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Two Little Wing14s in PPG "Yella"
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After trying to spend an afternoon paddling on the Connecticut River in an unmanageable, oversized, overweight, fiberglass tub-for-two, we had all but given up on our idea for a healthy, fun-filled, retirement activity! A few days later, while strolling the bewitching streets of Salem, MA, a small, white sign on an old brick wall caught our eyes. It advertised carbon fiber sea kayaks, just steps toward the harbor. Truly, it was love at first sight with these shapely featherweights! Despite our inexperience, a “test-paddle” completely sold us and “The Twins” were ordered.
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Photo By: Bob Reynolds - Rome, NY
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A month later, we returned for pick-up and another “how-to paddle” in Salem Sound. That week these novice paddlers bonded with our gleaming Little Wing kayaks and explored the salt water around Marblehead as we watched the tidal changes and discovered the joy of riding the waves. Since then, we’ve paddled rivers, lakes, and canals closer to home in upstate New York and we now find that four and five hour paddles are the norm for us!
Thank you, Ted and Zac, for designing and crafting the kayaks that made our dream a reality!
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Two Little Wing14s in Standard Blue
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Michael and I picked up 2 Little Wing14s in August 2007. After enjoying them for a day in Salem Harbor, we headed for the Adirondacks where we spent many happy hours paddling. Our most challenging conditions happened on our way home to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Lake Superior can have some heavy “seas.” We encountered them on the eastern and northern shores before two storms reached us. The Little Wings were superb. They maneuvered well over the varying swells. Never once did I, more cautious than Michael under such conditions, flinch as the kayaks rolled perfectly with the waves. Our easiest autumn paddle was on a small river in Nine Miles Falls, Washington, just south of Spokane.
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Our next trip will be to Arizona and California within the next months. Everywhere we go we get great questions about the kayaks. We are happy to recommend them; happy to experience their amazing maneuverability, light weight, and sturdiness.
Thank you Zac and Ted for creating such high performance kayaks.
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Little Wing14 in House of Kolor Pagan Gold
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AWESOME! I just got home with the kayak. It is beyond what I
expected. The finish and craftsmanship are A-1. I have been searching for
about a year now for a composite boat. I was considering CD, QCC, Impex,
Swift and Seda. I had a chance to either paddle or look at all of them, some
impessive some not, I had narrowed it down to a little wing or a Seda Ikkuma.
I can see I have made the right choice. I got in the cockpit and adjusted the
footbraces and it fits like a glove. This thing looks fast just sitting on my lawn.
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After my first paddle the kayak has gone from awesome to
unbelievable! The only way to truly appreciate the Little Wing is to paddle
it.
I launched this morning with just a glimmer of light on the horizon. A
stiff 20 mph headwind was hitting me in the face with short choppy waves. As
I paddled to the east easily making way against the wind I cleared the island
to the south of me and that is when the short rollers from the south joined
the east chop to make for some confused water. The Little Wing just danced
and rolled with the waves without an ounce of instability. There was
virtually no weathercocking like I have experienced with most other kayaks.
No corrective strokes were needed, a slight lift on the thigh brace and a
gentle lean were all that was ever needed to stay on course. After travelling
3 miles into the wind the sun was up and the fall colors at peak glowed like
fire as I headed south across an open stretch with the east wind throwing the
waves directly on my port beam, the gold colors matching the beautiful paint
on the Little Wing. Again the kayak just stayed on course riding in the
troughs of the waves and rolling up and down the faces and backs of the
waves. I had a spray deck on because of only 53 degree water, however it was
not necessary because the ride was very dry. After 2 more miles of beam waves
I turned to the west to take the waves directly to the stern. The Little Wing
again just stayed on course surfing along. At no time did the bow submarine
under a wave or did I take a wave over the deck, the buoyancy is amazing.
After travelling about a mile west I was again in total open water and the
multi directional rollers from the SE and NE were converging causing the
waves to crest at odd angles. Again I just bobbed and rolled with total
stability able to keep on course with just a lean now and then with no
corrective strokes. I then headed over to a protected bay by an island to try
out the Little Wing on calm water. The kayak glides and turns effortlessly
with incredible speed. You don't realize how much water you are covering
while paddling. I then pulled up on the island to stretch, and exiting and
entering to boat is easy due to the great stability.The boat edges and turns
quickly also.
The backband adjusts easily via ratchets and is comfortable. The
footbraces are adjustable while seated in the cockpit, and though lacking
padding, the seat is comfortable. Hatches stayed dry and have much more
storage than a conventional kayak design. The deck rigging is adequate and my
deck bag with all my safety gear fits perfect on the rigging fore of the
cockpit. My spare 3 piece paddle fits easily on the rear deck. The 26 pound
weight that anyone can handle, makes this kayak a pure joy to load and unload
onto the rack of my truck. Fit and finish of the Little Wing is exceptional.
I can't find any fault with the yak. Great job on a finely engineered kayak.
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Little Wing18 in Orange With Yellow Pearl
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I am the proud and happy owner of a LW18, my 7th kayak that I have paddled in my relatively short 6 years of kayaking experience. My brother-in-law in NJ who is always reading up on the newest trends in paddling turned me on to the Little Wing design features because he thought that it would fit my style of paddling. I am 58 years old, 6’, 195lbs and I love to race! I live in Beaufort, SC and between here, Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC there are at least 12-14 races a year that are available to paddle in.
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I was pretty much sold on the design and other great features of the Little Wing as soon as I saw it in print and read about it, but because of a previous bad kayak purchase, I was a little leery about placing an order without first paddling it. A few years back I purchased a kayak without paddling it first and it was a disaster! I needed to get on the water with this one before I committed to it. I pledged to do my homework this time. After many emails back and forth with Ted & Zac they told me that they would be coming to Charleston in April of 2007 to participate in the East Coast Canoe & Kayak Festival. I attended the Kayak Festival Friday, Saturday & Sunday paddling every single comparable boat that I could. Epic, Perception, Sega, Impex, Futura II and more. Getting out of those boats and back into the Little Wing, I wanted to make sure that this was “The One”; and it was. None of the other boats could even compare with the Little Wing comfort, maneuverability, craftsmanship features and most of all design; it was always the most beautiful boat on the water. Needless to say I went home with boat #7 after the weekend.
Since then I have placed either 2nd or 3rd in my division in every race I participated with the highpoints being first overall in the 3mile, Beaufort Waterfestival race in July, first overall in the 3 mile Isle of Palms Challenge in September and First in the Senior Division 3 mile at the Paddlefest Race in November in Beaufort. The enclosed picture is of me after the Paddlefest.
I love my boat. I get out on the water more because it is so light and easy to get around. I am getting better at racing which is what I like to do and it is always more fun to beat out a 35 year old when you are 58!
The Lowcountry of South Carolina is surrounded by expansive waterways and wide-open marshlands, the kayaking opportunities are endless. My Little Wing has made all this more accessible and more fun.
I was looking for speed and stability; the soul is a very pleasant and welcome addition.
THANK YOU TED, ZAC & CHRISTOPHER!!
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