No problem if anyone enjoys paddling whatever they paddle! I agree that enjoyment is the main object.
But I just want to point out that for anyone who wants a higher-end boat (and again, no judgement on anyone who doesnāt), that it IS possible to get one at a very low price. Especially if you are willing to learn a little, so you can buy and flip.
Iāve bought and sold a few boats since Iāve been kayaking, and have ended up now with a boat I think most people would consider quite nice. I did spend a bit more than Billās average price on it, after getting new hatch covers, but since I intend to flip one I bought earlier I think Iāll come out with only about a $400 initial investment. This is only stated as an encouragement for anyone who sees boats costing 2-3-4K and thinks, āNo way can I ever afford a nice boat.ā
Also, an important point: if youāre a smaller paddler like me, itās harder to find stuff that fits well, and less is made on the lower end thatās even suitable. So for me your average barge is actually NOT pleasurable to paddle, and thatās just a function of my size, not elitism! The first boat we bought was way too large for me and I couldnāt even paddle it without constantly hitting the sides. Not good! But inexpensive recreational kayaks are often much wider than suits a small person.
You do need to be patient and have a certain kind of personality, and enjoy the āhunt.ā If it were up to my spouse heād just head to the store and buy a new boat. Luckily for him I like the hunt and as a result heāll end up paddling a nicer boat.
One of the ways to upgrade and expand your boat options is by prudent purchase of used boats and flipping them (as in selling them for profit, not capsizing.) I have usually been able to sell used boats I bought for the same, and often more than I paid for them. So when I see a really good local deal on a used boat I act fast and pick it up (I am talking boats under $400 in many cases). Doing so I get to check out different models to see how they feel in the water, which has helped me dial in my preference for size and handling.
I just made a list of all the dozen kayaks and canoes I have owned since 2002 (not counting boats I bought for other people). The new value of all of them would have been about $23,500. I actually paid $13,700 for them. And I have sold 6 of them over the years for a total of $4,900, sometimes to get the cash to buy another boat that better suited my needs. So my net investment in the fleet I currently own is only $8,800 . If I had to sell them off right now I would get about $6,000 for them (several are prized models that are no longer in production). So that would leave me with a net cost for the fleet over 19 years of $2,800 (or $165 per year). Not that bad for a hobby. Of course I would have to round that up to more like $200 per year to cover paddles and other accessories. but I flip those too.
Buying and flipping (which in my case probably means capsizing) is certainly a way to go were I to feel the need to upgrade. But for now I am content with what I have.
I have the benefit of being almost a perfect Joe Average in height and weight so I fit a lot of boats out there.
I have almost decided that any attempt to upgrade will be to build a stripper. I am aware of the costs associated but they can be spread over a fairly long time if necessary. I am a reasonably competent woodworker and should be able to do it. I just have to convince myself to fit the project into my schedule.
Average sized males often discount the issues of finding a used boat at a competitive price compared to buyers who are small paddlers (in sea kayaks that is most active women) or very tall/large. More limited options and typically less price flexibility. When I was looking for a used WW boat I had one that I knew would be perfect. But only one came up used in three states and it sold by the time I saw the ad. Sea kayaks are a bit better but still more limited.
I know of one very tall paddler who had the same issue in sea kayaks. There were a limited number out there that did not give him cramps and the one that fit his needs best was not offered with a lot of wiggle room on the price. It had been kept in nearly perfect condition so the seller was not wrong, but there just were not a ton of choices out there.
Sometimes there are good reasons for paying above bottom-basement prices.
I have two yaks in my cheap fleet. The first is an 18 year old Wilderness System Ride, with rudder, that I bought used a few years ago for $250. This is a very well-respected model that goes for over $1K new. It still handles beautifully and will last another 20 years if I take care of it. It is truly one of the best bang-for-the-buck purchases that I have ever spent money on.
My second yak is an inflatable from Advanced Elements. My intention for buying it is to eventually take it overseas, to SE Asia and Central Asia. I wanted a kayak that is well under 50lbs, has replaceable bladders, and can seat tandem. It was also VERY important to me that the kayak be under $500, so that I wonāt cry too hard if it gets lost, stolen, or destroyed. If I were to take a $1,000+ kayak all the way to Cambodia, only to have it be ālostā in customs, Iād probably just go drown myself in the nearest river. The Island Voyage meets these requirements, is very well constructed, and has been a lot of fun to paddle.
I spent a LOT of money on gear in my younger years. These days, Iām much more frugal and much less susceptible to marketing. I no longer want the absolute best (usually most expensive) gear, I just need it to be good enough and safe enough to get me where I want to go. After all, every dollar I save on gear is a dollar I can use towards my next trip.
That all being said, people need to let others hike their own hike and paddle their own paddle. If it brings you joy to own the same top-of-the-line kayak that a pro you really admire uses, and you can afford the expense, then do it! You only live once, after all, and itās your paddle.
Iām admiral of a cheap fleets, seven plastic fantastics plus an old fibreglass club build, to date, all at least second hand. I am down to four PF sea kayaks and two SOT fishing platforms with the two fishing platforms earmarked for a quick sale. The most I have paid for any of them is $350 AUD. I think the total cost for all eight is $2000 AUD. I have a fleet so that I can share the joy of paddling with friends who may be novices. I want to enjoy the moment with them without being too fussed how they haul up onto a coral or oyster encrusted beach.
Currently I have 6 boats, a power boat, a drift boat, a 16 foot raft and 3 canoes.
