in the market for a kayak...need advice

ponderosa

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Hubby promised me a kayak for my birthday (love that man), and I need some experienced opinions. I'd like to rent/try to see what I like, but that just isn't an option here. There are a couple of lakes several hours away that rent kayaks...well, make that one kind of kayak. There is no variety or choice, and I suspect they are nothing special. But we have rented them several times, and they are so much fun...I want one.
I'm looking for a two person boat, for flat water. Sometimes the 2nd person will be my husband, and other times it will be one of my little girls. Since I'll have my kids sometimes, stability is pretty important. I'd like to use it for paddles of a few hours, and also for occasional camping trips with light/compact backpacking gear.
I'm 5'5" and 120 lbs. My husband is 5'10" and maybe 180.
I really know nothing about what to look for, or what makes a good boat. We're beginners at this, so we don't need to break the bank. Any help is appreciated.
 

ChadTower

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Best recommendation if you can't rent them is to pick some up used. A plastic kayak is very hard to damage and a lot of people just want to be rid of them once the novelty wears off. Buying used you can check out the various configurations and get enough experience to decide where it is you want to paddle. Different conditions call for different types of boats and there is no one perfect answer for a given set of variables.

There is no substitute for getting out there and paddling. Grab what you can locally used, try it out, and if it's not satisfying then sell it and find another. The whole goal is to be out there and once you have a few dozen hours under your belt you will know where you want to go and what to sit in when you get there.
 

ponderosa

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I've been watching craigslist for a few weeks. There have been several whitewater kayaks come up, but so far just one recreational boat...it seems like it might be a good option but I'd like your opinion.
It's a Perception Jocassee tandem for $550.

Perception Jocassee Kayak
 

Hikenhunter

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Generally speaking you will have to decide where you will use your kayak the most, flatwater or rivers and streams. On flatwater you want a kayak that tracks well ( tracking means that it paddles easily in a straight line.) This is determined by the keel, wich is a protrution on the bottom of the kayak. The higher the keel the better the kayak tracks. On moving water you weant the keel to be less pronounced so that the kayak can be turned faster to avoid obsticles in the water. Pretty much I think Chad is right about trying them out. You might have to try several before you find one that works well for yourself. The Perception Jocassee looks like it would work well for what you described and at that price, if I were looking for a 2 man kayak, I'd buy it and try it. JMO
 

Newanderthal

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Wilderness and Old Town make great boats.

Avoid Pelican. The plastic they use for their hulls warps after just a few months.
 

ChadTower

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Also if you want to consider salt water, or really big fresh, you're talking about a whole different set of requirements.

Maybe the last thing I can think of is whether or not you ever plan on fishing from the kayak. That can be done from any kayak but there are a few things that could make it a whole lot more comfortable with some planning.
 

Cappy

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Your post states ya looking for a flat water 2 person boat to go on casual rides with hubby and kiddos. With that in mind I say forget the kayak and buy a good second hand wide bellied canoe. Room for pic nic supplies very stable and lots better for what ya described. Just one chubby ole Cajuns openion
 

ponderosa

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No saltwater and only very slow rivers...mostly just big lakes (around here, a really "big" lake is up to ten miles long). Redfish, Bear Lake, Jenny and Jackson and Leigh in the Tetons, Shoshone in Yellowstone...that sort of stuff if anyone is familiar.
Truly, I'd like to zip across a lake by myself in a light, fast yak. The tandem idea is a way to compromise what I'd really like to do, with having my family along. Our idea is to maybe get one tandem this year, and another next year to accommodate all four of us. My 6 year old did pretty well paddling the rental kayak last year and keeps talking about it. I've only been in a few canoes...but they just weren't as much fun. You're right that it would be more practical for our situation though. Storage space is also an issue.
Tough decision.
 

ChadTower

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If you want more than two people in the same boat then you should really consider a canoe. Even two in a kayak sort of compromises the freedom of the kayak without adding much benefit. More people usually means more gear and the tandem kayak is going to fall short quickly when it comes to cargo capacity.

You could also consider inflatable kayaks from someone like Sea Eagle. There is a detailed write up of their entry level inflatable kayak here that you may find useful particularly in regard to children and managing a few of them at once.
 

ppine

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I agree that for different combinations of people a canoe is more versatile, and has more buoyancy.

