Fathom LV

I've enjoyed the Eddyline Fathom LV (now discontinued) for about 8 or 9 years and it's the best kayak I've ever paddled. LV (low volume) is perfect for a woman of my size ... 5'8", 135 lbs. It feels like an extension of my body. Plenty of storage, tracks perfectly and the keyhole cockpit is extremely comfortable for long trips. Big fan!

Good value! I can keep up with better boaters in more expensive boats (mostly). Handles well in conditions, tracks relatively well. Has an unusually high deck, especially in the back, so re-entry from wet exit took extra practice. I'm 5'3" 110 lbs. and needed a faster, lighter, better fitting boat than my old WS Alto, and wanted an LV. I purchased this boat on sale at REI, knowing it could be returned if it didn't suit, since I had not tried it. I was pleasantly surprised.

I can't get enough time in the water with my sapphire blue Fathom LV. When I was researching my next touring kayak purchase, I was looking for something that would challenge me - something slightly "tippy" that would challenge me to balance my weight appropriately and encourage me to explore the joys of edging. I also wanted something so lovely it would tempt me out into the water time and time again. The Fathom LV is that boat! I can't wait to grow into this boat, and I would recommend it to anyone with a beginner/intermediate skillset looking for a fun, technical ride.

Boat: Eddyline Fathom LV, skeg (no rudder)
Reviewer: 160 lb, 5'10, confident paddler. Current boats: Greenland T, Romany Surf, Cape Falcon F1

The Fathom LV was my first sea kayak, bought secondhand (in excellent condition) in the UK. I paddled it in ocean conditions off north Devon and later in the north island of New Zealand.

Having paddled many boats since, the Fathom LV stands out as having a brilliant cockpit fit, with excellent thigh bracing and easily adjusted footbraces. These features made it a relatively easy boat to roll (and learn to roll in). The carbonlite construction was a big asset, due to its low weight and durability compared to friends' composite boats - especially appreciated in rocky landings. It's a shame more boats don't use this material!

The boat itself was surprisingly fast and tracked well. It proved relatively manouevrable when edged over, but for routine course corrections the hard chine gives very positive turning control. The V-bottom does lead to some flopping from side to side in flat water, though. Although the boat is on the small side, I had no problem packing (well-chosen) camping gear for 2-3 days.

As my skills improved, my paddle spots of choice have become rougher and more exposed. Being towards the upper end of the weight range for the LV I found the boat a little unstable in confused conditions - I feel this is also partially due to the low rocker and hard chine combination. I have since sold the boat, and received positive feedback from the new owner.

Overall, an excellent boat for the beginner to advanced intermediate paddlers - a good platform to advance paddling skills and rolling.
Pros: Excellent boat fit combined with light & strong construction, hard chine profile.
Cons: Some rough water instability for paddlers at the limit of the weight range.

I have been trying a variety of kayaks over a period of several years. This was not on my "wish list" but a dealer suggested I give it a try. I liked this boat so much I bought the dealer model rather than wait (and spend more) to order one. The Fathom LV is great for smaller people like me. It has a deep V hull so it moves and tracks well. The hard chines make it a bit harder to edge but give it secondary stability. I find the seat really comfortable. I was having a lot of issues with pain and numbness in my hips and legs with other boats. Not with the Fathom LV. The seat slides in a track and can be adjusted on the water. The back rest can be raised or lowered as well. I like having a day hatch. The cover is very tight so water stays out, but it is too tight to open and close while on the water. The other hatches are water tight. Very happy with this boat.

I actually do not think the Fathom LV "rolls like a dream" (previous reviewer). Nor do I think this kayak is nimble. Yes, the kayak is quite turnable, but if you're at a symposium trying to follow a coach playing follow-the-leader in zigzag fashion, you might find that this is NOT a Romany or a Pilgrim or similar extremely maneuverable kayak. Like the other reviewer, I am 5 feet 3 inches tall, and the high back deck and high foredeck both make this kayak quite difficult for me to roll with a sweep and back deck recovery. Could the problem be the paddler? Of course. But I also find my fabulous skin-on-frame F1 hard to roll for the same reason -- high decks. The NDK Pilgrim, on the other hand, really IS a rolling machine. (And it truly is a small person's kayak.)

What the Eddyline LV excels at is comfort and cruising -- at least, in my opinion. I camped out of it for 5 days in the Everglades. It was great for that. Also, the relatively low weight for a sea kayak is a blessing -- 47 pounds versus, say, 57 for a British fiberglass kayak. And I think the Fathom LV is pretty fast. But I actually do not think the Fathom LV is the small person's boat it's cracked up to be. I'd say it's more suited for someone medium-sized -- several inches taller than I am.

