Manitou 14

I have had three kayaks over the years, and this Necky is the most responsive and smooth paddling recreational kayak I have owned. It is fast and effortless to paddle. The body is tough and the seat is comfortable. The Manitou carries more than enough stuff for a 1-2 day trip.

Wow. I have 3 Necky Kayaks and love each one slightly differently. My Necky Manitou is comfortable, not too heavy to carry and paddles almost effortlessly. The seat is particularly comfortable and in spite of my 215 lb weight; sits very well and not cramped.

Tracking is good and the Kayak is very stable.

Have had my kayak for 3 years now and love it. I use it in the lakes in Vermont and the oceans off of cape cod. It handles great in both. The biggest feature I like is that ends of the kayak are closed off so if water comes in, like a big wave, it only stays in the cockpit area and doesn't throw off the balance of the boat. That is the main reason I went with the larger size.

I have paddled my Necky Manitou 14 for 5 years now and would not trade it for anything! It is very stable and cuts through choppy water with ease. I camped for a week out of it on the Suwannee River and had plenty of room for gear, food, water, etc. The hatches are water-tight and the seat is very comfortable. I will keep this kayak forever!

I could not wait to get my Manitou on the water. The ice left last week so had to try it out. I purchased this on the net because there is not any dealers close. The hull is more rounded than the pictures show so I was a little concerned how rolly it might be, To be fair... the water was to cold to do any real testing so I will update this at a later date.

I am 6' and 200 pounds, it was a little tight to get into the 16" opening. Once inside it was very comfortable. I don't think I would be able to do a water entry if I had to. The foot braces at full extension were barely long enough to fit me, but the thigh pads are great. To me this craft is a little rolly. Very responsive to hip movement. To make a hard turn or to push off it would be easy to roll it over. It tracks and glides well. It does take a little finesse in paddling I am a bit of a power paddler (from my canoe days) and had to pay attention to my form to get it to respond well. If you happen to catch your paddle in a wave it may be enough to tip you over.

I would not recommend this kayak to a beginner to learn on, but for intermediate to advanced it would be fine.

I love my Necky Manitou 14! I went to many different dealers and tried a zillion different kayaks out on the water before purchasing my Necky. I have lower-back issues, so comfort was a huge factor in my decision-making process. The seat in the Manitou 14 was the best I found anywhere. As a single, not particularly strong, mature woman, weight was a big consideration also. I was able to get my Necky on my sedan all by myself. I was happy with the stability of my kayak and how true it stayed with and without use of the skeg. Last but not least, it was great to be able to keep up with my younger, stronger yakkers. Thanks Necky for my wonderful yellow banana boat.

I purchased my Necky Manitou 14 6 years ago and have been very pleased with it. I am 5'4" 125 lbs it fits me great. It is a very comfortable kayak I have taken it on 4 day trips it has plenty of room for gear however no non essentials, more like backpacking on water.

I have had it on Lake Ontario in 3 foot swells and paddled down Lows Lake in the Adirondacks during Hurricane Irene (end of 3 day trip) handled both situations with great stability. I have never tipped over in this kayak I find it to be very stable.

We purchased a second Manitou 3 years ago and they made some nice improvements on the hatch covers, they are now more water resistant and easier to use. Not a good boat for small windy creeks it is a good open water or large stream kayak.

I purchased a Necky Manitou 14. I an a fairly big guy 235 lbs and not fat. took it out on a lake for first time. It rolls like a log, not stable at all every paddle stroke even light wants to tip it over and that it did.

Absolutely a great kayak. Comfy to paddle on all types of water (ocean and lakes). Easy to get in and out of and accessories are available from all suppliers. I am sold on Necky kayaks.

Bought this boat on sale last year for CAD 900 as my first kayak after demoing about 5 or 6 boats. Have really enjoyed it so far. I live in the Canadian Rockies so wanted something that could do rivers, lakes and potentially something on the coast. The Manitou seemed the best able to handle all of these out of the boats I tested. It is much, much faster on flat water than your standard 10 foot rec kayak but if also very stable. I've also taken it down class 2+ white water without issue. Will be trying class 3 soon I hope.

