Test av Stellar S14S

Stellar S14S testet av Adventure Kayak magasinet vår 2015.

THE S14S by Stellar Kayaks

“People have a head-trip about surf skis—

they’re skinny, they’re tippy, they’re weird.”

This from a man who sells the slender craft for

a living. But the people to which Stellar Kayaks

rep Vaughn Smith is referring aren’t the manufacturer’s

devoted niche of hard-core racing kayakers

and fitness fanatics—they’re sensible touring and

recreational paddlers who question the sanity of

perching atop a 19-foot carbon missile with all the

stability of a greased melon.

Any reservations I had about the new Stellar

S14S, however, began to erode the minute I laid

eyes on this sleek, bubble gum pink 14-footer.

And they vanished completely when I slid into the

surprisingly comfortable seat bucket for a frosty

crossing to a cluster of offshore islands.

With its open cockpit, knees-up-and-together

seating position, narrow racing bow and long

waterline, the S14S is clearly a surf ski. Just don’t

tell Smith that. “We’re marketing this as a performance

sit-on-top, that just happens to be incredibly

fast,” he says. Like its longer, narrower siblings in

the Stellar surf ski family, the S14S is designed for

maximum efficiency.

As I discover minutes into the crossing, when I

absent-mindedly pull away from my companions’

16- and 17-foot touring kayaks, greater efficiency

doesn’t just equal more speed, it delivers that

sweet, hypnotic glide with ridiculously less effort.

Ergo, more miles covered in an afternoon, and

more waiting for your friends to catch up.

The effortless acceleration is particularly

rewarding on downwind runs, where the S14S

refuses to let even a small swell go to waste. If

catching free rides on every wave doesn’t plaster

a smile on your face, you should probably

take up hiking.

More significant, perhaps, than the S14S being

the fastest 14-footer we’ve ever reviewed, is the

fact that this is a boat beginners will feel comfortable

paddling. The Swede-form hull—measuring a

beamy 25 inches across at its widest point behind

the seat—combined with the soft chines produce

superb secondary stability. Should you take an

unscheduled swim, the shallow deck is easily

remounted from the water.

Adding to the S14S’ versatility as a crossover

vehicle between fitness and recreational paddling

or touring, is the inclusion of two watertight storage

compartments. Overnight trippers especially

will appreciate the extra-large stern hatch and

tent-sized bow hatch.

Like all Stellars, the S14S is available in four

different composite layups, from basic fiberglass to

featherweight carbon fiber. Featuring the midrange

Advantage fiberglass construction, our demo

weighed in at just over 34 pounds, translating to an

equally effortless experience off the water. Grasping

the two cockpit handles placed perfectly at the

boat’s balance point, I easily lifted it off the roof

rack and solo suitcase-carried it to the water.

Cleaving through a light, evening chop back to

the mainland, I felt the undeniable tug that columnist

and surf ski convert Neil Schulman explored

in “Paddle Faster” (Spring 2013, www.rapidmedia.

com/0318).

It’s true that as a sit-on-top ‘ski, the S14S

deprives you of certain facets that some kayakers

consider integral to their experience—rolling, dynamic

edging and bracing, extended tripping—but

in return this boat offers something different and

equally tantalizing: a spare, athletic grace accessible

to almost anybody. VIRGINIA MARSHALL

Stellar S14S

Length: 14 ft 3 in

Width: 24.7 in

Weight: 26.9 / 34.2 / 39.5 lbs (Excel / Advantage / Sport)

Max Capacity: 320 lbs

Price: $3,490 / $2,555 / $1,950 (Excel / Advantage /

Sport)

www.stellarkayaks.com

Right on Track

Stellar’s steering system combines an over-stern rudder with gas pedalstyle

foot controls that are responsive without being twitchy.

Speed Machine

The S14S may be novice-friendly, but advanced touring paddlers won’t

be bored—twin hatches give this pocket rocket the capacity for weekend

trips.

Captain’s Quarters

The contoured cockpit is comfortable and supportive. Pull the plug on

the Venturi drain to empty water from the foot well while underway. The

puddle under your butt you’re stuck with till shore.