Just before Chrismas Valley Sea Kayaks announced they were releasing a new boat in 2025. We now know it will be called the Genesis and will come in two sizes, the 14-10 and the 15-1.
Valley say "The Genesis is our new 15ft, sporty all rounder: Surf, rock-hop, weekend or just explore your surroundings. It’s quick for a 15 footer, playful but forgiving. Being short, it also helps keep the weight down, we think this kayak will suit a lot of paddlers."
In our previous article New Valley Sea Kayak Coming? we suggested the Genesis looked similar to the Gemini. Valley commented "Hull wise, it’s shares approx 95% [with the Gemini] so it’ll feel very similar." "Think of the Genesis as an evolution of the Gemini. Fundamentally, the biggest difference is having the second size. Paddling wise, it’s tiny changes, we’ve archived slightly more secondary stability and a little refinement of the chine area, which has made it even more responsive to edging/carving." "We could almost called it the Gemini Evo but figured the second size and styling changes warranted the new name."
With regard to the two sizes "The smaller size, is almost, as per, the origin Gemini [SP] size. As we always regarded that a ‘small’ medium. So think of the Genesis sizing as 14-10 small/medium, 15-1 medium/large."
Valley say that "the motivation for the Genesis, was firstly to make it suit a bigger range of paddler sizes, hence the two sizes, as the current [Gemini] SP is on the smaller size of medium, which limits those who can enjoy it. Secondly, was desire for a general refresh, like adding the 4th hatch etc. to keep it up to date with it's competitors and finally just some very small tweaks to the hull, as you always learn something having lived with a design for a while, mainly around adding a fraction more secondary stability, especially on the bigger size, as larger paddlers benefit the most from this (higher centre of mass)."
Valley have announced they will be showing the two new Genesis to the public for the first time at the AS Watersports Sea Kayak Demo Day on 30/03/25. So if you are anywhere near Exeter in Devon, UK this weekend pop over to check them out and let us know what you think.
You might also like:
- Buyers Guide: Valley Sea Kayaks
- Sea Kayaking in Wind - Understanding the Physics
- Buyers Guide: Handheld VHF Radio's for Sea Kayakers
By Philip Clegg
With over two decades of working in the sea kayaking industry, Phil can be found on a daily basis coaching on the sea around Anglesey. That's when he's not researching and writing on all things sea kayaking.