I’ve had a few canoes over the year and enjoy them, but I’ve always wanted to try a kayak. I’m 6’7", 245lb with a size 14 shoe. I’d consider myself to be a beginner to intermediate paddler and I’ll be using the kayak for class I to class III river running. I’m willing to spend up to $1000. Any suggestions for specific models that may suit my needs would be greatly appreciated.
welcome!
Before buying a boat, I’d suggest that you look for a whitewater kayak class. You can use the class boats, you’ll gain skills and be safer, and you’ll be better prepared to make a buying decision.
That said…
Used whitewater boats are fairly inexpensive.
Whitewater boats are usually made in several sizes of the same model. Your weight will put you in the largest size.
It sounds as though there are two classes of boats that might work for you: whitewater river-runners, and whitewater/flatwater hybrids. The choice will depend on your goals: continuous whitewater, or mostly quickwater/class I with occasional rapids?
Hybrids might include the Liquid Logic XP10, Pyranha Fusion L, Dagger Approach 10, or Jackson Rogue 10.
River-runners might include the Jackson Zen 75, Remix 79, Dagger Mamba 8.6 and others.
Being also of excessive size, I would
not expect to show up at a kayaking class and find a boat that would fit me. I always have to do some serious modifications on a kayak so that it fits.
This question might be pursued on boatertalk.com