF YOU ARE 6 FEET 3" AND WEIGH 240 POUNDS!!! Also, when you buy a pair of shoes, you may want to make sure they are your size. Please note the ONLY two posts that "trash" this great boat... one is from someone much too large for this boat, and they were very anxious to get posted on the internet AFTER they purchased a boat too small for them... strange that they had no similar inclination to use the same internet connection to research this boat BEFORE they bought it by checking the manufacturer's own website, which would have steered them to a different boat.

The other "trasher" (and note, one chose to create a veil of anonymity, and the other [assuming it really was a different individual] only "tested" the boat. Both of these reviews must be viewed against the long-term use by those of us OWNERS who have paddled these boats in all conditions for months and years. I have nothing to sell, and no axes to grind, and these boats are out of production now. Fact is I have owned two of these for 5 years now, and used and abused these boats in all conditions, from glass-flat water, to podium finishes in kayak races, to exploring the Florida Keys from Stiltsville to Bahia Honda, to surfing hurricane conditions in the Gulf, to weaving in between drifting alligators in the Everglades.

I am not anonymous, email me anytime for more info on these great boats. My in-laws own cousins, the 12' Spike, and love the similar design. Also interesting that the two "trashers" both gave this boat a lowest "1" rating. . . . there are no "2", "3", "4", "5", "6", "7" ratings... all 8, 9, or 10's. I have grave doubts as to authenticity of the "trashers" veracity... perhaps a "sour grapes" competitor trying to beat up the Dolphin. If you find one of these for sale, research and consider it closely. If you don't buy it, email me, because I want a few more of these.

After reading all of the reviews I felt like I had to chip in my 2 cents. I used the dolphin in Guantanamo Bay Cuba when I was stationed down there with the military in 2001. I made numerous trips averaging 11 miles with it. I found the dolphin to out perform all of the other kayaks available for renting. (and many since)I ran it through a guantlet of trials. I went into caves with the surf breaking into them, ran flat water up the river and played in the surging swells but the most impressive trial came by chance, a friend, paddling a sit inside kayak, and I were out where the bay meets the ocean having a blast cutting through jagged rock formations protruding through the breaking swells when, due to time constraints, we had to turn back. On our trip back in we paddled along cliffs for aways then ventured further away from the le of the land and out into fairly strong cross winds. Neither of us had rudders, yet the dophin tracked fine. My friend's kayak was all over the place and he was nearly exhausted as we rounded the point, completely leaving the lee of the land as we headed back for the rental ofice. We found ourselves heading straight into 30-35 knot winds with two to three foot white caps relentlessly pounding us. My friend bailed out and pulled up on land but I wanted to see what I, and this kayak could do. I admit is was a work out but I was impressed. I felt totally safe and in control as I forged ahead. This is where you realy appreciate the secondary stability. If you don't understand the difference between primary and secondary stability you may not be ready for the Dolphin. You probably do not understand the basic stroke or leans and the kayak may seem tippy to you, but once you understand and feel comfortable with secondary stability you'll know what everyone is talking about when they rate the Dolphin as a very stable and very well tracking kayak. As mentioned by others, the people who rated the boat low are either 220 plus or probably are not at home in a kayak yet. This is a remarkable handling boat. For many, the primary stability (barge stability) maybe what you need. I feel so confident in the dolphin that I am planning a 60 mile open ocean venture in the near future.

I am very sad to hear that Necky has discontinued production of all SOTs. The dolphin is a fantastic boat for exploring, fishing and playing in rough water.

It has excellent secondary stability - I have never dumped while fighting fish or paddling confused seas. Having said that the boat has a rounded hull which means it will not feel as stable, initially, as some of the other SOTs out there. It leans predictably and as you lean the secondary stability kicks in - making it very hard to dump.

I find it quite fast and efficient to paddle. I can keep up with SINKs at normal cruising speed all day. I rarely ever use the rudder - it tracks well and responds to turns well. Even in strong winds I tend to simply use an occasional corrective stroke rather than bother with the rudder.

The downsides are small front hatch and fiddly neoprene inner hatch covers.

Note: if you are expecting a kayak to be as stable as a raft this is not the boat for you. It will seem a little "squirrelly" at first, however, if you give it a few hours you will become very comfortable with it as it is very predictable. Also keep in mind a super stable kayak on flat water is not a good kayak in rough water as it will respond to all the inputs of the moving water. By contrast the rounded hull of the dolphin ignores a lot of the effects of the waves - making it very relaxing to paddle when things get interesting. This doesn’t mean you need to be an experienced paddler to buy this boat, but you do need to be willing to spend a few hours getting to know how she handles.

