Tsunami SP v. Eliza
I have sat in both the plastic Eliza and a Tsunami SP. I am 5’ tall, 125 pounds. The plastic Eliza felt barge-like. The seat of the SP was a tad too narrow for me but might be perfect for you as you are thinner. The SP deck height is also much lower and much preferable, in my opinion.
Having started out in a barge myself (Cayuga 146), I would encourage you to avoid too-big boats at all costs. Can’t comment on the Cayuga 130, have never even seen one.
Reconsider…
you’re not going to keep up with your husband. He’ll have to consider slowing down if you want to paddle together, in my opinion. I would suggest you guys look at a canoe for two for your weekend camping outings. If that goes well then you can take your time and look for used kayaks or sleek/faster solo canoes in the next 12 months. Actually, you might want to consider getting a used canoe too. Why not save some money, have a great time in the outdoors and then when you’re ready to make an upgrade sell the used canoe to your envious friends and let them join you?
Tsunami SP
I’m 5’ and about 110lbs and for me the Eliza felt too deep when I sat in it. The height of the deck isn’t much different then many other kayaks. I’ve paddled the Tsunami SP and loved it. Its a great fit, stable, and surprisingly fast for its length. The only problem I had was that I fit into the ones with the original thigh braces but I can’t fit in with the new thigh braces although it would be easy to fix and might not even be a problem for you.
I was wondering about the Merlin…
– Last Updated: May-05-08 10:18 PM EST –
^ I actually did see a used one of those for $1250... Hmmm...
Some additional possibilities …
– Last Updated: May-07-08 12:02 AM EST –
Some of these are no longer in production, but can be found from time to time in the used marketplace
Current Designs Slipstream
Current Designs Rumour
Wilderness Systems Sparrow Hawk
P&H Vela
P&H Capella 161
Edit:
Agree with Marshall's additions, plus:
North Shore Fuego
The Tempest 165 is a perfect fit day boat/3-4 day camping boat for me at 5'8" and 160lbs. I think it likely is too much boat for you. I think you would likely lose too much efficiency paddling boats much over 16' long, but up to 16.5' is probably OK. The 14-16' range would likely be a better match for your size.
Check out Craigslist for a Fuego.
Cheers,
~wetzool
Re the Merlin LT
I’ve tried it - found that I had to have my legs splayed out way too far for comfort to catch the thigh braces and I am 5’4". Just my input.
Consider a drive to Portland
– Last Updated: May-06-08 8:25 AM EST –
Maine Island Kayak, on Peak's Island. Not right away, but when you want to get a little more serious about getting some exposure to bigger water skills. We used to drive thru your region of NH to get to our rental place in Maine. I think if you look at a map, it's as close to Portland as to many of the other coastal places suggested.
More for skills and a tour, less for the boat since I can't assure that they'd have a boat that really well fit both your budget and your size.
Composite Eliza better
for smaller women. Not many women are your size!! Sorry, but that is truth, and so if a women’s specific boat designed for the average woman is too small guess what? Most women need as much butt room as many men and they also need thigh room, albeit in a different way.
Based on your size I’d say Avocet LV or Romany LV, and perhaps Vela and Rumour
flatpick can confirm or deny
but I heard that it was his favorite boat, back in the day.
Is it true that he had a hand in its design?
I’m looking for a boat for my wife and would snap up a Merlin LT in a heartbeat if I could find one at a good price. Changes I would make: 1) Swap out the seat back and put in a backband. 2) Swap out the Eddyline deck mounts and replace them with the Impex kind (those little black dealy bobs that hold down the bungees and deck line. 3) Run a perimeter line the full length of the boat (the Eddyline ones stop about half way up and half way back, but there’s an eye at the front and back that would work perfectly). 4) Outfit the boat to fit (you do that with any boat, Celia).
Advantages of the boat: 1) Stable yet incredibly manuverable. A nice compromise on the hull’s V. 2) Sea worthy. 3) Great hatches.
4) I like the material. 5) Incredibly light (about 35 lbs.).
Drawbacks: No skeg (but it’s a short boat). High back deck. It’s not slow, but good luck if you’re husband’s got a fast boat and is intent on leaving you behind (your hubby wouldn’t do that to you).
Add. models
That $1000 cap puts a definite limit on options. Possibly you might fit into an EPIsea. 14’ sea kayak designed for kids. I used to use them in my teen programs, but the kids got bigger and liked using the composite Impex boats in the fleet. Go figure.
If you can move to the composite price range, Wetzool’s got a good list going. I’d add on an Impex Mystic & Force 3. Wholly different kayaks so you’re going to need to get on the water with them.
You realize that you don’t need to wait for the Big Demo Day to get out on the water to try out kayaks. Try calling the retailer that has the kayaks you’re interested in and set up a private test paddle time, preferrable with an instructor that can help you find what attributes of the kayak that make you smile the most on the water.
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
Need photos to gie proper advice…
– Last Updated: May-06-08 11:17 AM EST –
Bikini photos would be the best so that we could get a good idea of the size of boat you may need.
