You could call this a “public service announcement”
I am going to pick up a new Rebel Kayak in Billings Montana sometime in the Spring of 2025. Probably in March.
In speaking to Jacqueline of the Vitamin Sea Paddle Shop I am letting everyone know she will be bringing about 10 kayaks through the USA along I 94 and I-90 going across the northern USA to then go back into Vancouver Canada. She let me know there will be at least 2-3 others on her truck that are “up for grabs” so if any paddlers in the USA would like to meet her anywhere on I-94 or I-90 from about Fargo ND clear to north western Washington and would like to buy a new Rebel kayak, please PM me and I’ll put you in touch with her, or contact her directly at info@vitaminsea.ca
All options on all 9 Rebel kayaks currently made are available, and for the coming spring trip delivery is free anywhere along that stretch of US highways if the date and time is arraigned first.
A buddy of mine picked up a Rebel TOC and absolutely loves it for use in Lake Tahoe. Unlike many Greenland boats - the TOC has plenty of room along with speed, stability, and super easy rolling.
His name is Mike Myers. Sorry, I don’t have his contact information as I left Reno back in early 2020 so lost contact. Why not contact Turner Wilson or Cheri Perry as they sell them. I am sure Turner could give you a good review of that boat. He is at Kayakways.net I believe. I know Turner and Cheri as I paddled with them quite a bit about 8-10 years ago.
As to Lake Tahoe - it is one of the few paddling destinations where my boat comes out cleaner than it went it!! The water stays in the low 60’s even in mid summer (though warmer close to the beach/launch) so remember to dress for immersion. Cheers! Scott
I bought my Tok form VitemanSea paddle shop in Canada because Kayak Ways would not answer my e-mail and they make it a point to have no phone number. I hear a lot of good about them, but it may be they are both getting old enough that business is not important to them anymore or perhaps health concerns are getting i the way I don’t know. What I do know is that Jacqueline in New Brunswick was VERY helpful and outgoing to try to answer all my questions and Cherry Perry has never even once answered an e-mail and Turner Wilson has, but only 1 in 4, and always about 3 to 4 weeks later then I wrote to him and his answer are super short and brief. No effort is given to helping out or trying to have any dialog at all. I have to assume that attention before a sale is not going to be different then it is after a sale and if it was it’s likely to be even less after they have the money. Not so with Jacqueline. She’s been so helpful with not just answers but also a lot of feedback, suggestions comments to hep me in areas I was unaware of and simply treated me like an old friend. So my kayak is now paid in full and all of my dollars went to her business.
It’s also the reason for the my post in the 1st place.
Well, I can’t disagree with you about Turner/Cheri - as it has been quite a few years since I contacted them. (about 5) That is great you found someone responsive and supportive - that makes alot of difference.
I live in the Myrtle Beach SC area - otherwise I would grab a TOC myself. I paddled ocean cockpit boats since 2005 when I got one of the first Impex Outer Island boats with an OC. After that I went full Greenland and had a Thommason (sp) Black Pearl built for me and never looked back. Now I am older and mostly paddle bumpy water though a longer cruise would be nice as we have the “inland waterway” here in the Myrtle Beach area that is essentially a tidal river hundreds of miles long from NC to Savannah. Doing that in a rockered playboat would be too painful!
Anyway, enjoy your inbound TOC and do try to get to Tahoe - the eastern short has lots of features you will like.
Tahoe is an awesome place to paddle. I have only paddled there once, so far but it was as if my kayak was designed for that type of water. It made it seem like a completely different boat, compared to paddling smaller waters. I’m not paddling a high dollar touring boat, but it’s still pretty great!
I grew up in the Pinyon range to the east of Carson City and I have been to Tahoe hundreds of times but have not paddled a kayak in it yet. That’s coming. I have canoed it and caught fish and craw-dads as well as hunted deer in the surrounding mountains so it hold dear memories for me. I hope to get back there and kayak across it a few times some day. The crowds today are overwhelming at times from what my Sister tells me, but in the 60s and very early 70s it was not that way. Water is so clear and cold that most people think you are lying or exaggerating when you tell them.
