What are your dimensions?
Height and weight?
Sounds like…
What you really need is a solo canoe.
LOVE my plastic Tempest
– Last Updated: May-07-15 8:01 PM EST –
I have to say that I LOVE my plastic Tempest 170. I found a glass version on Craigslist but it fell through. I found a plastic version a few weeks later and I'm SO GLAD I didn't pull the trigger on the glass. Now sure, I may get a glass one too eventually, but I LOVE the plastic and not having to worry about it.
I just went to Baja for a week-long expedition with several others. We all brought our plastic boats. My friend had debated bringing his glass boat but changed his mind at the last minute and was so glad he did. We got lots of scratches from rocks, unseen oysters, etc. Plus we had no worries of just dragging them up over the sand and shells on the beach for all the landings. At the end of the week, all of our boats had plenty of shavings from the scratches but that's the point of the plastic! He admitted he would have been shedding tears if it had been his glass boat.
I'm not disagreeing with anybody here that glass boats can be durable, but I really do love the peace-of-mind that comes with the plastic. My Tempest 170 is 58 pounds, and while it's easier to get it on and off my car with help, I can do this by myself, and I'm a 5'7" 170 pound female that's not particularly in good shape.
I’m…
5’11’’ and 185 lbs
No !
I hate canoe! Well no I don’t, but I much prefer to paqddle a kayak.
But I do admit that for portage, a canoe is just easier to handle.
We need to know more
Why are you associating abuse with lake camping? What type of conditions do you paddle in? More rocks than usual?
There are a great many kayaks that are suitable for lake camping. More or less all kayak materials will work for lake camping: wood, rotomolded plastic, thermoformed plastic, composite. It’s possible to treat those materials respectfully. I’ve camped for the last 5 years with a thermoformed kayak. I’ve accidentally ridden over many rocks and have had no material failures. Also dropped it off my car roof twice.
As for the length, if saving weight is important to you then I would also consider shorter kayaks. There are suitable touring kayaks even as short as 12.5’ A good compromise that would have reasonable speed would be about 14’.
“Light” is a subjective term. To me light means 45 lbs or less. Your target of 55 lbs is heavy in my opinion. Hatch volume is important. Look for at least 125 liters, preferably more. Stability is important too, of course.
Bottom line: take a look at the new Hurricane Sojourn line. Lightweight, stable, and lots of hatch volume. Your can get a Sojourn for a bit more money than a rotomolded but you can save 5 to 10 lbs, which is significant (at least to me). I got a Sojourn 135 specifically for lake camping.
Jon Turk paddles plastic boats
Nm…
Thermoform failure
There are a few, but really very few, reports of thermoform failure other than a hard hit in freezing water. The incidents I’ve read about involved crashing down in heavy surf and the kayak flexing and cracking. I recall two such reports. The reports of thermoformed plastic holding up well in rough conditions, being dropped off things, involved in car accidents, etc. are more numerous. Not recommended for white water but I would never hesitate to use thermoformed plastic for lake camping.
P&H Capella 160RM
– Last Updated: May-07-15 9:46 PM EST –
was right around 50-51 lbs, and its bigger brother the 166 was 54 lbs. Not made anymore but you can still find them used and they hold lots of gear for tripping. The 3-layer construction (foam core) is a nice compromise between straight plastic vs. going composite. The single-layer poly versions now made under the Venture name are advertised at similar weights but I'd bet they are a couple pounds heavier and not as stiff.
The plastic Zephyrs are also in the low 50's and for some reason the composite version is slightly heavier.
That’s what I used to think.
Then I bought a 12’ pack canoe. Now the kayak just hangs on the wall, and the canoe is the one that gets wet. Can you guess which one will be going with me to the Adirondacks next month?
I’ll admit there are some things I like better with the kayak than the canoe, but not enough to put up with dealing with the extra weight and length.
OPer’s Assumptions
OPer seemed unaware that anyone would camp out of a composite kayak and is looking for relatively lightweight. The first is wrong and the second argues for other than plastic. The discussion on composite is right in line on this thread.
It is always possible that the OPer has a true need for plastic based on how they will be treating the boat. But they should make that decision based on an understanding of how others use their composite boats, not an incorrect assumption about the fragility of composite.
Yep
I was going to add, my RM Capella 166 (molded in 2007) is lighter than any other plastic boat its size that I’ve encountered.
Yup, the Huricane Tracer is light, but
The Tracer is probably the lightest 16 footer thermoformed kayak on the market. And the weakest too. It just flexes too much. And inexperienced kayakers find it tippy. I have not paddled one, but the shape looks nice and on the playful side of things (so tracking is not its strongest point, until skeg is deployed).
Easky Lv would fit you
My ex boyfriend was about your size (same weight, an inch shorter) and he liked the fit of my 46 lb Easky 15LV during several trips where he borrowed it. He later ended up buying a regular Easky (50 lb) because one came up for sale cheap but he still liked the snugger fit of the LV for performance, though the standard one has more cargo volume.
I agree weights are not always exactly as advertised, but I’ve weighed my Easky and (unless my luggage scale and bathroom scale are off to the same degree) it is actually closer to 45 lbs. So Venture may be conservative in their posted specs.
are you pleased with it ?
any cons ?
Yeah
Of all my plastic boats (past and present), it’s by far my favorite. I had to work to make it fit me tight enough, but that’s no big deal.
some of us are just plastic
kind of folks, we enjoy hitting rocks, dragged my boat across the gravel at the takeout today, then dragged it some more across the paved road, shoved it in between the seats of my mini van- it will stay there until I go paddling next weekend. Use it and forget about it- that’s what floats my boat. Plastic ain’t just a material its a state of mind.
Delta
– Last Updated: May-10-15 7:36 PM EST –
I'm biased, A delta 16 owner (two actually), they are used on flatwater as one day and multi day camping kayaks.
Delta 14 = 42pounds
http://www.deltakayaks.com/kayak-models/touring/delta14.html
Delta 15.5 GT = 49 pounds
http://www.deltakayaks.com/kayak-models/touring/delta-155-gt.html
Delta 16 = 48 pounds
http://www.deltakayaks.com/kayak-models/performance-touring/delta-16.html
I don't find the 16 heavy, I can move mine singlehanded. I'd agree that "light weight" would be less than about 45 pounds.
Don't believe everything you see, but this is entertaining.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nkdaqwQxiFc
No matter what you choose, if you try hard enough you can break it :)
Approx Prices ?
How much for the Delta Kayak ?
Delta Kayak
I just bought a Delta 17 foot kayak on March 29th. I live in the Seattle area. The exchange rate was $.78 on the dollar so I saved .21 per dollar. I paid $1,950 and no taxes. If you bring it back to the USA, you don’t have to pay taxes. Western Canoe and Kayak is where I bought it. It’s a big store, they have over 600 kayaks on the property and another 400 in a near by warehouse. Tell Laura I sent you. 
I LOVE my kayak.