Don’t worry about your first boat being the perfect choice. I suspect 99% of us have moved from our first boat to our second to our third … as our skills improved and our interests evolved. Besides, buying your next boat and talking about it on this forum is part of the fun.
If your lucky enough to have a local paddle shop with knowledgeable staff, talk to them. Tell them what you have in mind. A good shop will guide you well because they want you for a long-term customer, not just for a quick sale today.
Join a local recreational paddling club if you have one around. Sharing experiences with other relative beginners is a great way to learn.
You can often buy good used boats and paddles for 1/2 of list price; it’s a great way to buy a better boat than your budget might otherwise allow. But do not scrimp on the PFD. Buy quality and be sure it fits (that’s another area where a knowledgeable paddling shop can really help).
As others have said, lessons are always wise. For me, however, spending some time on calm shallow water (with a paddling partner!) before my first lesson made sense. I believe I got more from that lesson by first having a bit of a feel for the boat and for what it takes to keep the cockpit pointed toward the sky.
How much is your life worth?
I see people stumble into trouble too often.
If you are going to run rivers or big water you need to know what you are doing.
Figure out everything related to safety first.
I wish I had known how affordable it is to get started , I am 65 years old and just recently divorced and just bought my first Kayak a nice Evoke red white and blue 10 footer !!!
Hi Groovy,
My advice would be to join a kayak group, ask a million questions, try paddling some of their boats (with their permission) and THEN make your decision for your 1st boat. If you love it, it will not be your last boat! Good luck!
The best advice I know of is a tip that is often very hard to follow.
Buy you last kayak first!
What that means is that if you buy a VERY good kayak first you need not up-grade later at the cost of both learning and money.
BUT you need to know for sure you will enjoy the activity enough to but a top grade kayak. Therein lays the rub. Budget and storage room factor in.
Location and type of water you will paddle in (as well as understanding that as you gain ability and skill, the limitations you start with decreases, so the conditions that you think “I’d never go out in” vanish to some degree and you’ll find yourself very able to go in higher winds and taller waves.
So buying a kayak that is a slight challenge to your level of ease when you start out is wise. It saves you a lot of money and time
You need to answer some questions for yourself.
A. What is your weight and size?
B. What’s your shoe size?
C. What will you use the kayak for? (Pleasure paddling, fishing, touring, camping, Surf use, White Water rivers? ect)
D. Where are you, and where are you able to go for your paddling trips?
E. What is your budget?
F. What kind of shore lines will be involved, not just now, but also in the future as your skill levels improve?
But a kayak like this covers a LOT of uses.
I know someone that can import them into the USA and Canada and the base prices is just slightly over $1600, but then we have to deal with all the taxation and other BS that governments afflict people with.
But if you want to use the kayak mostly for fishing, taking out kids or a dog, White Water river paddling, and a few other uses, this type of kayak is not going to be as good a choice as some others.
You did ask a very good question, but then seem to vanish from the thread. (???)
The best advice CANNOT be given without answers to the above questions.