Bigger heavier kayaker.

If I weigher another 70 pounds
I would e-mail this gentleman in case you did not!

Canoe.
Shortly after this thread died out, I did post a question regarding the use of double bladed paddles in a canoe out of curiosity. Got some good responses here and found some related info at the Canadian Canoe Routes forums as well. So at the moment, since finding kayaks to try here in Saskatchewan is turning out to be so difficult, I’ve begun to take a long and serious look at solo canoes as well. There are several brands readily available here in what is esentially prime canoe country, and having used Clipper boats in the past (well made and paddle great) am focused on trying the Solitude with both kinds of paddles. The nice thing about going this way is that for the price of a plastic kayak I could get an ultralight kevlar solo canoe (Solitude is only 38 lbs for example). Plus I pretty much own everything I need to go canoeing already (roof rack accessories, dry bags, and so on), bought several years ago for a tandem trip I went on, as well as all the basic training needed from my canoe club days in high school so very long ago (probably rusty though since my memory is slightly vague lol). So yeah, a canoe probably does make more sense I guess.



FWIW, I still would prefer a kayak. I like how they feel and how they paddle compared to a canoe. Efficient and fast, I think one would be perfect for what I want to do (flat water lakes, weekend camping in the back country). Unfortunately I don’t think it’s going to work out. The one thing I learned from demoing the two kayaks I did recently drilled home the importance of not buying sight unseen.



So again, thanks to everyone for there replies. They have been very much appreciated. Hopefully this thread will help out other bigger folks looking at their kayak options. Which ever I end up doing n the end, I plan to keep a log book and take plenty of photos which I’ll probably put up on a website somewhere some day. I’ll be sure to come back here and post when I do. :slight_smile:

drev may have what you’re looking
for.



A friend of mine has that same boat as well as Skerry. He absolutely loves the Nimbus boat and it is his boat of choice for rougher water.



It is big, stable, and fast enough to keep up with the longer skinnier boats.



Check it out.



Steve Holtzman

Jumping in from the Bigger Necky thread

– Last Updated: Jun-18-04 3:02 PM EST –

I started the thread on the Neckys at the same time this one got going. We're looking at similar issues, I think.

This morning I demoed a Necky Elaho HV and a CD Storm on the Hudson, both in plastic. I also "tried on" a Tesla NM and a CD Scirocco while I was at it. The results:

I gotta have a 32" cockpit or I can't get my knees and thighs down and in quick enough to give me any confidence at all that I could get OUT quickly should the need arise. Get below that (or a keyhole shaped cockpit) and I have a terrible time getting in. Too many miles on the road bike, I guess... I've got large calves and thighs.

After some fooling around in the store, I dropped the Tesla right off the list... while it was a great fit once inside, it was a bear to get into. Same thing with the Eskia, which was a surprise. It appears that cockpit measurements absolutely do not tell the whole story, what with knee braces and various shapes within that hard length X width measurement. I was appreciating my Zoar Sport more and more, since I can pretty much plop right into that. The other boats didn't let me get a knee out of the way of the other leg whatever.

Along comes a CD Storm, which was quite a surprise, since the published measurements are actually SMALLER than these other boats. For whatever reason, I could slide in and out of that thing with no problem at all, and once inside it felt like it had been made for me.

Off to the river. The Storm felt somewhat different than the Zoar Sport, certainly. Stability felt great. I didn't push it as far as leaning it too much - brand new boat, fairly nasty river at Beacon - but it felt quite responsive. Turned very nicely when edged a bit, and when I dropped the rudder in, obviously I found it would go anyplace I wanted it to. Tracked very well with the rudder up, though there was no real wind to speak of and only very small swells if any at all.

Went back to the dock for a shot at the Elaho HV. After the Storm, just the feel of getting in and the difference (for me) once inside took it right off the list. Didn't even take it out... the Storm was much more suited to me.

I probably would have bought it then and there if not for this strange and unusual thing I have about not spending a pile of money without discussing it first with my wife - who will be happily moving into the Zoar Sport anyway, but fair's fair.

Back at the shop I looked at the Scirocco and a very nice Boreal Design boat, but again, the feel of the Storm just wasn't there. It's amazing how individual a thing this is, and how important it is. Going by the numbers and my affection for my Zoar Sport, I could have walked out with an Elaho HV and felt like it was a great choice, right up until I plunked it in the water the first time.

