Q400X

I just found out that QCC is no longer making these boats. Bummer!

In my opinion this is the best designed boat ever, at least it is the best designed boat I have ever paddled. It is fast for a 15 footer and tracks very well. It also turns well especially when leaned. It has handled everything I have asked it to. It is comfortable to paddle for extended paddling, and the attention given to the finishing detail is very good, although I think I would prefer a different hatch securing system rather than the velcro strip method used. I have never had a problem with the system, it just seems like it might be a problem someday.

My boat is a 2002 model which I bought used. I paddle it more than any of my other boats and in all kinds of conditions. Besides the scratches etc. to be expected on a boat which has been put in the water hundreds of times, I only needed to replace 1 deck fitting.

My contact with the original company was always very positive. I don't know if being purchased by Wenonah/Current Design will change anything, but as long as they keep the same design and quality, my opinion will not change. The only reason I would get rid of my current 400 would be to get a new one. I would even get the same color.

This is a followup to my original review of 1 Nov 2010.
In the 2 years that I have now had this boat I have been quite pleased overall. The SmartTrack rudder functions very well. While it looks short, the rudder extends well into the water. Longer rudders of friends' boats that pivot from the top deck often are out of the water on swells, while mine stays in, probably one reason my boat does well in following seas.

Storage capacity, surprisingly not stated by QCC, is very good. I estimate the total in the two compartments to be 184 liters (by measurements and trigonometry), which is more than in some 17.5 ft kayaks. There was plenty of room for gear on several short camping trips, with space left for more food for longer trips. I needed to glue in thigh braces and hip padding for good control, absolutely essential for rolling classes. The supplied "thigh braces" provide no lateral support, but are excellent locations to glue added shaped foam blocks.

The high stability feels nice in waves, but makes edging harder, a trade-off I am still comfortable with at my level. The biggest waves I have been in so far were 3 foot and the kayak was predictable and controllable. Hull seems strong and mild encounters with rocks have only given expected gel-coat damage. Seat is comfortable for me, backrest provides fair amount of adjustment. My kevlar/carbon boat weighs in at 46 lbs with rudder, exactly as currently advertised. The Q400X is a "big" kayak with a short overall length.

For my first touring type sea kayak I set criteria of: light weight so I could load it solo more easily, hence kevlar; length 15-16 feet, to fit in my garage and short roof rack; stable but good handling hull design; rudder with fixed footpegs. My web searching revealed only one boat that seemed to meet these criteria. This was the Q400X in Kevlar/Carbon layup with SmartTrack rudder. I ordered one sight unseen on the basis of the good owners' comments, the good impression from their website, and the description of the hull design that maximizes waterline length, which seemed important given the short 15 ft length overall.

Here are my impressions after 3 months of ownership with day trips in coastal BC. I am male, 5 ft 10, 160 lbs, age 66, Level I skill.
The boat feels very stable, as good as anything I had rented previously and better than most. Tracking is impressively good for the length - with the rudder up I have no difficulty keeping a straight course without weaving. In spite of the high deck profile, it seems not to have weathercocking problems at least in the moderate wind conditions I have been in - people in longer and lower kayaks were complaining when I had no problem. It seems fast for its length as I have had no trouble keeping up with the group - the waterline length is actually longer than any other kayak in the group up to 17 ft. overall length. I have not had it out in wind waves higher than 1.5 feet and it did OK but was showing some 'slapping' when the other traditional sloped bow kayaks around me were cutting through, so I am waiting to see what happens when I hit larger waves. (Whether that 18 inches of sloping bow of the other kayaks has an advantage in waves remains to be seen.)

The cockpit is quite wide, probably too wide for my narrow body, but certainly easy to enter. My legs are long for my body, and there is plenty of length to the footpegs, so the Q400X should be good for a person over 6 foot and considerably heavier. The downside of the long cockpit is that the forward bulkhead placement reduces potential forward stowage volume. There is no lateral thigh support. The optional thigh braces only provide a wider horizontal lip. So far I have not found this to be a problem as I can exert enough vertical pressure to keep from sliding horizontally, but possibly some modification may be desirable in the future.

