There’s another current thread (among many others) that has been helpful, but my needs are different enough to warrant asking for my own advice.
My wife and I kayak to get away from people and be in nature. We will be on calm mountain lakes exclusively. We like to explore often small and shallow inlets and coves, so a 10’-12’ kayak will be best for maneuverability. I scrape the bottom or submerged rocks and trees a lot, so blowup kayaks are out of the question.
I am a beginner for sure, and really don’t intend on progressing past beginner status. We just cruise around lakes and watch the wildlife. I have a FeelFree Lure 10 currently, and due to bad shoulders, bad knees, etc. am looking for something lighter while still being stable like the Lure 10 is. If the new kayak was faster and tracked better, I certainly wouldn’t complain! Budget is up to $2,000 or so.
The following are kayaks that get suggested consistently, with the weight of the Skimmer 106 being hard to ignore. I’d love to get suggestions amongst this list or others that I’ve missed.
Any kayak wder than 24” is going to be stable in flat water , especially the short recreational models that you are considering. 29” is wider than my solo 13’ canoe!
Stable is relative. Narrower vee hulled rather than flat hulled kayaks are more stable in waves and less apt to capsize.
I think it would be well worth investing in the lightest kayak on your list, though I will suggest another option. I am 74 and have a fleet of boats and prefer to keep them under 45 pounds. Mine range from a 12’ folding kayak that weighs 24 pounds up to a 16’ convertible solo to tandem sit on top that weighs 33 pounds and even an 18’ wood framed skin hulled sea kayak that weighs 32 pounds. I only have one plastic boat because those are typically so heavy. Plastic sit on tops are always beastly heavy because they have essentially a full double hull. So theytend to be 30% to 50% heavier than single hulled boats of tge same length and width
You may also want to consider ultralight solo canoes. My 13’ Curtis Lady Bug weighs 32 pounds and companies like Hornbeck make solo canoes as light as 15 pounds. The ultralights are made of high tech materials like carbon fiber and can be costly, but you can often find older solo models like mine made of fiberglass for between $900 and $1500. For the kind of lake paddling you describe, a short solo canoe might be a better choice than a sit on top, and definitely lighter. And as we get older, a canoe is easier to get in and out of and also offers more flexibility in paddling position and comfort. And you can paddle solo canoes with a double bladed kayak paddle. There are models called pack canoes where you sit deeper inside the hull like in a sit on top kayak that are designed for double blade paddling.
Agree with @willowleaf … think about a solo canoe. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve taken out one of my kayaks this season. Except on windier days, I’ll almost always take my Northstar Magic (Starlight, 27 lbs) instead. However, I would choose a more durable lay-up if I were a frequent paddler of shallow and rocky waters.
Thanks for the replies so far! I will start looking in to solo canoes. Do you have any specific models that will be tough enough to scrape the bottom with?
Many of the builders offer different material layups that offer more resistance to abrasion. it would be helpful to know what part of the country you are living in since geographic availability is pretty important with boats unless you are prepared to pay a lot and risk the damage that can occur with shipping. You can also add stick on protective strips of rubbery material to the hulls of boats to protect against scraping damage. But just roots and gravel bars are not going to cause significant damage to most canoe hull layups. I don’t fret about superficial scratches on the bottom of my boats ( there are people who freak out about it on their own) but I always say, “who cares what the fish can see?”
Curtis still makes canoes like mine under the name Hemlock canoes, located in mid upstate New York. He always has used and consignment boats in his stock – here is a link to the current listings:
Try doing a search for “solo canoe” on Facebook Marketplace for your area. Craigslist used to be where people would sell used sporting goods regionally, but in recent years most people have switched to Facebook Marketplace. I’ve found most of my used kayaks and my canoe via that platform over the past 10 years. I drove to upstate NY to pick up my solo canoe when I found the listing up there by expanding my search area. I was driving that way anyway to visit a friend in Maine so I just stopped on the way.
