hello everyone hope all is well.im looking for a new kayak right now i have a pelican pursuit 100.i want to replace the pursuit .i live on lake lanier and paddle flat water no steep turns. dont need to carry much gear .im around 5 feet 5 and 155 lbs what would be a good kayak for me in the rpice of around 800 bucks
Should have plenty to choose from
If I’m right about your being near Savannah, you should be able to find all kinds of things used or new.
You paddle flat water, not worried about tight turns, need it to perform best without loading gear, got your height and weight. That’s a good start.
Now, what is it about your Pelican Pursuit 100 that you want to improve upon? What are the things that you expect your new kayak to be better at?
pursuit 100
i want it to be faster then my old kayak and to track better so if i quit paddlieng for a few seconds its still pointed where i was going …also would love some more storage space dry storage i mean
What’s your typical activity level
Do you typically find yourself pushing yourself to get more speed when you go paddling? Do you enjoy the physical aspects of it to a level that you like to feel your muscles working, raise your heartbeat? Or are you more into getting on the water to experience the surroundings without it needing to be very physically taxing? This leads into whether or not you figure you will find yourself desiring to pick up more advanced paddle strokes, like a strong rotational forward stroke, or edging to turn, or do you not want to bother with all that and just enjoy a relaxing paddle across the water now and again.
Is there a size limit? Do you mind handling and storing a 15’ 50lb kayak, or are the off-the-water aspects pretty much irrelevant - just want the best on-the-water performance for your purposes?
Sorry for all the questions. Things like an honest self-assessment of the level of ambition you typically bring to physical activities can provide a lot of direction towards your choices. And there is no right or wrong answer, so there’s never any reason to sway from care-free & relaxed or crazy hard-driven or anywhere in between.
There are hard tracking kayaks that turn well on edge, but if you’re not into learning those kinds of skills, won’t be for you. There are kayaks more designed for speed, but if you just want to be a little more efficient at 2.5 knots, will make compromises that you don’t need to be efficient enough at that speed. There are kayaks that offer a secure fit and easier edging characteristics, but if you much prefer to remain flat and stable with the surface, aren’t really going to offer you the sense of security that you need to be comfortable without developing more skills. Etc.
Hopefully we can get this widdled down into something useful for you.
ill be honest
i suck at learning new things. i try to get it but never do. i am very slow in this kayak took me around 40 minutes to go 2.25 miles thats was with calm winds and was tired at the end which was like 5 miles by the time i got out of the kayak. so i figure anew kayak may help me a bit.at least to go faster and perhaps a more comfy seat the pursuits seat is awefull
If there are…
…any intro kayak classes in your area, sign up for one. That way you will get to try some different boats which will help you get a feel for what works best for you.
Also taking a class will probably help you get more efficient with your forward stroke. I have a decent forward stroke and have much better than average strength but there are guys & gals that have tooth pick like arms and flabby guts that make me look like I’m dragging an anchor.
Efficiency…
I’m no expert, as I have just a little more than a year’s experience paddling (but have been actively paddling for the year).
I do know at first I was expending too much energy. I wanted to power the boat with my arms, rather than my torso. Once I learned the right way to paddle, my arms stopped getting tired. And I use a 10.5 foot inflatable.
REI has a good beginner’s video on youtube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sP2cYu0NX8 that might help. For a flat water lake, your boat might be fine as it is.
But I certainly do understand wanting to get a faster boat - I’m in that scenario right now as well.
40 minutes to go 2.25 miles
So pushing and not happy with 3.37 mph, just under 3 knots, but likely quite happy staying on the recreational kayak end of things. Something well- balanced in the wind, doesn’t need to turn on a dime, but must be manageable without much edging and advanced directional control technique.
I see the Pelican 100 is a 10’ kayak, so I don’t think it will be difficult to pick up some efficiency while staying in the recreational range.
I paddle sea kayaks and occasionally whitewater kayaks, so I’m not very familiar with the kayaks that will likely suit your needs best. You’ll need comfortable room for your legs, but will want to limit the height of the foredeck and cockpit coaming overall being 5’5". The information you’ve provided should be pretty good information for others to direct you to some good choices. I’m hoping some folks that are familiar with kayaks perhaps in the transitional category can help you from here. I think there’s a good kayak shop or two in Savannah that someone here may be able to direct you to as well. Although you may be looking for information from a forum that will help you evaluate the kayak shop’s suggestions. I always like suggestions from multiple sources myself.
I’m exactly your size…
and have owned and paddled a lot of kayaks and I love my Venture Easky 15LV. The list price is around $1000 but I got mine at the end of last summer for around $725 and have seen similar deals. I think it’s a great boat to “graduate” from a rec kayak and at 46 lbs it is a reasonable weight. It is a “low volume” kayak specifically designed for people around our size. REI sells them (though they may not have them in stock they show them on their web site) and they are frequently carried in small independent kayak and outdoor shops. If you can get a chance to demo one I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to paddle straight and fast in it and how well it performs even in wind and waves. And it has the capacity to allow you to improve your paddling skills and attempt more challenging waters eventually, a boat you won’t outgrow. Nice looking boat, well outfitted and very fun to paddle.
.
If not too far away from Savannah, Savannah Canoe and Kayak carry Venture Kayak line ( Easky ). I know they organize tours around Tybee, and some swampy areas as well.
http://www.savannahcanoeandkayak.com/
See if you can demo it on a tour
im dead
i feel dead anyways i took the pelican out today and wanted to go the lanier canoe and kayak club i think it where the 96 olympics was done for kayaks not sure though well it was 5 miles there i could barely make it there then had to paddle back i never been this sore and tired in my life. i am so glad im back would a better kayak been eaiser to gone that short distance?
ps ty for all the advice
ty everyone for ya advice
dagger
If dagger still makes the blackwater, that may be you ticket. a buddy of mine has one and loves it.
easier to paddle? Absolutely!
I started kayaking with a high-end 15’ x 24" folding kayak (a $3000 Feathercraft Kahuna) that I thought was the bomb until I started paddling with a group of avid paddlers up in Ontario – I was busting my butt trying to keep up with them and realized I needed a kayak that would move through the water faster and with less effort. I’ve since sold that boat and now have 3 that are much easier to get moving and keep going. So I can state with confidence that a better boat will transform your enjoyment of paddling distances.
Another advantage of the narrower kayaks is that it is easier to paddle correctly – if you have not had instruction on paddling from your core (rather than your shoulders) with torso rotation, you should definitely try to take a class or two (or 3). Once you get the hang of it, correct technique is a revelation.
You might also want to see if you can borrow a Greenland paddle GP) to try – the Easky 15 has somewhat traditional lines and I find the GP works quite well with it and is less stress on the wrists. As I said, we are the same size and I use an 84" GP with a 20" loom (that is the hand spacing). With a narrower lower kayak like the Easky you will be able to use a shorter paddle (either a standard blade paddle at 220 cm or an 84" GP) than with your old boat which will also reduce fatigue.
You didn’t mention what kind of paddle you have – the paddle makes a big difference in paddling efficiency and comfort as well. Some people make the mistake of thinking a larger blade means more power but that is not necessarily the case.
i should add
that the pelican pusuit 100 is a very nice kayak for what it is.just ive out grown it and most my water is long streches of straight water not many turns or rapids unless the wind is bad that day o and yesterday got real real bad waves from a boat and it did well other then scareing me a bit