16' 2"
Length
22.13"
Width (in)
34–38
Weight (lb)
$3,195
Base MSRP

S16 G2 Options

  • Advantage

    38 lb
    Fiberglass Composite
  • Multi-Sport

    38 lb
    Kevlar/aramid Composite
  • Excel

    35 lb
    Kevlar/aramid Composite
  • Alpha

    34 lb
    Carbon Composite

    S16 G2 Description

    The Stellar 16'(S16) Touring Kayak was an instant classic, in launching the second generation(S16 G2), we built off the success of the initial design and its decade in the market. We've added a bit of waterline beam for some additional stability and the bow was made more plumb to increase the waterline length for better efficiency and tracking. The foredeck was redesigned to include a little more height to allow for paddlers with larger feet. We also made the cutaways deeper to allow for a tighter and more efficient stroke. The cockpit rim was lowered along with the seat position which we moved to the bow allowing for easier back deck rolling. Rounding out the updates, we added a 3rd hatch on the fore deck for your phone, VHF radio or snacks.

    S16 G2 Specs and Features

    • Structure: Rigid / Hard Shell
    • Cockpit Type: Sit Inside
    • Seating Configuration: Solo
    • Ideal Paddler Size: Average Adult
    • Skill Level: Intermediate, Advanced
    • Ideal Paddler Size: Average Adult
    • Skill Level: Intermediate, Advanced

    Stellar Kayaks and Surfskis
    S16 G2 Reviews

    Read reviews for the S16 G2 by Stellar Kayaks and Surfskis as submitted by your fellow paddlers. All of the reviews are created and written by paddlers like you, so be sure to submit your own review and be part of the community!

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    5

    I have had the S16 G2 for a…

    Submitted by: paddler2438869 on 11/24/2022

    I have had the S16 G2 for a full season with frequent paddles on lakes, rivers and ocean coastal conditions.
    Big fan of the design - light, fast and tracks like an arrow with the rudder down for most conditions.
    Light enough to be able to load on top of my SUV solo even after a long tiring paddle.

    From a design perspective - nice high cutouts to support a high angle stroke, that is my preference for most types of paddles.
    Very fast and sleek in the water, can keep up with (or pass) the strongest paddlers, even when using my Kalleq Greenland paddle. (probably more due to the weight and design of the boat, than the paddler - but I will take it). Convenient small front hatch where you can keep snacks, camera or other small items you may need to use while out on the water. Front and rear hatches are water tight with good capacity. The higher front end gives plenty of room, especially if you have a larger size feet. The design of the foot pedals with a fixed bottom and movable top, allows you to both brace for strokes, as well as push the top part of your foot to turn with the rudder.

    Have found it to be very stable in most conditions, including secondary stability for edging with turns. Rudder makes turning effortless in most conditions. I have found that without the rudder down, it can be more difficult to come out of an edged turn. With a rounded bottom, it wants to keep turning when you are done with the turn (handles like a jet boat, for anyone familiar). It takes several additional side strokes to get it straight again.

    In rough water, still trying to find the sweet spot. When you get strong current, big wind and waves, can be a little more tippy. The rounded bottom style works best with a rudder. Likely due more to getting familiar with the set up, but have found friends NDK's much more stable in these type of conditions. This is likely a more fun boat in these type of conditions (e.g. the waves slide under easily). Also trying to find the sweet spot with or without a rudder during these conditions. Have tried it both ways in dynamic waters, including tide races and riding waves. WIth the rudder up, slides over the water easier, but significantly more work to keep straight (tends to want to slide sideways - makes for more work during a long day on the water) With the rudder down, much easier to control, but can create stability issues, especially if you hit conditions that are very dynamic with wind, tide and waves.
    This is likely a learning curve issue for me - but always make sure I am with other strong experienced paddles in these conditions for support during any unplanned swims.

    I have also found you want to avoid anything heavier on the front if conditions are dynamic. For longer paddles, I will often use a deck pod to carry extra water. Given the higher front end of the boat, If the boat tips, you can not get the kayak to stay up-right. As soon as you flip it over, the extra weight on the front immediately flips it upside down again. Not an issue for most types of paddles, but was an important reminder for dynamic conditions - had to remove and put in the back hold to get stability back. (This was a day that started out calm, but became significantly more dynamic when the wind and waves picked up half way through a long paddle)

    Overall a great boat and purchase.

    5

    Absolutely stunning kayak!…

    Submitted by: BCIslander on 4/28/2021

    Absolutely stunning kayak! I've had my new Stellar S16 G2 a few weeks and adjusted the seat and steering to get the perfect trim over several ocean paddles in varying conditions. The level of finish and detailing is superb (I have owned and paddled many composite sea-kayaks for over 30 years, as well as designed a few for one of the biggest kayak companies), and the Stellar S16 G2 nails everything.

    The adjustability of the seat (bucket and back-band can be positioned independently and it takes about five minutes) and can be as easily removed in the event you wanted to do some custom modifications. The Smart-Track rudder, with fixed foot braces, can likewise be fine-tuned for position and toe-pedal angle. It's not quite as solid as a fixed plate on a surf-ski but much more versatile and you can still put items in front of your feet, or stretch out your legs. It's also really easy to reposition while on the water for variation on longer days. The synthetic control lines (rather than stainless) are great too -you can do big adjustments just by re-tying the knots rather than wire-cutters and crimping tools. You could replace them in the field in about ten minutes as well. The fine adjustments for angle and balancing right/left are done with a little threaded tensioner at the front of the foot-tracks and don't require any tools.

    The changes on the G2 ticked all the boxes for me - deeper cut-aways for high angle paddling, little storage hatch in front of your knees instead of behind you, excellent cockpit shape for knees-up or braced paddling, and beautiful carbon fibre handles instead of floppy rubber ones (I know, but they're just soooo nice). I expected to be a bit disappointed in the rubbermaid style hatch covers (compared to flush composite ones), but they have a much higher quality feel than I expected and of course they are super-easy to use and totally waterproof.

    The kayak sits nicely between my CD Solstice GTX for big tours, and my Epic V10 ski for zipping around. I wouldn't run it up on a rocky beach fully loaded like I do with my GTX, but it feels much more comparable to the V10 as far a speediness goes, it is a similar weight for quick acceleration, and you can catch any smaller steeper waves really easily (haven't tried it in bigger waves yet and I don't live in an area with seriously big waves). The primary and secondary stability are both quite forgiving and it doesn't really have much of a "tippy" feeling - i.e. it will be fine for photographing wildlife in reasonable sea conditions. It feels longer than the 16 feet as far as paddling speed goes, but it is super maneuverable and responsive (and way easier to carry around than a 20 footer), though if they had released a G2 version of the S18 I would have been mighty tempted...

    I'll update once I've had it out in some bad mixed up conditions and on a longer faster paddle that I know my average times for.

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