Skerray XL

First I would like to thank paddling.com for allowing us to do these reviews. I purchased a Skerray XL off a buddy recently. I honestly really can't add a lot more than what I have already read on this site other than my personal enjoyment in winter kayaking in this kayak.

I have eight years of kayaking and I have never owned such a stable boat before. It has amazing primary and secondary stability. I just have to watch I don't get over confident or cocky paddling in the winter.

I also own another West Greenland design, a Tahe Greenland T. which I love paddling as well. They are both West Greenland designs but are so different. The Skerray gives you a comfort zone because it is a dry kayak in adverse weather. It has more hull above the water but of course that means more windage. It is a drier kayak than the Greenland T., and much stronger built. That means it is heavier at 58lbs. This kayak is still an amazingly maneuverable boat for it's length and width. That is the fun part of owning these West Greenland kayaks. It is not a speed machine but it is not a slug either.

I agree with most of the other review comments so there is not much more to add on. I have two months paddling in tidal race, chop and wind. I have been using the Skerray more than the Greenland T because the honeymoon is still on even though I still love both kayaks.

I own two kayaks, an NDK Romany and the Valley Skerray Excel. I have had the Skerray for nearly three years. I did not know of this Valley kayak when looking at it. My first thought was Nordkapp resemblance. The British owner gave me such a smoking deal I didn't research it. I got lucky because I haven't looked back. I have owned nine kayaks and tested many more at paddle-fest and demos. I am a 20 plus year advanced paddler. Doing this review was not my idea. I was talked into it by a kayak buddy, who had just done a review on the same boat in Paddling.net. It has taken a while to get around to it. Finally here it is:

This is a kayak for big guys. I am not. I am 5 ft. 10 in. and 175 lbs. I fit in the keyhole cockpit with no problems. My size 11 feet have good clearance. I have had this kayak on 3 to 5 day tours on the west coast of British Columbia and Alaska. I have been in duck pond gentle swells and big gnarly seas. This kayak could tell stories about the nasty rough seas encountered while touring outside waters. Not a lot phases the Skerray.

It does not need a big load on to be stable. Both initial and secondary stability are incredible. It is a great surfer and takes it well broadside. It does not corkscrew in a following sea because of the rocker and shallow V hull design.

When I first purchased the kayak I was concerned about the flared Greenland bow and stern catching the wind. It had less wind cocking than my other tour kayaks. You controlled it by adjusting your skeg leaver. The recessed slide leaver in front of the cockpit, is connected to a heavy duty stainless aircraft cable and gives precise adjustment.

The kayak has very good speed. It is also very maneuverable with the skeg up and rolling on edge considering the 17 ft. 8 in. hull & 24 in. beam. The weight is 58 lbs. This is a very strong, well built kayak that has been on the rocks with no damage other than scuffing. The kayak has a Greenland lower stern deck. There is a compass and rope cam cleat on deck.

It has the typical back band you find in other British boats with an ergonomically shaped plastic seat. It is good for aggressive day paddling in the surf and rolling but not something I like to sit in for the long hours we spend on multi-day tours. I need something with upper lumbar support. I have added a piece of PE plastic and a 2 in. thick foam pad up against the combing that still allows me to get the skirt on.

It has the larger oval hatch covers on the bow and stern hatches. The 3rd. stern day hatch is bigger than most. This is ample storage for a British kayak. The hatch system is water tight. There is an under deck storage net in front accessible to the paddler and a small net on deck next to the day hatch.

I had a chance to paddle the roto-mould version of the Skerray and found it a very different kayak than the composite model. It was a good looking kayak but didn’t track as well or have near the speed of my kayak. It also sat lower in the water. It was more maneuverable when edging, (could turn on a dime) and a fun boat to play around in. I still wouldn't trade boats.

I have tested a lot of tour boats in the last 20 years. Some are fast, some real good trackers, some very maneuverable and playful, some just good sea boats and so on. The Skerray Excel is a big improvement over my previous tour kayaks. Of all the boats I have owned and tested I have yet to find a tour boat as close to perfect for my style of paddling as the Skerray Excel so it gets a ten.