Before buying it I noted someone complained that getting back into the kayak after it flipped is hard because of the seat back being too high. I recently practiced this and after admittedly failing on the first 4 attempts I was able to comfortably get back in the kayak despite the seat on the 5th and all subsequent tries without using a paddle float. So the seat is not a safety issue and it is amazingly comfortable. To be honest, the main reason I bought this kayak is because it is SO comfortable.

The only negatives about the kayak are that the hatches are not water tight if you roll the kayak. A roll will likely result in a significant amount of water in the hatch. Also, the skeg box and cable in the rear hatch take up a lot of room which can be irritating it you need to pack gear for a multi day trip. I much prefer the skeg to a rudder though but I feel like it could have been designed to use less space in the hatch.

I found a 'deal' on a 2012 Manatou 14 composite. They aren't making them anymore, and I couldn't resist! What a shame. Beautiful boat! I've only used it once, on a lake that was like glass. It tracked great and was very fast. I covered the same distance I usually paddle in a fraction of the time. I didn't get enough time in to really evaluate it as a storm blew in pretty hard.

I am not sure that the seat back was adjusted properly and so it was a bit uncomfortable. I am not sure that it will adjust any tighter for more support. Other than that, I really like it a lot and can't wait to give it a really good workout.

My wife (age 72) and I (age 75) just finished a 10-day kayak camping trip on the Green River from the State Park to the confluence with the Colorado in Utah (about 120 miles). Wowzee! What a great trip.

My wife has a brand new Manitou 14 and mine is more than two years old. (Her Old Town Cayuga 13 was stolen during the past summer. Bummer!) We had few problems with either kayak. Necky has made a major design improvement on the hatch covers. They used (mine) to be a pain in stretching the neoprene inner cover to secure the hatch. Now...it's easy (hers). Nice going Necky! However, prepare for a little leaking in the rear hatch of either model. So...just make sure to use dry bags. The skeg plays a role in this. I personally love the skeg, as does my wife, who chose the Necky because it does have a skeg and keeps the Manitou on track in high winds. But...it takes up hatch space. And...when I recovered my kayak at the end of the trip from the shuttle operator , guess what? The skeg was gone! Yikes! Somehow through dragging on the sand or getting caught on rocks in some the of the lower water rapids (class one) it must have broken off. So, I'll call Necky next week and find out what can be done.

Otherwise, I love this kayak as it's a good all around kayak. Now that we have used it for small and large rivers, streams, and lakes, we will take it to B.C. next year and kayak the ocean bays. Also...we carried 10 days of food and camping stuff, took along a MSR water filter for drinking water. This kayak carries an amazing amount of camping equipment including a small tent. A bit like backpacking on the water. Two hatches are very, very important if thinking of camping with a kayak.

I give the Necky Manitou 14 a thumbs-up and recommend it strongly. (Personally I was disappointed to learn they moved their operation from the Northwest to Old Town, Maine.) It seems that when a larger company buys out a smaller one such as Necky or Old Town by Johnson Outdoor Products, there is a lot of enthusiasm lost in the process. Old Town factory in Old Town, Maine, is a shell of what it once was and their spirits (IMHO) have dropped significantly. My motto...keep it small and personal! But it's better than building kayaks in China. So a strong salute to Necky and Old Town!!!

I've had this kayak for a year and enjoy paddling it. I wanted a good multi-purpose kayak. This is my 3rd kayak and is the best so far. I wanted a boat that I could take out on Lake Superior in wind protected waters and rivers. It's a little short for big water but handled fine and turns well for a 14ft boat on small rivers.

Like others have said, it's quick but only to a certain point, you can paddle harder but it won't go any faster! I hardly use the skeg but packing the rear hatch is more difficult because of the room the skeg box and cable take up. I've used other 14 ft boats that had bigger rear hatches and room to store a second paddle in which is nice on trips; with this kayak, it won't fit - I put it on top.

The only other thing I've noticed is the skeg box drops down at the back, so if you slide over river logs, the skeg box will catch it at the back instead of sliding over smoothly. If I drag it across sand the skeg box will dig in, so I drag it backwards.

