My wife is petite. ~5 ft / 95 lbs. Looking to get her a rec/light tour kayak. An option I’m looking into is the wilderness tsunami SP. The standard 120 is to wide.
Are there any other options for her. Looking for something around 12 foot.
Use: day trips. Slow rivers and flat lakes.
maybe
a perception carolina or a wilderness systems piccolo.
Try my kevlar Perception Shadow 16.5, if
you’re near Champaign, IL.
Small
You’re right – the Tsunami 120 would be huge for her, as would most rec/light touring kayaks. The SP would be a much better choice.
The Tribute 12 might be another option, but it doesn’t have the forward bulkhead(see the current thread on this page).
I saw a used Piccolo kayak on
Craigslist, southwest Michigan, for sale this past week.
I’ve not had one, but many say it’s great for small statured folks.
Good luck in your quest.
Other Thread
Yeah I’m the OPer from the Tribute thread, and the SP was suggested to me, and honestly if I find one I’ll probably end up buying it simply because it has the forward bulkhead that the Tribute doesn’t.
Impex Mystic
Walrus Griffin?
The Current Designs Suka is tiny.
Thigh braces smashed my thighs down. Couldn’t hardly get in or out of it for a test fit on the show room floor.
If you can find a Perception Sole
she might like that.
My 4’-11" daughter loves hers.
Jack L
My girlfriend is about the same size
She has an Impex Sea Breeze and loves it. http://www.impexkayak.com/seabreeze.shtml
a used current designs
slipstream
Look for light
DIY
Pygmy Osprey 13
Dagger Approach?
– Last Updated: Aug-19-13 1:31 PM EST –
I see you are more interested in longer boats but I just discovered this model, while searching for suggestions for a friend's young son. It's designed for small adults and larger kids, is 9', 25" beam, weighs 38 lbs and is nicely equipped with bulkheads, thigh hooks, adjustable seat, etc. List is $699 but I'm seeing end of season sales on them at various outfitters for as low as $569. Looks like a nice little cross-over kayak with a skeg for recreational flatwater tracking but with a hull that can handle up to Class II fastwater.
http://dagger.com/products/crossover/crossover_whitewater/approach-9-0
A recent P.net reviewer, just a little bigger than your wife, likes it's performance and reports being able to keep ahead of other paddlers in 12' boats.
http://www.paddling.net/Reviews/showReviews.html?prod=2464
Beam
I suspect that the reviewer feels fast in the Approach because the other “10-12’ flatwater kayaks” are even wider.
For a flatwater touring boat for a petite person, 25" seems awfully wide. My 5’0" wife paddles a WS Tchaika with a 21" beam and is much happier than she was in a larger kayak.
In regards to the original poster
Yes the SP will fit her very well. The only downfall is the cockpit lacks contact since it’s so big. Another 12 footer to eyeball is the Tahe Lifestyle Solo PE. I’ve not seen one yet but it looks interesting.
Angstrom, have a look at this for DIY.
http://www.thomassondesign.com/en/catalog/my-kayaks/kayaks-for-kids/isfjord-mini
Don’t Hold the Lady Back
Get her a high performance surfski, like the Fenn Spark, which would match her high performance car, pick-up or SUV. At around 25 pounds and just under 17 inches wide, she deffinitely won’t need you to help carry it.