Is a second-hand Dagger Magellan a suitable first kayak for a beginner who is female, not very tall (155 cm) and about average build (60 kg)? Preferred use will be sheltered bays and slow rivers. Thanks for your advice.
it’s kind of big for you
I like them,they get wobbly bottoms and handle nicely but if your use is primarily lightly loaded day use it’s better for 200lb paddlers
You’ll ride really high…
which is not such a bad thing in rivers. I’m 170cm and 72kg, and it’s too big for me too. It doesn’t start to feel “right” until I’ve got about 20kg of ballast in it, then I feel like I can do anything in it. Make sure to get some weight secured in the front hatch or the bow will be out of the water (shortens your waterline and lessens your tracking). My wife is 57kg, and I noticed this when she paddles ours.
Jim
Too big
Unless you are planning to expedition it has too much volume for your weight.
Appropriate for conditions, but too big
A friend has owned the Magellan for several years and I’ve paddled it some. I believe the Magellan is appropriate for the conditions you mention, but too big for your size. It was my friend’s first kayak. He’s much larger than you. He liked the storage capability of the kayak and used it on a seven-day trip with me on the Missouri River in Montana. He did not like the handling characteristics in rough water, e.g., Lake Superior on a windy day, and now primarily paddles a P&H Capella.