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Knysna Racing · Surfski

Knysna Racing McGregor Classic

Very narrow (41cm), relatively short (5.90m) low-volume high-performance race hull built for smaller, lighter paddlers. Deep-vee, low secondary stability and a twitchy feel; tuned for top-end flat-water and marathon speed rather than forgiving downwind stability.

Length
5.9 m
Beam
41 cm
Deck
37 cm
Lightest
10.5 kg
Knysna Racing McGregor Classic — Outline drawn to scale from published length and deck height
Outline drawn to scale from published length and deck height · Surfski Index

Specifications

Length
5.9 m
Beam
41 cm
Deck height
37 cm
Category
Surfski
Skill level
elite
New price
Not listed new

Layup weights

Carbon Epoxy Vacuum10.5 kg
Glass Epoxy Vacuum11.5 kg
Polyvac13 kg

On-water profile

Stability
3.0
Speed
8.5

Both scores are rated at the hull's own design weight. How these are derived.

At 41cm it is narrower than a Fenn Elite S (43cm, our stability-4 anchor), so stability sits just below it; Knysna markets it as 'designed for smaller paddlers... an absolute racer, one of the fastest (if not the fastest) skis on the market', and a surfski.info reviewer found the WIDER Rhythm already 'noticeably twitchier' than a V12 yet marginally faster in time trials, placing the narrower Classic high on speed but low on stability.

Suits: Flat-water and mild-water racing, marathon and time-trial paddling for lighter, highly skilled paddlers; capable in mild ocean but built as a narrow speed hull, not a stable downwind ski

Paddler weight

This hull is built around a paddler of about 85 kg. It stays workable from 75 kg to 90 kg, and sits at its best between 79 kg and 87 kg.

Derived from published hull dimensions and calibrated against manufacturer paddler limits, not taken from a marketing range. The method, in full.

Generations

2017-present (Classic S1)

Lee McGregor-designed ultra-narrow flat-water/HPK-style racer; current build sold as the Classic S1

What works, and what it costs you

What works

  • Very fast, race-tuned narrow hull
  • Light carbon layup ~10.5kg
  • Sized for smaller/lighter paddlers who out-swim wider skis

Trade-offs

  • Tippy, low secondary stability
  • Short waterline caps top-end vs 6.4m ocean elites
  • No AU dealer stock; import-only, thin resale

What paddlers say

surfski.info review of the McGregor Classic and Rhythm: the pair are near-identical hulls, the Classic being the narrower/faster of the two, with the wider Rhythm described as still 'noticeably twitchier' than a V12 (surfski.info story 1673).Reported experience

Where to buy

Knysna Racing Kayaks ↗

Dealers in the markets we have mapped:

Australian Paddle Sports · AU ↗Charger Surf Craft · AU ↗

No published Australian retail price; imported from South Africa. Deep Research import estimate ~AUD 3,800 for a carbon layup; for comparison the entry Genius RS carbon is AUD 4,000 at Oceanpaddler (2026). Layups: Carbon Epoxy Vacuum / Glass Epoxy Vacuum / Polyvac per knysnaracingkayaks.com.

Sources

BetaStability and speed are our ratings, not measurementsRatings, not measurements — how we derive them. Prices checked August 2026.