Spade Starfire

Spade Starfire: A playful half-slice for juniors and light paddlers

Starfire: No More Compromises for Young Riders

If you constantly wear shoes that are too big for you, you can’t be surprised when you fall. The same rule applies to kayaks. For children and juniors, paddling in large, heavy boats is more of a struggle for survival than fun. The Spade Starfire solves this problem. It’s a slimmer and lighter version of the popular Bliss model, optimized so that children weighing about 35 kg can comfortably reach the water with their paddles and easily tilt and turn the kayak.

Hull and Hydrodynamics: Safety and Endless Fun

Starfire boasts a modern design:

• Planing Hull (flat bottom): It provides excellent primary stability for beginners and fantastic carving for advanced wave surfing.
• Pronounced front rocker: It keeps the bow of the boat safely above the water as it passes through waves and swells, ensuring a "dry" and safe ride even for smaller riders.
• Slicey stern (flattened stern): The distinct edges and low volume of the tail mean that more advanced juniors can easily dip the tail (squirt / tailees) and learn to work with the vertical. For adult riders (around 70 kg), it’s a true “cartwheel machine.”

Outfitting: Lightweight and Direct Contact

To maintain a total weight of 16 kg, Spade used a simplified yet highly functional seating system. The one-piece rotationally cast system connects the seat to the floor rail and the stabilizing front strut. The rear Minicell foam strut provides the boat with the necessary rigidity.

The backrest is adjusted using tried-and-true aluminum clamcleats on ropes—a system that is lightweight and doesn’t get clogged with sand. The front footrest (bulkhead) is fully adjustable, and the contoured side pads ensure firm contact with the boat.

Appropriate Activities and Use in Whitewater

The Spade Starfire is a versatile and high-performance kayak designed for:

• Youth Education: The ideal first “real” boat for safely mastering the basics in mild whitewater.
• Playful River Running: For juniors and adult lightweights who want to surf and squirt at the junctions of currents (WW II–IV).
• Playboating: For paddlers at the upper end of the weight range (65–70 kg), it’s a great, playful boat.

About the brand Spade Kayaks

The Spade Kayaks brand was founded in Europe by a group of enthusiasts and top paddlers. Their philosophy is to build kayaks that they themselves want to paddle, while not forgetting the next generation. They focus on high-quality plastic, perfect ergonomics, and shapes that bring lightness and dynamism to paddling.

Caring for a Polyethylene Shell

The kayak is made of durable polyethylene. To ensure the shell’s maximum lifespan, we recommend storing the kayak in a dry place out of direct sunlight and away from UV rays after the season ends. After paddling in dirty water, rinse the inside of the cockpit—and especially the backrest mechanisms—with fresh water to ensure the cables glide smoothly.

Technical parameters and specifications

Bonus program and purchase benefits

When you purchase a Spade Starfire children’s kayak from us, you’ll earn credits toward our rewards program. You can use these credits for a significant discount on a lightweight children’s paddle, a safe children’s life jacket, or a neoprene spray deck. We’re happy to help our customers fine-tune their gear with foam pads for 100% contact with the kayak.