Q700X

I moved from a home built Chesapeake 17 wood boat with a 23-1/2" beam to a used QCC 700. After a token adjustment period, I'm in love with the boat. I weigh 250+ lbs, so the boat gets a workout. It's a joy to roll and edge. The molded in paddle recess aft of the cockpit is perfect for paddlefloat reentry. Stess cracks aft of the rear bulkhead had me adding some uni-carbon this summer. I plan on removing an otherwise excellent rudder and adding a skeg this winter. I am a registered guide and routinely put this boat through its paces giving tours and teaching other paddlers.

In brief... awesome boat.. fun, playful and seaworthy. Perhaps a little lite on the structure, but life's a tradeoff.

It's raining today so I'm taking the time to give my impressions of the 700X. Two years ago I bought a 600X and really loved it but I kept thinking the 700 would be a little faster. So, for several months I kept watching the QCC demo page and a carbon/kevlar boat became available. I received it in the Spring last year and paddled it off and on all Summer. The 700 is fast and handles all kinds of wind and water conditions well. The worst conditions I encountered was the bluz-cruz race in April. Strong Mississippi River current and 20+ MPH South wind against us. A real workout.

I started trying to sell the 600 immediately after receiving the 700 but didn't have any luck. Many lookers but no takers. So, from time to time I would switch boats and take the 600 out. Eventually, I decided to sell the 700 and keep the 600. Why?

The 600X is a great boat if you keep the weight down. I usually leave the dock at a little over 200 pounds + boat with all my stuff on board. The 600 paddles more like a sports car at that weight. The 700 tends to sit higher out of the water so it is affected more in high winds. Not a problem just different. Next, both boats are under 50 pounds but the 600 is easier to handle by myself when loading it on the trailer or on top of my golf cart.

In the end, the 700 now belongs to a friend of mine who is a stronger paddler and is able to get the extra speed out of it. If I was paddling heavy the 700 would definitely be the boat for me but for my style of kayaking the QCC600X is the boat for me.

I've been paddling since March of 2009 with 191 launches to date. I own two P&H boats and the Q, which I purchased in 2010 in carbon/kevlar. I love them all for different reasons. The Q is my favorite expedition/touring boat. It's efficient, fast, stable, and well- made. I have entered one race in it and won. I'm 5'10" and weigh 165 pounds.

My 700x Kevlar boat was on the demo page. Steve informed me that there was a slight cosmetic flaw with the gelcoat, but that it was hardly noticeable. He was right - no one has been able to detect it here, unless I pointed it out.

The boat is actually a handful at this point on my learning curve, but there is no way I'm returning it. Another lesson or two and perseverance is all I need to grow into it. In fact, I'm thinking of getting a 600x as a second boat.

A word about the seat. It's the skinniest and most frugal looking of all the ones I've seen and tried. It's also the most comfortable.

To summarize, a happy experience so far.

I'm way too much of a newbie to rate this boat on its seaworthiness so I won't even waste your valuable time with trying. My primary job in the water, as of now, is keeping my head pointed towards the sun rather than China. That said, I am not inexperienced in the world of business and can't say enough about QCC, and Steve in particular, regarding customer service. In two consecutive shipments my 700X was damaged by the shipper. Both cases were easily handled with an email and a phone call. After two such incidents I would have to imagine that all of the profit the company hopes to make is gone and although Steve was frustrated, his frustration was directed where it deserved to be and not at the customer (me). He was a pleasure to work with.

Finally, I will add that everyone who has seen the boat was blown away by the looks of it.

I purchased a Kevlar Q700 in 2010 and was disappointed in the craftsmanship. The seams were poorly matched, rubber washers stripped, the foam padding on the thigh brace upgrade not only felt disappointingly cheap, it was cheap, starting to peeling off after a few hours of use. The seat was underwhelming, and having a long torso, my center of balance was a bit high. I picked up my boat rather than having it delivered and when I got there, it was seaworthy but not completed. I took it on my trip as I was stopping on my way to Lake Superior, but had to return it to have it "finished." When I made my third trip to the shop to pick up the boat a second time, many things they said they were going to fix, they hadn't touched. I can only guess they had their B-Squad put together my boat, and communication was dropped when finishing it.

Let's talk about my boating experience: Though more proficient in a canoe, I consider myself a beginner to intermediate paddler and enjoy kayaking bigger water, i.e. Lake Superior, the Gulf, the Pacific. The Q700 was the fastest and most maneuverable kayak I've ever used, and once I got used to it, I enjoyed paddling it in calmer conditions a great deal. If, however, you have significant waves and crosswinds, you will need some ballast and experience to feel safe (especially if you enjoy cross crossing frigid water to go camping like I do). Expect island hops to regularly require tacking at an extreme angle in order to safely cross.

This is not a boat for beginners, and the more I paddled it the more I felt comfortable in it. I must say it was a beautiful boat when not looking closely at the details.

