@SeaDart said:
Also your paddle may be slowing you down, sometimes it’s better to invest in a better shorter, lighter paddle than in a new kayak.
A properly sized & designed light weight paddle was definitely a turning point in my paddling pleasure, comfort, efficiency and trip length, whether canoe or kayak.
Oh… And for gliding, hard chine, soft chine, deep keel will all glide the same. The stiffer the material the better.
Class 1 rapids are no big deal. I’ve taken my 15’ folding and hardshell touring kayaks through those – you can do Class 1 in an inner tube. Any cheapo sit on top will negotiate them so that should not be your compelling reason for a choice. Your main problems to address are weight for loading and launching and your difficulty in keeping up with people in longer and better performing boats. You did not mention your budget, by the way, so we may be wasting breath is suggesting many practical options if you are unable or unwilling to invest in them.
Limiting your optimal boat length by insisting it fit in the truck bed is a big mistake. There are better ways to carry a boat that is the right size for what you need.
Why are you so opposed to inflatables? Do you know anything about them? Most are far lighter than any plastic boat and they can be hauled in any sized vehicle. You don’t have to completely deflate them for transport – you can let some air out and fold them into a truck bed if they are longer than the dimensions. Some of the Advanced Elements inflatables could fit your specifications. Their Strait Edge at 9’5’ has everything you need and weighs 35 pounds. Partially deflated, you could easily stuff it in the truck bed.
http://www.austinkayak.com/products/693/Advanced-Elements-StraitEdge-Inflatable-Kayak.html
I can even suggest a sit on top that weighs only 20 pounds – a Pakboat Puffin Saco folding kayak with aluminum frame and nylon rubber skin. It can be used with or without the optional deck and folds down into a duffel bag. At 12.5’ long and 26" wide you could easily keep up with others in hardshell boats and Pakboats are suitable for moderate whitewater. I just took one to England (checked the folded boat as luggage on the airline) and did several outings on winding rivers with some mild rapids. I can lift the boat with one hand. You can carry a boat like that in a pickup by propping one end on the cab and the other in the bed and tying it off. Plenty of room for anything you want to haul inside of it (you could clip a plastic cupholder to the frame easily)… For that matter you could carry the dismantled boat in the truck cab!
https://www.pakboats.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=96&Itemid=150
As to “cooler and cupholder”, those are also poor credentials for selecting a kayak if you are concerned about performance features and speed. A soft cooler can fit in just about any kayak and a 99 cent plastic cupholder can be attached to any boat. You could get a 9.5’ Perception Access for under $400 (which should fit diagonally in your truck bed) which has a cup holder and is 42 pounds (which is still heavier than any of my 15’ sit inside kayaks.) Sit on tops are heavier than sit insides of the same length because they use more plastic to make the double shell. But the Access is still pretty wide, which is a drawback for smaller paddlers.
Might want to consider the 35 pound Riot Intrigue. 10.5’ but no reason why you could not prop one end over the tailgate and lash it down.
http://www.riotkayaks.com/flatwater-2/recreational/intrigue-sit-on-top/
I agree with Seadart’s advice to take some lessons before buying another kayak. If you’ve been paddling for 6 years and struggle to keep up, the lack of speed isn’t just from having a short boat.
Having improved your strokes will also allow you to demo boats more effectively.
Watch videos on how to paddle online. There are hundreds and some are very good. Save your money on taking a class and buy a good paddle.
@DrowningDave said:
Watch videos on how to paddle online. There are hundreds and some are very good. Save your money on taking a class and buy a good paddle.
While I agree that a good lightweight paddle makes a major difference, I disagree that online paddling videos can replace a class with a good instructor. Video’s can’t answer questions or demonstrate small nuances that make paddling strokes more efficient and easier. Nor can a video look at your stroke and suggest changes to correct/improve it.
I agree about someone analyzing your stroke but as for the class, paddling isn’t rocket science so watching well-done videos is sufficient. Get a friend to analyze your stroke. If your plans are to paddle a K1 in the Olympics then by all means hire a good coach.
I would have to say that Drowning Dave’s advice is not sound. Most people who think paddling is straight forward have no clue what they are doing. A good instructor can show you how to paddle more efficiently and show you what you yourself are doing that can be improved, they can also introduce you to boats that may be better for what you want to do and they can introduce you to other paddlers and serve as a resource for you in the future as you improve as a kayaker. I’ve only paid for a few lessons in my paddling life but they were all worth it and all increased my skills by large amounts.
