I have the opportunity to buy a 2007 model for $500.00 without a rudder… I would use it for open bays, rivers and mangrove tunnels. I do not want to fool with a rudder.
Read the reviews, and most are positive, except those people did not use the Breeze in open bays at all. What do you think? If not the Breeze, can you suggest like priced alternatives? I have a Pungo 120, but the bow section is really too low for open areas on windy days.
All I know is
you’d need floatation for the bow. Seems like a nice boat, though.
Well
the MSRP of that kayak is 800. So if you like it, I say go for it.
Go ahead and buy it. It will be your
next step toward a real kayak. I’m thinking you will end up with one of these.
http://www.qcckayaks.com/kayaks/model.asp?model=q700x
My wife had one and liked it,
perhaps only complaint was that she found it slower than others who paddled longer and/or faster boats.
My wife and I started with Breezes
about three years ago. We paddle on large lakes and rivers in N.E. Indiana. I think it has been a great all round boat.
Paid $600.00 ea.and I thought I got a bargin $500 sounds like a deal.
Last fall we purchased 170 and 165 Tempests but kept the Breezes for the rivers and as loaners.
The Breeze comes with a flotation bag in the bow and a storage hatch in the stearn.
CD Breeze
Hello,
I owned 2 Breeze Kayaks and really enjoyed them, even after I had moved up to a fiberglass sea kayak. Your desire to use them on open bays, where the wind can get quite strong, makes a rudder a good safety feature. The Breeze has almost no keel built into the hull as opposed to your Pungo 120. The Pungo’s long open cockpit could be covered with a skirt to make up for the low bow but a skirt that long could collapse if a wave broke over it.
A smart track rudder system would be better than the rudder that comes with the Breeze because when you paddle the opposite foot tends to put weight on the peddle which turns the boat a bit. The Smart Track or something simmular has solid foot rests and you just use your toes to activate the rudder.This limits the zig zag effect. Don’t forget to check the float bag up front before you go out on the water.
Mark
Breeze
P.S. When I bought my first Breeze and told the dealer what I would like to do with it,(coastal cruises on L.I. Sound) he said not to take it out any farther than you can swim in because if you are alone and capsize it would be very unlikely you could get all the water out by yourself.
Breeze
Thank you all very much for your advice and comments. I’ll go paddle it this weekend and see how I like it.
No REAL Paddler paddles and then
buys. We buy when we’re iced in or otherwise incapacitated so we have something to look forward to.
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More reviews
The CD Pachena is the same boat in fiberglass, so you could check the reviews for that boat as well. I’ve had a Pachena for a couple seasons now and like it fine. I’ve had it out on LI Sound, but unlike the Breeze it has a front compartment - definitely get a front float bag. I think it’s a good all-around boat, excellent loaner as long as you don’t expect it to go fast. I’m keeping mine even though I’ve moved on to other boats for the most part. It feels very solid in choppy conditions, and is good for twisty channels.
A pungo 120
is a real kayak. Apperantly you dont know the definition of kayak
have 2 breezes
We bought these used also and love their construction but find them quite wide and slow. For a beginner, they are a nice start but we outgrew ours very quickly although we wont sell them as they are perfect as loaners to beginner kayakers. A while ago paddling in my tempest, my 13 yr old son stopped paddling the breeze in frustration and had me switch with him as he was paddling much harder to try and keep up with me and exhausting himself and just couldnt catch me! Its definately not a fast boat but is comfortable for a relaxed paddle. My only real complaint is no front bulkhead - just a floatbag. It should not be without a front bulkhead for obvious reasons of safety.