Though I was looking for something a little more forgiving, that relates to my skill and my preferred usage, not the quality of the boat, and my ranking excludes this. I was seriously tempted to order a Q500 as a replacement, but like I said in my opening, what disappointed me was the craftsmanship and I decided to do a return, washing my hands of it for now. To QCC's credit they honored the return with minimal grumbling.

I glanced at the prior reviews and I saw quite a few 10/10. No different with me. Just add "ditto" to the great reviews and comments. For those deciding on your kayak purchase, how many kayak makers are there? 60? 70? You probably have QCC in your top 3 and that's expected. But, you got to consider the world class customer service that QCC provides. "Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk" is what QCC does when it comes to customer service. I don't care if it is a kayak, bike, flashlight or a stove I don't care how pretty it is, I want quality and outstanding customer service and that is what QCC provides.

I love my QCC 700, but in response to a previous review - you will not average 6.7 mph over 10 miles unless you are w/ a current. If you do; you should challenge Greg Barton to a race. Overall it is a great kayak. I do not feel they are as fast as the Epics (you rarely see a QCC in the top 3 at major races) however they seem to be much better quality and they are made in Wisconsin and not China. Like I said; I love my 700 but if that guy can avg. 6.8 he would of won this years Blackburn by 5 min. against some pretty accomplished paddlers - so I just wanted to put out some straight info.

I've been paddling kayaks for over thirty years and was very impressed with my Q700. I did a solo self contained trip of 500 miles on the Missouri River, mostly in Montana. I brought more gear than I needed, because I could! The room in this boat is great, I also carried six gallons of water.

Paddling open water on Fort Peck Lake, and doing point to point crossings, I encountered winds and choppy water from every direction and this boat handled exceptional, predictable and lived up to its legendary speed. I lived out of this boat for 16 days and only carried the bare necessities on the deck; everything else fit below in the hatched compartments. I'm looking forward to more extended trips.

I had to post this review. This is the kind of broken record you want to hear when you are looking to make a significant boat purchase and want to be sure you are going to get great customer service along with a great kayak. Plus, you just gotta share a story like this...

Late last fall I purchased a near new ALL CARBON 700x from an active P-netter through the classifieds. Seems he went surf ski and never looked back. The boat was only 7-8 months old and not a single scratch on the hull. I was ecstatic to get such an excellent boat at a relatively great price. A road trip south, a couple of local paddles and then I was forced to hang it up for a little while to rehab an injury. I recently took the boat out to dust it off in anticipation of my first paddle of the season when I noticed what I thought was a scratch along the seam tape. Imagine my horror when I discovered that this "scratch" was in fact a separation of the deck and hull! I felt weak. This was supposed to be my ultimate kayak. I had such great expectations for the upcoming season. It all came crashing down in an instant. I didn't know what to do.

In the past if I had any problems with my 400x, I would just call Phil and he would work everything out with me. Now even Phil was gone..... I was utterly lost. Of course I was aware of QCC'S policy of complete boat replacement for a deck/hull seam failure (you did know that, didn't you?), but I hadn't purchased this boat from QCC....so after a couple of mind-numbing days I mustered the courage to call with my weak excuse of a second-hand, near new 700 with a seam failure and anticipated a lot of sympathy and little glue. Instead, my call was answered by Steve Freund. I hadn't finished my second sentence before I was interrupted with the magic words, "of course, we'll replace your boat with a new one". I felt like an oppressive weight had been lifted off my shoulders, the clouds parted and the sun began to shine again.

At best I was hoping for a free repair and only pay for round trip shipping. At worst, sorrowful commiseration and a tube of glue. This is like having your cake and eating it too. Being the type to push the envelope a little, I asked Steve, since we were building a new boat, if he would be willing to do a few mods...(I know, talk about looking a gift horse), of which we discussed the varying practicality. So I am getting the raised rudder, but they can't gel the American flag on the deck (too bad), and although I didn't receive a firm commitment, I wouldn't be surprised to find a little extra room in my front compartment....So now I wait anxiously and dream of days to come while resting comfortably in the knowledge that there are still companies that stand behind their products 100% and act as standard bearers for pride in the American made product. God bless America! God Bless QCC!

As a couple reviews ahead of us stated, my wife & I too have Dagger Spectors, in the airlite material. We caught the kayak bug early this spring and started with the Daggers. They're 15'6" x 24" beam. A good stable boat for a beginner. We both teach school and don't work during the summer, so we've been on the water sometimes four days a week. I mention that only because I think our learning curve was steep, and we grew out of the Daggers quickly.

Started researching the internet for new boats and found a little company right here in Wisconsin about 100 miles from our home: QCC. We had a lot of trouble with Dagger's customer service with a few issues this spring, so I thought it would really be good to buy from a local company. It turns out, however, QCC's customer service, quality craftsmanship, and design are hands down the best in the industry. Just go to their site, Google -> QCC kayak. Or just continue reading the reviews on this site on the QCC boats and see if you don't agree.

