LCRK Fleet - Stellar SR Multisport (Trial Boat from Andrew Mathers)

  • Stability Rating (1-10): 7
  • Time range for 12 Km for paddler at level of boat: 67-72 minutes
  • Steering: Pedal
  • Colour: White on Black
  • Comments: This is a Trial Boat courtesy of Andrew Mathers (Stellar agent),

Review

(From Richard Barnes - August 2016 - Time for 12km = 68:37)
It was perhaps not the best night to trial a new ski, with rain at times torrential and temperature low. So my main recollections of the experience centre on the drainage system. Why does the footwell get two, admittedly efficient, venturi drains, whilst I sat in a cold puddle of water in the seat hollow? There is a need for a seatwell venturi, or at least a drainpipe from the seat to the footwell so the footwell can drain the seat. Then ski and paddler might be in harmony on a cool night.

To more important aspects, like speed and stability and comfort. Speed always comes down to the paddler, so the SR was never going to challenge Matt Blundell with me on board. On a relative scale, it seemed faster than an Apollo, or a TK1, maybe similar to the Red 7, but slower than the slinky club Epics. The bonus is that it has heaps of stability, ideal for events like the Classic where sleepiness or choppy conditions favour stability over outright speed. Stability comes with generally benign tracking, so that its not oversensitive to rudder movements, but then again it also isn’t the nippiest for the U-turns at Fullers and Figtree. That also shows up in response to bursts of enthusiasm, where the SR more gently picks up pace rather than having a K1-esque responding leap of speed. Comfort is fine, and it is easy to manoeuvre the footrest into the right place.