Ok so the dog days of winter are finally here and I am left to dream about paddling for a few more months. So it’s time to think about a new boat. I have been paddling a hand-me-down Pungo on and off for a few years. I think it’s a boat great because it was free and it got me out paddling.
Now that I know I am hooked I am looking to upgrade a little bit. I’ve put away some money about $1000. I have had my eye on the Hurricane Watersports Santee 116, but I am looking for other suggestions.
Here are my criteria:
12 foot or less… due to storage issues.
I am leaning away from roto-molded plastic, but I am open to suggestions.
I am looking to paddle in lakes, slow moving rivers, and possibly near shore coastal paddling.
I have a Hurricane Tracer. I can’t speak to the Santee 116. I have never been in one, but the company as a whole is great. There customer service is quick and friendly when you call. I have talked to them 3 time about different thing (only one was for a problem which they fix free of charge). You have to leave a call back number but you will get called back. They call me back inless that an hour each time. And you do not speak with a service rep. You speak to one of the owners or principals.
They are a small owner operated company no big corprate structure to get lost in.
Try the boat. If you like it buy it. There were several Hurricane boats in the classifieds here.
try a Prijon Capri Tour It’s a stronger, better plastic. Ebay often has new ones for around $600 plus shipping. Not sure what the weight limit is though.
The Santee is very nice.
I like the Old Towns too except didn’t much care for the Adventure. Loon and Dirigo are good. But you didn’t want rotomolded…
The Eddyline Skylark looks like a nice boat but unless you can get it on sale or used, it’s over your price range. I have heard good things about the Eddylines in general.
Save up a bit more and look at a Folbot Cooper, A Feathercraft Big Kahuna or an Atatl folding kayak. Storage is not an issue and you can fly with your boat.
Here’s how I would spend my money First, I would find the specs I was looking for. Then, I would go to a nearby the chain store and find a boat that met those specs. Next, I would sit in that boat on the floor in the store. If it was comfortable to sit in and seemed well made and well balanced, I would pick it up and carry it around the store for awhile. If it was all good I would buy it right there and then. No waiting, no shipping problems, a good price and I’m on the water the same day.
I have to admit to being a little bit of a collector, but I find it fun to track down used boats. I have a couple that are rather rare. I got them for 1/2 to 1/3 of list price new.
The classified ads here are a great source.
But look for a boat you have already paddled so you know what you are getting. One down side of collecting is that a couple of "dream boats" didn't work out as expected
You may want to sit in a hurricane tampico xl. Its a little longer than you want but if you take out a santee, then take out a tampico also. I believe you will be amazed at the difference. I think a 12’ boat may be a little small for inter-coastal waters, but the tampico can hold its own in them. The tampico is a very good tracking boat and is pretty fast for its size and glides well. It may be $100-200 more than youve got saved up now. I think we got ours new for just under $1000 in June 05.
Tampico 135S here it has a lot more featurewise than most of the commonly offered chain store kayaks and for that matter the Santee (don’t get me wrong, it’s a really cool little kayak and very popular with the beginners who use them at the classes I attended). For starters, dual sealed bulkheads, more deck rigging, perimeter lines on the L, thigh braces on the S…
The Tampicos (S & L) will let you grow your skills (if you want) to include edging, bracing, and rolling. They can be skirted with a proper skirt (not the oversized and fairly floppy dayskirt the big cockpits use). Because their aftdecks are nearly flat, self rescue is easier.
Agree with kurtvidal (shout out to Kurt)at your size the L would prolly accomodate your long legs better.
So I guess the question is can you accomodate 13 feet 5 inches or is 12 feet the absolute.
Either way I think you’ll be pleased with the range of kayak and quality of customer service offered by Hurricane AS.
why are you getting a new kayak?? Your changing from a 12-footer to an 12-footer. The pungo isnt a hand-me-down. anybody that thinks a kayak is a hand-me-down is a Kayak snob.
Well, I am no snob… I didn’t mean it that context. My current kayak has seen better days for sure, but there is nothing wrong with it. It’s just a bit heavy.
I am now giving serious consideration to keeping it and buying a folding kayak like the Folbot Cooper. I will have to save a bit more money, but it would be nice to have something that I can easily travel with and something longer that I can store.
Don’t have to break it down every time. I leave my Feathercraft up for 3-4 months at a time if I am not travelling. Folbot is a really awesome company to deal with.
You mentioned storage issue What might that be. I’m thinking a bigger boat may be a better possibility, but maybe we can help with this storage problem too.