Hey you yak experts, any ideas on this one?
With limited storage, I need a yak under 15 feet and 50 pounds. I would like to keep the price under $1700.
Here's the deal: at 5"10 and 210 pounds, I like the fit and performance of WS Tempest 170, but it is just too damn heavy and long for my needs.
I do not need an expedition size boat for day paddles on the sound, in the ocean, and in local lakes, ponds, and rivers. And no place to store a 17 foot, 61 pound boat.
so, I've been scouring company web sites looking for boats under 15' and 50 pounds hoping to find something that will perform like the tempest: i.e., maintain speed and tracking, be easy to roll, and handle the chop, and fit by butt and thighs like a glove. And have a skeg, not a rudder. And front and rear bulkheads. And a beam 23 inches or less.
I am not sure, though, that the Manitou 13s of the world ( a ton of companies make shorter boats, 25 inches or so wide) will fit the bill.
And many of the smaller dimension sea yaks, like Necky's Eliza, are made for people much smaller than I, i.e., they won't fit even if I do lose that extra weight.
Eddyline's Merlin LT and XT built in thigh braces are in the wrong place for my thighs, and are, annoyingly, not adjustable.
I'm kind of at my wits end on this. I really want to get on the water, the weather's beautiful around here, but no boat.
so, I turn to the lists vast expertise in such matters for advice. Any ideas on short, light boats that fit average size men and perform like true sea kayaks?
Some might say, go ahead and get the tempest and make it work, but that boat is simply too much boat for my needs and storage options.
Thank you!
how about…
http://www.marinerkayaks.com/mkhtml/Coasterw.html
13’ and 38#???now back in productins i fyou want to get in line for a boat from them…
http://www.marinerkayaks.com
mariner coaster
The coaster would be ideal.
Here’s the problem: by the time I got done tricking it out with a front bulkhead and raising its height from 11 or so inches to 12 (i need the higher volume), I’m looking at $3000 plus tax.
Matt was a wonderful gentleman a few week ago talking to me about his and his brother’s creation, and letting me sit in one to try it out, but i just can’t afford that kind of money.
Venture Easky 15 & Kyle
Venture Easky 15:
- 15', 50lbs, 23.5" beam, skeg
- full deck lines, Kajaksport hatches, two bulkheads.
- MSRP = $1049
http://www.venturekayaks.com/page1.php?Page=71
Venture Kyle
- Same boat, but in fiberglass and better outfitting
- MSRP = $1899
- Boat is designed by P&H, manufactured by Venture.
- May not be available in your area yet. You might give Portland River Company (www.portlandrivercompany.com) a ring...they're a P&H dealer.
Cheers!
--Mark (P&H Team)
Pygmy Artic Tern 14
Check the recent product review. Sounds like a perfect fit for what you’re looking for but very suitable for the type of paddling you plan to do. If you have the space and time to build it. Might be worth trying to find a used one, if you don’t.
venture easky
had one out for an hour last summer. a nice little boat, well made, but wound up with bad foot cramps I couldn’t shake by repositioning, which made me think twice.
artic tern
I’ve often wondered about the pygmy boats–how do they handle shore launches and rock abrassions. Is the wood treated somehow to make it resistant to that kind of normal wear and tear?
glass
Pygmys and other “wood” kayaks are usually coverd with fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin. The standard Pygmy kit uses one layer of 6-oz cloth inside and out, but builders are free to vary the layups to fit their needs. Think of it as a wood-core composite.
How about Epitour
Epitour by Epi kayaks is 14’ 2" and 50 lbs.
Liquidlogic Sojourn?(NM)
Can you say 44 lbs, tacoma?
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-SEDA-GYPSY-KAYAK_W0QQitemZ150051924122QQihZ005QQcategoryZ36122QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem
Seda Gypsy.
And here's one skegged:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-SEDA-VIDA-KAYAK_W0QQitemZ150054603194QQihZ005QQcategoryZ36122QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I know nothing about it specifically, but after buying 2 yaks from this retailer, I can say they ship impeccably. Check out alpha1airborne list of other yaks. Good luck.
soujourn
another sweet looking boat I hadn’t thought of. Thanks. What’s the price on these? don’t see anything on the LL Web site.
about $2000 aparently…
and made with a new kind of material (not kevlar), making it extremely light.
Mine handles them pretty well
You can apply graphite powder to the bottom if you want an ironclad hull. It will still be lighter than most glass and composite boats.
Folding Kayak?
From your initial description,it sounds like a folder is something you might want to explore. Certainly easier to store and lightweight. Cost may be an issue, but used and/or demo boats are usually a greater value anyways. Just a thought. I’ve never used one myself, but I know several excellent paddlers who do.
Best of luck,
Mike
fully agreed with grey’s post above
anytime i hear someone say they want a true sea kayak but storage space is a limitor i want to holler real loud Feathercraft…but as mentioned above price is usually the challenge; but do find one somewhere and paddle it to see if it might interest you. 3 days ago I was in my Wisper working on rolls/sculls after a 2 mile jaunt around the lake, the youngest daughter and I had just made a kayak flower:
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2348585090084634827YlnCpy
and she asked me if I could only have one kayak which it would be. I told her the Wisper because it truly can do everything I want it to do (anyone surfed in a Wisper?), and at my age the 33 pounds is nice.
see if you can find a Swift Saranac 14
This might be something you’l have to find used to hit your price range but it’s pretty close to your hit list. Very seaworthy kayaks.
http://tinyurl.com/yvk63n
Aside from Feathercraft
The Folbot Cooper and the Atatl for really decent budget folders. Used K Lights can be had for around a grand too.
210lbs
you're too big for the AT14 but just right for the old GE/Osprey. It may look fat,,it is,,but the waterline is very clean,it's fast enough and efficient but it might be a bit too strong tracking. It's around 15'6" with the ends rounded off a bit. But you'd have to be in the mood to make it. As far as durability goes it can be more or less than the average glass boat depending on the weight of glass used. The basic 6oz on both sides of 4mm okoume is very strong.
The volume of the Osprey/GE is about the same as the Tempest 170 and I'm guessing is a smidge faster.
What's wrong with a Manitou 13 or 14? You can put thigh braces in it and there's a glass version out now.
Here you go, inbetween the Arctic Tern 14 and Osprey Standard in volume. Don't trip out on linear dimensions so much. I assume you're wanting something around 15' for storage reasons. Something 14' will have to be 23"-24" to carry 225lbs well.
http://www.shearwater-boats.com/widg-buildyourown.htm
SOF anyone?
It sounds like you liked the Coaster - for less than your budget you can go to Cape Falcon in Manzanita OR and build the SOF version, the SC-1, in a week. Plus you’ll be building yourself a Greenland paddle too. That’s what I’ll be doing in May - I have similar storage/transport problems and need a rough-water capable boat. By all accounts the SC-1 is a sweet ride - I’ve got my fingers crossed.