Carbonology zest

Could someone give me some feedback on the Zest. Sometime soon the wife wants a lighter faster ski. She currently has an Horizon.
Am considering an Evo, Zest or Swordfish. Have read heaps on the Evo and swordfish, but little info on the Zest.
I want the ski to be easy to remount and relatively stable primary stability. Ta.

Dicko

I don't think the Zest would be much of a step-up. It is lighter than the Horizon, but it does have a flatter hull than the Horizon. The Zest might be slower against the chop than even the Horizon. The Swordfish might be a better bet. The Vault is just as good, but maybe a bit tougher to remount because of it's higher gunwhales.

Hi Dicko.

I paddled one a while ago and found the primary stability quite low, but it had good secondary stability. I found the secondary stability kicked in quite late and may take some getting used to.

I found it wandered a bit on the flat, which may be a good thing to test your rudder modification skills!

Build quality was great.

I've had a short paddle in the Horizon and think it's one of most stable skis out and there may be a step up to the Zest with the lack of primary stability.

Other skis that I've had a short paddle in and that maybe - from a weight and maybe slight speed advantage - are the Think Eze, Genius CLK, Fenn XT. All these are available in WA.

I can't fit in a Swordfish, but the guys I paddle with rave about it.

Hi, Is the Zest the short ski? if so I would go for the Epic V8, much more predictable in the ocean, wery stable and fast and there is a new shape comming to WA in the next container at the end of the month.
Happy Paddling!

Thanks for the info. The v8 is a bit of a step sideways I think. The wife needs a bit more of a challenge. Though I did see a carbon one on the weekend. Nice.

We tried the Stellar SEL yesterday. Fairly impressive. There was a 12-15knt seabreeze and small chop and bounceback and the ski felt good. I would rate it very similar in feel to a v10sport. Same sort of stability and response. The wife took it out to sea and seemed quite comfortable. I would call it a very workmanlike boat. Doesn't have the asthetic lines or looks of the Evo etc but seems to get the job done very efficiently. Felt fast. Was lighter than advertised at 14.9 kg...for a glass boat. Damned good value at $2500. Add that to the list of intermediate boats. Seat is a huge improvement on the SE. Still got a butt ugly nose though.

Have a Stellar SES Excel and today tried out second hand SEL Advantage as potential boat for sons/mates who don't paddle a lot. It was a good boat, marginally for me more stable than my SES, bit longer and seemed to get onto run better (small chop). Jumping into SES just after confirmed impression - not a significant stability difference. (Experienced paddler in lots of boats over lots of time at intermediate level.)

Short stint previously in Swordfish - boat very planted, very stable, seemed fast (impression only, seemed to get up and go). Short stint in Carbonology Konastorm on flat water, stable, only marginally less than Swordfish, good tight fit (I'm 85kgs) and for me more stable than SEL. Wonder about windage with high front end.

Stellar SR very very stable, roomy (I prefer a tighter fit bucket), quite quick(cannot compare to others based on impressions), but certainly a go-to boat next step up.

Haven't time at the moment but am sure here or elsewhere will be comparisons between Zest and Swordfish. The Swordy definitely impresses me, though for really crappy weather (stability) the SR a better boat for my money.

As an aside my SES slid off front rack today while putting boat on car after paddle (outside rack had blown over on an angle) fell onto rear vision mirror of Kia (broke it) and onto bitumen. Yup took a chink of gelcoat off the very pointy end at water level however, great build, significant amount of gelcoat there, ding more one side than other. Shit happens however despite the damage of fall from 2 metres up, greta construction only just showing Kevlar laminate underneath.

Had another paddle in the SEL this morning. This is a boat that is close to being a great boat.
The hull is great. It is slightly faster than my Vault. Hull stability is similar to the Vault, but the ski doesn't feel as stable because the cockpit doesn't feel as snug. I think from the seam down they have nailed this boat.
Upstairs they need to talk to someone that knows skis. The catch and forward cockpit need to be narrowed. The gap in front of the pedals is pointless and just fills with water in a downwind paddles. The forward deck just needs nicer lines. Maybe some new more modern stickers.
This is a really good boat, but first impressions are a huge reason why we buy boats. When you sit in an Evo or Vault, the boat feels fast, it looks good. When you sit in a stellar you don't get that feeling, even though the boat is faster and paddles well. When they nail this they will sell more boats.
Will I buy this boat for the wife, probably, cos it ticks a lot boxes. It's price is a lot cheaper, it is stable, fast, easy to remount, light enough, good after sales, nice footplate, well made, has a leash attachment and a bung.

