Choosing a new FG kayak - need advice

Selection of boats
Everyone’s 2 cents is welcome that’s why I asked :slight_smile:



As far as selection limitation all I meant was that being in Ontario some of the boats mentioned such as the NDK, Eddyline and QCC do not have Ontario dealers selling their boats. :frowning:

I suppose

– Last Updated: Feb-07-08 11:10 AM EST –

How useful can an endless number of postings like "Try XXX boat. It's the best boat in the world" be? If that is helpful, there are a lot of those kinds of comments in the Reviews (where every boat is 10/10!).

It would seem that hearing about boats you can't get isn't useful at all.

Are there any paddling clubs near you? That might give you access to a wide range of boats to try.

None of the boats would be inappropriate for what you want to do. None of those boats are so different that anybody here could tell you that "xxx is the one".

Keep in mind that people of different heights and weight will have different impressions of the same boat.

It does appear that the Slipstream might have fairly low primary stability (ie, it might be a bit "tippy").

Check out the following for basic information and the "Guidelines" on this site.

http://www.atlantickayaktours.com/pages/expertcenter/main-expert-center.shtml

still too many choices

– Last Updated: Feb-07-08 11:18 AM EST –

if you aren't in the water testing them. CD and Impex have good boats, everything being equal it's better to get the smaller of two boats if day paddling is the most common usage. Which is something that numbers and show room sitting really won't tell you. Linear dimensions don't define the actual shape in the water.

Montauk
I don’t think you’d ever regret it.

Ontario used boat market
When looking for deals on boats I usually end up

in the US to get a deal on a particular model

like Valley, NDK, BB. The used boat market

just isn’t there, and even new models are priced

alot higher.

Testing kayaks in the snow
I sat in the Slipstream, X-Lite and Venture, however it was on top of snow at the time. :slight_smile: Unfortunately many of the shops around here don’t have demo days until the end of May after the ice thaws. I will contact a few who I know have a few demo days in local pools before then. I was just trying to get a jump on things with the last year model deals that are on right now. They will allow me to put a deposit/reserve on a particular boat right now and then try it in water in May before I buy it. I just wanted to try and narrow it down as much as possible to make sure I put a deposit on the right boat.

What part of Ontario
are you from?

tune fit with foam
don’t know about cheap

click on this link
http://geo.craigslist.org/iso/ca/on



Choose the city of your choice, select “boats” or “sporting goods”, type in “kayak” and hit return



sometimes good things come up

Brittany may have the capacity
The Riot Brittany has more volume than the Avocet and probably has adequate space for a week-long tour if you pack carefully. Riot is a Canadian Company . . . so I would think you could find a Brittany there in Ontario.

Yeh, yeh, yeh

– Last Updated: Feb-08-08 10:45 AM EST –

So, you are suggesting that she not buy a particular boat because she might need to adjust the fit?

Minicell foam isn't that expensive. Anyway, it's common to have to adjust the fit of boat (so, the cost might be unavoidable for any boat).

Near Toronto
Bolton actually, it’s about 40 minutes north of TO

Location
Your not far, I’am just ouside newmarket.

Where do you mostly paddle.

Paddle shops
Whitesquall in parry sound is worth the drive.

They have there own pirvate for test paddling

everyday as soon as it thaws. Show up they

give you a pfd, paddle and let you try out as

many boats as you want. Also paddle shack in

muskoka is run by a couple of great guys.

Kayaking in Ontario
Most of my paddling has been in lakes around Bancroft, Sudbury and a few times in Georgian Bay. I really want to start going out for longer periods of time and venturing farther in Georgian Bay, hence looking for a new boat.



I did look up White Squall and they have quite a list of demo boats on sale right now which is why I’ve been trying to narrow it down to at least put a deposit down on a boat and see if they will hold it for me until the spring when I can get on the water and realy make sure the boat is the right one. I’ve also been on Paddle Shacks site but they dont have much in the used department I guess with all the shows right now. It’s really just a money thing but in the end I would rather have the right boat than one that was on sale but not right for me.



Where do you go kayaking around Newmarket?

paddling ontario
During the week usually lake simcoe, I’am

5 min from that body of water. I spend alot

of time in georgian bay from Manitoulin Islands

where I have family down through Killareny,french

river & southern georgian bay by beausoleil

island(georgian bay national park).

The boat I’ve been taking on trips & everyday

paddling is a glass avocet.

Wait till spring
Then head to white squall & demo boats. There

also getting the P&H cetus this spring & some

valley. They have most of the manufactures & most

models so wait and demo, there super nice folks

that own & run whitesquall. Also In michigan

just over the boarder there’s riverside kayak

that has alot of good deals on demo boats.

I’ve bought boats from the US and never had a

problem at boarder or had to pay duties or taxes.