Profile
Name: paddle42
Most Recent Reviews
I am 5'9" (1.75M) and 148 lbs (67kg) and the Venus is fine for me but would be too small for someone much bigger. The Venus is easily lifted and carried by one person. The kayak is well designed and comes with a good level of handles and storage. It rides well in a swell or chop and gives the paddler confidence. The seat height is good and it is comfortable to use.
NEGATIVES
The quality of the moulding was only OK (definitely not as good as our Ocean Kayak Mysto) with faults around the drain holes.
The Venus does not grip the water as well as the Mysto and it is susceptible to side-slip in cross-winds. This is due to the smooth underwater profile and lack of keel.
The smooth underwater profile also makes it less laterally stable and easier to capsize.
The bow handle is made of cord (there is no moulded hole as per Mysto) and this makes it difficult to moor safely and much harder to secure with a padlock and cable.
So, in summary, a good piece of kit but with flaws.
The kayak is well designed and comes with a good level of handles but has only limited storage. It rides well in a swell or chop and gives the paddler confidence. The seat height is good and it is comfortable to use. The quality of the moulding was very good.
The Mysto grips the water very well due to a sophisticated underwater profile and presence of a good keel. The excellent underwater profile also makes it very stable and difficult to capsize. The bow handle is a moulded hole and this makes it easy to moor safely or to secure with a padlock and cable.
So, in summary, a good piece of kit at a good price. It is superior to our Venus 11 in terms of quality and performance.