We're both in our 50's and I've had shoulder surgery 3 times, so when we go on group outings to the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior and other places I thought it would be to our advantage to have fast, easy to paddle boats so we can keep up with the group and not have to bust our humps. The Q700X is a freakin knife through butter. We can travel at a much better pace with half the energy exerted. The glide on these boats is awesome. Edging was hard with the Daggers, but not with the 700. Tracks well, and in rough seas the rudder system is bar none the best. It also has solid pegs to lean on while paddling. Other cool thing about the rudder system is that when it is deployed, the entire system is flush with the deck, so tow ropes won't get hung up if needed in a rescue situation.

Needless to say it was a little scary to order boats on the internet, so we went to the QCC factory and met Phill and Steve. Super nice guys. No sales pitch, no pressure to buy. If you see the boat and touch the boat it screams quality. We loaded a couple 700's up in our trailer for a test paddle about a mile away at a small local lake. We paddled around for about an hour, came back and wrote a check. The test paddle was kind of a waste of time. We were sold before we even had the boats in our trailer.

Kevlar Kayak. Received from QCC early this August 2006. It's an attractive boat and weighs exactly 48lbs. It is noticeably quicker than a Dagger Specter 15.5 Airalite I purchased earlier this Summer used (and with which I am very pleased). I am 5'8, and weigh 190. This Q700X seems to be a perfect fit for me. It turns very easily (w/o using the rudder), is very easy to get back into from a wet exit, paddle float reentry, easy to assist others with T-rescue, etc. etc., seems quite stable to me, both primary and secondary. It has a solid secondary stability with the skirt on, and a somewhat 'wet' secondary with the skirt off if you want to take it that far over on its edge without a skirt. I guess you are leaning it too far if your side is getting wet & the boat is starting to fill with water. I've only been using it on our local lake in light to moderate winds and small waves (less than 1-2 feet), light 'chop'. I've also had some of the guys with their power boats do some figure 8s around me at a good speed to make some bigger waves & that does not seem to faze this Kayak- they were disappointed that I seemed to be un-capcizable. (I am a former Naval Officer, so I really don't know how to accurately describe conditions on a lake which is about 4 miles wide at its widest points and about 6+ miles long). This was a 'repaired to new condition' boat, and I am well satisfied with the nice looks, light weight,price and handling. It seems to be very well made. My only complaint is that after practicing 3-4 deliberate wet exits & making sure it is 'turtled', so I can practice self-rescue, and reentering over the stern deck, I discovered exactly (as measured with a large kitchen measuring cup)10oz. of water in the forward compartment, and 2.5oz. of water in the aft compartment. Before this most recent water integrity test, I inspected each compartment to make sure each was completely dry, carefully pressed both hatch covers down tightly all around, cinched the nylon straps snug/tight, and took the boat out to the lake & rechecked that both hatch covers were well-secured/pressed down tightly. This small amounts of water were measured after returning home, setting the boat down flat on my garage floor, and sponging out the water from each compartment into the measuring cup. QCC has responded quickly to my recent inquiry about this small amount of water entering the forward and aft compartments, and I will report later if there suggestions remedy this problem. I only have a Perception Carolina 13.5 Airalite (used by my wife), and my Dagger Specter 15.5 Airalite to compare to this kayak. Each of those kayaks has flush hard hatchcovers, also secured to the deck with the nylon clip straps as on the Q700X. Those kayaks have neoprene bungied hatch covers however which are covered/protected by the somewhat flexible airalite covers which seat over top of them. On these two kayaks there is no water leakage, but some condensation inside each compartment, on the new Perception Carolina, and only a very small leakage after multiple deliberate wet exits on the Dagger Specter (a two-year old boat I purchased used this Summer). Since I am new to kayaking, I don't know if this small leakage into the fore and aft bulkheaded compartments is a significant issue or not. I welcome any suggestions & will pass along a followup report after suggestions are received from the nice folks at QCC.COM, and I have had a chance to implement and test whatever their recommentations are. I plan on this being a lake, slow river, fun and exercise boat- I don't have any plans to get into the Pacific Ocean just yet in any of my kayaks, although maybe in the future after I've learned to roll & become better physically conditioned- previously my exercise was almost exclusively lap swimming at the gym (pretty boring), so kayaking adds fun to my exercise.

I'm a big guy, 6"2' 230lbs and this boat fits great, glides on the water and handles great in medium chop. The only thing about it that sucks is the seat, i would advise trying it on and making adjustments before getting a new seat or a backband...some people like it, I just find it tolerable.

If you are worried about buying sight unseen, don't! I ordered my boat, it arrived and I took of for a week camping trip, when I returned I called and asked about stiffening the bottom and back deck. The first reply was that they would send me carbon and epoxy to do this, my boat is kevlar. When I called to discuss this they said that wouldn't do. They would make me a boat the way I expected, with extra stiffening in the areas I needed. Also were there any other things I thought I wanted changed. This was for free, a few weeks later a new boat arrived.