That is all true. I have lived in the Reno-Sparks area since 1976, when one could drive up to The Lake, park alongside the road and hike down to the water to enjoy a swim without many folks being around at all. I don’t know about paddling across the lake, but we plan to paddle from a launching point near Meeks Bay to Emerald Bay, someday…maybe!
Very cool.
Maybe You, my Sister and I should all do a trip on Tahoe in the not-too-distant future. Might be fun. I get to Nevada around Carson and Reno every year or 2.
TOC kayak should be here in about 2 weeks. Customs in Canada forced Jacqueline to delay her trip by about 1 month.
In addition to the TOC, I may be able to also take a Jara at the same time if God blesses me. So inside a few weeks I hope to post some impressions about paddling both the TOC and the Jara. The Jara is a LV version. Rudder-ready, but none installed. I may or may not add one sometime in the future depending on how well it handles with only the skeg.
It’s all speculation about the Jara as I write this, but it may actually happen. I’ll know fairly soon, within 2 weeks or so.
And one more note. Instead of her meeting me at a stop in Billings as was the 1st plan, she’s coming to my home instead. It’s a very long shot…but anyone reading this who may want to get a Rebel kayak and who is within a reasonable distance of Riverton or Shoshoni Wyoming might want to come here and see what he has left to sell after this trip. It’s likely to be the ONLY free delivery she’ll be able to do, and in the future the will probably be stiff tariffs on all kayaks so the cost of one will go up about $1000 or more from the current pricing. So although central Wyoming is a long way from “Kayaking central” it may be worth your time and milage to come here and buy one if that’s of any interest to any of you. Yellowstone Park will be open then, so maybe it could be an early vacation to combine a trip to the Park with the purchase of a rebel kayak too?
Cool. If you are interested in a Rebel, let Jacqueline know soon.
She is going to be driving back to New Brunswick in about 2-3 weeks and anything she has now can be purchased between now and then. She’ll take it off the market if it’s paid for or has a down payment o n it.
And then, anything she still has on the trailer after she leaves my home, which is still not spoken for can be bought from her face to face.
So this may be the best chance to get one before far higher pricing goes into effect, with delivery charges and also tariffs are added from now on.
She may sell any or all of those 3 before she gets back to New Brunswick too, so anyone interested should e-mail her to get a status on what’s still on her trailer.
She’s bringing 2 of them to me and as of the 24th of March, those 3 listed above are all that’s left for sale until she orders others in the future. All of which may be far more costly due to higher tax and also the fact that this was her “intro-offer” so free delivery across the north of the USA was included, but will not be in future orders.
She told me to expect about a $1000 delivery fee in the future hopefully to be divided between 6-8 kayaks,----- but that remains to be seen.
That’s the plan. I have a TOC and a Jara coming. The Toc is paid in full and the Jara I will buy from her face to face.
I have never spoken to anyone that owns a TOC, but as of now I have corresponded for 3 people who have Jaras and so far they reviews are nothing but high praise.
I feel like a 10 year old boy 2 weeks before Christmas.
Jacqueline will be here in 2 weeks. She plans to be here on 4/12/25.
I’ll post my impressions of the TOC and the Jara not long after that.
Of the 17 or 18 kayaks she took across Canada and into Washington, as I write this there are only 3 left to sell, and of those 3 one is very likely to sell here at my home to a friend of mine. My friend Steve M. is going to have cash in hand when he comes to see the 3 she has on board. He doesn’t throw money around easily, so I think it’s about 98% sure he’ll take one of them also. It’s my guess he’ll take the Ilaga but there is a chance he’s opt for the other TOC. I am not certain of Steve buying one but I think the odds are very good he will. What I am certain of is that of the kayaks she comes here with, she’ll leave with at least 2 less. My 2.
That will probably leave 1 TOC and 1 Illka left on the trailer, going back home. If I can be helpful to her I’ll try to find at least 1 more customer to buy one here at my home. I want to make this trips VERY successful for her.
If I can, I 'll help her to leave my home with 3 less ---- and maaaaaybe 4 less.
Good times coming this spring and summer.
As a side note; I will be selling my Sea Lion and my Fathom to make room for the 2 new ones, so if anyone is interested, and close enough to Wyoming (Maybe going to Yellowstone Park?) let me know.
