Hello. I’m a short 5’2", 75 year old woman that loves kayaking. I originally had a 14’ Impex kayak but now own the Eddyline Sky 10. Love it and I have a hullivator. While I find the kayak stable…I don’t feel it’s stable or wide enough to bring in my camera and long lens. Recently kayaked in a SOT and found it very stable, comfortable but way too heavy for me. I’ve done a lot of searching but haven’t been able to find a kayak that would suit my needs. Any recommendations? Thanks. Jill
Check out the Eddyline SOTs - a Caribbean 12 might do nicely for you. Do keep in mind though that any SOT will be a bit heavier than the equivalent length and material sit in as they have more material in them.
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I suggest the Hurricane Sojourn 135 or the Delta 12.10. Both made of thermoformed plastic, 41 to 45 lbs, and both more stable than any Eddyline kayak due to a very different hull shape. You may only become aware of the instability of an Eddyline when the waves pick up, which is when you need the stability.
You might consider an ultralight canoe. Fifteen lbs, very stable.
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I had the same thoughts as sissy; you might love a pack canoe. The 20 pound Kevlar version can take plenty of abuse and the 21 pound version would be very stiff and even tougher. There are many brands and options…the Hemlock Canoe Nessmuk looks very nice too.
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Thanks for this info.
Will check this one out.
Wow! Never thought of this. Going to give them a call and arrange to try one out.
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Again…wow! Going to start researching pack canoes. Never thought of them.
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Northstar ADK or ADK LT could be a good fit. Check out Swift pack boats too.
Also, some ultralights do not have integrated flotation so you’ll need to add it in that case.
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Thanks for the info. I’m pretty sure I want a boat with a wide beam. Need to research integrated flotation.
Another option would be a folding kayak like the Pakboat Puffin Saco. 24 pounds with the deck but can also be paddled without the deck like a pack canoe which takes the weight down to 20 popunds. 12’ 6" long by 26" beam with aluminum frame and PVC skin with inflatable sponson tubes along both gunwales.
Very stable and can be roof racked so you don’t have to break it down each trip, though it’s easy to assemble. I’ve had an earlier version of it for 12 years. Probably the most portable kayak made – I can fit the entire boat plus a 4 piece paddle and ALL the gear and clothing I need to use it in a standard rolling duffel I can check as regular airline baggage or stash in the trunk of a rental car or in a hotel room or home closet. It flew to England with me a few years ago.
Photos below from Pakboat website and a couple of shots of mine (red) with the deck on (it fastens with heavy duty velcro). That’s my cousin, a novice paddler, in the kayak on Lake Erie. The latest version has a very comfortable seat, sling mounted on the frame with an inflatable bladder inside, and a supportive lower back band. Great little boat.
The folks at Pakboat in New Hampshire told me about a customer who lives near them who is in her 80’s and has one. She brings the bagged boat to them every Spring and they set it up for her to used all summer and then repack it for her in the Fall!
I’m 73 and have no trouble assembling it. Takes about 20 minutes on a picnic table, 15 if I leave the deck off.
If you have access to a dealer that sells Swifts they do indeed have some great pack boat options. Swifts are more expensive but they are beautifully built. I look at the waterline width as a first indicator of stability. For you the 13.8 would probably be perfect. Their ultra stable boat is the Prospector 14 but then you’re looking at a 30 pound boat where their 13.8 is more like 25 and the Northstar is more like 20. I hope you can find some to test paddle. If you’re near Madison, WI both Northstar and Swift are available.
Thanks for your detailed response and photos! It looks like a great boat…but not wide enough for my needs.
Take a look at the Wenonah Fusion as another option. It’s 13 ft long (3’ longer than the Sky 10), 31" wide at max (5" wider than the Sky 10 and weighs 33 lbs in the Innegra/Aramid layup (30 lbs in all aramid). Seat is hung from the gunwales, lowering the center of gravity and increasing stability. An optional rudder is offered, which is unusual for a pack-style canoe (and of questionable usefulness IMO given that this boat isn’t designed for open water and is short enough to maneuver reasonably well anyway). Of course, light weight means not so light price. MSRP for the Innegra is north of $3K.
https://wenonah.com/Canoes.aspx?id=118
It is not just the beam width that makes a kayak stable, it’s also the hull profile. The Puffin has a fairly flat hull and the inflation sponsons that you can see along the inside of the gunwales make it very buoyant and stable, like on an inflatable raft. This short video shows several people using solo and tandem Puffins on a river in Norway. You can see how stable they are.
Another short clip of Puffins on the water:
Just did some research on Wenonah. I’m hoping the closest dealer has one in stock for me to try out. Thanks for this info!
Enjoyed the videos. Thank you! I’m sure the Puffin is stable but for photography I want a wide beam.