All of my boats are either appreciating or holding their value.
When it comes to canoes, I like to buy quality used boats and fix them up. I nearly always sell them for more than I paid for them. Latest find was an OT Canadienne in kevlar for 250. I repaired a few crunches and painted it and it looks like a new boat. It is probably worth around 700-800 at least.
Just retired and starting my fleet super cheap. Got an Old Town Osprey 140 that had the stern slightly damaged from a parking garage incident for only $60. It came with oars and a new paddle too. I repaired it and added kevlar skid plates front and rear. It looks like new and I canāt wait to get out on the water. A couple of fishing life jackets, a second paddle and some basic gear is going to cost more then the canoe and repair. I am tired of hauling the power boat to the lakes because it takes so much effort. Now I just need to find a cheap kayak.
You never knowā¦Four years ago I paid a reasonable $700 for my first kayak, an older CD Solstice GTS, which fits me perfectly. Spent a bit more on getting the bottom smoothed out.
Then last summer I saw an ad on FB Marketplace for a Perception Eclipse (Airalite), an Impex Montauk, PFDs, paddles, spray skirts, etc, for $400. Uh, yea. Both boats were in very good condition. Original owner just was done paddling and underpriced them a bit, wanted them gone. I did have to put three hatch covers on the Impex and a new seat buckle and rivet on the Perception. The Perception makes a great boat for visitors to use on our kettlepond, and the Impex will probably become my other favorite kayak.
You never know what youāre going to find if you keep a vague watch. In my case, I was first to react to the listing and picked up a nice deal.
Iām a cheap fleet club member too. The three touring kayaks I keep in Maine (one fiberglass, one stitch-and-glue, one plastic) cost $800 total, but they all have their flaws and imperfections.
But you have to be lucky to get the deals. I literally saw the seller putting my stitch-and-glue Pygmy Coho in her front yard, just a few houses up from me, with a for sale sign on it as I was rounding the corner after a trip to the grocery store. At her price, I donāt think it would have lasted an hour on Craigās List. But Iāve missed plenty of deals too, even when I think nobody could have responded quicker than me. I think some sellers will respond to emails or texts in the order that they see them, i.e., the last to respond lucks out and gets the deal. It adds another element of uncertainty to the thrill of the hunt.
My first two kayaks were $700 @. But that was back in the 70s, $700 is $3300 in todayās money. Strangely close to the price of my new kayak last year.
According to my bikeās odometer reading Iām down to 31 cents a mile on it, probably the same for the 70s boats. But according to my phone appās mileage its $7.87 per mile on the new kayak, so itāll take another 7 years to get it down to a buck a mile. Iāll be dead before it gets to 31 cents.
Long time cyclist here. With regard to N +1, cost is not relevant as weāre talking about the applicability of a specific tool to specific usage. Further, any discussion of cost is to be actively avoided, as the knowledge might upset oneās spouse.
@Doggy_Paddler I havenāt gotten any significant seat time in the Montauk yet. Expect to do so over the next couple of weeks. Tough for me to not get into my CD as it fits me so well. But Iām going to force myselfā¦I hear wonderful things about the Montauk!
Spent some time with the Montauk yesterday. Didnāt feel tippy, as I thought it was going to. Felt just a bit faster, perhaps, than the CD. Also noticed that it had a slight tendency to weathercock in a light breeze. The skeg helped, but also didnāt feel really necessary. An easy boat to pilot.
However, the cockpit just didnāt work for me (and this is in direct comparison to my CD Solstice GTS). It was easy to get into, but I felt that the cockpit was too wide for me and the seat too low.
Interestingly, the specs on the two boats have the CD with a slightly larger cockpit, both length and width. The CD is also taller by several inches.
I wasnāt really able to brace against the sides or sit upright with support, just not enough seat behind me. I think the foot pedals were set properly, might try moving them up a click. Perhaps a different higher backed seat might help. The stock seat is really minimal.
Towards the end of the day I swapped with my son, who was in my CD. Got back into the CD and was immediately back at home. It just fits me right. Iām 5ā6", 155 lb, by the way.
Oh, and as another point of comparison, our other boat, a Perception Eclipse, feels like a barge to me. The SUV of kayaks. I feel like Iām sitting in a bathtub when Iām in it. To its credit, it is stable and easy to pilot. It is my primary lending kayak for visitors (who I accompany on our kettlepond).
I have only paddled maybe 7-8 different boats, and not that many fit me well. The Avocet RM feels good to me, but the Montauk is even a bit smaller, which is better. (Iām 5ā6" 135.) I think ideally Iād have it an inch narrower, but so far itās the best-fitting boat Iāve been in, and, as you noted, Iāve found it quite forgiving, and easy as a beginner to paddle and handle. And I like the very low seat and minimal back band on my Montauk, and I specifically notice - and like - the lesser depth of it vs the Avocet RM.
That being said, Iāve also tried several different Avocet RMās, and they do not all feel the same. I guess maybe depending on the model year and/or cockpit outfitting the feel can be different. So maybe your Montauk feels different than mine.
And, since this is the Cheap Fleet thread, I should say I was thrilled, thrilled, to find my Montauk as cheaply as I did, and even if itās not my āforeverā boat (I havenāt been in enough boats, and am not yet experienced enough to know), itās definitely a huge leap in the right direction!
I bought my fist kayak from a friend. I paid $250 for kayak, paddle and paddle float. Then I spent $1,000 on accessories. I donāt seem to be able to have a ācheap fleetā.