I have not been able to weigh the kayak, but helping to carry other boats in our group shows quite clearly that my Q400X kevlar/carbon, while lighter than any of the fiberglass boats, is heavier than any other kevlar boat that I have helped carry, including 17 footers. Part of the weight is likely due to the high sides and domed foredeck - there is simply more area of composite for its length than lower boats. However, I think other new boats likely have more advanced construction methods to reduce weight. Still, it is a relatively light boat.

My main disappointment with my Q400X is with the construction quality control. It looks very nice externally and the deck fittings are high quality, but the underdeck finish is really very poor. The interiors of all brands of kayaks in my local showroom are far better looking. The QCC looks non-professional in contrast. In particular, the sealing of the bulkheads was not only aesthetically ugly but allowed for fairly serious leaks into both the forward and aft compartments. There was also a minor leak along the deck seal line. I sealed all of these myself with 3M 5200 marine sealant. The bulkhead seams are now even more ugly, but do not leak. This only cost an hour or so of time and $20, but should not be needed on a new boat. Another problem was that the forward deck perimeter lines were cut too short so that one side could not even go under one of the fittings and the knots had no free line at all so that I was concerned that they would work loose and if they did it would be impossible to retie them. This was a safety concern. I replaced the line with the reflective type. Again, this was relatively inexpensive to do, but should not be needed.

I have not yet measured the volume of the storage compartments - QCC gives no specs - but it seems to be large for the length. I hope to go camping this summer with it. I have no experience of how it handles loaded with gear.

I did rolling and edging classes in a pool with this boat. On edging it is stable to slightly more than 90 degrees on its side (slightly beyond being right on its side) with no change in feel - a very pleasant surprise to me. I am still learning to roll, but my initial impression was that the high deck and wide width were not presenting a problem, when I managed the right technique, I came up. However, in the abstract, a narrower and lower deck boat would seem to me likely to be easier to roll - more experienced people can advise on this.

The hull design is clearly unlike any of the other boats owned by people I have paddled with. It does "look odd" when surrounded by the sleeker designs. It looks "big" in spite of always being the shortest one (length over all) in the group. This design does seem to offer some functional advantages, but it does stand out. I don't mind this myself being more functionally than stylistically biased (an ex-engineer you see) but others may feel differently.

So overall, I am pleased with the boat. I will try to update this review when I have had more experience with it.

I am 6'4" and 210 lbs so by QCC formulas I fit best in a Q500 but the Q400 fit best in my garage. After a call to Steve I got the Q400X. I did not get the thigh braces to make entry and exit easier. The standard padding under the deck is just right.

I am a beginner so my handling description is limited by my experience. I wanted a kayak that has lots of room for my skill set to grow into. I wanted a fast kayak that handled well on large lakes, rivers, the bays and eventually the ocean. So far I noticed that it likes rough water, seems to paddle as fast backwards and is fairly stable. I got a rudder just in case but you won't need it until extreme conditions. I got the basic fiberglass version. Back band is fine but I had to pad out the bottom in front of the seat for support to my long legs.

I did a lot of looking and web research before buying. QCC kayaks have the best value for the quality. I did not mind paying a little more for what I perceive as much more build quality. And it is cool to pick whatever color combination you want. They are one of few companies that actually spells out their warranty in plain English. I heard a lot of the old, "we stick by our product" from other manufacturers but try to find it in writing.

It is a leap of faith not to try it or sit in it but I am sure you read it in all the QCC reviews, don't worry it is an excellent buy. The more I use it the more I realize that it would be really hard to tell which kayak really is best unless you are very experienced. A beginner just can't pick out little nuances between kayaks. Now, that doesn't mean you shouldn't do demos, I quickly learned that I did not want a poly boat or something like a Pungo. I also saw the difference in kayak width, handling, and stability.

