Sea Kayak - Valley Avocet. Good Condition

This is a clean, lightly used fibreglass Valley Avocet sea kayak. It is suitable for the small/average paddler 46-82kg (7st 3lb -13st). It has attractive lines and has been carefully looked after. The hull and deck are in good shape with tight deck lines and elastics. There is a compass mounted on the bow and a useful towing/security eye on the stern.

There are three hatches including a useful day hatch behind the paddler. The round hatch is brand new, but the oval deck hatches will need replacing at some point. It has adjustable foot rests and also comes with a removable foam bulkhead. The colour is pale grey deck over a white hull. The hull has a factory fitted rubbing strip that is still looking good.

Although there are some scratches, none are deeper than the gelcoat - I tried not to drag the kayak over sand or pebbles! There is a small star crack area in the gelcoat on one side (see pic), but it does not show up on the inside of the hull so it is a surface blemish. The picture make it look worse than it actually is. There are a few minor chips to the gelcoat, but again they do not penetrate through to the layup mat. The skeg slider works, but the slider knob is split (see pic) and ideally should be replaced which is a simple enough job.

It does not affect the slider working. Valley sell replacements as they all tend to do this. The kayak has always been stored under cover in a kayak shed. I have used it for day trips and some coastal tours with camping equipment but not for the last few years. It is fast enough for me to keep up with my fitter and stronger husband when we kayak together.

I will be sad to see my pretty kayak go, but it needs to go to someone who will get more use from it than I. Happy to send more pictures on request. Length: 16 feet. 488cmWidth: 22 inches. 56cmWeight: 53lbs.

24kg Buyer to collect or arrange own courier. We may be able to deliver for a fee depending on location, i.e. Somewhere we can drive to and return on same day. (we live in Truro, Cornwall) Dealers say this: (the fibre glass version is no longer available but the plastic version described here is similar) Over recent years the Avocet has become quite the celebrity, with star performances, in the tidal-race scenes of Justine's "This is The Sea" series of inspirational films. Ironically the same characteristics that shine though in these films make the Avocet ideally suited to less experienced paddlers and for use in less demanding conditions.

The sixteen-foot hull is one of the fastest in its class but as the saying goes, "speed is nothing without control". In the Avocet's case, control coming via a design that responds predictably to edging and gives a stability profile that allows even newer paddlers to exploit this. Although not conceived as a long-range expedition kayak, the Avocet is not limited to mere day-boat duties, it being more than capable of multi-day adventures, the hull speed again being of benefit, allowing an Avocet paddler to keep pace in any group, good seat ergonomics provide all day comfort and the predictable handling easily absorbs variations in load.The Avocet is truly a kayak to enjoy at any level of ability and one that your skills will never outgrow. The Avocet is probably the best handling sixteen-foot sea kayak currently on the market, so bring on the weekend!