I am 6ft and 155lbs. I have used this boat daily for a total of 5 months in Baja - on two separate trips. My dolphin has dealt with some very rough seas and too many rocky beaches to mention. Aside from a few scratches she is in perfect condition.

I have also used OK Scupper Pro and a Tarpon - neither come close to the performance of this boat. I am quite critical of my gear and I can think of only a few other items I own which perform as well as my dolphin. If you find a used one on sale I would definitely recommend you consider it.

I have owned a Dolphin for two years and use it fly fishing in small and big lakes and bays for big fish--Striped Bass, Salmon, and Halibut--and small fish--Trout and Black Bass. It is a fast, stable (secondary stability), good turning (reponds well to leaning which is why newbies and big folk call it 'tippy'), has ample room, handles chop and wind very well. The drawbacks I note are among the same ones others have: small forward hatch, small handles. I'll add the tight neoprene secondary covers--I find them a pain to get back on whiel on the water in chop. I am thinking of having some made that are more loose and I can tighten with an elastic draw cord and cordlock. I need that access to put rods and gear in for surf launching and then pull out after launch which is my next big step in fishing--the Big Blue.

At first I hesitated to right my review on the Dolphin. But, I'll put my 2cents worth even if its wrong. I just got back a few hours ago looking to buy another kayak. I've been kayaking for over 14 years, and love it. I went to a kayak dealer in Long Island New York. I decided to paddle a sit on top which I thought would be my next kayak. I'll keep this short......I couldn't believe how bad the boat reacted when I got in it, and when I began paddling it. Its the worst kayak I've ever had the displeasure to paddle. It rocked very much. It was difficult to paddle in one direction. If I've missed something here, I surely don't know what it is that I might have done wrong in order to get this craft to behave.

Have to say that this kayak is WAY over-rated. It is NOT as fast as it's touted to be. Those looking for "speed," you know, not that speed that will win you a race, but the "cruising speed," that speed which you attain with little effort -- the speed at which you could paddle all day long without getting tired -- should try a few of the kayaks made by Wilderness Systems, i.e. The Freedom [a GREAT boat if you're 200 lbs or so], the Tarpon T160 [if you're between 200 and 300 lbs], or even the T140 if you want a kayak for fishing. Have to agree with Swedge," in his review of the Necky Dolphin, who says that the cockpit is cramped, and that there is NO stability. The boat ROCKS 15 degrees from side to site with mere paddle strokes! I bought mine from a guy who suffered a back injury, and his Dr. told him that the rocking motion would DESTROY his back. I believe it. NEVER have I been so disappointed about an over-rated "piece." I'm 6'4, 240 lbs, and my knees were in my chest. Even my wife, who's 5'4" and 130 lbs. didn't like the Necky Dolphin at all. It was fitted with a rudder, and she STILL couldn't make it go where she wanted in a moderate wind. She couldn't WAIT to get off of it! And, please, PLEASE forget about SPEED -- what a JOKE! I would have thought that a smaller person would have liked the boat, as most kayaks do better with smaller folk, but, as I said, my wife couldn't STAND the thing, and what good is a kayak that won't track in the wind EVEN WITH A RUDDER? Don't mean to bag so terribly, but for for gawd's sake, paddle a few kayaks before leaping into a purchase. Would have given the Necky Dolphin a big ZERO, but it wasn't available in the drop-down menu.

In response to the guy below who thinks that the WS Tarpon handles better than the Dolphin, I disagree. Yesterday I paddled with a friend in the river and ocean off of Stuart, Florida. Here is how they compare - tarpon 120 is slower but more stable, less tippy than Dolphin, Dolphin is faster by far. Dolphin is much easier to turn just by using paddle strokes, Tarpon needed to BE turned which means it tacks straight (Dolphin does, too) but turning required twice as much effort. The Tarpon 120 surfs better because it is shorter and mega-stable side-to-side. No doubt the Tarpon is fun and very stable for big riders, but the dolphin out-performs the Tarpon easily under most situations you would normally find yourself in during a paddle. Compare the Tarpon with a barge like the Ocean Kayak Malibu Two and you're more likely to favor the Tarpon. The Dolphin is great for joy riding in the local waters in addition to touring. My wife and I camped from our two Dolphins for eight nights and 75 miles in the Gulf of Mexico along the island if the Everglades National Park. Strongly recommend the rudder if you're in open water with wind.

