A Used Valley 17.3 Étaín, named Aideen, pre-review

Specifications:

• Date produced: December 12, 2011
• Serial Number: DKJA 12 04 K111
• Original USA Vendor: West Coast Alder Creek
• Length: 17’ 2.7” (525 cm) Beam: 21.06” (53.5 cm)
• Depth: 13.4” (34 cm)
• Specified weight: 50.6 pounds
• Paddler weight 90 to 181 pounds (41 to 82 kg)
• Bow, stern, and day hatches
• Removable module on deck, fore cockpit
• Orange deck, white hull
• Retractable skeg
• Slightly Swede form
• Outside seams are diolen tape reinforced fiberglass
• Welded bulkheads are curved to allow flexion

I purchased this used kayak on January 8, 2021. There are no major flaws, but there is a gelcoat chip by the keel at the bow and a sturdy but poorly done repair more mid ship, also quite near the keel. I can easily touch these up and then add a keel strip. I will also reorganize the rigging to my druthers and investigate whether the skeg can work more smoothly. The skeg blade also needs a line attached at the stern end - this can then be pulled down if the skeg gets jammed by sand etc. I'll also do some outfitting as needed for a good fit. I'll not actually try the kayal on the water until the ice disappears and the lake level is brought up a bit - likely in early April.

Nowadays there are three Étaín sizes produced, generally specified by length as 17.1, 17.5, and 17.7. The 17.3 was an earlier model, no longer made. The 17.1 Étaín is more of an LV kayak than the 17.3, but I pretend that the 17.3 is an LV with a relatively high fore deck allowing me sufficient foot room. The 17.1 fore deck, as specified, is too low for me and is likely too tight elsewhere. The 17.5 and 17.7 would be larger than I prefer. I am hoping that the 17.3 will be the Goldilocks size for me. I quite like my P&H Cetus, but it is large on me.