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I have been putting off this review for awhile. It actually doesn't, probably, belong here since P&H is now Venture kayaks. I did not know that upon purchase of this kayak. I have since read a lot about the merger and the downside of Venture. I purchased this kayak new and unused from Craigslist for $900. It was listed on CL as a P&H boat. However, it is definitely stamped "Venture" on the side. What that means for me....I don't know?

I'm 6'5" and 250 pounds without any gear or clothing. I have a 36 inch leg inseam and that poses many problems for me in the realm of kayaking. I have been paddling a Valley Nordkapp RM for a couple of years. I didn't know much about paddling flatwater when I purchased that boat (former WW paddler), but I realized rather quickly that it was much to small for me despite the fact that I could squeeze into the cockpit. And that was certainly a squeeze. In calm and warm weather I tried to re-enter the Nordkapp after taking a practice swim. It was impossible. Far too narrow for a guy of my size. Although I paddled it hundreds of miles, I was not comfortable not being able to regain access to the boat in the event of a swim. That was a bit scary, even if I feel that I would never have to swim.....

So, the Nordkapp was great in many ways, but very undersized. At my size, the initial stability was awful. As long as I was paddling forward, it felt like there was nothing that I could not handle. Stopping to grab a snack or snap a picture....however, was a dangerous undertaking.

So, I wanted something better...and with more initial stability...and safer. I had the chance to purchase a P&H Capella 166 brand new at used prices. It is a 2016 model.

I met the seller and paddled it out on a lake. Felt nice, but definitely felt shorter than the Nordkapp. That didn't seem to be a problem, however, It still paddled a bit like my Nordkapp. I initially felt like it was slower....but I did notice the extra two inches in width and the immediate change in initial stability. I felt like I could actually stop and take a photo without cascading over. Maybe have a snack. Sit comfortably without paddling...

I bought it and started putting it through the paces. Here is what I know...

It doesn't track at all like my Nordkapp. I seldom dropped the skeg on the Nordkapp unless I was crossing some totally wind blown open water stretch, but I drop the skeg much more often on the Capella. Very often actually. I seem quite dependent on the skeg at times. Without it, it has sometimes been a struggle to fight the wind. Even just light wind and chop.

However, with the skeg down, or even half down, all my problems were solved. The kayak paddles well and is much more nimble with the skeg down than the Nordkapp. That might be because of my size. "Skeg down" in the Nordkapp basically meant I was heading forward and not trying to turn much at all. "Skeg down" in the Capella means I can still follow shoreline contours and make subtle adjustments without pulling it back up. I don't feel like I'm fighting the skeg. More like it is helping me get where I want to go.

I did not enjoy the outfitting in the Nordkapp. This is probably because I am much too large for that kayak. The seat was uncomfortable and the backband was "barely there".

There is a vast difference with the Capella 166. The thigh hooks are great and form fitting. Even with a 36 inch inseam, I don't have the pedals at the furthest setting from me. The seat is set dead center and I still can put further distance on the pedals. I can also take my feet off the pedals and stretch my legs. My toes can just barely reach the front bulkhead. I can also pull my knees up through the cockpit if I want to move around a bit and stretch some more. This was unheard of in the Nordkapp for a guy my size.

However....the back band and thigh hooks are made of the same material. With dry pants on, those thigh hooks felt like pillows on my legs. Absolutely amazing. Yet, if you put those same thigh hooks or backband on bare skin....they eventually feel like sandpaper. It can become quite uncomfortable in a short amount of time. The material of both the thigh hooks and backband are quite abrasive to bare skin. It's hard to know how to score that detail. It is why the Capella is not receiving 5 stars.

Not the only reason, however. The Nordkapp drop skeg control was perfectly set on my left hand side. It was wire driven and prone to kinks, but it was really easy to adjust. The Capella....not so much. It's behind you on the left hand side. It's rope controlled, and for me, impossible to see no matter what angel I tried. It's in a very awkward place to try and take control of the skeg. Without a lot of effort, the skeg is either up or down. It's very difficult to get a "little skeg". I pretty much have to do that blindly. I can neither look over my left shoulder on under my arm to see the skeg setting. Seeing as the Capella is a kayak that could often use about a "half skeg", the controls are inadequate at best. Yet, I still will take that over a rudder. Your mileage may vary.

All in all, I like this Venture Capella 166. I have achieved a steady pace of 4.5 mph in the last 3 outings. I took it out on some moving water this weekend and found that it was pretty easy to ferry and keep an upstream angle.

Wind has really been its major downfall. The skeg solves that, but it's not as much fun to have the skeg down in my opinion.