Submitted: 07-02-2009 by Vince
This is an update to my prior review....
We still like this boat a lot but here are some additional findings.
This boat and the Seaward Gemini are very similar except the Gemini has less cockpit separation which puts the forward paddler further back and gives a drier ride in rough conditions. My wife has gotten soaked a couple of times in our Kestrel... but she does not keep a steady rhythm either so we probably would still pick the Kestrel. The leg room up front is also less then some paddlers would like. These are definite trade-offs to be considered.
I also discovered that the rudder cables were not stainless steel so they rusted and froze up. They are easy to replace but that's what I get for buying a Chinese made boat. Hopefully they have discovered this problem and fixed it.
Bottom line: we still like the Kestrel but can also see where the Gemini could be a good choice. Take your pick. |