I am new to kayaking. I kayak in Belize and need a recommendation for an ocean-use kayak? I want a 2 seater. What would you recommend? I need it to be lightweight as I have to store it on the third story of our building.
Thank you!
Lisa
Mayan Seas
Mayan Seas manufactures kayaks in Mexico. I have paddled their Tobasco double several times and found it a very fast double, yet quite manuverable for kayak its length. You can check out their website at
www.mayanseas.com
No affiliation but I have paddled with the owner a couple of times when he was visiting here in Texas.
Mark
Mark
Tabasco L
Looks like a decent double at 21’9", but I bet it’s not light. Specs page can’t be displayed. http://www.mayanseas.com/tabascoL.htm
Inflatable?
For tropical waters a Sit-On-Top would be good. No sit on top tandm I know of is very light. You might look into an inflatable if you have to drag it up three flights of stairs. I don’t see you doing that with a tandem sea kayak.
folding kayaks
Try checking out Klepper, Folbot, and Feathercraft. They are NOT cheap but have a good rep and you can pack them up and go anywhere… I think they would fit in a car trunk once packed properly.
Question,
How are you going to get it up to the third floor? Will you have a length restriction in a staircase hallway or tight corner to get around? This info could help with making a choice. 2 seater kayaks are very long.You have probably already thought of this, but it reminded me of a friend that purchased a new couch and could not get it up the steps into his apartment.
3rd floor
You are correct. Getting it up 3 flights of stairs presents a challenge. It is tight. What do you suggest?
Thank you,
Lisa
storage
If you’re in Belize City maybe you could find some kind of safe storage for it.
Storage
Actually, we will be using it in San Pedro on Ambergris Cay… kayaking on the interior of the reef. We have a place there so storage is not a problem except the fact that it is on 3rd floor and we have to carry it up the mostly-enclosed stairs.
Storage
Actually, we will be using it in San Pedro on Ambergris Cay… kayaking on the interior of the reef. We have a place there so storage is not a problem except the fact that it is on 3rd floor and we have to carry it up the mostly-enclosed stairs.
I don’t know much about them myself.
But I am sure others here can help. I am thinking Inflatable Kayak. They have solo and tandems available. Check this out it might help some.
http://www.paddling.net/buyersguide/inflatables.html?refer=GOOGLE_INFL&gclid=CLn6ysPv3ooCFR6ZEAod2nAfxw
car top
Could you leave it tied to roof of car? Could you chain it to tree near a rental place? It might be cheaper to rent a boat
Tandem kayak and 3rd floor?
A tandem kayak is not compatible with third floor storage if you live in a typical building. They are large and heavy. You’d need a really small kayak or a building with special features like a lift or large, wide staircases.
Seems to me if third floor storage is the requirement then the foldable kayaks will be your solution. I hear they paddle very well, but may be a bit of a PITA to assemble and disassemble. I have heard good things about Folbot.
Good luck, and I want to know what you end up carrying back and forth to the third floor.
~~Chip Walsh, Gambrills, MD
Lisa, check out this site
Look what I found in one of the other posts (Lake Geneva)
www.foldingkayaks.org
The site has reviews of folding kayaks and a message board. Maybe you can post over there and get somebody to sell you a used boat.
~~Chip
I only kayak in the ocean as there isnt
much fresh water on the island. I use a Innova Sunny, Safari and an AIRE Sea Tiger when I need to carry dive gear. I have had all out in pretty rough water and many times in and around reefs. The Sunny and especially the Sea Tiger are easy to get back onto from deep water and are stable enough to carry 50-75 pounds of video/dive gear even while exiting the boat over the side. The Sunny is much faster than the Tiger but the Tiger is more stable once the water gets over 2 foot of chop. I admit that speed and touring are not my thing but rather access to reef points is what I am after but I have paddled many kilometers down the coast in both boats. My kids like the Safari as it is fairly quick and easy to paddle and they like to surf it as well.