I noticed the little rub marks and scratches to the gel coat from small rocks near the shore. I am careful but a beginner. One of the things I did do to protect my hull was to add a thin clear layer (8 mil) of protection 3M film that I have used on my cars for 10 years. I put on a 18 in wide by 8 ft long strip in the middle and 6 inch width to each end. I got the bulk film from XPEL.com for a cost of about $120. It is easy to peel off by heating it with a hair dryer and then wiping the hull clean with alcohol. Get the install kit if you do it.

And naturally everybody gives their kayak a 10 unless it really sucks.

After paddling casually for a few years I decided last summer to get "serious" about it. I took some lessons and rented a few different brands. I wasn't heavily involved in a paddling club at the time so I wasn't able to paddle other members' boats. Trying to find paddling companies or boathouses with a wide variety of boats was hard unless I wanted to travel way out of town. But I did the best I could and spent HOURS on the web reading product reviews. What finally made me settle on a QCC kayak were the reviews, the 30-day test paddle guarantee, and the financing options.

I ordered my QCC 400X in September 2007 and made monthly payments until March 2008. It was sort of painful to wait that long to get my boat but I knew I wasn't at the point where I wanted to paddle in winter conditions so the wait really wasn't too bad. I called QCC in late March, made my final payment, and had them start building my boat. It arrived in mid-April, in time for me to get in a few paddles before a weekend-long skills clinic.

I do love this boat! The fit and finish are flawless - a testament to the craftsmanship that goes into their boats. It's comfortable - I haven't had to make any modifications to the seat or back band after many paddles, from 3-4 mile quick trips to 10-12 mile day-long outings. It tracks beautifully. You can lean this boat pretty far over without feeling unstable. It's a fast boat and just a delight to paddle. Deck rigging seems well thought out and more than adequate. My budget dictated the fiberglass construction but this boat is FAR lighter than any of the plastic boats I previously paddled - I've had no difficulty getting it on top of my car or carrying it back and forth on my shoulder. Customer service has been the absolute BEST!

So... the 30 days passed long ago but I never had any interest in returning this boat. In fact, after the first weekend of paddling I sent an e-mail to QCC and told them I had already cut up the cardboard shipping box and had taken it to the recycling center! I was totally satisfied from the very first time I put the boat in the water.

If you're at all concerned about buying a kayak sight-unseen ... don't be. The odds of you not liking a QCC kayak are very, very small. And if, for some reason, you don't like the boat they'll take it back at no cost to you. You'll find an almost cult-like following among QCC owners which, I think, speaks volumes about the boats and how satisfied we are with them!

I purchased a QCC 400x over the winter and have taken it out half a dozen times since then. I wasn't originally going to post a review, but this is such a great kayak from a small company that deserves support, that I decided to post one.

I bought the kevlar/fiberglass layout with rudder. haven't weighed it, but I'd say close to advertised weight (about 45-50lbs). I have no trouble hoisting it onto my car, but it still gets heavy when I carry it to a boat launch that is more that a couple hundred feet away.

Fit and finish is perfect. Great flush-mount hatches that so far have no leaked. Nice rigging all around and good bungie cords for storing stuff. Kayak is very easy to get in from a low dock. I have not tried to get into it from a dock over about 2 feet above water, though.

Performance wise, it tracks like an arrow, leans super easy on edge, has great initial and secondary stability. I have not leaned it all the way onto edge where my cockpit is in the water, since the water is still cold, but I have leaned it pretty far and been able to upright it with a quick brace. I have not rolled it yet, but I think rolling it wouldn't be too hard. I don't have a reliable roll, so I can't tell you.

It has no rocker that I can see, and soft chines that make the edging so easy. The bow is level, so it may bury in waves, but on light chop it handles great. I cruises about 4mph with little effort on my part. I have a Carolina 14.5 also (a great boat, btw, especially for beginners), and this boat is easily 1 to 1.5 mph faster than the Carolina.

So in short, I am very happy with my purchase. If you can wait a month or more for your boat, you can get a great boat at a great price.

I am a novice paddler; bought a used Sundance Perception and went out in several times last summer. Also went out twice in tandems (Eddyline and ???). After quite a bit of online research I ordered a QCC.