Great boat. Just got back from North Carolina beach and the Dolphin handled just about everything the ocean threw at her. Four plus foot swells and moderate surfing for a novice. It handles the big swells like it was made to be there. Rides up and over with little effort or slap. On calm ocean rolls, it's just as comfortable staying with the dolphins feeding. This is the first of two kayaks I own and within an hour of first use, you get a sense of it's performance. Don't have a rudder and sometimes it would be nice in big following seas but i'm learning to do without. It's my second season and couldn't be more pleased with this boat.

For those with some experience, this plastic sit-on-top is easy to climb aboard, scuba dive off of, even stand up in (though the foot dividers get in the way). It surfs well, carves okay and is just about impossible to roll (duh).

I'd dispute others claims of tippiness as far as kayaks go, a person can become comfortable in any kayak if they would spend some time in it.

This boat is the best scuba diving buddy I've ever had. I tow it on a long rope clipped to my BC. It really does not have a lot of drag - feels like I am towing a flag. The rear hatch is very accessible when unloading from a dive in the middle of a lake, in the water or astride the boat backwards. The tank bay comes with convenient tie down points for quick bungee clipping of gear.

When diving, I always have this baby above to help out catching the wind for a tow, to catch my treasures, or to allow me to cancel the whole dive and just paddle out. I hesitate to dive without it - my dive buddies are not as trustworthy as my Dolphin.

It paddles well for a sit on top. On a fully loaded 20 mile crossing, you can expect a sore back unless you outfit it with a deluxe back rest and thigh straps, which I highly recommend.

The seat could be hung lower in the boat (to lower the center of gravity a little more and provide deeper butt cupping). The footpegs and rudder system are excellent.

I do NOT like the handles on the side of the cockpit for solo carrying. They crush your fingers no matter how you carry the boat. I will be looking for an alternative handle. These knucklecrushers, the tiny front hatch and the lack of an appreciable rim for both neoprene hatch covers are the Dolphins only weaknesses. Oh, as with most sit-on-tops bring a plastic shopping bag for a butt protector - the seat drains will get you wet in waves or if you are heavier. Otherwise, one heck of a boat.

Without a doubt, the Dolphin rates the highest "fun factor" of all the boats I've tried including the WS Freedom, Perception Prism, Heritage Nomad and Expedition. I'll even add the Looksha IV and CD Squall to that list. The Dolphin was the first boat I tried and found that it accelerated quickly, glided smoothly, turned easily and tracked well without a rudder despite strong currents. When I first got onto it, I thought it was a little tippy, but the tippiness disappeared after relaxing and getting my balance in just a few moments. I keep telling myself I "need" a larger boat, a cockpit boat, but when it comes down to it, nothing has been as much fun as the Dolphin.

I have had my Necky Dolphin for about a year now, and I love it. The dolphin shape nose really allows it to pound over waves. Too, the floatation of this sit-on-top is incredible. It is a great kayak.

I love the Necky Dolphin. I have had it for 3 years and have paddled it on overnights, as well as scuba dives in Florida, California, Baja, Oregon, and the San Juan Islands. It is very stable for me, never do I think of it as "tippy" even when full of gear. For me it is the perfect "multi-funtional" kayak, and I always keep up with my friends who use fiberglass kayaks. The only thing I do not like about this kayak is the rivets on the inside openings of the dry hulls. When squeezing gear in and out of them, I have had the rivets actually tear my dry bags. Also, I can't really understand why the rivets are there and why they must be so sharp and pointy. I have put duct tape around them, but they are still a problem - anyone have a better idea?

The Dolphin is very well made but it is tippy for a novice. No one lists what they weigh in most reviews and that is a huge variable when talking stability. I paddled a Dolphin with rudder for two years. Now I am on a Cobra Explorer, although I have not sold the Dolphin. I have not used it for over a year either.

I found the Dolphin slightly unstable for its' extreme width. Necky apparently choose to give this wash decked boat a high seating platform that would give the paddler a dry place to sit rather than put the seat down low for more stability (but a wet seat.) I understand their reasons for doing it this way, it's just that I'd have preferred it the other way.

In all other respects, I thought the boat was excellent, particularly the quality of attatchements and finish. I'll stick with my Scupper until I can find a wash decked kayak that is faster, has room for camping gear and is at least as stable.