Santa Cruze

I got my kayak around 2000. Here we are, 23 years later, and I still love this boat! I originally got it because of the open cockpit (I was torn between sit in our sit on top, and the openness of this made it feel like the

of both worlds), its stability, and length. I’ve taken it in calm rivers and the choppy bay. To my surprise, it felt very stable in the bay. I haven’t paddled in a year or so and just cleaned this up yesterday to go paddle today…the boat still looks great. So pleased.

My 1st kayak love it bought used still have it very stable easy to handle would love another so friends and family could join... Has skeg very durable and bright yellow seen from afar

Bought this at an auction to have a single when I can't drag my family out in our tandem Old Town Loon. Only used on Indiana lakes and slow rivers. So that's my point of comparison.

All in all, the Santa Cruze compares favorably with the Old Town in comfort and stability, and I would give it much higher marks for tracking and maneuverability. Also, as many of the reviewers note, you don't need the skeg in calm paddling so I took mine off.

The reason for an 8 and not a 10 rating is the seat back, which is a tad lower and smaller than it should be for full comfort. I'm short but still could use more back support. Otherwise, love this boat -- a bit on the heavy side for a 53-year old short woman to throw up on a car, but I can just manage it, and love it once I get out on the water.

I bought a used Santa Cruze and I couldn't be more pleased. It's a hybrid design, I guess, being a bit wider than a touring kayak, but with a similar hull shape. At 50 lbs. it was just what I needed in order to be able to carry and load/unload the kayak. It tracks and coasts well, performs well in waves and wakes and is extremely stable. An all around great kayak!

I have had this kayak for 3 years and I would never sell it. It is the best all around kayak that I have ever used. It has a decent rocker up front and a bit of an edge in the back. This lets it track decently while still being able to manage big waves. I have had it in some hairy 3+ whitewater and it has great secondary stability for this kind of kayak. My friend can even roll it, but my technique is not quite there. This is due to the kayak's fairly slender width.

This kayak comes with a drop down skeg that I only use on lakes. I usually have it totally removed from my boat and it track pretty well. The dry hatch stays dry, the seat is comfy, the foot braces work fine and a sprayskirt is a must in moving water. I also added front flotation It is not the fastest boat or the most stable boat, but It IS the best mix of everything in my opinion. I use it in mostly class 1-3 rivers and creeks but I have used it in dead flat water and in the ocean with good results.

I really wished that they still make these! The Necky Manitou is basically the same boat, but it has no rocker in the front and it is a little wider. I give it a 9 because it is the best kayak for multiple water conditions.

Pros:
• Secondary stability
• Dry and comfy ride with a skirt
• Ability to handle multiple water conditions

  Cons:

• Length(a con for moving water not flatwater)
• No thigh hooks
• A bit slow for it's length

(other boats that I own or have owned: Old town Dirigo, Dagger Blackwater,Torrent, AIRE Lynx Strike2, Pyranha h3, freefall LT, Wild World K2

The Necky Santa Cruze was my first kayak and she is an old "war horse". She is extremely stable so has been a good beginning boat for me - gives me confidence, especially navigating around strainers and rocks. I did take the skeg off because I never used it and it was in the way - I know someone else who did that also. She does tend to bounce on waves but that may because I am on the light side. I wouldn't sell her for the world!

I bought my Santa Cruze last year, after having enjoyed our other Necky kayak, Gannett II, for 2 years. The SC is the perfect kayak for me. Since we mainly paddle quiet rivers, the big hatch is nothing but comfortable, and spray is really no problem. I even fitted mine with a rudder, which makes the ride even more pleasant on windy days, when I use an umbrella as a sail (we have a lot of wind here!). I tried some other boats before, but I couldn't have found a better kayak for myself.

The Santa Cruze is one of those do-anything compromise boats that's either a long, narrow rec kayak or a short plastic sea kayak for someone on a budget. It's the kind of boat that you can get into trouble with, because you CAN take it into conditions that you probably shouldn't, at least without adding floatation and rescue gear. It's quick and responsive, and with its hard chines and shallow V-hull, it's much closer to being a real touring kayak than most 12' boats out there.

The actual dimensions of my Santa Cruze are 12 feet long and 25 inches wide. If you look at descriptions on the web, you'll get various strange dimensions, so I measured it myself.

My only complaint is that the cockpit is a lot longer than it needs to be... not huge like Perception's cockpits, but still pretty big. A spray skirt is pretty much required if you're on anything but totally flat water. Spray skirts that fit the Dagger Bayou will also fit the Santa Cruze. It's also possible to modify the cockpit by cutting a piece of heavy plastic to the right shape and sliding it into the "lip" of the cockpit to give your knees something rigid to push against. It won't change the size of spray skirt you need.. the whole thing is still covered by it. It's possible to get your knees under the deck as is, but uncomfortable and awkward. I plan on making some plastic knee braces for mine.

