5’2"
And I know I won’t be getting any taller.
Hopefully, not any wider, either. 
Not if I can help it.
Trying to choose: 182 or 185 cm
– Last Updated: Jan-15-08 10:40 PM EST –
I know the paddle should be shorter than for long-boating.
Just not sure exactly how much shorter. I need to compare these sizes in person.
Moving water...that's why I'm thinking park-and-play. Get a good look at the water from the path alongside it, enough eddies that if I flip and can't roll up, I won't end up waaaaaay downstream. And a boat that weighs much less than a sea kayak, for carrying back upstream when paddling all the way back up isn't possible.
Doesn’t have to be new
In fact, I’d prefer used simply to lower the cost of trying something I probably won’t do more than once a week.
In the one lesson I took, I used an old Jackson boat whose model name I can’t remember. It fit well enough that rolling was easy (pool session). Seems like it was a couple inches narrower than most of the current models. When we went to the river, I used a Dagger boat whose name I also can’t remember (this was a few years ago). Did not roll it because I didn’t capsize.
Thanks for pointing that one out
I had perused the websites for the other boats mentioned in this thread, but I had not looked at the 2008 Jackson lineup. That Sidekick is definitely on my “check it out” list.
There is even a Jackson dealer in Denver who rents–a big plus. Another shop said they expected to become a Jackson dealer (they were not, last year). They, too, rent their kayaks.
Thanks to everybody for your patience
Looking over this thread, I sense a whiff of “bring me a rock” coming from me.
Thanks for putting up with it and offering advice. I really appreciate it. Hopefully I can try some of these boat this spring instead of just going by numbers and marketing claims.
Surefire? No. I’ve had a leg pinned,
but it was from body surfing. You aren’t going to convince people not to wade in strong currents by telling them it’s a surefire anything. I’m good at it, but I do avoid it as much as possible.
Blast was a wonderful boat. I know
skilled guys who would stuff themselves into the Blast in order to squirt or throw ends. Of course, that was before modern playboats appeared. I only wish that the crisp lines of the Blast had been preserved in the Animas.
Just wanted to say that, while you can
creek some in the Remix, Shane Benedict (the designer) intended it as a general river runner with a bit more speed and old-school carving than one can get from most modern boats. Check NOC’s listing and you will see the Remix with the general river runners.
Your paddle length and boat height
I paddle an H2O (great paddles) 188 cm. I was thinking at the time that 191 may have been a bit more perfect, but it was a very good sale so I went for it. These aren’t easy to find at a reduced price.
At the end of the season, I’d say the length is working for me at 5’4". The only thing that I might add down the road is to look for a second one piece paddle that has a bit more blade surface, since I got the freestyle paddle.
As to boat height - if you stay clear of boats with creeking intention and look at river/play boats (river/river are a rare breed these days) aproperly fitting boat shouldn’t be a huge box around you.
I’ll mention the Pyrahnna Inazone 220 again - it is just one of those fantastic boats for getting people going in WW. And at 135 pounds I can sink it a little more at times than may be ideal, though it behaves so well it’s been easy to handle. At 120 pounds you’d probably be right on.
And
The big flat rear deck does teach the unwary about leaning upcurrent…
I’m a little under 110
Weird place to be. Seems to be at the top of the kids’ kayaks weight ranges and either below or near the very bottom of the smaller adult ones.
I like the description in the Jackson website for the Side Kick: for kids or “VERY small adults”.
Funny, I’ve never had a problem with
that, not even in my slalom c-1. I think my feet and legs are so heavy that I almost can’t backender.
That weight…
Another 15 pounds would be easier, you are right.
That said, I am pretty sure that the Inazone 220 would still be OK. The 222, with about one more gallon of volume, mayhaps not so good.
What’s the weight range of the Jackson 2 Fun’s? They would be pricier than some of what has been mentioned, but if you get into the boat and basically like it they’d also get you a relatively long way in WW. It wouldn’t be a boat that you’d feel you had to move out of within a season.
If you are looking for used…
You may consider looking for a used Dagger Piedra. I can’t say anything about how good a boat it is to paddle, but it was made and marketed as a boat for the smaller paddlers, with a minimum paddler weight of about 80 lbs I think. It is an “old school” design and comes with all the disadvantages/advantages that implies.
Someone mentioned a Diesel 65 - I have one and don’t have any seat time other my demo yet, but I can tell you that at 5’10" 165lbs, 32" waist, 32" inseam it is a nice snug comfy fit for me. At your smaller height and weight I could see that you would probably be very loose in it and have to pad and outfit it quite a bit. The included outfitting is great though. Even though the boat itself is 25.5" wide, the thigh braces are set into the edges of the 19" wide cockpit coaming, and they are adjustable fore and aft as well as having an adjustable angle, so I think this would minimize the legs being spread out really wide issue.
Good luck in your search. So many posts like this make it clear how difficult it can be to find a comfortable and safe boat to paddle if you are not an “average size paddler”.
I have the Piedra
– Last Updated: Jan-17-08 10:00 AM EST –
It would be a fit for pikabike on weight and volume, and before the boats like the Inazone came along was a hugely popular schooling boat.
However, it is an older hull design that has less precise control and is not capable of getting close to the more playful moves, unless maybe with an extremely good paddler with a fair amount of water under it. A boat like the Inazone for an older one or the Jackson Fun boats are much more apt, IMO, for someone who already has solid paddling skills in a long boat and is likely to appreciate the fun you can have in WW with these boats.
I would not let go of my Piedra for the foreseeable future because it is a great rolling boat for getting myself or others back into the game after a layoff, and it's great for going up slow and twisty creeks. But the only WW it's going in is if it's class one or low level class 2 with a long paddle on the flat to get to the takeout. For anything really WW, it's the Inazone or whatever follows it.
Pyranha Burn S, river runner
Aside from the Wavesport Fuse 35 I mentioned above Pyranha also has a small boat Burn S that might work for you. http://tinyurl.com/28ho9n
g2d finally said something I can agree with:) The Remix (and the Burn) are not creekers, they are river runners. I guess I considered them creekers because of how slow they are. I like to think a “river runner” should actually have some speed to it, being relative of course, top speed for cruising in any of these is probably 2.5 to 3.5 mph.