boats
Actually, I’m surprised to a degree no one has commented on the boats I’m considering or my reasoning in favor of a skeg. I did kind of expect a few suggestions for alternatives. So it goes. One aspect I’m not seeing mentioned is how a particular boat might affect paddle choice. Having done some reading and looking at the kind of paddling I’m interested in I’m leaning toward a Greenland style paddle. By conventional measurements the loom for me should be 19 inches but considering the cockpits on the boats I’m considering are 19.5 I’m thinking 20 inches instead to clear the combing.
Taken one step further
– Last Updated: Sep-23-11 12:29 PM EST –
They publicly or semi-publicly told many of us to perfect our paddling skill sets, not our purchasing skill sets and that point is hard to dispute. It has merit.
That said, for me I have found some boats respond across the board better to a variety of skill sets then other boats and it seemed in part to getting the right fit (volume) to my height & weight plus a nod to hull shape-design. I paddled some hulls that really are fine hulls and great boats that I wouldn't give negative points to, but they just didn't work for me and my body size. It was never my intentions to have this lead to "the boat." Demoing a boat is critical, but not always is one in a situation where they can or a good used boat might pop up, but demoing it isn't an option.
boats
Aquanaut is the one. Like a 90 waisted ski with rocker. You can take it anywhere.
I disagree
The aqua lv is too big for the smaller paddlers IME.
^good question
to answer the question:
Group 3: aquanaut Lv
Group 2: Capella 16.6, Avocet LV, chatham 16.
Group 1: Vela, mariner (coaster?)
I may be wrong but I think you’re merely looking for the best compromise for each boat, presuming (how dare you!) that a buyer can only afford one. What a ridiculous proposition! 
I guess I am just trying to figure out
what you really want to know, what type of decision are you really trying to make? Or are you just trying to start a discussion? Also trying to figure out if you are selling something or what? Because I’m not sure what your point is…
If you want to know whether or not you want/need two – three sea kayaks, or a specific do it all kayak that’s one thing, if you want to just have a chat about wanting two-three kayaks because they’re fun, that’s another thing.
And I was going to measure a response based on what you really want to know?
Let us know.
good lord
– Last Updated: Sep-23-11 4:08 PM EST –
He didn't ask for the perfect boat, he asked for a compromise based partly on budget. Maybe an approach like kwikle's would be more productive.
Maybe it's time for some of those folks to take a break. Or a timeout in b&b. Or watch this and regain some perspective:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r1CZTLk-Gk
question for you varney
simply put: are you looking for kayak recommendations for people who can only afford one sea kayak?
Err…
– Last Updated: Sep-23-11 5:37 PM EST –
(Somehow, my original message got cut off at the knees..)
The AvocetLV fits in the first category. The regular sized Avocet is in the second.
According to the, finally, updated Valley website, which actually now shows the specs on the 17'5"Etain as well as the 17'7" Etain, the weight range on the AvocetLV is: 40 - 140lbs.
The Avocet's range is 80 -
As did this one. What'd I do to irritate the board fairy?
I agree with Slushpaddler…
…that the AquanautLV would be too big for a small paddler.
There is also a trend, now that manufacturers have recognized that smaller people of both sexes paddle sea kayaks, to get away from padding the boat out to fit the slender or short or slender and tall person. To my way of thinking, and God only knows I know nada about kayak design and all the other factors that are argued about endlessly here and on other websites, putting so much padding around someone so the boat fits, with the exception of foaming out a bulkhead or shortening it, is like making a size 8 shoe fit a size 6 foot by stuffing foam in the toe and heel.
nah…
The top end of group 2 will have trouble fitting into even the regular Avocet, never mind Avocet LV.
Doh! you’re right
My hasty misread of the group 2 weights.
maybe narrow the groups to 2
the middle group has a very broad range. How about “big” or “small”?
A discussion - no more, no less
– Last Updated: Sep-23-11 6:20 PM EST –
Not buying or selling. Have several boats. some commercial some I built. Yes I would be interested in feedback on an Etain or possibly a Walrus or a Tiderace, but more out of curiosity then any dire need to have one. I've gotten a fair number of paddling days in each of the last three seasons and what I own works.
I also have bought then sold some great boats, but they truly did fall in the category of boats meant for a different weight then mine to perform at their best for the way they were designed. As I stated earlier, I think there are a number of great boats out there, but all have a certain body size and weight specification for which they most likely will strut their best stuff and simply tried to frame all of this around various size of people first rather then around a certain company or kayak model first.
To Qualify
I am not looking for myself per-se, but I think it is fair to say that many people might only be able to own one boat so that is why I framed it as a boat for all seasons shall we say. That does mean the paddler’s body specifications should most likely need to be near the center of a boat’s specifications in terms of volume, weight capacity, rocker, chine profile etc. tp best serve as a one quiver boat. At least I would think it would, but I’m speculating and first to admit it. Kind of like buying one pair of hiking boots. Start with size first then go from there.
boats
Aquanaut is $700 over my price range and too small a cockpit. $1000 is the top of my range and I want a 35 inch cockpit, 29x16 is a bit snug. I don’t want to have to grease up to get in it. Like I said in my original post I’m 5’7" and 230 pounds. You can see I’m a bit on the round side.
It is an open forum
If that works …fine by me. I just threw out arbitrarily what I did as it isn’t rooted in decades of paddling or some high tech water tank trials.
Actually…
…weight is what matters.
That’s why most boats advertise their weight range.
Though occasionally, some tall and skinny individual simply can’t fit into boats that suits their weight and have to go to something else instead.
(I fit that discription when choosing WW boats though not sea kayaks. I found that very illuminating that WW kayaks comes in 4-5 different volume in one hull design. Yet only a handful of sea kayak model comes with differen size at all, and only 2 not 4)
fit is what matters