Composite. Very sturdy. Beautiful. Tracks well, when the tracking sucks, the skeg brings it back to "tracks well." Does not turn on dime, but will turn on a nickle, assuming you know how to paddle a kayak.

Very, VERY efficient hull design. Glides through water with minimal resistance (parasitic drag). Very comfortable seating position/composite seat. Surprisingly so, to be more specific.
Dry bay stays mostly dry (few drops of water) even after complete submergence of the dry bay. I was surprised with this little fact.

All in all, I love this kayak. I would, however, exchange this for a pure carbon fiber kayak ($5k) as an even exchange, but that is pretty unlikely

I recently acquired a new Necky Manitou 14 (polyethylene plastic))for the lakes and coastal areas of the Northwest. After two months of using it in streams, rivers and lakes of central Oregon, I am enjoying this boat very much. I will compare it to the Cayuga 13 (Old Town) which my wife has and I have used for two years in every type of water environment.

The Necky 14 tracks very well, especially with the skeg in high winds (better than the Cayuga 13 which has no skeg). It turns well for a boat of this size, better without the skeg in use. The Cayuga at 13 feet turns faster and easier, which is what I would expect. The Necky cuts through the waves, especially when laden with extra gear in the bow and stern...fun on the large lakes when wind comes up.

I find it takes more effort to go from medium speed to higher speed with the Necky as compared to the Cayuga 13. The Cayuga is more stable with a wider cockpit but that's no big deal as both are very comfortable. Since I use my Necky for fishing as well as paddling (mostly), I have stayed in the boat up to four hours at a time. So, in summary, the Necky 14 is a great boat, especially for the money (sale with REI).

To be honest, if I had one kayak to buy for doing everything (streams, rivers, and coastal bays), I would choose the Old Town Cayuga 13 because it is sooooo easy to paddle, very stable, extremely comfortable, and moves out easily. In the future, I will demo the Tsunami 14 and make a comparison. I've heard many good things about that boat as well. We are on our way to the Oregon coast for the month (with RV) to try out the coastal bays and lakes there. What we are finding as long time canoers but recently converted kayakers, is that it would be nice to have two types of kayaks: one like the Cayuga 13 for smaller bodies of water (streams, rivers, and lakes) and another larger kayak about 17 feet that does well in the ocean bays, large lakes, and open ocean.

I purchased the composite Manitou 14 in May 2008 and have used it a lot.

Pros:
The composite boat weighs only 42 pounds and that makes it really easy to carry. It is a very stable boat and tracks well in most conditions. I like the skeg, since it is out of the way until you use it, unlike a rudder. I engage the skeg about half way down in strong following seas or confused seas and makes going straight easy in these conditions.

Cons:
While it is easy to paddle at its cruising speed of about 3 MPH, it takes a lot of effort to step it up to 4 MPH. It is also not very good in strong headwinds. Because of the design of the chines, it is hard to edge and get a quick turn. That can be a pain in the twisty bayous of the Houston Bay area. The seat is hard plastic and is a true pain in the butt. I am adding a foam seat pad recommended by Necky and will see if this helps.

The seat back is a band, which is great for me with my bad back. I make sure it is in my lumbar region and I am fine. I thought I would miss having a full seat back, but I was surprised at the comfort. Because the back band is lower than the coaming, it makes it easier to put the spray skirt on than the extrasport seat back on other Manitous.

I do not know how to roll, but took classes in rescue, having the boat upside down many times. The hatches allowed a small amount of water, but with dry bags, you should be OK.

All in all, this boat is a well made, stable, light, but not real fast or easy to turn kayak.

Just got another Necky: a Manitou 14 Recycled this time. Took her out on a choppy sea with winds up to 20 mph and all I can say is that I am more than happy with this kayak. She keeps her course straight with no need for the skeg (maybe in more confused waters she might), totally agree with the review below, it is not a recreational kayak, nor she is a true sea kayak, but who cares? for a day trip shooting the breeze this kayak does it pretty well.

Can you roll her? yes you can, seat doesn't allow you to go all the way on your back but she snaps right back up anyhow, re-entry requires a bit of toiling & moiling for you to get the drill. didn't find any water in the hatches & just a bit of it in the cockpit.

