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I have the Dolphin (in the eye-catching yellow) and am extremely pleased with its performance so far. It is a great SOT for a variety of paddling experiences, from pounding out through the surf for coastal exploring or barrier island adventures, to long-distance touring across large lakes and bays. It handles windy, open water conditions quite well, a very spirited and fun feel to it as it takes on swells, wakes, chop and waves... all you need is decent paddling technique, including the occasional leaning brace.

Those who have rated this boat a 1 or 2 simply (a) don't have the basic paddling skills to appreciate it; or perhaps (b) are too large to fit it comfortably. It has decent primary stability and very good secondary -- i.e., may feel a bit tippy at first to the novice, but can handle leans and turns and braces with confidence as one "grows into" this boat. Mine has a rudder, but I think I will remove it, as I haven't really needed it, although it might come in handy on a long trip in high winds or strong tidal currents.

I am 5'9" and about 195 pounds, and it fits me great. Necky makes an awesome boat, and the Dolphin is a great one to have for day touring, etc. It's stable, yet relatively fast and maneuverable. I haven't tried surfing it yet at my favorite NC beaches, but I'm betting it will be an awesome ride! Happy Paddling...

Just purchased my Zoar Sport today; got a great deal on a 2002 model from a huge canoe/kayak store up in Farmville, VA. The dealer seemed very knowledgeable and even raved that a friend of his was very competitive in a Zoar versus longer touring crafts in local lake races. It came down to the Prijon Calabria or the Necky Zoar for me, and I'm glad I went with the Zoar... had a Looksha before and liked it, and the Zoar is cut from the same cloth: a great, responsive, all-round coastal and lakes tourer that is not too big and not too small. Seems to track just fine and lean just fine; the speed was good for a 14' craft; good primary and great secondary stability. I paddled into a stiff breeze, and then back in a following breeze, and even broach (broadside) to 1' chop and it handled just swell. I am 5'9" and 190 and it fits just fine; the thigh braces may be just a bit too forward, but the seat is very comfortable. I look forward to more paddling in my Zoar, and hope to get my girlfriend comfortable in a decked boat finally -- good job, Necky! I give it a 9 because, hey, no boat is perfect...