Paddle, Thanks but do you have any info on a 2009 NDK Explorer?
No not really.
If f you like the boat spend 500 more and get the 2021. Saving 500 bucks is not worth buying a 12 year old kayak. If you sold both in two years you’d pull your 500 and more back out.
If the person that was guiding you when you went over they’re guiding you again to make a sale.
The Romany boat is 21.5" wide if you’re worried about going over again a new Solstice at 24.25" would be much more stable as most any decent sea kayak hull at 24" . Don’t fall for peer pressure of the group when they are the sellers.
I would agree that you have to consider that its 12 yrs old. If you want you can low ball them ,can always come up on your offer . Used Explorers always come up as they are a popular hull. You should be able to pick up a used one in good shape in the $1500-$2000 range
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not sure when they changed the skeg control from rope to cable. Also , depending on your size check regular hull vs HV hull with the knee bumps.
when you get up around $2,000 you can be picky about everything. {color too} If you are down around $900, then you take what there is.
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I’d pay no more than about half what they’re asking. I paid 1700 for mine when it was 4 years old, 23 years ago. I wouldn’t worry about it being 12 years though, that’s not a quality concern its only a value concern.
But it sounds like the boat isn’t the problem. The Explorer is a very capable rough water boat, but 1 foot waves isn’t very rough water and I suspect you’d still be in trouble if the waves got up where the Explorer begins to shine. With better skills you’d be fine in any almost any decent sea kayak in at least 1-2 foot waves although some are more conducive to building those skills. The Explorer would be one of those-only get it if you are willing to put in the time to acquire rough water handling skills, including rolling. They aren’t exactly rare so you could also find one for a lot less if he won’t come down considerably.
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I can help with some of the old price info.
In 2007 I ordered a customized Explorer LV, paying a deposit whose exact amount I forget. The kayak was shipped to the US, and when I picked it up in 2008 from the dealer in MT, she only charged me the 2007 price, which was about $3k, if I remember correctly. She said SKUK had just increased the price to $3400.
The asking price of $3700 for a 2009 model means the seller wants to get back the full amount the boat would have cost a retail buyer new back then. It is no bargain, given that old inventory usually is discounted, and the model is not a collector’s item.
The LV was still too big for me, even though the snug cockpit was wonderful. It had way more stability than I needed. Even though I could still edge it, I later found that the slightly smaller Pilgrim Expedition fit me better, with little reduction in stability (there was a reduction—but welcomed by me).
I paddled the LV on an overnight camping trip which was planned as a 10-day trip around a huge reservoir. Unfortunately, 2009 in CO experienced an unusually late monsoon season. I decided to abort the trip after the first night, when it was obvious several days of dangerous conditions would continue (and they did). The point is, the boat was loaded with camping gear and supplies for a longish trip. That very first day, the monsoons slammed me while I was a few miles from my destination for that night. Squally, violent downbursts and rain with small hail pelted me, as I fought to make forward progress with waves bashing on beam. Progress was so slow I feared I would not even be able to reach a small beach I decided to bail out at.
However, the LV was rock-solid during all of this. After the first few minutes I realized I could put full effort into getting somewhere—instead of wasting effort on staying upright. It just was never a problem. BUT BUT BUTbut…it sounds like you have less experience kayaking than I did, and undoubtedly you weigh much more. I weigh/weighed less than 110 lbs.
The Explorer is wonderfully stable and seaworthy. But the paddler still needs the skills to take advantage of what it can do. You CAN grow your skills in such a boat. Just don’t ignore the fact that other boats could work as well for you.
P.S.
More on pricing: In 2009 I ordered a Pilgrim Expedition. The price had risen to $3600. In 2013 I sold the excellent-condition Explorer LV for $1700, which was $500 less than the most others were going for. I later found out the buyer sold it for $2200.
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