I agree with SeaDart. I thought I was a decent paddler until 10 years ago when a friend who is a former Canadian national champion kayak racer watched me and showed me what I was missing completely in using my body in paddling technique. He coached me during a full day tour until I “got it” and it was a revelation. And I learned more from a BCU instructor in an open water course last year. Paddling is not intuitive and I have yet to see an instructional video that really covers the full body involvement in a good stroke.
Buy a 3D printer and make your own
http://en.rocketnews24.com/2014/07/18/heres-that-vagina-kayak-japanese-artist-megumi-igarashi-made-with-the-help-of-crowdfunding/
For the record, I never said it was wrong to take a class. By all means do so if you’d like. REI offer free ones and I’m sure you could pay for one-on-one classes by real experts. My point is, you don’t have to. There are real teachers with excellent videos online. And you can watch them over and over until it clicks. Then get out on the water and practice what you learned. It’s very simple.
There are many coaches on this forum that have a vested interest on paddlers taking classes, which is fine, but you have to be aware if that.
The choice is yours. Either way works well.
Sorry, I don’t agree that videos are sufficient. For one thing, people have different learning styles, and videos only address visually “gettable” aspects.
For another, they do not provide real-time instruction. Between the time you watch a video and the time you paddle (and again when you watch again), there is way too much time. You might think you remember what you saw and are doing it that way, but chances are it is not perfect recall.
Just as with training a dog, the more immediate the reinforcement of a behavior, the better.
Last but not least, in the case of someone who has already been paddling self-taught for years, there will be bad habits. To break those, nothing substitutes for a competent, real live coach.
Skipping instruction is being pennywise poundfoolish, as well as minutewise hourfoolish.
The people who have been urging OP to get instruction do not get any monetary reward from their advice to her. Even someone who has instructor creds may be “giving it away free” to their paddling clubs.
Look up the RTM Disco. Poly but not that heavy. A great SOT for smaller people.
How about the Venus 11?
http://www.austinkayak.com/products/15464/Ocean-Kayak-Venus-11-Kayak.html
What kind of kayaks are the people you paddle with using? Recreational SOT or Sit Inside kayaks? Day Touring or full on touring kayaks? Are they all paddling shorter boats, or are they longer…like over 12 feet in length. I really don’t think that moving from an 8 foot long SOT to a 9 foot SOT is going to give you any noticeable increase in speed or tracking. In my view, going from 8 foot to 9 foot would be a waste of money if you intend to continue paddling with the same group of people. If you’ve been paddling for 6 years, then it sounds like you enjoy it and are willing to make an investment in quality equipment. You’ve obviously put in some time researching, but I think the reason you can’t kind what you want, is that it doesn’t really exist in the size you have been looking at. If you must stay smaller, then at least go to a 10-12 footer.
There are options for transport that you can add to your truck, like a bed extender, our a truck bed rack that would make transporting a longer kayak easier.
Does it have to be a sit on? With a sit in at your size you could drop the width substantially and still have plenty of stability. The narrower width would likely provide the speed you are looking for and most likely the lighter weight. I get in though if you’re set on a sit on and there’s not really room for a cooler in a sit in. Something like a Delta 12s or even a Tsunami SP if you’re only day paddling and would consider a sit in. Just thinking out loud here, feel free to ignore.
A couple of thoughts; have you considered a different vehicle? I have stayed with a sedan simply because it makes loading a kayak or canoe onto the roof rack so much easier. Of course, if a truck is essential for you, that isn’t an option, but if you could use a sedan you wouldn’t be limited in the length of your kayak. With bathmats on the trunk, lift and slide; and with a kayak cart to get it to and from the water without lifting the entire weight.
Also, have you considered an ultralight canoe? Hornbeck and I think Hemlock make 10 ft canoes that weigh less than 20 lbs.
Just another suggestion. It just might not have enough storage for your needs and it might be too long but it will be faster than any SOT kayak you have mentioned. You can get these with a kickup rudder for shallow water. https://vimeo.com/147758724
OP specified “cheap SOT.”
If the truck does not have a topper, she could install crossbars on the truck cab, or a contractor rack on the bed. Load from the rear. I know a small woman
who routinely loaded her long sea kayak on a Ford Ranger with the latter set-up. Being able to step into the truck bed makes it easier than trying to do the whole thing from ground level.
I second the surfski.
There is no such thing as “cheap AND light AND comfortable AND easy to paddle” unless you completely luck out with somebody dumping a higher end boat at a yard sale. If you don’t have the budget to get everything you want, you will have to compromise on at least one of those factors. Being farther from the range of average adult size, whether smaller or larger, also limits your options.