Aquanaut LV RM

Valley Aquanaut LV - its all about feel!

The Aquanaut LV is a sleek & responsive sea kayak with excellent rough water manners.

It handles pretty well in surf, rolls beautifully & has remarkable secondary stability. It's much more forgiving than the Valley Nordkapp and is in my opinion, ideal for beginners to learn how to handle a proper sea kayak & not feel limited or restricted by the boat. It's a lovely kayak to cruise along in, on a day trip but quite capable in conditions where more advanced paddling skills are required.

The rear of the cockpit & deck are low enough to allow a full lay-back which is something I really value in a sea kayak.

Although it's an LV (low volume) it accommodates my 6' 1" frame quite comfortably.

I really like this kayak, particularly the hull profile which has no chines and is so comfortable in rougher water. For me, this is a kayak that helps you "feel" the ocean and respond with your body and paddle in a way that other, equally competent kayaks do not.

Its probably the same reason that Nordkapps attract something of a cult following...the "feel" thing and the Aquanaut LV definitely shares some DNA with the 'kapp.

A lot of people do find the Nordkapp a little tippy, in static scenarios and I guess that's where the Aquanaut LV might be ideal. For those who would love to paddle a Nordkapp but want stability when accessing their day hatch, or taking a photo.

Its definitely not the easiest kayak to handle in surf (ie keep from broaching on breaking waves) but it does surf well & can be managed once you know how & it shines in just about every other area.

I honestly regret having sold it. An awesome kayak.

BTW...if you come across a plastic version of the LV & don't mind the weight (its not light), but find that the thigh braces have perished, buy it anyway and use the existing holes & bolts the fit a couple of bits of wide diameter, reinforced flexible hose. If you get the right size it works fine for knee braces and no need to drill new holes. Valley don't make Aquanauts anymore.

I purchased a demo Aquanaut LV Rm last winter and have now paddled it a season and I feel this boat deserves a review by an average paddler like myself. I am 5' 11" and 185lbs. and seem to fit the Aquanaut quite well. In fact I think this boat would fit a paddler an inch or two taller and 20 lbs. heavier than me fine. Much bigger than that and you would probably do better staying out of the LV model. My plastic Aquanaut is extremely stable, closer to a rec kayak than a sea kayak, both primary and secondary wise. It handles all the waves you find on average size lakes easily, I have never had it in salt water so I can't address ocean performance. Storage seems plentiful and my hatch covers seal nicely for a dry paddle. I did have leakage from my skeg cable that was easily cured with silicone sealer. The actual skeg works well and makes cross winds much more pleasant. I personally like the thigh braces and seat but I did replace the back band with a more comfortable back rest. The Aquanaut LV RM performs turns and leans well with little trouble and speed is ok but maybe a little short of what I would expect from a 17' kayak. The biggest complaint I have about this model is the weight. Mine weighs an actual 65 pounds and it feels like even more when handling out of water. Overall, a good starter sea kayak at a decent price but at a heavy weight.