The boat certainly is beautiful. I appreciate the color choices, which allowed me to design a distinctive boat. Construction seems excellent. The seat is comfortable as is the knee padding. The rigging seems quite substantial.

Yesterday was my first time out in the new boat: 90 beautiful evening minutes on Penn Cove (Whidbey Island).

This may not be unique to QCC, but the weight is substantially more than advertised. As far as I know, the rudder is the only thing on the boat that is non-standard (surely the rigging is included in the advertised weight?), yet the Kevlar boat with advertised weight of 45# shows up at 52# on my digital scale. This is a problem for me since I have to hoist it up on a van and like to go out alone.

Have not been in a kayak in six months, but it struck me that the initial stability was not really high. Tracking is good, even with my limited skills. Once I got the hang of the SmartTrack rudder, it did a great job compensating for wind/tide. Raising and lowering the rudder is a snap.

The QCC seems quite fast to me; I was covering ground at twice the pace of the Perception. I think that is due to the combination of speed and tracking.

My size 12 feet in heavy mukluks just fit in the boat; no problem except when operating the toe rudder controls.

I thought it would be interesting to report on my Q400X. Not because I just purchased it but because I've had it for over three years and am happy to say that the only thing wrong with the boat was damage that I have done to it banging it around shorelines and loading it on my car. The boat is still in picture perfect shape and the marine gel coat has retained all its gloss with quite a bit of exposure to the elements minus the scratches from my wetsuit zipper (stupid me). Mine is a fiberglass model with the older rudder before the SmarTrak. Truthfully the rudder is an accessory that isn't really necessary. I've used mine once to test it and haven't lowered it since. The boat simply tracks that good. I've taken this boat out on some very big water tackling huge (5ft. plus) waves on Lake Michigan. I'm not a thrill seeker but I paddled with almost complete confidence in some very hairy situations. I believe that is directly due to the incredible seaworthiness of my QCC kayak. I cannot recommend a better kayak at a better value. When you tally all the costs of gear and boat you simply can't get a better deal than QCC. Do yourself a favor and compare the mechanical details of the QCC brand to others and you will understand the value of their hull design, 1/4 inch rigging, recessed accessories and so many other details. Also hats off to their outstanding customer service. About the only difficult part of working with QCC is the month it takes for them to build your boat - the waiting can be excruciating.

I had been a newbie to kayaking though I have childhood experience with open canoes. Purchasing the boat from QCC was a pleasure. I heard about them from another member of my club who had just received her Q400X from them after purchasing it sight unseen-they deal only on-line or over the phone, not through boat shops, and they build your boat to order, including very flexible color options, within a month of placing your order. But purchasing my craft on line, “sight unseen” was no problem for me. I spoke with Phil at QCC, and he recommended the Q400X based on what I felt I wanted from my envisioned kayaking experience. He steered me well. Also, part of the advantage of buying through QCC was that I just do not have the time to test drive lots of boats at a boat dealer. I also had concern over how my shoulder would hold up to paddling, not to mention whether regular paddling would fit into my busy schedule. But QCC offers a 1 month test drive program, during which time the boat can be returned to them with all costs recovered (including shipping) if not satisfied for any reason. In my case, having received the kayak (fiberglass with rudder) in mid April 2003, they were very accommodating, and offered me until mid June to make up my mind-effectively 2 months. This arrangement allowed me to make my purchase with peace of mind, knowing I had nothing to lose if things didn’t work out. But thankfully, my shoulder has held up fine, and the kayaking routine has fit in nicely. Aside from being a great “exercise machine” and platform for just hanging out on the water, the boat is a solidly built structure of beauty and fine craftsmanship (a sentiment validated by other more experienced members of my club). The feeling I got from dealing with QCC is that the folks at the company really want to place you in a boat you will enjoy, and make the process of purchasing it stress free. Through QCC, I also completed my outfitting, with a Lightning paddle, Lotus PFD, spray skirt, pump and paddle rescue float. Almost a year later, I feel my money was very well spent. My kayaking routine (up to early November) has consisted of 1-2 hour “workout” paddles on Long Island Sound, before going to the office, once or twice a week. Admittedly, I have not yet taken any extended expeditions in the boat, and I have yet to learn more advanced techniques such as bracing, and rolling. But I can paddle the boat at a reasonable clip, covering a 4 mile circuit in less than an hour. Tracks and maneuvers very nicely too, I’ve used the rudder only once. And yet, this boat is extremely stable. I have yet to even feel the threat of losing my balance, let alone capsize. For my purposes of regular workout paddles, and enjoying being out on the water, while feeling very safe, secure, and comfortable, this kayak is great.

