Perception swifty vs sunrise 100

I’m looking to buy a new kayak i currently have a pretty crummy inflatable sot. It got me through mt first season fine with only one scare but a little duct tape got me back to shore and had a few trips since.

I’m looking into a hard body on the cheap entry level side. Right now I’m looking at the perception sunrise 100 I saw at Ems and the swifty 9.5 that dicks sells. They seem to have comparable reviews and run the same price right now 349.99.

Anyone have experience with both or either or would be helpful. I might be able to go a little higher on the price but I prefer not to.

I’ll be using it mostly in lakes. Probably the Hudson here and there and some creeks. I’ve heard either one was doable in class 2 Rapids.

Thanks in advance and I love the side I found so many great spots with the mobile app last year which is how I found the site

no difference
All short wide recreational style boats of similar dimesions like that are pretty much the same.



By the way, both the models you are looking at are designed for calm waters, not class 2 moving water. They lack bulkheads so you would have to put flotation bags in the bow and stern and honestly they have neither the hull strength nor hull design for rapids, even mild ones. And worst of all, their gaping oversized cockpits won’t support a sprayskirt that won’t implode. You risk being swamped and pinned in these boats. These will also not be optimal for wide windy lakes due to the deep hull and high width to length ratio.



if you are serious about big lakes and fast rivers, you would be better off putting your $350 towards a used old school whitewater boat or a somewhat longer light touring boat with a smaller cockpit and bulkheads. Check your local Craigslist for an old Perception Dancer or a used Perception Sport Conduit 13 (Dick’s used to stock the latter but has apparently dropped them).

Sizes
I’ve seen a few white water style ones on Craigslist but all are too small for me to fit and float from the description. I’m 5’9 and 220.

Side note would it be to impractical to fit a 14 ft Kayak on a small 4 door focus hatchback? Cars 14 and 1/2 bumper to bumper I think.

roof top
People all the time carry full size sea kayaks, 16’-17’ all the time on cars smaller than that, no problem at all. Friend carries longer boats on his Honda Fit for example, has been all over the country doing that with no issues. It’s all with a quality rack, not the car it’s attached to.



Bill H.

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Hudson
You need to be careful taking such a small boat on the Hudson. I’m not sure where you are but most of the river is tidal and subject to an awful lot of commercial and pleasure boat traffic.



A visit to Marshal at The River Connection in Hyde Park might be interesting.



Look on Craig’s list and other sites for a larger used boat to fit your budget.


Venture Easky 13 Kayak and foam blocks
Found a Venture Easky 13 Kayak on Craigslist for 300. Says it’s a like touring kayak hull looks pretty wild. Any experience with this is a an ok boat.

Also are foam blocks and proper straps and tie downs a safe option until I can get a rack?

Get the Easky!
The Easky is a “real” kayak and much better than the ones you were originally looking at.



And, as they originally sold for more like $1200, at that price it’s a steal.



Foam blocks will be fine until you get a rack. You’ll also need bow and stern tie downs.



Make sure you get a good PFD and a decent paddle like a Carlisle or Aquabound.

Easky 13 Kayak
I’m pretty much sold on the Venture Easky 13 Kayak if it’s not in terrible condition it was only posted 20 hours ago so I’m hoping no one snagged it yet.

I’ll be checking my email all day waiting for a reply from the seller

grab it
You won’t beat the price and it’s a decent touring kayak.

car length doesn’t matter
I haul an 18’ sea kayak on my Mazda CX5 which is 14’ 10". A friend of mine hauls a 20’ racing surf ski on a SmartCar. As with any kayak, you have to tie bow and stern lines to the bumpers to be safe on the highway, and if the boat extends beyond the rear of the car you hang a flag on it.



In fact, longer kayaks are easier to load on a roof rack because you can prop the bow on the rear rack and then lift the stern and shove it forward. And narrower kayaks are easier to lash to the racks.

Hope you get the Easky
That Easky is a steal and could be perfect IF it fits you. Be sure and sit in it before buying it. I have an Easky 15 LV and it’s my most versatile boat (in a current fleet of 6). I’ve taken it on mild whitewater, in the ocean and on the Great Lakes. The Venture kayaks are made by renowned British maker P & H and are excellent quality. The seats are really comfortable and the features are great including a molded in stainless steel bar on the deck that allows you to cable lock the boat to your rack for security.

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if you miss out on the Easky
And are in the Hudson Valley area, this boat is also a good deal:



https://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/boa/5555230405.html



It’s a 'big guy" boat though a bit too long for white water. But you could keep looking for used another boat for that kind of paddling. There is no boat that is ideal for BOTH whitewater and lake and river touring and most kayakers who like to paddle different waters keep different boats for them.

and this for whitewater
If this older Pirouette is still available, it should work for you for rapids:



https://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/boa/5554953574.html



It’s a classic river runner that will fit paddlers to 250 lbs. Won’t track well in open flatwater unless you can rig a skeg to attach to it as some people have done. It is made to turn quickly to negotiate rapids.

Storage problems
I was looking at that little worried about storing a 16ft boat but doable if it he easky doesn’t work.

I’m going to look at the easky Saturday morning. So pretty much if I fit ok in it and there no major damage to its sold.

I was thinking maybe down the road getting a whitewater yak as I think I’ll be on flat water for the time being.

Fit
Keep in mind that a kayak should be quite a snug fit on you.



Having good contact with the hull at your knees, butt, hips and feet will allow you to control the kayak as you develop the skills to do so.



Good luck with the Easky!

you could use it
The Easky will be OK for fairly open class 1 and 2. I’ve used my 15’ Easky on mild whitewater a few times. The old Olympic whitewater downriver boats were 13’ long (though narrower and with more rocker so they turned faster, like the Pirouette I suggested.) The Easky has a standard cockpit that will fit a good spray skirt and it has dual bulkheads.

Easky sold
The easky sold. Guess the ladies husband sold it off when she was at work today. Back to Craigslist definitely going to look at the other ones posted.

What a let down I was pretty excited about the easky.

Kwi aurora kayak
Kwi aurora kayak 12ft for $400 thoughts?

Not an Easky!
It’s nowhere near as good a deal, or as good a kayak, as an Easky.



I think you can do better.

16 ft. Necky Eskia Kayak
I’m setting up a time to go look at this 16 ft. Necky Eskia Kayak for 400 it’s just soooo big storing it will be tough but as long as my little care can handle it I should be fine