I've had my boat for three years. The only disadvantage to buying one, is that every person that sees it wants to talk about how beautiful it is. I have paddled many different boats and I think this is the best handling boat I have tried. Initial stability is there, but it is always a little rocking movement, secondary is unbelievable, without a brace you can bury the coaming underwater. With a good brace it is real easy to put your ears in the water and recover. Likewise this boat rolls almost by itself. This past weekend I was showing a novice braces and hipsnaps, I haven't even tried to roll in a year, over I went and on the first attempt to roll I shot out of the water.

I camp for a week at a time so this boat really gets loaded, water, food, plus all the goodies you want, and it is even more stabile. Speed is unbelievable, I also have a CD Extreme, the 700 is fast. Once up to my cruising speed it just stays there with no effort.

I have the SmartTrac rudder, it has been deployed only on rare occasions, quartering winds. It goes straight but put on edge it spins in turns. Not whitewater quick but very impressive.

Fit and finish put to shame other boats that are more expensive. It is comfortable out of the cardboard, say that about ANY other kayak. I only add thigh braces and adjusted the thigh hook area to make it fit my style and penchant for long days.

Why only a 9? When doing rolling sessions the front and rear hatches allow a cup or two of water to enter.

The 700 continues to grow on me. After many, many hours, I am still amazed by the speed and handling. I love the way the boat looks, and I like the knowledge that I have the ultimate in design and speed.

Boat Reviewed: QCC 700 Kevlar Sky Blue/Black Stripe/White Hull, thigh braces, drop down skeg

Boat was advertised on the Demo page at QCC as having a compass recess. The boat I received did not have this recess. An e-mail to Mr. PHill garnered there promise that a forward hatch with recess is on the way.

Paddling experience: almost 20 years of sea kayaking in various conditions. I'm an intermediate paddler with a small fleet of kayaks I'm collecting to one day give my children.

Boats owned and instant comparisons to this kayak:
Necky Looksha II=less stable, wont track true
Nordkapp Jubilee=harder to pack, not as fast
Wilderness Systems Arctic Hawk Pro=harder to pack but just as fast
Aquaterra Sea Lion (kevlar)=vastly slower but other than that some interesting similarities

Paddler physical parameters= I'm 6'1" and weigh 188 pounds

I've got almost 50 miles on a new to me (bought a demo'ed) QCC700, 36 miles of which were paddled this past week on a 4 day adventure on Fontana Lake (forms the belly of Great Smoky Mountain National Park)...living out of this kayak for 4 days has given me an appreciation of this kayak, a glimpse at its strengths and weaknesses (which are few).

For paddle camping and long sojourns you will love the cavernous compartments fore and aft, the beautifully fitted (though not 100% waterproof) hatch covers. Even with the drop down skeg you will have plenty of room in the rear (note that a size 10-11 pair of hiking boots will fit perfectly astride the skeg box)...and speaking of the skeg, not your typical VCP, Nigel Dennis or Foster skeg but a Sealline Foil blade which will take you several outings in differing conditions to master the subtle nuances and settings possible and desired for each particular condition (for example, just dropping the skeg a wee bit will give you excellent tracking and a degree of turning ability with full deployment train like tracking)...and while on tracking I noted that this kayak needs the skeg to track true.

I was under the impression from so many other reviews on the QCC700 that it would track like said train without rudder or skeg, not so in my case but like the double edge sword the gain is the ability for an 18foot long kayak to turn easily when leaned...Compared to the Necky Looksha II, the QCC700 does not require either to track true but the Looksha II is uncontrollable without a rudder while the QCC needs only corrective strokes.

Seat comfort- after 4 days the seat was deemed a wonderful surprise. I've logged hundreds of miles in a Nordkapp Jubilee and know the pain of British seating, I think most will be surprised by the comfort allowed by the Rapid Pulse seat, not only on the buttocks but also in the lower back. I liked it so much I have requested Unicorn Kayaks to use one in an English Kayak they are building for me. Along with the seats you will find the foot braces (another Seal Line product used by QCC) to be top notch...

I purchased a QCC700XL late in 2003 and have found it to be an adequate though not exceptional boat.

The build quality is indeed good, though mine was delivered with some blemishes in the gel coat. (Steve offered to build a new one but there wasn't time to do so before the agreed upon delivery).

It also seems to perform well, though I think not as exceptional as they would have you believe.

I'm displeased with the skeg control which allows the skeg to drop if the rope is inadvertently knocked from the jam-cleat.

I was told that the hatch-seal design was unique to my boat (a 3/4" rubber band which nests vertically between the cover and hull), and I see that they are no longer using it. It's not unusual to have up to a quart of water in the rear compartment after rolling or hard leans.

My biggest complaint though is about their customer service, rather than the boat. It became immediately apparent after placing the order that I was no longer a priority to them, and I've found it difficult to even get a response (email) ever since!

I purchased a q700x kevlar last year. I wanted the fastest boat of any kind to use in my cold northern waters, and after many trials of other boats, the 700 wins going away in my important categories. (I am about 200lbs.) Fastest, best hull design, great craftsmanship, hottest lookin’ boat on the water, but most people just get to see the rear end! Made by master craftsman in the Wisconsin north woods-this may be the reason why the 700 will continue to be a real great boat. When you are in your boat, you can almost feel these guys being concerned about your experience. Really, kudo's to QCC for their honest & hardworking approach - keep up the good work.

