Looksha Sport LV

I bought a used boat in 2011 for $425 with spray skirt and werner paddle. I'm still using it, but might change that up soon to gain the ability to do more oceangoing paddling.

This is a very nice boat for a short paddler, and I have to say that I love that my sons no longer fit in it and my husband could never paddle it! She's MINE! That said, my size 14-16 hips barely fit and the thigh braces are tight (but that comes in handy when I need my body to maneuver it). If you like to use your body to steer, this boat is good for that. Mine has a rudder. You need a rudder in this boat. I only use it about 10% of the time but then I need it! The boat weathercocks in windy conditions like nobody's business.

On inland waterways, I have won the women's 9 mile and the Iron Herring (12 mile with portage) Herring Run and Paddle in this boat. It can be quick if you are.

I paddled between the harbor islands in Boston Harbor and it felt rather tippy. It didn't roll over, but the boat relies on secondary stability to stay "upright" more than primary. If that unnerves you, this isn't your boat for day touring in salt water bays or, say, on Lake Champlain or lakes that think they are oceans.

TL/DR: Great boat for a short paddler plying inland waters extending to rougher conditions and bay/ocean near shore paddles with the rudder. Relies on secondary stability and needs the rudder to track straight in windy conditions.

The Necky construction is fabulous -- the firm plastic stands up to a beating, the hatch was secure, and the rudder worked well. The seat in this boat is horrible. The back is too high and is held to the seat bottom by a bungee cord that runs through a hook (not a loop). The bungee cord unhooks when rolling, wet exiting, and some entries, which causes the seat back to fall out of the boat. The seat may have been replaced in newer models.

The boat is quite maneuverable due to its short length and hard chines. However, it is really difficult to keep this boat going straight. It acts like many whitewater boats I have paddled. Errant paddle strokes really have an impact on tracking. I found myself sweeping on each stroke to compensate for the previous stroke.

I would rate the speed as slow to average. This is mainly due to the length of the boat. The hull shape is great and slices through the water nicely, but can't compensate for the length of the boat.Initial and secondary stability are fabulous.

Overall, I would say this is a good boat if you want a small, maneuverable boat for playing in the surf or on slow to moderate moving rivers. This boat is not designed for touring or flatwater paddling where you need to keep up with a group of faster paddlers (around 3.5 - 4 mph). I ended up selling this boat and getting a longer low-volume boat (Current Designs Squamish). The Squamish tracks better and is faster than the Looksha Sport LV on flatwater.

I'd like to end this review by saying that rating this boat is quite difficult. If you want a boat that is playful, I'd rate this boat a 10. If you want a fast boat that tracks well, I'd rate this boat a 6.