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Name: paddler235814

Most Recent Reviews

I bought a new Stellar S16 Advantage in May of 2014 and continue to love the boat. First of all, its great-looking, with a red deck and white hull. Fit and finish is outstanding, inside and out. I've owned many kayaks and this is my favorite so far. Weight is amazing, only 38 lbs for a 16 foot sea kayak. Seems to be pretty tough too, with three layers of fiberglass on the bottom. Hatches are very roomy and really like the concave hatch covers; easy to remove and put on. All fittings are recessed with drain channels around the hatches.

It feels "tippy" when you first get in due to the rounded hull, but that design contributes to the great speed of this boat. It leans very smoothly and you can easily bring the cockpit coaming right down to the water's edge to facilitate turns. Seat bottom is very comfortable for several hours on the water. The backband is adjustable fore and aft using adjustable webbing; I just wish it were somewhat higher. It's great being able to adjust the foot braces while seated too.

Nice to have a rudder; I've used it in rough water in Long Island Sound and it really does the job to keep me on track. Still getting used to the SmartTrack rudder system, with the peddles above the foot braces, but seems to work well; takes some effort to deploy since its spring-loaded, but easy to raise. Sitting in it I seem to be closer to the water than other kayaks I have owned, but a standard spray skirt fits very well over the cockpit.

All in all, the Stellar S16 is the lightest, most responsive, and fun to paddle kayaks I have ever owned, and for a very reasonable price.