Aquanaut HV

I bought the Aquanaut HV as my first kayak in 2007. I love the boat. I am 6 ft tall and I weigh about 185 pounds, with size 12 feet. Over the years I have paddled Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. I found my boat to be sea kindly and fast. I have the poly version of the boat. The things I like about it are the large cockpit, adjustable seat, and the durability. The places that I paddle have rocky shorelines. I would highly recommend one if you can find one for sale. If you are in Rochester, NY check out Baycreek Paddle Sport. They are awesome.

Connor Flannery paddled a carbon-kevlar model from Seattle to Homer, Alaska, solo, and when it arrived only the keel strip had a little wear and tear, and he was resoundingly in love with the boat. Kim Granfield of Sunrise Mountain Sports in California, paddled a fiberglass model from Homer to Seward along the outer coast of the Kenai Peninsula, on a 19-day self-supported trip, the Mt. Denali of sea kayaking, and was delighted with it's performance.

If you are a larger paddler, looking for a composite British sea kayak, the Aquanaut HV should be at the top of your list.

One thing has emerged that's a heads-up for anyone using a Valley boat, if the seat is not properly padded against the hull, both in front of the seat and under the buttocks, the seat and hull can be damaged. Keeping track of this is easier than checking the oil in your car though, so not a big downer. Just plain common sense.