I bought this half skirt for my Necky Looksha 14. From the looks of it, mine is the same boat in the product photo. The cockpit size for my boat is 35.5 inches L, 16.5 inches W.It's true, when you open this thing up and lay it on top of your cockpit, it looks huge.Way too wide to fit. And with a 16.5" width, my cockpit is more narrow than most recreational kayaks, and some transitional tourers.
The skirt uses a heavy duty bungee cord that wraps all the way around the coaming. It specifies in the instructions that you will need to re-tie the knot in the cord at the aft end. This is how you get it to fit your kayak snugly.
I initially put mine on with a loose fit, and then pulled the bungee cord tight toward the stern. I tied it off there and removed the skirt. Then, remembering where I tied it, I untied the knot and moved it forward a couple of inches (effectively making the bungee cord even smaller). This ensures a really tight fit around the coaming, and the bungee cord has more than enough stretch to maintain an easy installation and removal.
Once you have done this for your kayak, you shouldn't have any fitment issues.Of course, being a one-size-fits-all item, it's not a 100% absolutely perfect fit. It has a little extra fabric around the edges, which might not appeal to some, but it's hardly noticeable once tightened down properly. Mine definitely has some of that extra "flab", considering the relatively narrow cockpit width, but it looks just like the product photo when installed.And to me, the product photo doesn't look too bad.
One last note: Don't expect the pockets in this half skirt to be in any way watertight. Make sure anything you put in the pockets are sealed, because as soon as you hit the rough water, some of it will invariably end up in the pocket.
Overall, I really like this half skirt. The materials are good, it seems well made, and the fit is at least as good as I expected from a one-size-fits-all style. It's a good price, too.If Necky made one that was specifically tailored to the exact dimensions of my boat, then I'd probably go that way. But they don't, and I think this is a very good alternative.
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Product Description:
Mount this dual-pocket half skirt by itself or over your full-enclosure skirt for easy-access cockpit pocket and splash protection. An implosion bar helps shed water and the shock cord allows quick and easy installation.
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