There are some great tandem sea kayaks in existence in the 19-20 feet range. They are still hard to coordinate the paddling.

Solo kayaks are confusing because there are so many of them. Decide if you have plans to do overnight trips beforehand. I just read a description of a large trip on the Willamette Water Trail in Oregon. The trip organizer decided that only personal kayaks over 14 feet would be allowed on the overnight.

Most of the kayaks that are available are really designed for day paddling, calm waters like your local pond. It is worth to get a cockpit even if you don't use a cover in warm weather. Otherwise you are going to get wet and either need a wetsuit or only paddle in the warmest months. Length equals speed and carrying capacity. A friend wants to go on our next canoe trip. Her kayak is only 10 feet. She is either going to have someone in a canoe carry most of her stuff or go downriver like a submarine.

You get what you pay for. Fiberglass is way ahead of polyethylene. A rudder is a nice thing to have and can be flipped up out of the way when not needed. Look for good sealing hatches and bulkheads. Flat bottomed hulls are to be avoided. Realize that a kayak has two stable positions, right side up and upside down. Practice wet exits and learn to roll. Wear a helmet even on slow rivers. Dress for immersion. Practice rescues.
 
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Hikenhunter

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Our idea is to maybe get one tandem this year, and another next year to accommodate all four of us. My 6 year old did pretty well paddling the rental kayak last year and keeps talking about it. I've only been in a few canoes...but they just weren't as much fun. You're right that it would be more practical for our situation though. Storage space is also an issue.
Tough decision.[/QUOTE]

Or maybe next year you could get 2 singles. More versatility with a double and 2 singles. :tinysmile_fatgrin_t
 

briansnat

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tandem kayak

If you want more than two people in the same boat then you should really consider a canoe. Even two in a kayak sort of compromises the freedom of the kayak without adding much benefit. More people usually means more gear and the tandem kayak is going to fall short quickly when it comes to cargo capacity.
I agree with that. In addition to what Chad wrote, it is difficult to paddle a tandem kayak solo, but most tandem canoes paddle quite well solo, so if the purchaser plans on occasional solo excursions, a tandem canoe is a far better choice than a tandem kayak.

For many purposes a canoe is the better choice for paddlers, but people seem to gravitate to kayaks even when they should be considering a canoe. Canoes just aren't sexy these days.
 

Cappy

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Sitting on a twin screw diesel powered push boat I am afraid I fall woefully short of Coz's IQ to HP formula:tinysmile_fatgrin_t:tinysmile_tongue_t:
 
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I am looking to buy one this spring & I have no problem with a used one. I have very long legs & I am concerned about leg/knee comfort. Also, I will be going out alone mostly (on rivers) and need one light enough for me to stow on top of my car, alone. (girl here)
 

Hirsch

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I have in the last 5 years owned 3 kayaks, overnighted in 2 others and now have a 17' tandem canoe, 2 solo canoes and a 14' solo SinK kayak. In my kayak group we commonly refer to tandem kayaks as "Divorce Boats" because of the difficulty of two people coordinating strokes. Most of us would recommend two solo craft.

Length depends heavily on use. A 10' is short and handy for quick, short trips. For easy of paddling the longer the better, but shorter is more maneuverable. A 12' is a nice compromise. For camping the 12' is minimum and 14' is better. Hybrids like the Wilderness Systems Commander or Native Ultimate offer some of the nicest of both the Canoe and kayak. The kayak is generally more stable than a canoe, but the canoe offers greater capacity and easier loading.

Last I will agree about the Pelicans. I have a few friends that love them and they are cheap entry. They also have a reputation for being less stable. Perhaps most damning to me is that the plastic is an odd ball part that is virtually unrepairable except with like plastic. I was once given one and Pelican did not have repair kits and trying standard methods with polyethylene just aggravated the problem. It went to the dump.
 

troutstalker

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You first have to determine what you are using it for. Are you going to fish from it,carry it and camping gear or are you just into paddling? I have been through this. I bought a 2010 Wilderness Systems Pungo 140 which is 14 feet long and great for big water fishing. Problem was that I like primitive camping which entails meandering streams. I now have 1995, 36 pound, 12 foot yak. This is my third yak! Decide before you buy!
 
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