So I still want to think about the plastic vs glass thing a little more, and look over the Current Design site and the reviews on maybe the Solstice line, and think about the Impex boats as well. Still, when I look at the hull of my Zoar Sport, I realize that I tend to be a bit hard on these things, and I wonder about spending an extra thousand or fifteen hundred to save ten or fifteen pounds at the end of the day and maybe bang up a nice glass or kevlar job.

In the interests of keeping this discussion going, then, what's the feeling of the class on the general toughness of the Storm vs the outstanding quality I've observed firsthand in my Necky? And any other candidates I'm missing? I was happy to at least perceive, rightly or wrongly, that the Storm doesn't feel that much heavier than my Zoar Sport, though I'm not ready to completely write off glass. I think the next test drive might be a Solstice, so what's peoples' experience with that boat?

This forum, along with the reviews here, is one great resource for this stuff. On the one hand, it helped me make a good choice at the time with my Necky, and it's made me very cautious about this next, bigger boat.

dave

Oops, almost forgot... what's this about a Storm 2? I'm not aware of what that is.

“New” Storm
http://www.paddling.net/buyersguide/whatsnew/



----------------

I rented a Squall a couple of times when I was looking for a boat-- no complaints about the quality – it felt very solid – or paddling performance, but I just didn’t like the high foredeck. To each his own…

www.kayakplace.com
You would be well served to spend some time exploring Wes Boyd’s “Kayak Place” websites (www.kayakplace.com).



Also might be interested in reading my review of the Tempest 180 at: http://www.kayakplace.com/gearboat/temp180c.htm



You listed the Tempest 170 on your short list, but it would be to small for you.



Wade


I agree.
“It’s amazing how individual a thing this is, and how important it is.”



I totally agree with that, and thats with only managing to test out three kayaks so far. The difference between the Necky Askia and Current Designs Storm was night and day for me. If I could lose 60 lbs (not going to happen lol) I would probably just buy a Storm since it fit me so well and was so comfortable. And I agree that it is surprising since according to the stats it’s got one of the smallest cockpits of all the ones on my growing list of boats to try. Unfortunately with just me in it and no gear, there was pretty much little to no freeboard left.



Finding the boats to try around here is nearly impossible, it’s all about canoeing here. I suppose I could buy sight unseen, but I’m 99.9% sure I would regret that in the end. What I really need to do is go out to the west coast (Vancouver in BC), but this is around a 1700 KM drive one way and would severely eat into the funds I have saved up for buying a boat. This really sucks even more because I found a place out there that has a couple of used Necky Pinta’s for sale.

Storm, et al
The weight load for the Storm is listed at 400 pounds, which I thought was pretty impressive. I’m about 250, and with just me in the boat, it rode comfortably high… more freeboard than my Zoar Sport, which actually only rides a bit lower with me than my son in law’s does with his approx 190 pounds or so.



Wade, I read that review you wrote the other day. Did you end up getting one of those, or did you just leave town with the demo?



While we’re here, kudos on your kayaking photos. You take some great pictures of what look to be great trips.



Off to the Tivoli Bays this morning. On a Saturday, there’s usually a few (or more than a few) yaks out over there. I’ll continue to work on my research!



Bushwhacker, I hear you on the Pinta! That one seems like another hot candidate, but right now for me at least, I like the Storm more and more as I think about it. I’ll be looking for anyone paddling one over the next couple of weeks.



dave

Tempest 180?
I found a retailer that has the Tempest 170 in their show room, a couple hours drive from me. They also rent out a Capehorn 17 (but no Tempests). I have added the Tempest 180 to my list though as it looks like a really good choice for a big person based on the reviews at kayakplace.com and here. Anyways, what I would really like to know is if Wilderness Systems has any plans to create a plastic version of the Tempest 180 at all. Anyone know?

Current Designs Solstice GTHV
Try the Current Designs GT High Vollume. Should be plenty of room, 6’ 3" 230lbs, plenty of room in fact almost too much.


Thanks for the kind comments…
Yes, I did order a Tempest 180. I expect it to be delivered any day now. I will keep the NDK Poseidon and I’m sure will find places to paddle both boats .



In addition, a few weeks ago, my wife also ordered a Tempest. She ordered the Tempest 165 and will sell her Romany 16 when it arrives.



Sea ya

Wade


I should also mention
I should also mention, that while I’ve been waiting for my Tempest to arrive. The paddle shop (Alder Creek in Portland) has been very kind to me. They’ve allowed me to borrow a rental T180 when ever I’ve wanted it.



I guess that’s the benefit of supporting your local paddle shop instead of going to the “big box” stores for paddle needs.



I LOVE the Tempest boats!!



Wade