Frugal beginner here, who has been shopping around for a quality transitional/day touring kayak.
Looking at a couple possibilities I would like some experienced thoughts with.
First is a Necky Manitou 13 blem with factory warranty for $700. The other is a 2006 Wilderness Systems Tsunami 14, also for $700, though I would need to drive 3 hours to pick up.
Thoughts?
Not enough information supplied
First of all, welcome to the sport of kayaking.
Some basic information is needed to give good advice, Your height, weight and type of water you intend to spend most of your time on.
If I was going to offer advice, I would advise you to look for a kayak/canoe shop to go out and paddle boats of every type they will let you ride in. If you have to drive for hours and spend the night to get a full day on the water, in a lot of different boats, it is money well spent; and may save you thousands of dollars in the long run.
A quality boat that is a good deal financially may be a terrible boat to be in,that does not suit your needs.
This is advice I wish I would have followed years ago.
One thing that is often set aside until after buying a boat is a paddle and PFD. This is not an area to skimp on. The paddle is your motor that you will swing thousands and thousands of times, ounces of weight count, a good paddle is your friend. A good comfortable PFD will keep you alive only if it is on, find one that fits and is comfortable.
Both boats you mentioned are good serviceable boats, often used in similar circumstances. Depending on the actual condition of the boats they do not seem like exceptional deals. A great deal on a boat that sits in a garage is not a great deal, any boat that calls you to come out and play, no matter what the deal was, is money well spent.
Have you been able to check the fit and
make a guess at whether you would have to do a lot of outfitting on the boat you may prefer?
I had to do quite a bit of outfitting on a Necky touring kayak I got cheap, but considering that I am Sasquatch, I have to expect it.
Thanks!
I appreciate the advice. FWIW, I am 5’6" and weigh 180. Plan to use it mostly on local lakes in the area.
Unfortunately, the one local outfitter who use to do demo days closed shop last year. The others I have found seem to only offer a small selection in kayaks. To me, that is not worth driving long distances for. I would have no problem taking a trip for a demo day if the presenter had several manu to choose from and not just several models from the same manu.