Shooting Star© is a new, smaller, lower volume, baidarka
from Laughing Loon. The dimensions are 16' 6" long and 21" wide,
The finished weight is 35 pounds. The suggested weight range is from 100
to 200 pounds. It is nimble, responsive and fast.
Shooting Star is not a scaled down version of the North
Star. The volume is lower, especially in the rear deck. The hull is slightly
flattened to improve stability in such a narrow kayak. Though the Shooting
Star is only 21" wide at the widest point at the sheer line, stability
is good and secondary stability excellent. She is very responsive to paddle
strokes yet tracks very well.
Shooting Star will appeal to the paddler who wants a fast
responsive day boat. With all the great speed, tracking and handling characteristics
of the baidarka style.
To get an idea of the true length of the Shooting Star here is a profile photo. She is a sleek little rocket!
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The Shooting Star© is also a baidarka for the smaller paddler, with enough storage space for extended trips. It has the forward and stern volume typical of the baidarka style which gives the Shooting Star as much storage space as many larger length kayaks.
If you are 100 to 200 pounds the Shooting Star will be a good all round kayak for someone at the lower weight range or a good day boat for someone at the the higher end of that weight range.
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The Shooting Star shown here is built of western red cedar (dark colored deck and hull sides) with northern white cedar on the hull bottom. The hardwood accents and veneers used on the deck, bow, toggle handles and cockpit are of curly maple.
Funny how the cockpit coaming seems to move away from the camera lens when you take a photo from one end or the other.
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The recessed fore and aft hatches are held in place with rare earth magnets. Neoprene gaskets on the hatches make them waterproof. The leading edge of the cockpit coaming is recessed. There are bulkheads in front of and behind the cockpit area to create the fore and aft watertight storage compartments.
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Shooting Star and North Star were the fastest kayaks at the year 2000, Newfound Rendezvous on Lake Winnipesaukee, NH. Cruising speeds and sprinting speeds were measured by GPS by Peter Hunt owner/designer of Lil'dubber Boats.
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Detail photo of the Shooting Star's bifurcated bow below
The Shooting Star starts at $7500. I have the above pictured Shooting Star at my shop for viewing or test paddle. I charge $35 per hour to test paddle my boats on a local lake.
For building plans see kayak plans.
Some comments, by Ken Katz
"I have been able to paddle my SS in some different conditions and am very pleased with the boat!"
"Paddling into the waves, the SS seemed to pitch less than my other boats and was drier than I expected."
"The SS tracks really well when surfing down the face of a wave.
"I didn't think it was possible to have a kayak track this well and be able to turn this easily."
"As it sits it is an excellent boat!! It not only looks fast and sleek, it shines.
Thanks again Rob for an awesome boat!! "
Follow this link to read Ken's full comments.
Andrew Elizaga's Shooting Star
"After getting home from work early I spend the afternoon
on the final touches to the Shooting Star. The sky is drizzling and overcast.
The wind is building. I set the kayak down by the water. I hold a bottle
of champagne in one hand, and pop the cork."I hereby name you... Moonlight
Dancer!" A generous splash on the bow and a little drink for myself.
I squeeze in and secure my tuilik. The coaming has a very low profile.
The fit is pleasantly tight around my thighs, but I have an inch or two
extra footroom. She speeds me away. I put her on edge and bow rudder --
so smooth! Then a standard Greenland roll. She rolls easily and is stable
on recovery. A few more rolls: reverse sweep, shoulder, butterfly, masikkut
aalatsineq -- simply awesome! I've reached the end. She is finished."
"Big surprise: I can do more rolls in my strip baidarka
than I can in my Greenland skin-on-frame, Misterie. Moonlight Dancer was
not built to be a rolling boat. Yes, I did recess the cockpit to make laybacks
easier, but the depth at the backrest is still 8 3/4 inches from the inside
hull to the top of the coaming. So who knows why -- the round hull, improved
"secondary stability", even deck shape might make a difference.
What design features make a good rolling kayak?"
Andrew Elizaga
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I love the Shooting Star!
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