i know this is a dumb question to ask but i have become uterly confused from reading reveiws and articles , let alone all the web sites of manufacturers. i have no experience with kayaks , little with canoes.my motivation for pyrchasing a kayak is to make enjoying the small lakes,rivers(slow)and ponds near my home more conveineint solo,i can handle my canoe alone but it is less than conveinient.i will use it almost soley for sight seeing and photography but would like something i can use for a week end camping trip as well.i really like the strait 120 and 140 but am concerned about sun damage/deformity as i live in semi tropical florida.i intended to buy a used boat but have not found anything localy that suits my purpose. i would prefer to stay in the price range of the straits or lower if possible . any input will be greatly appreciated .
thanks ,eb.
there are no dumb questions
A suggestion: buy your first one used. You might find you want to branch out after a season or two, and buying used, you can limit your losses.
Check out the kayaks for sale in your state here in the classified section, there are quite a few. Any floridians want to make recommendations on any of those?
The advice is free but if you feel the need to assign a value to it - I’ll take the “timeless beauty” nordkapp listed in the ads, thank you!
Eddyline
Try eddyline Equinox. 14 feet, high quality thermoform, stable.
Let me wholeheatedly recommend
a 12 or 14 foot SOT (Sit on Top). If you are a big guy or want to do anything over about 15 miles, lean towards the longer models. Think WS Tarpon, Native Manta Ray, or a Mad River Synergy. A Scupper Pro TW or the equivalent RTM Tempo. These all have a tank well behind the paddler that is easy access and could complement your diving hobby as you could dive right off the kayak.
The topkayaker web site has lots of info about various models of SOTs. They are also very easy to get on and off of and most are plenty stable for fishing. Some are also great surfing boats. I bet there are kayak rentals nearby that will let you rent or try out several SOT models.
You can probably find something used in the $500 range or new in the $700 to $1000 with the upper end being fully rigged for fishing.
jim
my 2 c’s worth …
hi …i can understand the confusion , not many “bad” reviews on kayaks. general rule of thumb, in my opinion …wider the boat , the more stability and the slower it is, harder to paddle…narrower the boat …faster, easier to paddle but can be less stable but still quite manageable. fiberglass/thermoformed plastics is more $$$$ but lighter than poly, if weight is a issue …for abuse stick with the poly boats. What brands are available to you? that may help ppl offer advice. because you want to camp …i would think nothing shorter than 14’ would be adequate to have room for you/gear. Also, i would recommend a boat with a high bow to cut waves, rather than have them wash over the bow. Check craigslist.com for used boats. you’ll also have to decide on cockpit opening size too , how big are you ? more info you can provide , the better recommendations ppl can offer. good luck
Don’t buy for now
As others have said, take lessons. Beg, borrow, or rent boats that you can. If you must buy something, buy used and cheap, but something you can resell. Get advice on what you can resell so you avoid persons dumping crap. There is no way you can predict now what you will want to have next year, or even 6 months from now. So get as much experience as you can but understand it takes a while to get a boat that is appropriate for a reasonable length of time. When you are thoroughly addicted you will have to clean out your garage to make room for the variety of boats that any respectable paddler must have.
I was in the same boat
I was in the same boat, as I use to race kayaks on the streams in Indiana when I was a kid.
I still owned the same little kayak after all my years of military service, and now retired.
I wanted a new kayak that would be stable, light and one that I could pack for a day trip.
Plus I decided if I buy one now that I was going to by a nice one in the color that I would be proud to opaddle in.
I found NC Kayak at www.nckayak.com .
Their site has a colorpreviewer that even lets you see what a kayak would look like painted the way you want it.
Last December I purtchased a NC Expedition 19 from them to paddle on Lake Michigan and do some trips.
When I explained to them that I was combat disabled they designed a boat to fit my needs, asmy legs are shot.
This was one of the best buying experiances I’ve ever had with any kind of product. They contsacted me several times during the building process to make sure of things that I would need with my disabilities and to confirm the colors.
I ordered a kayak with a deck that fades from orange to Navy Blue pn the deck and a yellow hull, and yellow combing.
It turned out so sharp that they now use it, as one of their fade painted examples. Check it out!
It’s really nice.
They have many different sizes of kayaks, as they even make kayks for the olypic racers, and they make them one at a time to the buyers specific needs.
take a dayful of beginner’s classes
Fri and/or Sat and try out a whole pond ful of kayaks at ECCKF in Charleston SC this April, I forget which weekend. If you want a campsite, reserve it now.
We should put up a flag or something for a P-Net get-together.
First of all…
…I totally agree with everyone here who recommends taking a day trip with a local guide and/or renting some different boats. Try and see if one of your local shops will be doing a demo day (manufacturers bring all their boats and let you try them all) anytime soon or if they have boats you can demo for free or on the cheap. You’ll learn very quickly what you like and what you don’t like.