Spot on Dicko, right on the money re Stellar shortfalls - width at catch, forward of pedals bit of a a bath (good for drinks/flares etc though), crappy looking/non-existent stickers-decals. Poor marketing really, think they'd take a good look at themselves to create a product with distinctive appearance as Epic and Think among others do so well. Reckon it would definitely sell more boats for them.

Having said that, paddling at Marina yesterday and five out of six skis in the water were Stellars so these things not major turn-offs.

I love my SES (ding and all), its pretty much everything I want in a ski but appearances do matter. Was gobsmacked first time I paddled the Swordfish noticing how narrow at the catch thinking, how easy is that to do!

BTW Dicko, Martin in Joondalup selling an SEL good nick, see Gumtree. I'll probably go a second-hand SR or the like for mates sans boats.

Ash Nesbit had some demo Horizons for $1200 or so. Weigh a ton, but just an all round good beginner ski. Tough as nails.

Watto and Dicko,
You have nailed it. This is what is holding me back from getting a SEL even though the hull may be perfect for me. That catch and cockpit volume has me concerned enough to want to demo in big conditions, and want to try a Flash and Hawx. If either of these boats are as fast or faster than the SEL while being as stable, then Stellar had better renovate upstairs.

How much narrower is the catch on the Swordfish? Can't say I ever noticed it being a problem on the SEL or the SES. Don't think my V10L was any narrower. Not that I noticed anyway.

Never seen a Hawk, but the Flash is a good looking boat.
Flash and SEL would be similar speed, but the SEL would be way more stable.
Got passed by a young bloke on the weekend in a SES. I was cruising along at about 12kph and he passed me like I was standing still.

Dicko,
What were you paddling when passed by the young bloke?
He might have been sprinting and you didn't see him gasping and chundering at the end of his sprint if that makes you feel better - at least that's how I would justify it.
But when I tested a SEL Advantage, SES Excel and Evo II in glass, I did notice how fast I could sprint the SES and often thought how did I get over here so effortlessly.

Dont know about the SEL, but the Flash get more stable the rougher it gets. In fact, there is a big difference.
Maybe the SEL feels more stable on flatwater than the Flash, but is it like that when we talk about the secondary stability also?

Have to say first that i sell CS in sweden. The Zest is slightly faster than SF. The SF is suprisingly stable and a bit calmer, it feels also for me that the Zest accelerate better in the start of a surf. The Zest is less stable than SF even if its a wider boat. The SF have same hulldesign as Genius CLK. SA Paddler have had a test of Zest here are some parts of it: Something completely dfiferent here. Original in design this is a light narrow tubular design more like a K1 sit on top. Great snug seatwell/footwell configuration with no wasted space. brilliantly finnished. It is less stable than the rest of these boats and by far the best performer. Comfortable enough for a beginner and a boat that you could paddle for years with rewarding result.

Watto wrote: Spot on Dicko, right on the money re Stellar shortfalls - width at catch, forward of pedals bit of a a bath (good for drinks/flares etc though), crappy looking/non-existent stickers-decals. Poor marketing really, think they'd take a good look at themselves to create a product with distinctive appearance as Epic and Think among others do so well. Reckon it would definitely sell more boats for them.

Having said that, paddling at Marina yesterday and five out of six skis in the water were Stellars so these things not major turn-offs.

I love my SES (ding and all), its pretty much everything I want in a ski but appearances do matter. Was gobsmacked first time I paddled the Swordfish noticing how narrow at the catch thinking, how easy is that to do!

BTW Dicko, Martin in Joondalup selling an SEL good nick, see Gumtree. I'll probably go a second-hand SR or the like for mates sans boats.

Hey Watto I measured the catch on my mates Swordfish yesterday and it was between 400mm-380mm depending on where you place your paddle where as my SES is 360mm. The Swordfish has the lower cut outs so if you have a low angle stroke that might make it feel different but for a vertical stroke the SES is narrower (mine is anyway) and my SEL is 380mm so the Swordfish is no narrower at the catch than either of my two Stellars.

Maybe it looks narrower to you because it starts off wider at the rear and tapers in towards the front where as the width of the Stellars is narrower at the rear and the taper is a bit more gradual.

Cheers Greg re Swordfish/SES width at catch, taken your word for it and been out to the shed to apologise - no hard feelings either.

Amazing how a low-cut look makes things seem better than they are.