I am looking to buy a two person kayak. I saw one with Zest Two Exp on it but I cant find one. Is there a site where I can locate one. I live near the ocean and I want a safe one, since my wife is not a strong swimmer.
Thank you for your assistance.
Charles
Sit On Tops Are Safer
and that boat you saw is a sit on top.
http://www.oceankayak.com/kayaks/tandem_kayaks/zest_two_exp/
If my wife were not a strong swimmer
– Last Updated: Apr-20-15 4:22 PM EST –
Kayaking on the ocean is how I would get rid of her too.
Best assistance you can get
Learn how to do on-water rescues yourself, so you could put her back into a boat.
THEN get a boat for the two of you.
Your current approach is not a good one, to put it mildly.
If your wife is not a strong swimmer
and has any fears at all, don’t push her to paddling.
Any one who gets in or on a kayak should be comfortable in the water!
Jack L
Have her wear the pfd
that should solve that problem.
Seriously, the model you were looking for also is very stable and harder to tip over than most other kayaks out there. It is also self draining so when splashed the water goes out the scupper holes. If it is flipped over it still floats (unless you had a massive hull breach) and when put upright again it self - drains as long as the scupper plugs are out.
There are you tube videos available showing how to get back in a kayak from the water - almost anyone can do this with this type of kayak IF they know the trick(s) to it. Easiest way would be if both paddlers in the water, to have one floater hold the kayak steady while the person with less aptitude gets in first. If your wife is smaller sized she might be BETTER at getting up and over first. The second person can mess it up and re dump the whole thing. ( I got to watch this routine last summer with 2 people accidentally “swimming” in strong, deep freshwater current, near the intake for a river reservoir noted for its strong, sneaky current, and an ocean kayak which was smaller than that zest, and finally intervened and rescued the small person who had ended up drifting away from the larger person still floundering around trying to get back in. He eventually gave up, swam to shore and we got them all re united with their paddle, which also drifted away. No pfd on either on them. Not Smart.) Don’t assume anything and practice in shallow water first.
I also got to watch something another time and a different lake that looked like fun- two people took a 2 person, big orange sit on top out, and proceeded to repeatedly jump in the lake, climb back out, get on the kayak, and then jump back in again. I wasn’t close enough to see the brand name, but it looked familiar and they obviously had the technique down. I also knew from where they were that the currents there were not strong, and the lake was not super deep, but also those currents and power boat wave action would push them to shore if they got into trouble - plus they had an audience of other campers and boaters watching.
not without some lessons
It would be a mistake to kayak in the ocean without first getting some qualified instruction in paddling and in safety practices. You would not buy a car without learning how to drive. Same with kayaking. Find an outfitter and book some outings and classes in rental boats first before buying a kayak.
Weight?
I would second the advice to get some instruction first.
That looks like a good boat but it does weigh 75lbs. Have you considered how you will transport it?
And you do know that the nickname for a tandem kayak is a “divorce” boat, right?