v8 vs bluefin for stability

Gday ive been kayaking for about 4 years and want to get into a surf ski for river and ocean,, been thinking about a v8 or bluefin,, which of these would be more stable but also fast..
thanx for reading
pj

Hi paulrj
had a V8 for about 8 months as a 1st surfski. I had virtually no kayak/ski experience & found it to be very stable even in the surf zone. On the flat i could get it upto 10km/h at a push.It's a great boat to build your technique but not so good for your balance as it's just so stable. i only say this because i really struggled with balance when i moved up to an intermediate ski.
A paddling buddy of mine has a bluefinn its slightly narrower by 2cm,slightly lighter & a tad faster.On the downside it has no deck bungees or the carry handles & bailer of the V8.
Which ever you go for i'm sure you'll have a blast!!

Whilst you're are looking - Try either Stellar S18S or SR - I've had two V8 ultra (both models) the S18S is a better all rounder and has some bonus features too - check the video thread you'll see it in action - In Australia...the Stellar will give you a better bang for your buck too
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Bluefin - if your criteria is stability AND speed.

I wouldn't forget the Eze in such a search for a new craft. Enjoy the search, and try as many models as you can.

No matter which kayak you choose, you can always add seat padding to increase your instability. Epic came up with a padding kit that lets you add layers as you gain ability Stability Pads

According to Oscar Chalupsky, when you reach the last layer and can paddle comfortably, you are ready to step up in boat class. It seems like a pretty economical tool for training and beats paying $$$$$$$ for a boat you are not ready for and will struggle with for months.

These are two good boats paulrj. The Epic V8 is a nice comfortable boat that is easy to handle on and off the water because of some good design features. I tried one in my recent search for a beginner ski. It is very, very stable. Maybe too stable and not very fast. Topswimmer made a good point in that the V8 will do little if anything to prepare you for faster intermediate boats. Of course you still need a stable platform to develop good paddling technique and the boat must give you the confidence to go out in various conditions. I chose a Bluefin and I'm extremely happy with it. It seems to me to stand out in the beginner ski market as one of few with great stability and real speed potential (in the context of beginner skis). You wont win any races on one but you wont be humiliated on it either, particularly in rough conditions. Like many other paddlers who have chosen their boat carefully; I've paddled straight past V10s, V12s, Swordfishes, Elites etc on rough days on my Bluefin because it is supremely stable but is still reasonably fast. At 5.9 metres long it can catch runners that the shorter beginner boats will miss. This is what ski paddling is about so the sooner you are catching runs the better. I don't know where you are paulrj but if the Nordic Kayaks Breeze is available to you; you'd do well to check it out. It is sadly not available in Australia so I haven't tried one but I think they could be a real weapon for beginners. There are some nice boats out there. Try as many as you can. Once you've narrowed it down to one or two; try to hire each one for a week or so to allow you to paddle them for long periods in various conditions. There are some comfort issues that may not show up until you've been paddling for an hour or more and maybe only in particular conditions.
Cheers. Enjoy the search.

Thanx for all comments.took the v8 for another spin and the bluefin..bluefin won hands down for comfort..speed and i felt more stable
Cheers
Pj

The bluefin is an awesome starter ski, however, as topswimmer mentioned when you progress to an intermediate ski it will be quite a jump in the tippy factor.. I've just moved onto a much lighter intermediate ski (SEI) from my bluefin.. and to my surprise I posted exactly the same time over a 6.5 k time trial course on my new ski as compared to the bluefin.. I wasn't able to quite get the same power down on the new ski but even still there won't be a massive difference between them.. The only down side of the bluefin is that is a bugger to carry... Just too wide to wrap an arm around comfortably.. I use a small roof rack strap lashed around the hull over bucket as a carry handle, which I then remove and store in my pfd.

Thanx Rik..yea tiz a lil awkward to carry Especially when its wet..at 63 yr old but think ime 20..i dont think i will go up in surfskis..but you never know..i live in perth west australia great rivers and beaches.went for a 6am paddle in the ocean ..first time ..bit nervous as we have very large fish here
Cheers

I'm looking at a bluefin. Do most people carry them one hand? I need something nice and light and easy to carry.

Hi Agent009. Once my Bluefin is on my shoulder (a two handed operation) it's an easy one arm carry to the water unless it's windy. I am used to carrying a plastic ski that was well over 20 kg though so my definition of easy may differ from some.
Mine is a vacuum glass. If you have any doubts just spend the extra cash and get a lighter one.
They are such a ripper boat that they hold their value. Lighter boats are easier to sell if and when the time comes.
Cheers.

Hi i bought my bluefin vaccuum and love it..can carry with one hand under my arm.. great on the water.

Cheers. Is that vacuum fibreglass, hybrid or carbon? And how would it handle breaking waves close to shore? (I.e. Impacts etc).

Hi its vacuum fibre glass..nice in the swell but i havent been in beach waves with it yet.i think you could sbap any surf ski in bad conditions