first kayaks

So I’ve been wanting a Kayak for a while now and the other day the wife said “lets get a couple” since one of her girlfriends told her how much fun her and her husband have. Anyway we are going to be getting two Wilderness Systems Pamlico 100’s. Anyone got any info good or bad on these? What I’ve been reading they seem like aperfect “entry level” kayak. Oh yea and were getting them for $379.00 a piece. Good price?

depends
10 feet is quite short for a kayak, but whether it’s a good fit for you depends on what kind of paddling you want to do now (and a year from now too!) and it also depends how the boats feel to you in a test paddle.



What kind of boats have you paddled so far? What sort of paddling do you picture yourself doing? And how tall/heavy are you and your wife?

Bigger & better
Dont do it.

If she loves the sport you can trade in or add a new boat every year or so.

If she only likes the sport maybe you can add a new boat…maybe.

And after 4 kayaks and 3 canoes you better come up with a really good story to add another.

Any good stories out there.

Honestly…try befor you buy…try diff. models,shapes and sizes.

depends on you
it is a good starter boat. i have paddled it and liked it, but it didnt suit me. im a bigger guy, so i needed a bigger kayak with more capacity for weight and space for gear.



if you havent already, i would hit up a few demo days at local shops. try out different kayaks and ask questions.



good luck and happy paddling!

Go for it
Good little boats for calm water paddling and puttering. If you get hooked you will probably want to go longer and narrower in a year or two (or try whitewater boats, or something else.) But used boats in that category sell quickly on craigslist, and you could sell them for $300 apiece a year or two from now, and put that money towards the next boats. And by that time, you’ll know more about kayaking and have a better idea of exactly what you are looking for in a boat. If I’d listened to folks on this board who told me not to buy until I found the perfect boat, used, at the perfect price, I still wouldn’t have a first boat. I’m on my sixth or seventh boat now, but started with a couple of used Old Town Otters.

Where do you plan to paddle?
I see Michigan UP in your profile. As others have said, these little boats do well at initially getting people on the water. But quiet ponds are a much more prudent idea than Lake Michigan… these 10 footers aren’t suited for bigger water.

since you are doing this for two people
my suggestion is to rent first a couple of times from a good outfitter and see how much you love doing this.



Think about all the places you might want to go in your boat. Are they all the same kind of conditions?



What you might find is that the more beginner orientated 10ft boat is really not suited to more challenging waters. You might find mellow flatwater is all you want to do.



But that way you know before you spring for a pair of boats and paddles and PFDs and all the myriad $ accessories that we seem to need. It also saves you from possibly buying FOUR boats, 2 beginner boats and 2 more advanced boats. Heck, you may not even want the same kinda boat for each of you.



Then, look used, craigslist, last years closeout boats - lots of ways to not pay full retail for nice boats.

Have fun
We got started when I bought a 9.5’ Keowee to go fishing after work. I could throw it in the back of my pickup. I had so much fun I bought one for my wife. Now many boats later we are still at it. Get a decent paddle. The $30 paddles are junk and the boat will perform much better with a good paddle. We made that mistake and it made a world of difference when we got good paddles.

Keowee
Love that boat.

Had a canoe.But.

My first kayak.

Now my 9 year old paddles it,a little wide but these first ,cheap boats you will always want to keep as a loaner.They dont eat much.

Oh, beautiful places to paddle…
up in the UP! If you plan on small river paddling they are def good enough to get you started. Longer boats on the smaller rivers on the UP make things more difficult. On a calm day you can stick close to shore in any of the Great Lakes in the area, but be careful of weather.



Personnely… I’d check Craiglist for a used boat for the same price if you are ok with going used. Might be some around. If not, you can’t go wrong with those if you just want to dink around.



I do like the suggestion of renting a couple times to see if you like it before you buy. I know there has to be plenty of kayak rental places up there, there are tons down in lower MI where I just moved from. If you get hooked check out:



riversidekayak.com/board



for some great local paddling buddies. All over the state of MI.

check the Reviews section
I posted a review of the Pamlico 100 not long ago. it’s a fun little pokeboat for easy waters and tracks & paddles better than you would think for a 10’. kinda wide though but that could be a plus if you’re a big guy or like the extra stability for fishing. I would recommend getting the bulkhead kit from Austin Kayak to make the rear hatch functional.

I own a Pamlico 140
The Pamlico 140 is a sibling of the Pamlico 100, same basic design, just extended by 4’. My experience with my Pamlico 140 has been excellent. I’ll just tell you about things that will be the same on the 100 model. The Phase 3 lite is not as comfortable as the Phase 3, but very durable and well put together. The hatch is nice and waterproof, and the Gen2 plastic is very durable, and quite stiff. The Footpeg system is the BEST I have ever used. And that is not a biased opinion. You can adgust it while sitting in your kayak and theres no hard force to move the pegs. The tracking chanells in the hull help it to track in a straight line and stay on course. The bow of Pamlicos are higher than most entry level kayaks so they ride higher and break waves alittle easier.



My advice is to go for it.

first kayaks
’ve searched craigs list,but NOTHING close to us. Yea I’ll be on inland lakes and rivers. And I don’t know of ANY kayak rental places if there are any at all they would be hours away. It’s not at all like Lower Mich. We have to drive 45 minutes just to get to a walmart (This is the wilderness folks)not a city. I’m just gonna buy the two boats I have a 10 y/o son who will use one if the wife doesnt and I can always sell mine (or keep for friends) and get a bigger one next year. Thanks for all the replys.

If you do upgrade, dont think just
overall bigger, think narrower and longer. This increases effiecency and performance. But I think you’ll be happy with the Pamlico 100!!

10 year old
You didnt mention you had a kid.

They will make excelent starter boats; and by the end of summer you will be tired of waiting your turn.

By then you should have a better idea what number 3 will be.

Good luck.