Critique my boat buying assumptions

language
Clean up the language a bit and you’ll be much more welcome. No point at all in disguised swear words all over your posts.



Bill H.

malarkey
:wink:

Paddling Journey
It looks like you are enjoying the kayak journey. It is good to do the research and demo boats. If all you are going to do is rock bashing and bottom scraping then stick with a plastic boat. I have a plastic Prijon Touryak 15’3" for that. It has a great keyhole cockpit, bulkheads, and carries a lot of gear for camping. It must take some ingenuity to safely carry the proper amount of gear in a 12 foot boat for camping. If you want to venture into new territory try a longer ‘used’ boat. There are many good used boats out there. I take 17 and 18 foot kayaks into creeks where I cannot even get a paddle in the water. You learn to paddle backwards and turn around. If you are limited by size or weight of the kayak then choose what makes sense. A skinnier efficient boats requires less energy to paddle. So, after paddling 15 mile up river in 100 degrees at 100% humidity you can go home and cut your 3 acres of grass. There are plenty of stable boats 24-26 wide to choose from. I would look at used boats to the 15ft range with bulkheads, day hatch, reasonable size keyhole cockpit and spray skirt, and proper deck rigging. So how is your knowledge on kayaking skills and safety? What skills training do you have? If you are satisfied with your gear, safety, and see no growth potential, why change it?



JimZ

I do realize kids read these boards…
I also realize that most of these “kids” are in their mid to late TEENS and use alot harsher or heard alot harsher (from their own parent) language than dollar sign and asterisks.



Christ, most nine year olds walk around using the “F-bomb”. I still, as I always have, blame parents & society today. Hell you have probably been involved in it a time or two??? Don’t lie to yourself or anyone here on the boards, you have…



No tough guy attitude here… Just open and honest! I don’t “sugar coat” anything. I tell it like it is.



Paddle easy,



Coffee

Just honest and truthful…
Why sugar coat anything?



Like I have said many times before…



Some people will like me & some won’t. If I played both sides of the fence, that would make me a spineless phony wanting attention.



I have been on these boards for 12 years, I know how it works here & I know who is what. Just something you pick up along the way, when you pay attention to detail.



Paddle easy,



Coffee

Keep yours and buy another

– Last Updated: Jan-20-11 12:56 PM EST –

Keep the one you have and buy a slightly longer one to experience a nicer paddling boat with more speed, bulkheads, hatches etc. Get used plastic one because it seems that's what you want. Where do you live and paddle? There's a nice joy in effortlessly cruising down a river rather than humping it out in a fat, short recreational boat.

Once you have a real kayak with thigh braces and whole world of paddling skill and control will open up to you rather than being a passenger in a boat that you propel with no real body contact other than your seat.

lots of people here have strong opinions
…and don’t sugar-coat anything. Most of them have never been banned.

But some have needed to change


… their pnet names 3 or 4 times …



Just sayin …

Good for them…
You seem to forget, I have been here for 12 years. I KNOW who these “strong opinions” are. And yes, I have had to battle with them many times in my earlier p.net days. Believe me, even “they” were not fun back then.



I know how p.net works, and I deal with it in a working manner.



I started out nice & subtle, but was criticized, chastised & ridiculed for any and almost all comments I had made. I had said many things that others had & I was the one that got nailed. So, my skin got thicker… I am liked by many & hated by some. Life goes on, deal with it or not.



Paddle easy,



Coffee

LOL!
I have ALWAYS been Coffee…



:wink:



Paddle easy,



Coffee

fine with me

– Last Updated: Jan-20-11 11:17 AM EST –

Personally I appreciate the no-nonsense straightforward approach. Strong qualified opinions add to the forums IMHO.

Some thoughts
1. If you’re anal about scratches, find another hobby/recreation.



2. If you’re satisfied with a short/wide boat, you’ve either not paddled much, learned much, or both.



3. If you can afford light, go for it. 14’ to 16’ is a good all around length. (Not for whitewater)

sure
But no one gets banned for that, or for having strong opinions.

some consensus on your upgrade…
…seems to be to:


  1. keep the boat you have for some use, but


  2. get another plastic boat that is somewhat different to give you another option in performance


  3. stick around the 14-16 foot range so it is truly different from your 10’ boat yet still workable for your preferred paddling goals


  4. since you are unsure of what you might like, go for a used boat for now



    All that said, the 14’ used Aquaterra I spotted on the Altoona Craigslist for $395 looks to still be available. He’s even throwing in flotation. Why don’t you call the guy and ask for some photos and more info? Even if you don’t fancy the boat after using it, odds are in the Spring you could get all or most of your money back re-selling it and would have a better idea if you wanted to stick with the rec boat or change to something else. Perception made the Aquaterras and they are decent kayaks.

read the reviews
Read the reviews on here on that Aquaterra/Perception Spectrum:



http://www.paddling.net/Reviews/showReviews.html?prod=88



Sounds kind of up your alley, eh?

HAHAHAHA… ok.?
Paddle easy,



Coffee