I had some paddling experiences with the Q700X this summer and wasn't blown away. These experiences ranged from calm water paddles of about 10 miles each to a 25 mile open water crossing in Lake Michigan in more challenging wind/waves. Some observations: (1) The boat (without a rudder or skeg) behaved somewhat oddly in the wind, weather- cocking to an angle about 20 degree from the direction of the wind; (2) there is a lot of wasted space between the end of the footpegs and the front bulkhead; and (3) it didn't seem that much faster than my humble Prijon Kodiak. A major concern was the velcro strapping over the hatches. I had tucked a spare paddle under these straps and pushed off into 2-4 foot surf. When a wave washed over the front it caught the paddle, the velcro straps gave way and my front hatch popped off. There I was in the surf zone with an open front hatch. Not a good situation.

In sum, I'm puzzled why this kayak gets such adulation. It seems like it is structurally sound and it certainly has the dimensions of a fast boat. But it is not a perfect "10" by any means.

Hi Folks, After reading a dozen glowing reviews of the QCC700XL, all I can do is add more frosting to the cake. I'm 5'-11" and weigh a fit 200 lbs. I have been canoe and kayak racing for over 20 years. I recently purchased a QCC700 kayak. I have owned several composite, fast touring kayaks over the years. That said, what I look for in a kayak is Firstly; Quality, this kayak has it all, with it's impeccable fit, finish attention to detail and deep color saturation. Secondly; I want it to be Fast, and also fast, when carrying three days camping supplies. This kayak, with only a paddler on board, can reach speeds of 6.9 mph,as confirmed by a GPS, for several hundred yards, as your conditioning allows. Thirdly; This type of 18ft. kevlar kayak can be very expensive, so I want this kind of quailty at a reasonable price. The reasonable price will dazzle you. I could go on and on but, I won't. Check this fantastic boat out for yourself, you won't be sorry....

There is already a large number of excellent reviews on the 700 so I will try to add new perspective. I received my 700 in Kevlar/Carbon last week. In Florida we paddle 12 months a year, so I was on the water this past weekend. I will need more time with the boat in different conditions to evaluate the many aspects of it handling but let me mention what I am impressed about now.

The boat travelled by truck from Wis. to Florida in less than 48 hours. It arrived undamaged and as described; long, slender and beautiful. The 700 now has a new hatch gasket that is a flat rubber strip surrounging the hatch combing, gone are the pedestal gaskets that seemed to be reported as leaking small amounts of water on rolls. Gone also are the velcro hatch stap fasteners, now replaced with plastic clips. I suspect the folks at QCC are listening to their customers and improving areas that reported less than perfect.

I am a middle age paddler weighing 170 lbs and not in the best shape. I have been paddling regularly for the last 4 years. This is my 5th boat purchased and the 4th in my fleet. Each with a different purpose depending the type of water I am on and type of trip. I was very comfortable in my 23" wide and had some concern about stability in the 700 at 21".

I am very impressed with the primary and secondary stability. Balance is comfortable. The seat is comfortable as well and I really like the foot rest adjustments on the SmartTrack rudder. Adjustments can be made while on the water very easily.

The 700 is long. It is longer than my car. When I unloaded it alone the first time from my roof rack, I was concerned about balance. I lifted it at the cockpit and to my great surprise neither bow or stern dipped to the ground. I was impressed that I could load and unload it easily by myself.

As I paddle it over the coming months, I will develop a sense of what the boat does on the water and will add to my assessment in an effort to assist others in making a decision on what is the best boat for them. So far, I am very impressed.

Have owned a glass 700 since spring of 2003. I am 6'1" and a lean 200#. I have used this boat in conditions ranging from dead ass calm flat water to 4-5ft Lake superior dumping chop, accompanied by 30mph wind. Have not paddled in the ocean with it.

The outer layup is flawless. The deck bungies and lines are a bit thicker than those I've seen on other boats. The deck hardware is first rate. The hatches are flush, look very pretty (esp the one with the built in compass!), and will leak like a sieve when rolling. Despite two gaskets and a fairly deep recess, a whole BUNCH of water seems to find its way in, no matter how tight I get the straps. They do not do day hatches (ouch!).

The inner layup is a bit rough. Not a boat you would want to paddle barefoot. The inner seam is not glassed like I have seen on other boats, but I have no doubts as to the seams durability (and I believe qcc will replace the boat should it fail). There are one or two screw tips from the deck hardware that could concievably catch drybags. The bulkheads are translucent, which conveniently lets light into the compartments, but still seem to be robust - more on those later. The seatpan is very comfortable - so much so that I am considering replacing the rapidpulse seatpad/backband combo with a backband only. The seat is too close to the rear coming to do good laybacks. A high wasted pfd (I wear a misfit) will cause serious discomfort when doing numerous rolls, as the back coming digs into my back.

