I am a long time kayaker whose previous boat was an NC Kayaks 17 ft fiberglass touring. I loved that boat. But over time I began to long for a shorter boat with more manueverability. For a number of years, I looked seriously at the Fathom LV, but when I sat in it, it seemed tight and I was not sure it was meant for my size, 5'11", 180lb. So when the Sitka LT was introduced, I saw the "Goldilocks" boat for me.
It is a breeze to load and unload, solo, on the roof of the Outback. It is light enough to carry to the water from the parking lot, though I do use a rolling cradle. On the water, it is extremely stable, and once moving develops a speed that matches my previous 17 ft touring. The skeg it easy to operate, and provides flexibility when switching from following tidal channels, to straight tracking in open water. The cockpit is fitted with a most comfortable seat and adjustable foot rests. Long paddle days are no problem when it comes to comfort.
Carrying handles are ergonomic and tuck away nicely when not in use. The hatch covers come off and go back on securely, with no leaking. The storage capacity is as much as I can ever imagine using, and the small storage area in front of the cockpit is very handy for small items. All the lines are tight and snappy to hold deck items in any of a number of locations.
