approximate size?
If you are seriously considering building as an option, you could always take a look at the Squeedunk Grebe. You’d have to work from the offsets, but it is a nice little boat.
http://community.webshots.com/photo/133354146/139137293cRTTxS
http://community.webshots.com/photo/133354146/139137785vctUCO
For kits, CLC makes a 14’ kayak kit
www.clcboats.com
Shearwater makes some kits for smaller paddlers
http://www.shearwater-boats.com/
as does Pygmy
http://pygmyboats.com/
and Water Dancing
http://watersdancing.com/
and probably some other companies that I have forgotten.
For plastic kayaks, our 14 year old daughter likes her Wilderness Systems Cape Horn 140 and our Impex Sea Breeze. You could also check with Tideline Kayaks out there in California. He has a smaller boat in the works. Dang, I’m forgetting someone. Oh, yeah - Seda is out on the west coast as well, http://www.sedakayak.com/
and I think they have something in a smaller size and their prices were pretty reasonable eons back when I last checked.
Good luck!
kruger and kids
Thanks,
I think I have found a Tempest 165 within 3 hours, barely used. He’s down to 900.00 Maybe will negotiate more. I still would like a Seawind. Right place right time???
If anyone knows of any downers on the Tempest 165 for a couple of mid teen girls, or if they really think that they know of a better deal or rig for the bucks let me know. If I can get them squared away for the next few years then I can recalculate the Seawind. I never hear much about the Kruger Kayak??? Not that I am a kayak fan, and I do not want to start anything. Is there anyone that has been in both the Kayak and the Seawind in “big Ugly break” that could share with us?? I really like the loading aspects of the bigger piteveryone does, but can you survive a roll with the Seawind??
Thanks,
Pere
Kruger Dreamcatcher
The Kruger Dreamcatcher is their kayak version, however keep in mind it’s built from the same hull mold as the Seawind. Both boats are canoe hulls; deeper and wider than most seakayaks. Think “Seacanoe”. The Dreamcatcher does have a much smaller cockpit opening than the Seawind and a rear bulkhead with a real nice deck hatch, thus having some seakayak characteristics. A single blade paddle is still the prefered method of propulsion with this boat. Neither one is designed to capsize or roll like a true seakayak. They are designed to stay upright. Someone may have rolled either boat in the past, but I do not have 1st hand knowledge of this. As for handling big surf, it’s dependant upon the skill of the paddler as is all paddle craft in these conditions. One of the many bonuses of these boats is the ability to quickly catamaran two boats together giving you significant stability.
Some people roll both I believe.
I was told that Verlen’s son in law used to roll them. I have seen his old thigh braces for doing just that in the Kruger shop.
The biggest problem in rolling the Kruger boats would be turning them into a tightfitting, uncomfortable cockpit from the loose, comfortable, room to move canoe cockpit they now have. Custom made and fitted thighbraces and a lot of closed cell foam …
Mick
the bottom line
The more I think about it, OT Loons are cheap. The 136 can carry whatever they need, if not, they can take the canoe. Spend less on the kids first yak, save for my Sea Wind. They should get thier own second boat, rather canoe or yak. (no brainer, I am thinking clearly now??) Thanks for helping me through this.
Pere
best canoe ever
Maybe some of you misunderstood me when I said a Kruger canoe was “the best canoe ever built period end of statement. There are many great canoes out there and it does depend a lot on what your going to use the canoe for when buying one.
Out of all the canoes there one has to be one that is the best and that is the Kruger canoe. I am not just basing this on my own opinion.
Lets start with world records. Verlens hull design has set more world records than any other hull design ever constructed. That has to count for something right? The most recent Guinness world set in one of Kruger’s boats was set by me for the longest solo canoe/kayak trip and the record grows everyday I paddle on. When I said the sea wind is the best boat ever built I meant all around boat. There are specialized boats that will out do the sea wind in certain areas.
However in overall performance judged on day trips, weekend trips, whitewater, distance trips, ocean trips ect… The Kruger canoe will beat any boat out there period end of statement when judged on all areas. If you had to pick the best all around boat it is the Kruger canoe period end of statement. Now I said “all around” yes there are boats that are specialized that would beat the sea wind, but for all around canoe or kayak the sea wind is the best.
It is hard to pick out the single best boat ever built, but if you had to it would be the Kruger canoe hands down no question about it. Unless you paddled one you absolutely have no clue. Every single inch of the sea wind was gone over several times by Verlen. Now verlen was a tank operator and also taught advanced fighter pilots in WWII. The attention to detail it takes to fly an airplane let alone teach advanced fighter pilots is unreal. Verlen applied that same level of deatail to his boats. Most of the boats maker today sit behind a desk and don’t really do much field testing on their canoes. Verlen paddled an 18,000 mile canoe trip to work out the bugs and find the ware spots on the sea wind.
John Latecki Jr
http://www.fightingms.org/
Kruger Sea wind
Hello,
I have been following the postings about the Sea winds,
Please let me know if anyone is willing to sell one out there. I am very interested in making an inside passage run to the North from Washington State with one.
Thanks for your help,
Johnny Miller
Any used Sea winds Out there for sale?
I am looking for a used Sea wind canoe for sale.
Please let me know if anyone is willing to part with one.
Thank, Johnny
johnnym@wildernessawareness.org