RE: Any Kayak users out there?

[Acts 2:38 girl]

 
I was checking out a thread on the " bargain hunters"  section and was reading about kayaks.  Do any of you have one, and if so, what type?  I noticed the inflateable ones are much more reasonably priced  ($50), but the the " sit on top"  type are nice too, but a few hundred more.  Any opinions out there?  I ve always wanted one (one man type), bu thought they were to expensive until I followed that link!

[Viking99]

 Acts 2:38 girl
We have two Kayaks made from Old Town. Both of them are the Otter. We paid about $250 a piece for them. They are great all around kayaks for lakes and streams. We mostly use them on some of the local lakes. They are light and esay to carry around.
 
 The inflatable kayaks if you ask me are not worth it. They tend to sag in the middle and do not float that well over water making it harder to paddle.
 
 You may want to spend some money on a decent kayak. It will probably help you enjoy it more.
 
 http://www.otccanoe.com/kayaks_otter.php
 
 Good luck on your search

[GeneF]

 Acts 2:38 girl
DW and I each have a Perception Swifty.
 
 These are entry level kayaks and retail for about $329 but on sale they are about $300.  
 
 I believe they are similar to the Otter.
 
 They are fine for quiet lakes and easy rivers with some riffles.  Not a white water kayak.  Great to take into a marsh and observe some wildlife.
 
 They are easy to manueveur and weigh about 38 pounds.  I believe they are about 9 feet 6 inches.   We have a lot of fun with them as several of our friends have them or canoes.
 
 If you are considering one, some will come with paddles or low end paddles that run about $40 but they might be a little on the heavy side.  We bought some lighter ones for about $80.
 
 Also, do not forget to figure in the cost of a life vest.  Ours were around $65.  In NH, you have to wear a life vest in a one man craft.
 
 One of the reasons we bought the Perceptions was the large cockpit opening.  It makes it easier to get into or out of.  I think max weight is about 225 pounds.
 
 Happy paddling
 
 PS  I find mine very comfortable to flyfish from.

[Acts 2:38 girl]

 Acts 2:38 girl
Now, with the one s you get into, did you have to take any special lessons to learn to roll in case you flipped over.  I don t percieve this happening, but it is a scary thought!  []  I mainly want one for lakes and maybe a small, slow river.

[garym053]

 Acts 2:38 girl
My wife and I hve been kayakers for about 3 years now. Took a lesson/tour and wa hooked! We outgrew our first kayaks in less than a year, she had a Loon 100, I had a Necky Santa Cruz, now we both have Necky Zoar Sports.
 Some inflatables get very good reviews, check out www.paddling.net for a great web site, watch out for attitudes when asking questions though!
 Feel free to email any questions to me and if I don t know the answer I ll give you a link to go to.
 Since you are someplace in Mass IF you plan to paddle the Quabbin Res. you need kayaks at LEAST 12 feet long or they won t let you on. We paddle a lot in Mass as my wife is from the W. Brookfield area. There are a lot of great places to go.
 Unless you find a really great deal, I would try to rent a few models to see which ones you like or even IF you like it. Longer and Narrower are faster, but tippier, shorter and wider are slower and more stable.
 No you don t need rolling lessons for an enclosed yak, however I would recommend a self rescue and assisted rescue class, if you decide you like it. AND remember that COLD water KILLS. The saying is you have a 50/50 chance of surviving a 50 yard swim in 50 degree water! Rule of thumb is if the combined water and air tempuratures is 100 or lower, use a wetsuit or drysuit. I adjust that a lttle because here in Vermont in the Spring you can have a day like yesterday where it s 80 degrees and the water hasn t hit 40 yet, giving a combined total of about 120, I d STILL wear a wetsuit or WAIT! Hope this helps, as I said email if you d like more info

[GeneF]

 Acts 2:38 girl

 Acts
 
 If all you want to do is some lakes and slow rivers, the lower end kayaks should do you fine.
 
 The Perception is a pretty stable kayak and would take a bit to flip it but it has a wide cockpit so it should be easy to get out of.  For stability these are great but you don t get the glide or ease of paddling like you would in a longer narrower kayak.
 
 
 Gary has given you some good advice on trying out different kayaks but then again if money is an object, the lower ends kayaks should do you.
 
 You do have to use common sense when you are in any type of boat, kayak or canoe and remember that you are not on the Queen Elisabeth.
 
 Keeping an eye out for bad weather and wind is a must in any safe boating.
 
 If you have the chance, the Kittery Trading Post in Kittery Maine would be a good place to check out the different kayaks and get some advice.  By the way, you won t have to pay the Maine sales tax on the kayak.  I didn t on a canoe that I bought there.
 
 

[Ab Diver]

 Acts 2:38 girl
Andrea, I have one of the roto-molded (polyethylene) sit-on-top kayaks. It s made by Ocean Kayak, their Scupper model. The roto-molded kayaks have more impact resistance than the composite types, but are heavier. If you are the type who wants to get *in* the water as well as travel across it, a sit-on-top is fine. They are great for divers. Otherwise, a more traditional " sit in"  style may be better for you (lower center of gravity). Best bet, try different styles to see which one you like, and explain your expectations to the kayak dealer. They can help you purchase a kayak that is right for your level of expertise, budget, and body of water (recreational river or lake, open water touring, white water, surf play). Also, look for *used* inventory from a rental dealer. Sometimes you can save hundreds of bucks on a perfectly fine  yak cuz it s got a few scratches on it.

[griffsmom]

 Acts 2:38 girl
Acts,
 
 DH and I have 2 of the Ocean Kayak Proscuppers that Ab Diver mentioned.  They re expensive; ours were about $725.00 a piece and we bought them ten years ago, but they are very sturdy and have lasted well.  Here is a link to the model that we have:  http://www.oceankayak.com/products/scupperprotw.html
 
 We like to use ours in lakes and the ocean. They re not super stable for riding waves--you can get pushed sideways and dumped if you aren t tracking well with your paddle--but we re just about fun and getting wet, nothing too serious, so it suits us fine.
 
 We have the Yakima racks on top of the camper and mako saddles for transporting the kayaks.  Each kayak is about 50 lbs., and even with that extra weight on top of the camper, it stills tows like a dream.
 
 In addition to Ab s suggestions for getting a kayak more inexpensively, you might also check the Pennysaver (I hope you have that in your area so you know what I m talking about[]) or ebay.  HTH and have fun![]

[Gamecock Camper]

 Acts 2:38 girl
I was one of the people on the Bargain Hunter s forum talking about kayaks.  I ended up buying a tandem (two-seater) sit-in kayak.  It is the 14ft Otter by Old Town.  It looks to be well made and has a low center of gravity.  I was toying between buying a canoe or a kayak for the DW for Mother s Day.  I decided on the kayak because it is for the DW and I wanted something that she and I or she and the DW can use easily.  The kayak is easier to paddle than a canoe and has a lower center of gravity, so it will probably be a little less likely to tip accidentally (sp?).......  We will primarily use it at Lake Murray (a large lake in the central South Carolina area) in the area near our lakehouse.....  Our lakehouse is in a quiet area with calm water and sees little boat traffic....  It looks to be well made and will suit our needs.  The canoes were a little cheaper though, so I hope the DW likes it come Mother s Day.

[griffsmom]

 Gamecock Camper

 

ORIGINAL:  Gamecock Camper
 so I hope the DW likes it come Mother s Day.
 

 I hope she doesn t read these boards or your surprise could be ruined![]