Quest from Dick's Sporting Goods

I need help. I bought a Kayak from Dick’s Sporting Goods without knowing too much about them. I like my kayak just fine. I usually only take it on the rivers around my house and have no problem doing quite a few miles in a day. What I’m needing is to buy a skirt for it because it’s getting a little cold when we do our 10-20 mile trips on the river now that’s it’s december. The problem is I have no idea what size the skirt is supposed to be and I can’t find anything skirts that are built to fit my kayak because I can’t really find that the kayak exists anywhere besides at dick’s sporting goods. It’s a Quest Kayak from Dick’s. It’s 9’6" and that’s about all I can find on it. Does anyone know who the manufacturer is and why I can’t find any information on it when I try to google it?



Thanks,

Brandon

measure the cockpit
Skirts are not brand- or model-specific. They simply need to be the correct approximate size for the cockpit opening of your boat. Measure the width and length of your cockpit, and then you can go to a kayak shop and find a rec kayak skirt that will fit it.



Best of all, bring the boat along to the store, so you can test-fit it.

Thanks
The only thing I was worried about is that the opening for my Kayak is really big compared to most! I’m just hoping they make a skirt that is big enough.

Large skirts are available
Your kayak is probably manufactured for Dick’s by another company. Many of these models are specific to Dick’s (or some other large retailer)only and not available elsewhere. Look around on the boat for a stamp and you might luck out but probably not. Not sure about outdoor places in Missouri, but Seal Skirts have sizes to fit nearly every boat. Try googling them and see what fits the length and width of your particular boat. Your kayak is “recreational” with a large cockpit that is probably similar to many other brands with similar cockpit sizes. Find a store that specializes in canoes and kayaks if possible in your area. Dick’s and like retailers are not the best choice for purchasing a boat because they really have no info to give you other than what’s on the price tag, which you are finding out.

is it like…

– Last Updated: Dec-02-09 11:53 AM EST –

...this one? http://www.directboats.com/quest95.html?productid=quest95&channelid=FROOG The length matches your description.

This same site appears to sell skirts.

If not, measure it as previously suggested.

Riot Quest ?
http://riotkayaks.com/ They have skirts under accessories.

Sealskins

quest
Your Quest, by another name is a Perception Swifty. The cockpit is able to fitted by a Harmony product. They’re only available in nylon as far as I know, but it’s been a while. Fun boat for beginners, fooling around, running riffles, and breaking the ice this time of year.

definitely not a Swifty
and there is nothing remotely similar about the design of the two boats, much less the consruction.



As far as the skirt, just measure the lenght and width od the cockpit and purchase the skirt from a third party who specializes in spray skirts.

2nd that -
not at all a swifty. Totally different. Just a heads up on the nylon sprayskirts - i bought a Harmony medium which is quite large for my sparky (a swifty with a hard seat) and after a short while the water soaks thru the sprayskirt and you will get very wet depending on your paddle and style of paddling. Neoprene is best but you would need to have one custom made as i have not found one for my little boat.

What’s your clothing?

– Last Updated: Dec-04-09 9:29 AM EST –

I presume the skirt is needed to keep cold splashy water off you and maybe to trap a little warmth, though with a really big cockpit the latter may be limited benefit. The above complaints about nylon skirts are correct, eventually the coating goes and they leak. But paying for a neoprene skirt for that boat seems pretty silly too. It'll cost a lot, and by spring you well may want another boat.

Also, the seat back is pretty high in these boats. (I figure they are these? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRi-hIedgaw) A sloppy old nylon skirt may be easier to manage around that seat back than a neoprene.

So how about you solve some of this problem by getting a pair of waterproof pants, also some kind of water-blocking socks? You can put warm layers under them, and you'll have something you can wear in the rain when not paddling as well. It seems like a better investment than going crazy on a skirt for a boat that may have a very limited hold time.

why would he want another boat?
especially come spring?



Spoiler alert:



BrandonBaker, you’d better just return it right now and get an NDK . If you don’t, you’re going to hear about it from the NDK crowd. That’s why paying for a neoprene skirt for “that boat” seems kind of silly.

Sheesh

– Last Updated: Dec-04-09 10:09 AM EST –

Should we do a count of how many people here started out with a boat in the ten ft range and found themselves wanting something more after spending a few months trying it on longer, like 10-20 mile trips? I think this kind of question has come up before, and it isn't exactly a small group.

I suspect most of them have NOT gone out and gotten a glass Brit sea kayak for the second boat. I know we didn't. Neither the bucks nor the particular interest were there at that point.

You probably didn't check, but the OPer has also checked off a number of potential paddling environments in which he is interested that would not be a good match for this boat. Or perhaps you'd decide to learn how to handle ocean surf in the 10' Quest rather than the Sirocco I think you still have?

Worked at DSG during college yrs
Each store carries a Quest or general brand skirt that is a one size fits all job. Certainly can’t give the skirt good reviews but it will get the job done. One of the biggest prolems with the skirts is that they tend to slip off the kayak’s lip easily.



Just ask a sales associate and they should be able to help. You can always return what doesn’t work. Also, at DSG always ask for coupons; they have them ready to hand out!

sent you a note

– Last Updated: Dec-04-09 10:14 PM EST –

if in fact, your Quest is a Swifty or similar to it then I have a really nice Wilderness Systems skirt that will fit it, size 4.2.

you can also . . .
put seam sealer (like you use for tents) on the seams of that nylon skirt to keep the water from seeping through. That, plus the suggested waterproof pants, should make you comfortable.

G in NC

Now you know Celia has a thing
About short boats & is always telling newbies there will need a longer model !

Riot Quest
Your boat is very likely a Riot Quest. See the Riot Kayaks website for more info. You can also use the site to locate a Riot dealer near you.

On the record…

– Last Updated: Dec-05-09 1:28 PM EST –

From thread on (currently) page 2 asking about a beginning kayak... after I had mentioned a few things about pumpkinseed boats that most here have likely seen occur..
"All that said, Swifties and their kin are fantastic boats for getting on easy water not too distant from shore and paddling around, and except for one relative of mine who can capsize anything they seem to stay upright quite well. If you aren't interested in doing more than that right now, these boats are hard to beat. We spent several summers doing just that... as well as things that we should not have been doing with a Swifty."

Aside from whatever name GK may be lurking under, I'd be curious to know if either of you guys have ever made it a regular habit to go for 20 mile trips in a ten footer. Feel free to send pics if you did so and found it enjoyable.

skirts
Go to a real kayak dealer and take the boat. He’ll happily measure the boat for the proper size skirt and if they don’t have the skirt in stock they can order one, doesn’t take forever to get this time of year either. One of the reasons to buy from a real dealer in the first place is they actually service what they sell, unlike “Dicks” and other big box stores.



Bill H.