OK, need some advice
Posted by: bartc on Dec-20-12 12:08 AM (EST)
After one false start (used Zephyr arrived damaged), I ended up locating a new Zephyr 160 at a good price. But before taking posession of a new kayak I had never paddled, I was able to get a demo to try out. Good idea, because the demo didn't make me very happy!
I tried it in flat water - no wind, no tide. The boat felt tippy the whole time, no matter how I adjusted my position and the fittings. I felt that I could muscle the boat around if needed, but that seemed like wasted energy. It never inspired confidence in me.
Though I'm used to a 10' rec kayak, I have paddled several sea kayaks in this size before. A few felt tippy, but many felt more stable and did inspire confidence in paddling. Some were outright fun to paddle, in fact.
What I felt in that demo Zephyr does not at all match what the reviews keep saying about the boat.
What went wrong here? Any words of wisdom?