You mention that you can handle your canoe solo but that it’s “less than convenient.” Do you mean on the water or just getting on/off the car and to the water? If this is the case, a simple cart can help a lot in the moving of your canoe but is no help getting it on the car. If the out of the water handling is the issue then I would advise against a sit on top kayak. I love my tandem SOT for what it was designed for but out the water it is a PITA! BUT, it also is super stable and I never have to worry about it swamping.
So that brings us to the “sit in” kayak. Based on what you said you wanted to do (sight see, photos, camp) and the kind of water you mentioned (flat), I would go with a 12-14 rec boat. These are generally easier to carry and car top than the same size SOT. They are all pretty stable, some more than others, and you can still maintain a decent cruising speed. Specifically I would look at the Manitou, Looksha, Carolina and Pungo. You may also want to take a look at the Tsunami’s. It is more of a cross between a rec boat and a touring boat but they still have quite a bit of initial stability suitable for just floating and relaxing, albeit not to the extent of the rec boats. The Tsunami’s come in LOTS of different sizes and you should be able to find one on the used market over the course of a couple months. Now I actually own a 14’ Pungo and find it great for the type of paddling you discuss. It has a pretty good cruising speed and I can set my paddle down and move all around the boat without fear of capsize. It also has a TON of room available for any type of camping trip one would wish to take using a kayak. I would never say it is a light boat to car top, but surely easier than a canoe or SOT. That said, I suppose a 12’ model will save 5-7 pounds and being shorter would feel lighter to maneuver overhead. For my money, I’d stick with a 14’ for the extra cruising speed and smaller bow wake.
Don’t forget to take a look here on the P-net classifieds and also on craigslist.org. Once at craigslist, just type “kayak” in the search field and see what comes up. Lots of fun!
Best of luck and be safe on the water…
SP
Thermoform & Quality = oxymoron
There, I said it.
Thermoforming is just a cheaper and faster way to build boats, nothing more. It definitely comes at the cost of quality.
Also in Florida
I’ve purchased almost ALL my boats on Craigslist.org If you’re near Tampa, Bill Jacksons will let you try any of their kayaks for free in the lake behind their shop. I’ve tried a lot of recreational sit insides and sit on tops, but I still like my scupper pro the best for Florida. We camp for 4 or 5 days out of them. It has a lot more room than my 17’ sit inside sealion or the 14’ carolina and is more stable. It is a little narrow if you’re over 200#'s though and tends to turn into the wind in a cross breeze. I agree you should be able to get a used one with a cheap paddle for $500 on craigslist
THANKS TO ALL .
THANKS TO ALL WHO RESPONDED , I HAVE BEEN REALLY CHOMPING AT THE BIT TO GET STARTED BUT AFTER READING ALL THE GREAT FEED BACK I HAVE DECIDED TO COOL MY JETS AND TAKE THE ADVISE OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE GAME AWHILE AND BENEFIT FROM THERE KNOWLEDGE.I AM GOING TO EITHER GO TO SHOPS IN MY AREA LOCATED ON THE WATER AND TEST AS MANY BOATS AS POSSIBLE FOR FREE OR AS MANY AS MY POCKET BOOK WILL HANDLE IF I HAVE TO RENT.I ALSO INTEND TO TAKE A BEGINERS COURSE AT ONE OF THE SHOPS,HOPEFULLY THIS WILL MOTIVATE THEM TO LET ME TRY A LOT OF BOATS IN THE HOPES OF SELLING ME ONE,AND IF I DON’T LEARN TO CURB MY ENTHUSIASIM THEY’LL HAVE A DAMN GOOD CHANCE OF DOING JUST THAT.I AM LOOKING AT CRAIGS LIST IN SEVERAL PLACES WITHIN 100 MILES OR SO OF MY HOME AND HAVE ALSO E-MAILED AREA SHOPS EXPRESSING INTEREST IN PURCHASING A USED BOAT.ALL BUT ONE HAS REPLIED AND SEEM TO SINCERELY WANT TO BE HELPFUL.I WILL UPDATE ALL AS TO HOW IT TURNS OUT , I TRULY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU WHO RESPONDED I WAS PROBABLY ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE REGRETTED.THANKS AGAIN,E.B.
good plan
the caveat on Pnet is try b4 you buy …most everyone seems to have bought and sold the 1st kayak after the 1st season. I know i did it !! it seems to take at least 1 season of owning b4 a person gets a real good understanding of what they really need, NOT want!! time and effort spent test paddling is time well spent.
And remember
that it’s more about avoiding a purchase you’ll regret than finding the perfect boat for you. Find something you like that’ll get you out on the water. Then keep trying boats to learn what you want in your next boat. Buying used takes the pain away from the first purchase if you don’t like the boat – as does finding a great deal/closeout.
You never know which way you’ll go. My second boat was shorter and wider than my first and a lot of fun.
jim