Ralph Buff, St.Gallen on the Stellar Nomad Mod
I am still relatively new to kayaking, but have been able to gain some experience in recent years. In addition to a few day rentals with various PE kayaks, I have been travelling with my foldable Oru Coast XT for over two years. I took it on tours in Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, Italy and, of course, often on Lake Constance.
I was particularly impressed by the Oru's low weight, clever design and great mobility. Over time, however, I realised that the boat drifts quickly in stronger winds and often goes off course. What's more, with a folding kayak you are naturally less inclined to push yourself to your limits. If you capsize, the boat fills with water and becomes unmanoeuvrable, unless you have previously installed buoyancy aids. After a while, this led me to look around for an alternative.
Over the course of more than a year, I looked into various sea kayaks. I visited trade fairs, read test reports, watched videos and also looked at boats from Melker and Tiderace at my canoe school in Arbon. This made me realise that I would like to drive a hard-shell kayak. As I use a company car privately and didn't want to fit a roof rack, the only option for me was a divisible kayak. I looked at various manufacturers, including Trak, Lettmann, Skim, Stellar and Prijon. The most important thing for me was a kayak with a skeg.
After I enquired about an Intrepid and an S16 from Stellar at Lite Venture, Anne called me and told me that a new model from Stellar - the Nomad - was currently on its way to Europe and could be a very good fit for my requirements and body measurements. I was so impressed by the description that I ordered the kayak without inspecting or test-driving it first.
In the meantime, I have been able to do a few test tours on Lake Constance, mostly on calm water, but also with some wind and waves. As the water is still very cold at the moment, I haven't tested the limits yet. My first impression is very positive. The boat edges well, reacts very directly to weight shifts and is very manoeuvrable and manoeuvrable with the skeg retracted. Compared to other boats, the Nomad feels a little nervous to me during the first paddle strokes, but I can easily compensate for this by increasing speed, edging and using the skeg.
I was particularly struck by how long the kayak continues to glide after the last paddle stroke, which is why you can paddle very calmly and evenly. You don't have the feeling of constantly having to build up pressure, but can paddle efficiently at a relaxed rhythm. This is ideal for longer distances. Anyone looking for a stable boat that can cope with different conditions will have fun with the Nomad.
A big advantage for me is the transport. The entire kayak fits easily into my Skoda Karoq: fold down the rear bench, load the boat parts and equipment, secure and drive off. No roof rack, no lifting onto the car roof and no restrictions when parking or in the underground car park.
Assembly is also quick. Without protective covers, the boat would probably be assembled in around five to eight minutes. I usually take a little more time and always transport the kayak in the covers so that everything stays clean and protected. Spectators often gather while I'm assembling the kayak, marvelling at the fact that I unload a fully-fledged, stable five-metre sea kayak from a mid-range car, put it together at the water's edge and take it straight out onto the water.
For me, this is a piece of lived freedom. On the water, by the way, you don't notice the division at all. No flex, no rattling and no noticeable losses. On the contrary, the kayak is even double-bulkheaded thanks to the split, which provides additional safety.
I'm now looking forward to using the kayak more intensively in warmer temperatures and getting to know myself and the boat even better. I'm particularly excited about upcoming tours, including one in Scotland in April.
Thank you again for the great advice and the uncomplicated handover!