Excellent tracking, good stability both primary & secondary, good pace to cover some distances, all packed out in a very stylish craft. I don't agree with her being sluggish to turn, proper paddle strokes get her to turn fairly easy.

Happy as a clam with this girl and the color conceals a lot!
Bravo Necky!

My wife and I both bought a pair of leftover 2008 model Manitou 14s. This is the first kayaks for both of us, but I have some limited experience with other models. I will say that so far these kayaks are well worth the purchase. They handle well and for the most part track well too. I just rolled mine this past Sunday on a lake and even after having it flipped upside down for more than a minute all the hatches remained dry even after the kayak itself had roughly 4 inches of water in it. I did notice the outer edges of the neoprene were wet, but no leaks. My dry sack stayed dry!!! I will agree though that the yak itself does not turn on a dime. It tends to be sluggish and this was prevalent during the slalom exercises a friend and I did. He was able to dart in and out of the submerged trees in his Prijon Touryak and I was not nearly as nimble in the Manitou (hence why I crashed head on into a tree). Overall though the yak itself works fantastic and is relatively comfortable. Even our 9 year old has learned to paddle in the Manitou. I love the Manitou but I do think that something with a little better response would be nice.

I upgraded to this kayak from a small starter rec boat two years ago. After comparing a lot of boats in this price range and trying different ones at demo days, I was sold. At 52 years old, I don't fold up like I used to and need back support. The seat system along with the performance of the boat made the difference. I settled on the plastic model only because of budget limits.

Most of my paddling is done on day trips lasting 10-20 miles and 4-6 hours in length. The boat has been great in waves and chop up to 3 feet and tracks extremely well. I have not tried to roll it, but normally I don't wear a spray skirt.

The cons associated with this boat are: Hatches are difficult to attach (but have never leaked), foot pegs are small, and knee braces are pretty much non-existent (corrected on new models). I would recommend this kayak to anyone wanting to upgrade from a starter boat. It is forgiving to inexperienced paddlers, but has enough performance features to keep up with a developing paddler's skills.

Have had the Manitou 14 for 6 months now and I must say I'm delighted with it. It tracks very well even with the skeg up. The seating is very comfortable. Have had it out in all conditions which, in an Irish summer on the Atlantic, amounts to winds force 4 to 6 gusting to 8, heavy rolling swells and boomers. All in all very stable and reassuring even in terrible conditions.

However in self-rescue situations the high seat back can be a bit annoying so try and stay in the boat, if you turn turtle then carry a paddle float or use cowboy scramble method of re-entry. Solo re-entry can be tricky in heavy seas and the seat complicates things. However on long trips it more then makes up for it. Comfort at my age is everything.

I cannot recommend this boat enough though, it's a great work horse, stable, reliable, strong and relatively light so I can get it on and off the car solo.

I've had the Manitou 14 for almost a year and have paddled it in protected coastal areas, lakes, and rivers. I've been having a blast with it. Early this year I've been taking it up the Charles river, which, near the source, is quite twisty.
I got this kayak for a couple of reasons:

1. size: I'm 6'2 with size 13 feet (200lb) this fit me.
2. Room for skill development in kayaking.

I've been very happy with both.

Pros: Tracks well, relatively stable without being a barge. plenty of storage, very durable. Fast boot, can take moderate waves.
Cons: Skag knob doesn't always stay in position. I've hit my hand on it a couple of times (mentioned in another review), foot pegs could be a little more comfortable (they are small bars, that after a long trip eat into your foot.)

The hatches are really only accessible on land. Anything I want to get to is on the deck. Getting the neoprene covers is not easy either.

I have had my Manitou 14 for a year now and have paddled it in a variety of conditions both on the Indian and Banana Rivers here in Florida and also on the open Atlantic (always within sight of shore).