I will also mention that quality inflatable and folding kayaks don’t sustain the damage you are imagining when encountering rocks or submerged logs. They tend to bounce off, though they can drag as you attempt to cross over them. When I have run into that with my soft shelled kayaks the water is usually shallow enough that I just climb out and wade the boat to deeper water. Higher end inflatables and folders (many of which have inflatable sponson tubes inside their rigid frames) have the inflation bladders inside a heavier and very puncture resistant fabric or PVC outer skin.
Here are a couple of photos from the annual Solo Canoe Rendezvous north of Pittsburgh, PA, that I attended 4 weeks ago. Lots of different models available.
I’m with you. Scratches and wear just add character. Just ask my Jeep. I just want the boat to be tough, not pretty.
I’m in Northern California, up by Chico. There are shops that sell kayaks about 2 hours away from me, so once I get better educated, we’ll talk to those shops and see what they can get for me. Used is not of interest.
It looks like my canoe choices will be limited, as a seat with back support is mandatory.
Many solo canoes, especially the pack style where you sit down low in the hull like in a kayak, do have back support. And, as was mentioned earlier, you can buy aftermarket seats or add on seat backs for any canoe. personally, I don’t like how a high seat back inhibits efficient paddling. My canoe has a canted webbing seat with no back but being tilted forward means I don’t feel like I need back support.
Yeah, you will have trouble finding a lot of solo canoe choices in California. They are very popular in the Northeast and the Upper Midwest, where inland lake and narrow river paddling are such popular sports.
If you are handy with basic woodwork, Brian Schulz of Cape Falcon Kayaks in Oregon has designed and shared instructions and building workshops for ultra ultra light and very tough wood framed canoes and kayaks in all sizes that have ballistic nylon skins coated with 2 part epoxy. I have a sea kayak made that way and you can’t even puncture the hull with a claw hammer or screwdriver. You could build a couple that would weigh under 25 pounds each for a few hundred dollars and some sweat equity. He has designed the scaled sizes to nest together. you could build a 12’ for yourself and an 11’ one for the missus and carry them nested together on your car.
Cheap Old Town Guide 119 pack canoe in San Luis Obispo for $250. Usually close to 50 pounds but still lighter than some of the kayaks you were considering.
I have an Eddyline Caribbean 14FS and couldn’t be happier with it. That may be more longer than what you want. But like the 10-foot version, it’s 29 inches wide. It’s very stable, even on open saltwater bays with a slight chop. Highly recommended.
The Skimmer appears to be a nice boat, too, but the build and detail work on the Eddyline feels and looks superior.
Speaking of Pelican, my neighbor bought this one for a couple hundred dollars for his kid and we wanted to try our dog out in it before we bought him a pack canoe.
We all went down to the Nekar River near our village. You can see the sizing, my husband is 195 pounds, 6’1”
Good choices and many good suggestions. I will add a Crescent Ultralite to the mix. See Dan’s Ultralite review at Headwaters Kayak or this on water review:
I own a Ck1 and have paddled both. They have high primary stability but still paddle well through a variety of water conditions. The Ultralite is 49 pounds.
They are (relatively) quick for their girth and poly construction, and are built like tanks. I particularly like the cockpit features and pricing for a lower priced SOT with adjustable foot pegs.
I love Eddyline products but I have not paddled their SOTs. I have not been impressed with Hurricanes–the few I have been around/in seem a little flimsy when you compare them to Eddyline or Delta. But I have not owned one.
Sorry for not updating, I thought the thread was sufficiently dead.
I ended up ordering a Hurricane Skimmer 106 for two reasons: It’s the lightest, and the only kayak shop within 2 hours of me is a dealer for Hurricane. They can’t keep them in stock, so that’s a good sign.
It will be quite a while until I update with my thoughts. Shoulder surgery has to come first.
I just want the boat to be tough, not pretty.