I picked up my Skerray FG from the original owner. He said it was the last year they built the Skerray XL but was vague about the year 2004 or 05. I know the rotomoulded Skerray RMX was still being built in 2005. He couldn't figure out why they discontinued the model. My first thought at his comment was that he was giving me the sales talk or lip service. He used it on the west coast off Vancouver Island where he lived. I have used it in the Gulf of Georgia and the west coast of Vancouver Island and have run into all kinds of seas and wind conditions that I didn't always plan to be in.

I have several years and a 1000 miles of paddling in this kayak so I will try to give an honest assessment and review from my experience. The only other review on this kayak on Paddling.net said the kayak's weight was 75 lbs. When I first lifted the kayak I thought it was under 60 lbs. so after reading the other review I weighed it. This kayak weighed 57lbs. on the scale. The older Skerray XL in the other review had rope to a rudder. Some of the other fiberglass Skerrays I had read about had a rope and bungie cord skeg set up. This boat is obviously lighter and a big improvement with heavy stainless steel wire to a skeg. It has the third hatch which I think the earlier heavier models did not have. I think Valley made heavier kayaks in the early years of their manufacturing. The Skerray is only two pounds heavier than my Pintail which I do not find heavy. I can test that these are very strong built kayaks for their weight.

The Skerray XL is a high volume sea touring kayak. It tracks well for it's medium rocker but is still quite maneuverable & is amazingly seaworthy. My Valley Pintail is similar in behaviour except I find the 24" width gives higher initial stability in the Skerray XL. Both the Pintail and Skerray have great secondary stability. It find it edges easy and turns very well for a 17.8 ft. kayak. The skeg leaver is typical of the newer Valley kayaks being located (out of the way) on the port side in front of the cockpit. As I had mentioned I have had the Skerray out in rough windy conditions on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The kayak has minimal broaching in a quarter sea and wind cocking is much less than my Seaward Quest. Both are alleviated with the use of the skeg.

I have owned several British kayaks and I am not a fan of the back band seating because I find the system not great for back support or posture. I have incorporated a new seat into the back band, thus improving my back support and posture. My 5 ft. 11 in., 190 lb. frame fits well into the cockpit and I find it is not a problem getting in and out. My size 11 feet are not a problem.

This boat is not a dog as the other reviewer had described his. It is much faster than the rotomoulded version which I had tested previously. Believe me it has good speed as compared to the other kayaks I have owned or have tested. I have never had to excert myself keeping up with other experienced kayakers. I bought this boat after testing it and comparing the the quality of finish and detail of my Valley Pintail (another beautiful boat). I would give it higher marks than my Tempest or Quest. The hatches and lids are easy to access and dry as compared to my Telkwa.

My other kayaks are between 21 and 22 inches wide so this is the widest I own. The Skerray like other Valley boats is designed to roll and I have tested it though my Pintail is a little easier to roll. I have put many hours in the Skerray. This is a strong boat and has been tested by accident on the rocks with no signs of damage other than a little scraping on the gel coat. I have since added a keel strip for peace of mind.
I think this would be a very good guide boat for the volume in the hatches, it's durability, all round maneuverability and stability.

I have owned some west coast built kayaks by Nimbus, Necky, Wilderness Systems, Seaward, etc. This boat can easily compete in most areas with these boats and is my favorite of the bunch. There is not a lot of these boats on the west coast so some kayakers mix it up with the Nordkapp or Pintail. They all have similar lines and are good looking kayaks.

I don't like to give ten out of ten on the kayaks I own which are all good kayaks and excel in many areas but might need improvement in a few. Other than the improvements I had to do in the seat, this kayak deserves a 10 because of the quality of the craftsmanship & durability, the maneuverability & it's seaworthiness. If you can find a more recent built Skerray FG I would highly recommend this kayak for either a newbie or an experienced kayaker wanting to do multi-day tours.