Hey everyone,
I am thinking of buying a kayak (my first)I am an avid canoer and want to start into kayaking. I have paddled a Dagger Crossover and would like suggestions on good versatile all around boat to look for.Versatile I mean flatwater, whitewater and tripping. Please send any and all suggestions.
Thanks.
Prijon
Calabria
or
Yukon Expedition
MDM
Keep it simple worked for me
I was a canoe guy who went to kayaks also. I found that the department store boats worked better, cost less and were much easier to get than the expensive, special purchase ones. It’s very unlikely that the boat you start with will be the boat you finish with.
well you said versatile
you didnt say cheap…
http://www.feathercraft.com/kahuna.php
it is stable, will hold much much gear and has been taken to Greenland and rolled in the championships there (Dubside used a Kahuna before he got a Wisper)…you can store it in a closet too 
versatile?
Define versatile? As in flatwater+class 2 whitewater? if thats your intended purpose
Crossover/Enduro 12.5 should be good. i’ve looked at them and they remind me of my old school dagger crossfire river runner that i use in ocean/lakes. Yukon Expedition should be a way cool boat for everething except long ocean crossings,from the same niche as the Crossover.
I don’t know about “department store” boats. Sure if youre in the market for a beach toy but,at least here,department stores sell very,very recreational stuff.
Out of the boats i own/owned , i think the most versatile 2 are my Elaho(“short” at just 16’4’'decent speed,very playful/manouverable when empty,yet a decent tracking boat with lots of capacity for camping)
and the other was the Ocean Kayak Scrambler SOT.
goofy looking boat that can handle anything(playing in ocean waves, general recreational use,even camping)
and at 45 lbs light and only 11ft long, very easy to handle.