Sonoma 10.0

I took advantage of an L.L. Bean Paddlefest at the beach in front of the Cheasapeake Bay Foundation Headquarters near Annapolis Maryland. I tried a number of boats, including the Sonoma 10.0 Airlite. Pretty boat and is very light and maneuverable, but I really did not like it. I found the ride a little unstable, but not worrisome, in the 1.5 foot swells coming in. I did not at all like the sharp edges of the cockpit, maybe it was missing edge covers. I paddled the boat for about 20 minutes and just could not get comfortable. The workmanship seemed a little lacking for a boat in this price range.

First time Kayak buyer with the following criteria at time of purchase; light weight (max 35 lbs), stable, fast, and 11 ft. max. (no garage to store it in). Discovered the Sonoma 10 in Airlite and it has met all of the above and more. Of course it does not track like a 13 ft. kayak but it makes up for it in speed, responsiveness and its ability to handle even rough windy conditions as just experienced in the waters of the West Island of Montreal. The hull design is an absolute work of art and the slippery, acrylic-like surface provides the icing on the cake. For anyone with similar criteria, this product is definitely worth a "test drive".

Recently bought Sonoma 10' in Airalite for my wife who had been paddling OT Loon 138. She was amazed at the superior speed and turning ability of the Sonoma. Doesn't track like the 4-foot longer Loon. No surprise there but much easier to turn the Sonoma. The light weight of the Airalite layup is a real plus for those who are past 50. It's well worth the extra cost, as the Airalite has great glide, giving a lot more motion for lot less effort. The Sonoma did not ship any water over the front deck in boat-wake waves up to 2 feet or more. I was surprised at this given it's short length. I haven't paddled it yet myself, as she is having too much fun with it. We haven't been on any rivers yet, but it should work well in quickwater and big water rivers.

Am a newbie and took my airalite Sonoma 10 out for an all day lesson at the Berkeley Marina in the SF Bay. It was nimble, tracked well, and was a pleasure to paddle, even in the chop coming back. A ten foot boat is not as fast as a longer boat. It is as great as it looks.

I have a Prijon touring kayak with rudder which totally spoiled me with tracking, stability and space. But I wanted something a little easier to maneuver on my own out of the water. I bought the Sonoma 10 in a weak moment and I'm so glad I did. It's light (35 lbs), stable (26.25 width), fast with great tracking and easy to paddle. I expected to tip over and have difficulty keeping it straight without a rudder. I was using it on a small lake with a light chop (windy day). With the light chop, I had some water sprayed on my legs, but I was paddling at a good clip and I think getting a little wet is fun. If you want to stay dry, I advise a skirt. When the wind died down, I had a dry ride. The seat is very comfortable with the higher back. I intended to spend around $500 on my next boat, but this was such a good value, I couldn't pass on it. In fact, I went into my local privately owned kayak store with a friend a got quite a good deal on two. So buddy up!