The keyhole cockpit is big enough to get into butt first. I recommend the "thigh braces", which are merely a different cockpit coming with flanges. They do not provide much "hook" though, and I will need to pad mine out. The footpegs are not very good, as they have a rounded and ribbed face which hurts the balls of my feet after a short time.

The skeg is rope operated, spring loaded and is controlled by feeding the end of the rope through a jam cleat on the side of the boat. While the cleat is convieniently located, I do not care for this type of controll and would prefer a solid rod slider system. I have had the skeg deploy on numerous occasions when the toggle slipped out of the cleat - not very good when involved in rolling practice. The skeg also jams faily easily - not a good thing, as this boat is heavily skeg dependent in wind (though much less so in "windless waves".) The skeg box also leaks through the pivot point where the rod holds the blade to the box - small amount of silicone caulk on a semi regular basis is mandatory.

Paddling the boat is a blast. It really is "all that" in terms of speed, handling, and tracking vs turning. It is amazingly stable for a 21" beam. I can enter the cockpit butt first in waste high water, pulling one leg at a time into the cockpit. I have even done this in small waves. Turning is very good, considering the length - but you will need to commit to a strong lean. The 700 loves following seas, and will reward you with some nice rides, as long as you stay awake and handle correctional strokes proactively. Even aft quartering seas do not cause this boat to behave badly. I have had waves dump on my head during an exposed crossing, and did not get the least bit unbalanced. Confidence inspiring predictability in hairy conditions.

It is sooo easy to roll. I have even done norsaq rolls (to the disgust of greenlanders everywhere!)

In high winds the skeg is a must. It is the same blade as is used on qcc rudders, and extends very deep under the hull. At first I was puzzled by this design, but have become a convert to the idea. The reason being, that in ferocious wind, and with a load, the boat will weathercock slightly (and this is PROPPER), trimming the skeg to about 1/4 deep will put the hull on a dead ass straight course. Lowering the skeg fully will cause the boat to leecock quickly. Due to the amount of freeboard, coupled with the plumb bow, a working skeg is a must in strong winds. I have been in a storm when the skeg, unbeknownst to me, slipped out of the cleat and became fully depoloyed, and I almost took the express out to the open sea. When cresting a wave in high winds, the bow will get pushed around quite a bit, as it is a very large surface area for the wind to grab.

The bulkheads are too far forward and aft, wasting storage space, and increasing the difficulty in draining the cockpit (as many gallons of water will stay behind the cockpit when the boat is inverted and tipped. Despite speaking personally to phil about the placement of the bulkheads when I placed my order (esp for a footpump), they were not installed to the agreed upon measurements.

One of the most controversial aspects of the boat, is the decision by qcc to move the cockpit (and hence the center of gravity and turning point) back almost 8" from the original design. This causes several concerns. The first is the boat will leecock a bit without some weight in the bow. Another is that wide bladed paddles may not fit under the back deck bungies. I plan on moving my seat forward a couple inches in order to rectify the leecocking and the back bashing while rolling.

QCC is known for having "legendary service", most likely because most other kayaks have almost no service after the sale. While Phil and Steve are indeed very pleasent to deal with, and will continue to be pleasent after the deal, with extra help, they did NOT respond to any of my half a dozen emails. I find this strange and dissappointing, esp as they are a 'net only business.

Final conclusion - the most innovative and well thought out hull on the market. Top rate materials and rigorous attention to quality. Questionable ability with mechanical parts (skeg - and I'm told that the rudders will drag when up to speed.) Lack of follow through with customer specs (front bulkhead), poor placement of rear bulkhead (hard to dump h2o out of cockpit). And the best damn warranty in the business. The bottom line is that I WILL NOT return the boat, as it is too close to being the ideal kayak for my purposes. Oh yeah - and I saved a lot of $. Definitely not the most important aspect, but important none the less.

Order yours with the bulkheads and seatpan uninstalled, ask the guys if they will cut you a deal for not including the seatpad/backband and footpegs, and you should end a boat in the 99th percentile - wish someone would have told me that!

The Q700XL is my second QCC kayak. I also own a Q400XL. This 700 is kevlar with carbon reinforcement and came outfitted with the excellent new Sealline rudder system. It weighs 49-50lbs. Not bad for an 18ft. boat.

Customer Service: QCC Kayaks has the best customer service and support I've ever experienced. Steve and Phil are a delight to work with. More specifically, Roadway damaged my Q700 during shipping. (What cretin dockworker would stand a 20ft. box on its end in the terminal when the box clearly states fragile, this side up, do not stack, kayak? DUH!) QCC's immediate response is to, build me a replacement Q700, encourage me to use the damaged 700 until the new one arrives, and take care of dealing with Roadway and the shipping costs. WOW.

Fit and Finish: Superb, as in, no flaws. Extra touches like recessed VKV deck fittings and a molded paddle park aft of the cockpit are great. Inside, no drips, runs, or sags The boat is eye-candy. It's just fun to look at!

