I'm interested in a shorter boat like the one I have

I currently have a 14.5’ Prijon Yukon Expedition, purchased on 4/1/03. It is made of a very durable plastic. I love the boat because it’s hull design has chines with a flat bottom section and it has a rudder. With the rudder down, it’s great for paddling lakes or cruising on rivers and with the rudder up, it is extremely easy to turn, which makes it good for running rivers that have rapids up to 2+ (what I’ve experienced). It also has a reinforced nose, which allows you to bump into, up and over many strainers. However, on smaller streams with many strainers, it’s length can be a disadvantage in maneuvering around, over and through strainers. It’s also heavy (about 60lbs), which makes portaging more of an issue. So I’m trying to find a 12’ boat of similar design to my “Yuke”. Also, I’m a day tripper, so the storage of my Yuke isn’t a priority. I’m 5’11, 170lbs, so cockpit size isn’t an issue.
Any suggestions? If you can provide a link for a review of the boat you suggest, that would be great. Thanks.

Maneuverability, lighter weight, durability and perhaps fit but still touring glide. I’d say a P&H Delphin 150 Corelite X construction. Reviews abound.

If you’re in the area I have a demo that can go find a home. It’s been in a pool more than on real water.

If you go =<12’ you’re starting to get into Old School whitewater kayak lengths which might work but won’t have the touring features you’re used to.

See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
9 W. Market St.
Hyde Park, NY
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845-242-4731 mobile
Main: www.the-river-connection.com
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When I was in the UK last year I paddled with the local canoe and kayak club on several small winding flatwater rivers/streams with frequent strainers. Most of them used either 8’ whitewater boats or 12’ to 14’ pack canoes, both of which tend to be light and maneuverable. I was using a 12’ folding kayak (Pakboat) which worked pretty well also. At only 24 pounds I was able to easily portage it through any overly shallow sections and around the weirs (which the Brits use instead of dams, leaving a sluice in the middle that hard boats can slide down but which a soft folder will hang up on – photo of one below.)

The kayakers were only wearing helmets because it was raining that day – no rapids others than a couple of Class 1 riffles.

Weirs are really cool, by the way. We should lobby for more of them in the US to replace deadly low-head dams. Better for fish and safe (even fun) for paddlers. The Brits build their infrastructure around citizen use – one of our paddling trips ended at a medieval grain mill that had been restored and converted to a power generation substation using a water driven turbine and several Archimedes screws. The government had also included in the project a whitewater park with gates for paddlers to practice in the rapids from the mill outflow!