Profile

I am in my 80s, over 200lbs and paddle mostly Necky kayaks; from the 22' Nootka Outfitter to the 10'11" Manitou Sport. My experience is in both fresh and salt water; with the mid-coast & Down East waters of Maine being my summer playground. I recently acquired a brand new Elisa (left-over), and used her on both a river camping trip, as well as day paddling along the coast of Maine. She is a fun boat to paddle, and carries a ton of gear. During the entire 3 days of river paddling, I intentionally never used the rudder. The only time she tracked well, was when I was paddling full on, at hull speed. The rest of the weekend was like paddling a 9' boat; she wandered all over the place. However, turning was a dream. We did some class II white water, and she acted like a WW boat. Ocean paddling was very much the same, without using the rudder. In order to go from point to point; the rudder is absolutely necessary (unless you are paddling hard and fast). She paddles well, handles waves easily, and turns on a dime. With the back-band, it's easy to get in & out quickly, by laying on the back deck. I could not get her to roll, but it also could be my issue, not the boat's. If one is looking for a fun, responsive kayak, capable of both flat water, and ocean paddling...in short boat (15'6"), the Elisa is a good choice.