Kayak Type/Make Suggetstions Pls

My wife and I are looking for 2 single seaters. We won’t be going down any rapids rather the quiet mountain lakes in Alberta and BC. I have a 16’ canoe, but its rather heavy to load and unload. We’d like a stable sit in easy on the body craft, we’re not getting any younger and just enjoy a nice quiet paddle



Thanks in advance.

Cheers

Some of those quiet mtn lakes can be
large and wind-whipped. Do you need kayaks that can handle such conditions, and that will carry gear for one or two overnights? Or will you just be taking day trips when the waves are down? If the latter, some “recreational” kayaks are very suitable. If the former, you would want touring/sea kayaks, which require more training to use to their full capabilities.

what is your size??
weight height etc

Suggestions

– Last Updated: Jul-28-08 8:26 AM EST –

I'm 6'1 / 185lbs, my wife is 5'9 / 150lbs ( I think.. don't make me ask her lol).

No big waves or wind, we'll be dropping them in early mornings and late evenings.. when the water is like glass for the most part. We like sticking close to shore, watching for wildlife and listing to the Loons :) Don't know if any of you have been in the Jasper Alberta area.. but those small quiet lakes like Patrica and Pyramid lakes. They are sheltered. So short trips a few hours to half days would be about it.

I'm at home in the water, have paddled canoes since I was 4, My canoe is a 16 footer, which is getting to be a chore loading and unloading it. I figured a couple of small Kayaks would suit us better. My wife really is not interested in anything that would roll if she only blinks one eye at a time lol.

I spose I should be getting a little advice on what paddles to get also.

Cheers

Look for boats
That are in the 12-15 foot range, with a beam of about 23-24.5 inches. Wider, and you won’t learn a good efficient stroke. Narrower will start to feel a bit tippy for a novice. Try boats if you can, but if a boat feels a little tippy the first time your in it, don’t rule it out. A bicycle seemed impossible to balance the first time you got on one of those.



If you’ve got it in your budget, consider fiberglass or composite boats, which will be significantly lighter for loading and unloading. If that is out of your budget, there are lots of nice rotomolded plastic boats out there, but they will be heavier.



Also, consider building a couple of stitch and glue kayaks. From kits,anyone can build ultralight, ultrastrong boats for about half the price of a new fiberglass or composite boat. If you have some wood working skills and equipment, you can build from plans for much less than that. A 17 foot Pygmy Artic Tern, for example, with a 23 inch beam, weighs about 5 pounds less than most 12 foot plastic boats.



Check out Pygmy kayaks and Chesapeake Light Craft to see a range of models.

check out the necky manitou sport
or prijon capri.

I’ve been impressed
with the Wilderness Systems Tsunami series. I have among my fleet a Tsunami 120 that I just did a 10-12 mile class 1-2 river trip with. worked great and it is fine on the flat water too. I am 5’10" and 165 (blush)