The Santa Cruze feels tippier than most rec boats, due to the hull shape and the fact that it's narrow for a rec boat. If you're used to pumpkinseed-style boats it may take some getting used to. But what it lacks in initial stability it makes up for in secondary stability. I've put mine up on edge so far water came up to the coaming, without bracing, and didn't flip.

The Santa Cruze is an awesome boat for a heavy paddler. I weigh about 220. A large part of my weight is in my legs, which makes a lot of kayaks plow water; the Santa Cruze doesn't even notice. The high-volume bow rides over waves and submerged logs easily.

I would recommend spending the extra money for one with a dry hatch or else adding float bags, and definitely use a spray skirt. The Santa Cruze has enough volume that it would be really hard to get it bailed out if it were swamped... and with the size of the cockpit that could happen pretty easily.

So far I've found the skeg to be pretty useless except in very high winds. Mine pulls to the left slightly with the skeg down, probably because I've hit so many things with it while carrying the boat to the put-in. Being able to put it up or down from the cockpit is nice, though, and it's easy to remove it and put it back on.

Overall, I'm very satisfied with my Santa Cruze. It's slightly more expensive than some other 12-foot boats, but is well worth it. If you want to do a little bit of everything... mild whitewater, lakes, swamps, ocean shorelines, and maybe even surfing for more advanced paddlers, this is your boat.

I bought a B boat at a discount from a local outfitter. Supposedly, it has a soft front cockpit The boat has done well so far. It is fairly stable but it tracks slightly left. I think I can correct this by tweaking the skeg. You can feel a noticeable difference between when the skeg is up and when it is down. I was able to track well into a wind across a lake and surf the discharge coming out of a power plant. I am confident that I made the best decision for what I need. I also found these reviews to be helpful.

I recently purchased a Santa Cruz. After canoeing for 15 years I decided to go the kayak route. I started with a Necky Cruiser but soon realized that, living in Connecticut, if I wanted to extend my kayaking season I need to get "my butt" inside. At my local dealer I did an in-water comparison of the Santa Cruz and the Dagger Blackwater. I found the Santa Cruz more comfortable and better at tracking than the Blackwater. Also the Blackwater's bow seamed to dive when it was brought up to speed, which I felt might be a problem in chop or rough conditions. I have paddled the Santa Cruz on the Connecticut River, lakes, ponds and Long Island Sound. I have found that the Santa Cruz has handled all conditions very well. This kayak is a joy to paddle; it gets up to speed quickly, tracks well, is comfortable, nimble and even the bulkhead stays dry. The skeg is a great feature but I only use it when conditions dictate. This kayak handles very well with out the skeg and it does feel quicker when the skeg is not in use. I would recommend the Santa Cruz to anyone looking for a good solid all round recreational kayak.

I purchased my Santa Cruze about a month ago after taking a lesson and a tour in a Looksha! Of course it's not as fast as the Looksha, it goes pretty good with a 250 lb paddler in it! I love it!

This is my first kayak (I'm an experienced canoeist) and I'm pleased with the Santa Cruz. It tracks well and is reasonably maneuverable. The workmanship is top notch. The rear bulkhead and hatch is a big plus, and I added a front float bag. Full of water, it rides a good half foot out of the water (though I have yet to flip it except on purpose). Its stable, suitable for fishing. I have yet to go down any rated white water, but I think the boat will do well.

Having had a slalom and a downriver racing kayak in my youth,I was interested in buying a general recreation kayak for day trips,lake and river use. My old kayaks were relatively uncomfortable and I wondered if I would be able to find a kayak that my aging body could tolerate for a few hours at a time. I attended a paddlefest and tried out many different models.I finally selected the Santa Cruz for handling and comfort. I certainly have not been disapponted. It takes large lake waves like a cork and is manouverable enough for swift river use. At 230 pounds,it also supports my weight well. Very tough plastic and quality rigging.I may someday buy a faster boat for touring,but you can bet it will be a Necky.

I have been paddling the necky santa cruz for a year on class 2+3 rapids and 12 mile river trips. It is easy and very comfortable. The dry well stays dry, not the case on other kayaks.

I'm new to kayaking, but after a week in my Santa Cruze in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, I'm very happy with my purchase. Much faster and more responsive (for me anyway) than my wife's Dagger Bayou. I have some difficulty with tracking, but suspect that's got more to do with my novice stroke than the yak. A great all-around boat, that I think I'll be able to grow with. Wish it wasn't so conservative looking ... the Dagger looks much cooler.

Great boat. Mine has a watert tight bulkhead which I highly recommend. Have used it for fishing, light river trips, touring, up to 26 miles a day, and generally having fun. Great capacity for day gear or overnight. Would recommend a rudder (which mine will soon be getting) just to increase maneuverability.