Performance: This is not a boat for a novice paddler, but for perspective, I'm just finishing my second season of paddling and really love the way the 700 handles. I had no trouble paddling it to 6.5mph...it's got tremendous glide and turns very quickly with minor lean. The 700 is very comfortable and the Rapid Pulse touring seat is just excellent. It's very sensitive and responsive to paddler input which very quickly creates the feel that the 700 is an extension of yourself. As sensitive as it is, it's completely predictable, too. For those of you who roadbike, think high end Tomassini, Bianchi, etc.

Summary: I feel like I'm just sitting in and paddling other boats. I feel like I'm wearing the Q700XL. This is one fun ride and the quality is high end all the way. It will truly put a smile on your face.

The rating I provide of 10 is a relative rating. On an absolute basis, where the reference is nirvana, I give the kayak a 9.3. I have had the kayak out on a large, open body of water now for about 13 hours on three occasions, in conditions ranging from glassy calm to 1 1/2' to 2' chop, once with a paddling friend. I weigh -- with a vest, paddle, paddle float, pump and water bottle -- about 190 pounds and am 6' tall. My wife and I also have a couple of Prijon Catalinas we both manage to remain fond of.

The appearance and some other qualities of the Q700X are deceptive. In close quarters, it looks humongous. Sitting in it on the water, it does not look so big. Standing over it, it looks very wide at midship. Measured there, it is not so at all. The cockpit, with the built in thigh braces looks huge, but in fact measures only 30" x 16", with 11.5" maximum inside center depth and 9" inside center depth at the rear. The Q700X cockpit seems much smaller than the Catalina cockpit at 32" x18" and 11 1/2" and 9 1/4." Yet I can easily get in and out of the Q700X one leg at a time; not, or seldom so with the Catalina. Also, the Q700X does not look like it has the volume to carry the displacement weight it can, except in close quarters, but it does. The Q700X's lines make it not particularly a beauty queen, in my eyes, but it is absolutely beautifully made and finished. It looks somewhat like a spanking new Suburban, but it goes like a Ferrari. For short sprints on flat water, I can get it up to speeds where the noise from the bow and stern wakes is very and surprisingly loud. I regularly pass bass fishing boats under power saundering out to their fishing locations.

The Q700X has great glide. With strong strokes spaced very intermittently, using that glide, you can go a long distance with relatively little effort. The Q700X is very efficient. When I am focused on paddling the boat, I do not seem like I am going that fast, except for the very audible wake, but when I look up at what I am passing by, I am flying. It can haul a serious touring load, but without a load, moves like a racer. It tracks very well under significant load, but less so without such load. At speed, and without load, good paddling and balance techniques are needed to keep it on course (I have no skeg or rudder to break or slow me down), if you are well under its minimum displacement weight of 210 pounds, not including the boat's weight. Maximum displacement, not including boat weight, is 305 pounds. Nearing displacement weight of 275 pounds, it tracks very, very well. I used a plastic wrapped case of bottled water in the bow hatch to check this out. With just my 190 pounds, the buoyancy of the bow causes it to enter the water just under the curvature going into the bottom line, although it rests more fully in the water at the stern.

One consequence of my 190 pound only weight is superior turning, however. At less than full displacement weight, and with the bow to stern rocker the kayak has and the bow slightly up, it turns much more easily than my narrow 15' 3'' Catalina, but less so with more displacement weight aboard. Speed is also aided by reduced surface area under water and lower flow resistance, with less displacement. With the lighter 190 displacement, handling is more skiddish at speed in calm water, but predictably and controllably so. An intermediate paddling-level friend, in one of our Catalinas, had a hard time keeping up with me, while I was using a low paddle stroke rate, and the Catalina is not at all slow. The Q700X did extremely well in the chop I was in and presents no need for bracing. Its near round bottom, its directional stability from its speed, and its length makes it very stable and comfortable in rougher waters, and very surprisingly so. It is actually less skittish, at less than displacement weight, in significant chop than in flat water pushing the speed. While it is not an optimal fishing platform, I am sure I could cast and troll from it quite happily for catches of reason weight.

I had QCC secure the hatches with cam buckles and Velcro to hold the strap tails down. It adds a bit of weight, but is worth it. The hatch covers are on very securely. My Q700X's weight in Kevlar/carbon came in at 51 pounds, but that is lighter in fact than each of my Catalinas which are supposed to weigh 48 pounds each. The cam buckles added a bit of weight. Also, I think my layup is a tad heavier. The weight is not a problem for me. The Q700X cartops well and looks good without noteworthy overhands on large automotive sedans.

The seat . . well, lets start by saying kayak seats are not lazyboy recliners. Also, they are very personal matters. The biggest problem I have with the Q700'Xs seat is that it creaks audibly when I rotate while paddling. As kayak seats go, it is comfortable enough, but as with all kayak seats, in my view, this one requires outfitting and tinkering to optimize it for me. That I have not undertaken this adventure yet is a testament to how good the seat is, as it comes from the factory. I have just been paddling the thing and having fun. I had Yakima foot braces put in instead of the factory offered SealLine pedals which have humps on them are intended for use with the SeaLine rudder. I also asked for some additional deck line to create a bow painter which I have done. A painter should be a stock item on all kayaks, in my view.