Just took my Fiberglass deck/Kevlar hull 400XL out for the first time this weekend (9/28)and had a blast. Unbelieveable manuverability, great speed, tracks great even without the skeg down. Two of my friends and my son tried it out, and the unanimous conclusion is that this yak is worth it. Since we like exploration paddling the size is perfect for going into coves, checking out streams etc. Only problem was that the skeg is designed to such tolerances that just a bit of river sand will really stick it up. But the cable is accessible and you can loosen it up in the water (thus the reason this yak got a 9 and not a 10). Phil and company did a fantastic job of building boat. Yes the price is steep (my other three boats cost less combined) but I wanted something with great customer service and FANTASTIC ability. I guess according to the message board I am now part of the QCC Cult.

Great boat. I bought it almost on a whim last summer when I decided to move up fro a pure rec boat. I had decided to buy a plastic boat when I saw the 400XL in the paper as a used boat. I checked it out on the factory web page and these reviews, then went and took a look. I was hooked after just one paddle. Great craftsmanship, terrific handling. A wonderful little boat. Based on this I have already bought a 500XL and my daughter mostly use the 400XL. Highly recommend it!

Just received my built-to-order QCC 400X in Kevlar / Carbon with Smart Track rudder. Really nice boat and exceptionally nice price. It is a real jewel to behold - just looks fast and sexy sitting on my deck!! As soon as my carbon paddle arrives I'll take it for its maiden voyage.

I did a lot of research before selecting QCC - including poking my head into quite a few hatches and cockpits on several major upscale brands of composite touring boats. I narrowed the field to Current Designs, Seaward and QCC. Since QCC sells over the internet (like Dell Computer), I finally had to link up with a QCC boat owner so I could see a real live boat - that convinced me. So I put my money down and waited 6 weeks while the wizards in Wisconsin built the perfect boat.

On virtually every other boat I looked at compromises were apparent to control material and labor costs. There are no compromises in QCC's boats. There is nothing that could have been improved - not a better material or component or assembly method or finishing touch. And yet their boats are very attractively priced - VERY!!

For less than $3000 (the same price as a Current Designs fiberglass boat) I received a Kevlar / Carbon boat, Lightning carbon paddle, Lotus PFD, bilge pump, paddle leash and paddle rescue float.

As a mechanical engineer in the quality assurance field for 30 years I've been called "Perfectionist", "Dr. Nit-Pick" - and several other R-rated titles. I do have high expectations - especially when buying cars and other expensive toys. The folks at QCC Kayaks exceeded all my expectations.

I'm 6' and 250 lbs and this is a great boat for me. Even with the 2 hatches it is not a expedition boat, it is a great boat for day trips and possibly weekend trips which is perfect for me. The construction is great, the rigging is very good, and the fit for someone my size is very good for a smaller boat. Took it out in 12MPH wind on a local lake and it handled well and has reasonable speed. This boat has a long waterline for a 15 ft boat due to very little rocker in the hull. This contributes to its speed and is a nice compromise as the boat still turns well. Initial stability is good, have not tried secondary yet as the water was cold and my wetsuit has not arrived yet. Great boat at a great price.

I own three 'Swift" by O.C.C.,98' and a 97' sixteen ft. 10" with rudder and without.Also the Caspian "Swift" by O.C.C., All boats are of excellent quality and for the price can't be beat. Used on the great lakes and bays. They are a 'John Winters ' design . Lightweight, ease of paddleing , great quality. I love my Yak.