This is a very good boat. I am very happy with it. It's a great boat and you wouldn't regret having it in your fleet. I picked it up after RAPIDLY outgrowing a VERY cheap and VERY beginner's rec kayak. See, that's the thing about kayaks when you are starting out (I'm in my second year)--if you are addicted to the sport (like me) and you go out a lot (again, like myself), you can outgrow your boat. Well I had my Manitou out for almost a year twice a week and loved every minute of it. It's a poly boat so it is tough as nails. The cockpit is wonderfully comfortable and spacious so it's great on hot Florida days when you want to put your legs out on the fore deck and sunbathe or paddle it like a sit-on-top (!). I've also had it out in 2 foot storm chop and 3 foot ocean swells (I admit it-- I got rolled/dumped -- BUT I LEARNED HOW TO WET ENTRY AND PUMP HER OUT!).

It is a very stable boat with excellent handling characteristics. Good for cruising and hard core paddling alike. Then I got my 17 foot sea kayak and left the poor thing in the garage for almost 8 months. THEN my sea kayak developed a leak around the skeg box (very typical and no biggie). So after my re-sealing and repair I needed to let it cure. Long story shorter: I paddled my Necky Manitou 14 for a while again while the sea yak was healing. I missed the Manitou. When you look in the aft hatch and see the simple but nearly-impossible to go wrong skeg box (molded as part of the hull) you can see that it is doubtful IT will leak.

Bottom line, it is always good to have more than one kayak and I would never sell my Manitou 14. A good solid stable friend that always provides a nice paddle.

I bought the poly version in March and have used it extensively on Lake Erie ranging from completely flat conditions to 3 to 5 foot chop. Necky doesn't recommend conditions above 2 footers, but it has been extremely stable/predictable in all situations.

The speed has also been more than satisfactory. I don’t have great form and can cruise at 3.5 knots without much effort over 8-10 miles. The cockpit is roomy and the seat is very comfortable. The drawbacks are minimal. It would be nice if a hatch were readily reachable while underway like the Tsunami 14.5, which I also considered. The second time I removed the front hatch cover, the neoprene started to de-laminate. Necky customer service was phenomenal and sent a new one asap with no questions asked.

Overall, a great boat that I would highly recommend.
I would also highly recommend www.mountainmanoutdoors.com. Great product knowledge, customer service and the best price I could find anywhere.

I bought the Necky Manitou 14 as my first kayak and after 8 trips I still love it.

Selecting a kayak was very easy: I am 6'7" (2m) tall with a 36" inseam and this was the one that fit me best. The seat is very comfortable and the yak tracks great, is fast and very stable. Being a near-beginner I fully expected to flip this 24" kayak on my first trip, but in spite of 2' waves I still haven't made my first dump. I'm sure it will happen someday though...

In case Necky or any other manufacturers are listening, here is my improvement list:
- a waterproof "glovebox", i.e. a small compartment for keys, wallet, permits etc. I cannot believe no kayak has this!
- longer or moveable tracks for the footbraces. When a boat is 14' long there should be no reason that a 7' person would not fit.

I purchased my new Necky Manitou 14 a few weeks ago but I waited until I had a few outings under my belt before I reviewed it. I bought it for the purpose of making it my all-around “go-to” boat and I think I have a winner.
While it is billed as a “rec-touring” or “day touring” boat, it has some characteristics of larger, more expensive touring boats. At 14+ feet long and only 24 inches wide, it tracks very well and has good to above average speed. In a recent outing I estimated I was averaging 2 to 3 mph with little effort. Picking up the pace and doing some harder paddling I probably got to 5+. In conditions where tracking is difficult the skeg comes in very handy. I find that it most efficient when only deployed about 30 to 40%. The rear storage compartment sacrifices some space to the internal parts of the skeg and the control cables but with a little creative packing it still holds a good bit of gear. The fore and aft dry storage compartments are triple sealed and have so far held 100%. The open hatch is first covered with an elastic neoprene cover, followed by a hard plastic panel, followed by 2 snap-lock straps. The neoprene cover can be difficult to replace at first but I found that by first rolling it inside out, hooking the widest end on the hatch lip and then rolling it the rest of the way on, all the while keeping steady pressure on, it goes on fairly easily. At only 50 pounds it is incredibly easy to carry, load and unload as compared to some other boats I have owned in the past. Also, it was 12 to 16 pounds lighter than several other similar models I demoed in this same general size and class. That being said, it was also slightly more initially “tippier” than some of the others I tried. It is slightly narrower and has a true “shallow V” hull. Some other “day touring” boats had a modified “shallow V” with some hard chines. After you are in and start moving, secondary stability was very good. I have made several outings on a lake and some wider rivers where I shared space with fishing boats. The first few boat wakes I encountered I turned into them and rode over the waves. The sharp, narrow bow cut through some of the larger ones. As I got more comfortable, I stayed on course and paddled on, taking the waves from the side. My only minor complaint would probably be for the seat. The bottom is comfortable but I felt that the back may sit a little too high depending on the style of PFD you wear. Even when it is in the lowest setting, it still sits an inch or two above the rim of the cockpit. The height adjustment can only be changed while one is out of the boat as the back has to be tipped back approximately 60+ degrees and then slipped either up or down to a new position. I suppose you might be able to reset it while still in the boat but you would have scoot all the way up in the cockpit, reach 2 hands behind your back and make the changes completely blind. Thigh and back angle adjustments are easily reached on the sides of the cockpit and have clips to hold excess strapping out of the way. A drink holder is a nice touch.
Overall, I am very happy with my purchase and “pro” the Manitou 14. In my opinion it’s “cons” would be it’s need for a little more storage, a slightly better seat and more initial stability. I give it an “8.”

