Necky Manitou 14

This is an excellent boat that tracks well, and has excellent primary and secondary stability. My wife and I use them along the New England Coastline fairly close to shore and in the bays and estuaries. The skegs work extremely well on windy days or in currents.

My wife and I love these boats. We started kayaking in flat water lakes, and calm rivers about 10 years ago. At that time we had 9' recreational kayaks (Wilderness Systems Rascals) which were fine for our needs at that time. However as we started to kayak in the ocean, we quickly learned we needed bigger kayaks. So we decided to rent for several years as we kayaked in CT, RI, MA, and NH. This gave use the chance to try several different brand and sizes of kayaks.

By the time we were ready to purchase new touring kayaks, we were pretty sure about the size, but really not much more. We were fortunate to have a kayak shop that helped "fit" you to a kayak and then try it in the water. (shop was located along a calm section of river).

I was pretty sure I wanted a different kayak in a longer size. However after trying it and a couple of others I thought I would try the 14' Manitou my wife had picked out. There was no comparison for me. The Manitou just seemed perfect. The tracking, the speed, the ease of handling just felt perfect.

We bought two 14' Manitou's. My wife is 5' tall and weighs 112 lbs. I'm 5'7" and weigh over 200 lbs. Yet these kayaks fit us both perfectly. The adjustable seat and foot pegs are great. We have had them for over 2 years and have been on a lot of great trips. Although they are plastic boats, the 14' size makes them very manageable when putting them on the roof rack.

I would highly recommend this kayak, however I strongly suggest you find a kayak shop that lets you try before you buy. You'll never know how a kayak really fits or feels until you get to paddle it.