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Fenn · Surfski · Out of production

Fenn Mako XT

Wide, high-volume hull on a deliberately short 5.88m length, over half a metre shorter than Fenn's 6.4m intermediate and elite skis, with a raised, roomy cockpit that is easy to remount. Maximum stability is the design brief, at the cost of outright speed, though at 49cm it is still 4cm narrower than the Blue-Fin and glides noticeably better than a pure first boat. Moderate rocker and a forgiving stern make it a genuine downwind hull once a paddler is past the bracing stage.

Length
5.88 m
Beam
49 cm
Deck
32 cm
Lightest
0 kg
 
 
Fenn Mako XT, studio/beach side profile
studio/beach side profile · fennkayaks.co.za (via Wayback Machine)

Specifications

Length
5.88 m
Beam
49 cm
Deck height
32 cm (est.)
Category
Surfski
Usually paddled by
New paddlers
New price
Not listed new

Layup weights

Glass17 kg
Vacuum11 kg
Carbonnull kg

On-water profile

Stability
7–9
Dimension estimateLow confidence
Speed
5

Modelled from published beam, length and deck height. Low confidence. Speed is our rating. Both are given at the hull's own design weight.

These ratings are Surfski Index estimates, worked out from published dimensions, traced hull shapes where we have them, and reviews. They are not supplied by the maker or timed on the water. How a ski feels depends on your weight, skill, set-up and the conditions, so use them to shortlist skis and paddle one before you buy. How we rate.

Stability here means how steady the ski feels sitting still on flat water. Where two craft have overlapping ranges, we can't say which is more stable. Downwind handling is a separate thing, covered in the evidence note below.

Evidence note

This band is estimated from published dimensions. Qualitative context includes 5 paddler reports and 7 linked sources.

Suits: Sheltered water and moderate ocean chop while learning to brace and remount, and forgiving enough in small-to-solid downwind runs to stay useful well past that. A common club-race and downwind training boat in its day, never a racing hull.

Paddler weight

The estimated sweet spot is 77–90 kg, with a broader estimated guide of 63–93 kg. This estimate is a guide, not a limit. Seat fit, conditions and paddling style matter. Lighter paddlers can still enjoy a larger hull, especially downwind. A test paddle is the best check.

Estimated from hull dimensions using a formula fitted to makers’ own paddler limits. It does not establish the designer’s intended paddler weight. How this is worked out.

Generations

c.2005-2018 (formally 'Mako XT', universally shortened to 'the XT')

Fenn's default beginner and early-intermediate ski for well over a decade; Dawid Mocke's Surfski School in South Africa standardised on it in 2008. Superseded in 2018 by the XT S, sold today as the Fennix XTS, which keeps the hull and moves the nose, rudder and seat. This record covers the original. The index carried it twice until August 2026, once as 'Mako XT' and once as 'XT'; they were always one boat.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Extremely stable - the reference beginner ski for more than a decade
  • Comfortable, roomy cockpit and an easy remount
  • Narrower than the Blue-Fin, so it glides better than a pure first boat while staying forgiving
  • Proven downwind performer well past the complete-beginner stage
  • Huge second-hand supply in South Africa and Australia, across layups at very different price points

Cons

  • Slow relative to almost every other ski in this guide - paddlers outgrow it
  • The short 5.88m hull caps top speed even for a fit paddler
  • Glass and older examples are heavy; one magazine test weighed one at nearly 19kg
  • Long out of production in this exact spec - parts increasingly come from the current XT S range
  • Bucket comfort is a recurring complaint on longer sessions

What paddlers say

"I've had years of experience teaching and watching beginner paddlers, and I can tell you - there is nothing to touch the XT" - Dawid Mocke, quoted in Fenn's product copyReported experience
"Loving the XT in Spain and having lots of fun" - Fenn product page paddler caption, 2011-era listingReported experience
"The venerable Fenn Mako XT was one of the first truly stable surfskis, designed for non-elite paddlers on the market" - surfski.info, Fenn Mako XT S review intro (Feb 2019)Reported experience
"I have an XT which is pretty good, but I find the bucket is an on going issue. I find myself leaning back after only 20-30 mins" - reader comment, FatPaddler.com Bluefin review threadReported experience
"Stable, light, VERY easy to handle on land, narrow nose/catch, extremely maneuverable and a great fun boat in small to moderate conditions" - surfski.info forum, Fenn XT thread (Apr 2018)Reported experience

Where to buy

The Mako XT is out of production. You can only buy it second-hand.

Fenn Kayaks ↗

Dealers:

Ocean Paddler · AU ↗Paddleshop (PADDLES) · AU ↗Ocean Paddlesports · AU ↗Paddle 2 Fitness · AU ↗Sydney Harbour Kayaks · AU ↗Race One Surf Craft · AU ↗

Discontinued, so no new price exists. The direct successor is sold new in Australia as the Fennix XT S from AUD $3,350 (see the XT S record). Second-hand Mako XT hulls remain common in South Africa and Australia across glass, vacuum and carbon layups.

Sources

BetaRatings are estimatesRatings are estimates. How we get the numbers. Prices checked October 2026, may be out of date.