This is my first owned kayak - I wanted something all around for cruising, weekends/overnights etc, to be mainly used on slow rivers and lakes...

It's a great, great boat - tracks really well, and handles the choppy water that we get here really well. I seem to be able to paddle past most people without working too hard - the cruise speed is definitely higher than the 13 etc and the Perception boats which I also tried.

I'm 6 ft. and I find I am just about nearing upper limit for the foot bars - any taller and I think it would be a squeeze - that said, my 6'5" mate had a go and managed to sort it...
Very smart machine.

Update to my December posting. Over the winter I continued to use my Manitou 14 to kayak to and from work. It's a two and a half mile trip one way. The boat handled some really dicey conditions, better than I did. Granted, with 13mph winds and chop that consistently forced my bow to slam in the water, the kayak handled it all and still got me home. As one who is constantly out in the elements, I know about layering. Now I know about layering for kayaking. You can use less as long as you have a wind break and spray skirt.

I've also ventured out into the ocean with my Kayak for the first time. THAT was an experience. The boats length does make it want to turn parallel with the surf and I found that to be how shall we say, undesirable? Short of that and as long as you maintain a perpendicular orientation to the waves while heading out, you will poke through and get past the surf zone. Having only paddled wide rivers (1/2 -1 mile wide) the ocean swells took me some getting used to. All in all, it was very exhilarating and I think I've made an addict of myself. If this kayak is considered tippy by some, then I've been getting some good balance training. I don't have many kayaks to compare this against but so far it has performed exactly as it was designed to. The only thing I would change is possibly more storage but that's it.

My wife finally agreed to let me get a kayak and I settled on the Manitou 14 from REI. I'd paddled in the Patapsco, the large river that ocean going vessels use to get to Baltimore. Handled quite nicely in pretty much all weather. We've since moved down to North Carolina and I've taken it out several times on the New River. Where I take it out there's a narrowing and the current picks up to several knots. I've been able to traverse it, go with and against the current. The Manitou 14 stays very straight when I traverse the current and is very forgiving at maintaining forward momentum going against the current. As I get more experienced, I intend to take it out in ocean via the inter-coastal water way.

Looked at several kayaks and went with the manitou after research and test paddles. at least 25 times out this season in conditions ranging from sea to quiet lakes - an excellent kayak! plenty of storage, less than 50 lbs, retractable skeg is fantastic. enjoy.

I live south of Tampa, FL on the gulf coast. I have paddled this boat at least once a week since December. Calm water to 3-4 ft swells, calm to 20 kt. winds. This boat slices through the water! Been to Egmont Key in this boat (4.5 mile trip in open water!). Just went 17 miles and averaged 5 mph! This boat is also rock stable. Nearly flipped over twice from waves, but it righted by simple bracing. Use the skeg on windy days, otherwise tracking is perfect. Plenty of deck rigging. I would also recommend a seals extreme tour sprayskirt. A perfect combination.