Me: Male, 53 years old, 5'10", 185 pounds. I've been paddling for quite a few years. I enjoy long day trips of 20 miles or more and light camping. I also enjoy short evening paddles after work; basically I like to paddle. My boat of choice has been the Wilderness Systems Tarpon 140. I also own a Tarpon 120 and a BIC kayak for my wife and daughter who aren't quite as enthusiastic as myself, as well as a Seaward Chilco sea kayak that's a bit over 19 feet long. All said, I have always longed for a lightweight, high performance sit on top. So needless to say, I was pretty excited when I saw the S14S. Stellar markets this boat as a recreational / surf ski kayak. I purchased one in the Multisport layup which has a hull made of kevlar and carbon fiber with a fiberglass deck. I chose that layup because it's rated for class II to III rapids and I frequent fast rivers with lots of rocks. Quality of construction - all I can say is wow. The layup is as dry and perfect as one could hope to achieve. I have a close friend who used to build yachts and olympic racing boats; he said the construction is as fine as he has seen. Everything is reinforced where it should be. The ratio of resin to fiber is perfect. Everything is straight, aligned, and centered as it should be. He could find no flaws and said he couldn't build any better a boat; which is a lot coming from a guy who basically poo-poos everything. My Seaward is a mighty nice boat IMHO and he found flaws in that one. So the build quality is top of the line. Weight - feels like it's made of cardboard. At over14' long it weighs in at 35 pounds according to my scale at work; Stellar says 36.4 on their website. Either way it's less than half the weight of my Tarpon 140. I can lift it over my head with one hand and load it effortlessly on top of my tall SUV. The side handles are sturdy and located at the boat's balance point. I carry it to the water over my shoulder using one handle and I could carry it that way for hours. Awesome. Performance - The rudder deploys and raises easily and I like the spring loaded design. The fact that it doesn't flip completely over and sticks out in back when up is a little weird to me, but I haven't found any fault with it. The toe controls are incredible... easy to use and very precise. The seating position is very comfortable and ergonomic and the footboard absolutely solid. Adjustments are fast and easy to make. But how does it paddle? That probably depends more on your experience and expectations than the boat itself. I think it paddles like a dream. It's like paddling a leaf - it accelerates quickly and it's easy to maintain a quick pace. It makes my sea kayak feel like a log and my Tarpon 140 a joke. Stellar isn't kidding when they say it's more efficient (faster) than a much longer boat. BUT... yes there is a but. It is not a boat for beginners. All that performance comes at a price. It rolls from side to side extremely easily - like tilt your head and it rolls a bit easily. I believe most people would call it very tippy. Again though, expectations and experience. I fully expected this and have no problem with it, even though I did need some practice to paddle it well (and still do). So there is a learning curve, or at least for me. You also need that rudder; so if you're not accustomed to one you will have to become so. Using the rudder it tracks straight and turns on a dime. Sitting still on the water to enjoy a snack or chat with friends was no problem for me from the very moment I got in it, but I have good balance and experience. While it rolls easily, it does not tip over easily. I can lean it over so far that it's about to take on water without tipping it over but again, experience. I suspect a novice would tip it over almost immediately. Unfortunately I've never surfed a kayak before so I can't comment on that ability though I do look forward to exploring this in the future. Storage - this is its' weak point. Don't expect to put much in those compartments. The hull is quite shallow and there is a piece of reinforcing foam about 3 inches thick running the length of the boat. I believe all other layups have a thinner "spine" but there's still one in there splitting what little storage there is in half. You won't be making any camping trips with this boat despite what Stellar may tell you. My shoes, wallet, keys, sunscreen, etc. fit in the front compartment. A spare paddle easily fits in the rear compartment but I will need to get creative to keep things cold on long day trips where I'm used to taking along a small cooler behind my seat. However, there is enough room that I'm sure I'll find a suitable solution. I will be keeping my Tarpon 140 for camping. Summary - Top notch construction, lightweight, and high performance are its' hallmarks. Tippy by most peoples standards and very limited storage are its' weaknesses. Very comfortable and a hoot to paddle. I'd call it part surf ski and part sit on top. This boat is made for paddling and surfing... not fishing. Exactly what I was looking for. Your milage may vary.
