Kevin, I find that my Sea Rider has more primary stability than many SOF kayaks I've paddled. Secondary stability, if you put your weight on one butt cheek, it settles right there like it wants to stay there. Adding more opposite knee, I can crank it over pretty far, and pretty reliably, before feeling like it's going over to capsize. I think, when edged reasonably aggressively, that it firms up much more than my Perception Shadow, which has a bit of a v bottom and rounded chines. In fact, I'd say that the Sea Rider is more stable over all than many SOFs I've paddled. Some SOFs, and even I remember the Pin Tail, I was immediately throwing out a paddle for a brace, until I got some forward movement going, and the boat settled down. None of that with my Sea Rider.

I can also tell you that the Sea Rider (at least mine) is quite responsive to edging for course correction. I find that unless it is very windy, I seldom need to use sweeps for corrective strokes, because I think about going in a direction, and the boat seems to go that way telepathically. I find that it tracks quite straight - in fact I wish it had more rocker for surfing. When I edge my Shadow aggressively, the stern will slide out to the opposite side of the edging very well, a function of the soft chines. But the Sea Rider will not slide out, and because the sheer is kinda flat, going to a hard edge won't turn in the direction of the edge well either - some SOFs with more sheer curvature will turn well towards the direction you edge, because the gunwale digs in and then follows that curve to turn.

Hope this helps.

Brian

: Planning my first float in the Sea Rider I built last winter, All
: the required paper work has been filed with the state, PFD has
: been purchased, and a quiet spot for the first time, but a
: couple a terms i've read come to mind like initial and secondary
: stability are stuck in my mind, are these a concern or a plus? I
: think i still know how to swim. Any hints would be helpfull,
: Thank u, Kevin