My Fathom LV is a guest boat now. My F1 is my freshwater dayboat, and the Pilgrim is for the ocean and for thin water with razor-sharp oysters. And for rolling. Sometimes we just need a fleet, I guess!

My wife bought a Fathom LV last spring at the Charleston Kayak festival. She loves it! I primarily paddle an Epic18x but I bashed in the bow on a night paddle in September. Being a supportive spouse, my wife has let me use her Fathom LV to train in over the last 2 months. I generally paddle 2-3 times/week on our local lake for a total of 30-50 miles/week. I also recently took the Fathom out for a 70 mile, 3 day camping trip down the Congaree/Santee Rivers to Santee State Park in South Carolina. So I have had ample chance to get a feel for the boat.

I find the Fathom LV to be surprisingly fast – in my rather inexpert hands, over the same measured 20 mile course, the LV is only about 0.2-0.3 mph slower than the Epic (which is a racing boat) at a similar effort level - although I have to add the disclaimer that I am not nearly skilled or strong enough yet to utilize the 18x's full potential. Both I and my wife (who just started paddling this year) find the Fathom LV to track well and to be very stable. My wife was initially concerned that it was "tippy" but was comfortable in the boat after 5 minutes of paddling it!

The Fathom also maneuvers well – both loaded with camping gear and empty. The fit and finish of our boat is good, although it had a few dings and scratches when we bought it (as you would expect on a demo boat). It seems very tough – it survived an accidental fall from the top of my Ford Explorer (> 5 feet) onto a concrete boat ramp with only a few scratches. It is an excellent weekend camping boat – by traveling light (ie backpacker style) you could do a week-long solo trip. Of course, if you go with a group, you can share common gear and have more room for other stuff. By the way, I find that two 1 gallon Gatoraid jugs (for water) fit perfectly in the day compartment behind the cockpit with room left over for 3 days worth of food and a jacket– this places those heavy water containers near the center of the boat.

The hatches are smaller than those on my Epic and I find that I have to put my gear in smaller dry bags. My only significant complaint is that the rubber hatches are a pain to get seated correctly. However, on the up side, I have not observed even a drop of water in any of the compartments – even after the boat has sat on top of my car for hours in a pouring rain.

The seat and pegs are easy to adjust and the cockpit feels like it was made for me (5-6; 160 lbs). I have been in the boat for 6-7 hours straight and with no back, butt or leg pain.

Overall, the Fathom LV is not an expedition boat but is a great boat for short trips (week or less) and day paddles. In particular, I recommend it for new paddles who want a more performance oriented boat that they will not immediately outgrow.

Finally, note that an "8" is a really good review from me – I refuse to give a perfect 10 because all boats (all products for that matter) have some design compromises and are not suited for all uses. This is a great boat and if you buy one you are unlikely to be disappointed.

I purchased the Fathom LV in May, 2008 from Oak Orchard in Rochester, NY and have about 40 outings with it in all kinds of water. I paddled a Impex Mystic prior to this boat. The Mystic was a fine, well-built boat but it just lacked enough foot room.

I tried out several boats in the 15 to 16+ range. My criteria was size, fit and feel in the boat, performance, quality, and weight. I believe the Fathom LV met them all, although it could be a tad lighter. The fit for me (5'6" and 149lbs, 63 yr old male) was excellent with great foot room and a good overall fit. The boat is of high quality and built in Washington State. Nice to see USA on label. The performance is fantastic for a boat that is 15'6" and 21" wide. When I first paddled it I thought it was a little twitchy, esp with side waves, but I grew accustomed to its handling and now feel that it is the best, almost custom-fit boat I could have bought for any money.

I have had this boat out in all types of water, flat, very rough conditions, creeks, rivers, Finger Lakes, Lake Ontario coastlines and it delivered excellent, predictable performance. The efficiency, speed, maneuverability, tracking are the best I have experienced and I have been kayaking since 1998.
Thank you Eddyline for the great design.

Believe it or not, I blindly ordered the Fathom LV after a wonderful Eddyline demo day on Chautauqua Lake, NY provided by Evergreen Outfitters. Even thought the kayak wasn't even in production yet, I knew this was going to be the boat for me.

I'm 5'5" and fairly new to the sport, nevertheless, I wanted an aggressive, well built (preferably US manufactured), touring kayak for my 1st boat. I couldn't have picked a better one! It fits me perfectly, tackles Lake Erie like a demon, and is very light. In 3-4 foot waves, the retractable skeg keeps me straight on course. I haven't had too much need for my spray skirt either, since the water rapids spills off as the kayak slices through the water. I hope to use it in combination with a backpacking trip this fall either on lake or river. If anyone has questions or would like to see some photos, shoot me an email.