THE FAST AND THE CURIOUS. PHOTO: VINCE PAQUOT
Stellar S14S Length: 14 ft 3 in
Width: 24.7 in
Weight: 26.9 / 34.2 / 39.5 lbs (Ex- cel / Advantage / Sport) Max Capacity: 320 lbs
Price: $3,490 / $2,555 / $1,950 (Excel / Advantage / Sport)
www.stellarkayaks.com
DIGITAL EXTRA: Click here to watch a video preview at
Rapidmedia.com/0317
Boat Insider BY STELLAR KAYAKS
THE S14S
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 sen- sible 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 rac-
ing 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 ridicu- lously 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
44 PADDLING MAGAZINE
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 mid-range 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 un- deniable 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 edg- ing 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
RIGHT ON TRACK
Stellar’s steering system combines an over-stern rudder with gas pedal- style 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.
This article first appeared in the 2015 Spring issue of Adventure Kayak.
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