Factory service was basically good, but you need to keep track of matters. Mine Q700X was shipped almost a month late, but my special requests contributed to that delay somewhat. All in all a great kayak.

Performance - the one word I see repeatedly in reviews of the 700 and the word that got me interested. Certainly all of the QCC boats are "performance" boats within their volume, length and width categories. Having previously owned (and loved) a 500 (kevlar) I considered that boat extremely stable, enjoyable and efficient. Having developed a taste for fitness and competition paddling I wanted to graduate to a higher level of speed potential and hopefully not sacrifice the inherent characteristics of a sea kayak – voila! – the 700. A very fast kayak that still handles the wind, chop, swells and currents you want in this type of boat without demanding extreme balance skills. I can legitimately average just over 6 mph for 2 hours in calm water (GPS verified). That may not matter to many but if you paddle with others, whatever your goals may be, efficiency is important – you don't play catch-up in this boat.

Absolutely wonderful design, quality, customer service and support. My 700 is carbon/kevlar and a beautiful red over white. You can count on the QCC folks just as they counted on John Winters for his expertise and design brilliance. I have counted on QCC with two boats and wouldn't hesitate again. I lost a few nights sleep initially worrying about a sight-unseen purchase of this magnitude. Don't worry! You won't be disappointed. GO FAST and ENJOY!

Note: This is a supplement to a previous review I posted about the Q700X.

Last weekend I paddled my Q700X to victory in my first kayak race! It was a 15 miler around Jamestown Island in Rhode Island. This was my first time paddling in Narragansett Bay and was surprised at the variety of conditions. We left the beach through 3 foot breakers, rounded the first rocky corner in confused swells then headed North for 6 miles into a solid knot of adverse current mixed with lots of power boat wake. The winds were always at the beam requiring constant corrective steering, but no rudder. Needless to say, no records were set that day. However, the Q700X performed flawlessly in all conditions. Despite this being only my second season of paddling and competing against many veterans including some locals, I managed to beat my nearest competitor by about five minutes in the men's division of the composite class. While I implemented a solid strategy to avoid the strongest adverse currents, which others soon followed, I believe my boat was the secret weapon. With its long waterline, narrow beam, and lightweight Kevlar construction, the Q700X was the right tool for the job. With a QCC kayak I can't blame my boat for a poor race, however I'm all too happy to personally take credit for a win!

By the way, the thrill of my victory was shared by another competitor who currently awaits delivery of his Q700X. I'm sure my performance erased any doubts he might have had about ordering a QCC kayak online. So I will have at least one other Q700X to compete with at the next race. While I love to see other paddlers discover the benefits of John Winter's efficient hull design, if word continues to get out and other racers trade in their slow boats for a QCC, I may have to start training harder to remain competitive!

I bought my QCC 700XL this winter and could not wait for the ice to leave the lakes. It was worth the wait. I have been paddling it 3 - 4 times a week for the past month and I could not be more pleased with this kayak. At first I was surprised at the low primary stability and it took a little time to get use to, but the secondary stability is excellent. My boat has a rudder, but it tracks so well that I have found I only use it only when it is very windy. It is a rocket. I have been paddling next to other kayaks and I find that I take maybe one stroke to their three strokes to maintain the same speed. The construction and workmanship is top notch. Mine is made out of kevlar. I bought a detachable yoke so I easily carry it to the lake about 300 yards from my house. With the yoke it is a piece of cake to carry. It has been said that this kayak is for a heaiver more experience paddler, however my 120 lb teenage novice paddling daughter has no problems paddling this kayak. Maybe she might find the 500XL or 600XL easier to paddle, but the point is that this boat is not that difficult to paddle. I am looking forward to taking this boat on a trip to the Pictured Rocks National Seashore on Lake Superior this summer. The only problem will be the the "dicussion" with my kids about who has to use the inferior rental kayaks and who gets to use the QCC kayak.

I live about 50 miles from the Janesville, Wisconsin factory and bought my boat at the factory. The people at QCC are great and very helpful. Having seen the level of detail in person in the building process and how they ship the boats to customers, I highly recommend you consider a QCC kayak. If you buy one of their boats you will be very pleased with your decision.

The QCC 700 XL is an 18' kayak with a 21" beam aimed at the more experienced paddler. It has relatively low initial stability ,yet a very good secondary .while a novice would find the boat overly tippy and difficult to manage, a skilled, seasoned paddler would be better "equipped" to appreciate the speed and handling of this high performance kayak. It tracks and turns very well and with a waterline length of 17'5" the speed potential is definitely there. QCC's build quality is excellant as are the companies warranty and customer satisfaction policies so don't be concerned about buying over the internet with these folks . This is my second kayak from them and they stand behind their products and policies 100%.