in the market for a kayak...need advice

wvbreamfisherman

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My homebuilt skin -on-frame kayak is 15' by almost 30 inches and weighs 36 lb. It's a little awkward to shoulder, but not bad to lift to the top of the truck topper. Haven't camped out of her yet, but she should have a decent carrying capacity.
 

STEELINOX

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Two person fun for me and wifey. We added a “the blade” rudder which helps when it gets windy on the lake. This is a “wilderness systems Pamlico 135T” and I have used it on ocean (yes, with a hand siphon for those rare moments) and lakes. The forward seat is adjustable too if you want to use it as a “single”.
It’s not heavy and easy to roof rack. REI has em, and if you buy one and you don’t enjoy it ( within a year) you can return it...



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ppine

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Most kayaks do not hold much. No room for a dog or a Coleman stove. They are narrow. Sit on tops are wet. Cockpit boats need a cover. When a kayak turns over, your head is exposed. You have to do a wet exit.

Kayaks are popular because they are cheap to make and easy to paddle without any skill.
I built a nice Pygmy Coho out of African mahogany that was 17.5 feet long and fast. I did not like it much and sold it. Now I have 4 canoes.
 

Roybrew

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I've always liked how it's easier to get in and out of a canoe, and I can do it with out getting my feet wet. Last kayak I got in, I like to never got out of it. I'm not going to dog a kayak, they just don't work for me.
A person can sure load a canoe down. I wanted to start building a wood strip canoe last winter, but it just didn't materialize. Maybe this winter.
 

ppine

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If you buy a kayak, where do you put the dogs, the kids, the Coleman stove and the cooler?
Canoes have room for everything.
 

Roybrew

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I think canoes have easier entry and exits. I can keep my feet dry, and can even make, or purchase a skirt to keep every thing warm and dry.
 

ponderosa

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Wow, I started this thread six years ago, & it was fun to be reminded of where we started compared to what we're doing now. We ended up finding a used tandem flat-bottomed kayak. Our kids were tiny, & my husband & I could easily paddle it with a kid in each of our laps, with room for a picnic. It handled well enough that I could also take it out myself. We had tons of fun for a couple of years before the kids started getting too big. We added a used single kayak that I paddled. Older kid took my old seat in the tandem and started learning to paddle, while younger kid rode in the middle. By the time that was uncomfortable, older kid was ready to paddle her own boat, & younger sister moved into the learner's seat in the old reliable tandem. By last summer, my girls were capably handling their own kayaks on lakes and class one rivers. Using light/compact backpacking vear, we've successfully gone on overnight trips. These days we kayak as often as we hike. We still have the old tandem, as well as 4 sit-ins and a couple of cheap sit-on-tops that the girls like to play with on the little local lake. We LOVE our kayaks.
 

Roybrew

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Wow! I didn't notice the date. That's a great 6 year kayaking journal. Hard to believe how fast the kids grow up. Glad the yaks worked out.
 
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