;)
Paddle easy,
Coffee
I posted this some years back…
Granted, I still use this boat for camp/paddling only, anymore. Other than that I really don’t use it much at all. I am so far out of date anymore (having just came back to p.net after a three (3) year hiatus)I couldn’t even tell you if composite boats are still the “best”…LOL. Anyways-
Depends on what you are gonna…
Posted by: coffeeII on Aug-12-03 10:12 PM (EST)
Use it for… Are you going to do rivers? Slow or fast? Lakes? Big or inland lakes? Ocean? Camping? Fishing? Hunting? Sport? Speed? Cardiovascular? Touring? Racing? Goofing around?.. See what I am getting at? There are so many reasons to get a particular boat for you. I origionaly wanted to get mine for a “new twist” on camping, fell in love with it & now me & my friends all have em (almost all of em’). We use them for paddling rivers & lakes, swimming from them, Myself & another friend are gonna hunt from them. Figure what you want it for & go from there. If you want to do mostly “big water” paddling get a longer boat. If you’re gonna be going down twisty-turny rivers or smaller inland lakes, get a shorter boat… Everyone has their own prefences on what type & brand of boat to get (mostly because they own what they are praising). Get what works for you!!
The following is a “shorty” on a camping/kayaking trip me an acouple of friends went on. It was the “maiden voyage” for the pungo & the america.
Critter’s and shorter boats
Posted by: coffeeII on May-14-03 10:16 PM (EST)
I have a critter. It is absolutely a dream for camping while you paddle. It holds all 40lbs of gear I take + myself & food and water. That’s almost 250lbs. The waterline barely changes with that much weight in it. I can manuver excellent. We went on a three day trip afew weeks ago and my buddies used me more or less as a scout for upcoming falls & tribtaries and rapids, becuase of my ability to go “anywhere” and “get out fast”. They had a Pungo 140 and an America, both of which were atleast 12 footers, so my 9’ boot was perfect for checking out the “up & coming” for the long guys. Even with my “load-out” (gear), I was paddling through water only afew inches deep with little effort even when hanging up on rocks. While they were having…let’s just say alittle trouble and alot of frustration at some points. I was mauvering through downed trees & having to shore my boat and go help the longer boats get through what I just went through. All in all, It was a good trip for us all!! But back to the point at hand , I love it! I can effortlesly put it up on my blazer and throw it into “practicaly” any water source and paddle!!!
Paddle easy,
Coffee
More on the Merlin LT
– Last Updated: May-06-08 12:12 PM EST –
Sheesh - I certainly know about outfitting a boat. Anyone who has seen the inside of my Vela knows that.
However, the problem I had with the LT can't be corrected with typical outfitting because there is AIR where I want something over my thighs. Yeah a Greenland style masik might do it, or thigh braces built up well inside of the cockpit from the coaming edge like I've seem some do in the Rumour, but I can't see suggesting that a newer paddler bother with this level of fuss when there are boats out there that will do the job without all of that.
Flatpick's fit and comfort in the boat is not reflective of what it's like for an average to smaller than average, reasonably lean female.
Obviously this person should sit in the boat, if one can be found, to check it out. But outfitting per se is not always enough when there is no deck in the right place to outfit.
By the way, among the boats suggested the Vela would give a smaller woman aat least a sporting chance to sprint as fast as a guy.
Tempest 165
Some of the boats mentioned here–capella, etc–are really rockered. That means the bottom is curved lengthwise, which helps in turning, but is a real drawback for going straight, fast, and keeping up with others.
the t165 is the small-person version of the tempest, which is an excellent all-around boat. I paddle a tempest 170 in plastic. The beauty of the tempest line is that they will take you from rank beginner to pro. They work for beginners because of a solid primary stability–they don’t feel as tippy as some other real sea kayaks. But, they are also performance boats, which means you can go as far as you want in the skills and adventuring with them. Many of us around here in the seattle area paddle tempests. Many others paddle explorers (too big for you, unless there’s a low volume version I don’t know about.)
If you stick with kayaking and want to become a skilled yaker, boats like the Cayuga and other recreational boats are yaks you will quickly grow out of. Same with the tsunami line, although the SP (small person) tsunami model might be an exception to the rule. I’d definitely try that one out, too.
I’ve known a handful of people around here who bought capella’s, merlins, and other such boats out of the gate, and sold them within a year, for tempests.
Explorer LV
Exists, I have one, but to be accurate about the volume it is the exact same hull as the regular and the HV version. NDK fussed with the decks and the cockpit openings to make the boat fit right for each group.
The reason I didn’t mention it was that it is maybe overshooting the mark for this paddler. It’s a full length expedition boat so could be a pain to get on and off a car for the purpose at and, and it isn’t likely going to be found at that price point even used.
There are also concerns to be had the fact that the deck is tuned rather than the volume. For someone with regular big water needs, that kind of thing isn’t so fatal because they’ll likely be carrying water and gear even on day paddles. But for this case, 17 ft and several inches seems to be an awful lot more boat to be hauling around than they need.
explore LV
hmmm…good point. I was thinking though nutmeg sounded like she wanted to grow into yaking and also camp. The T165 is 16 and half feet, I think, and probably weighs 50 or 55 pounds in plastic. It has enough room to haul a decent load of camping gear.
about $1700 or so new, at least for a new T170 in plastic. But then again, I got mine used for $700!
All the stats are easily checked on the Wilderness Systems site.
Women kayak?
– Last Updated: May-06-08 3:11 PM EST –
You hit on a huge gap in the kayak world - lower volume boats forÊwomen. The industry has forgotten you. It's so dumb but true. Very few manufacturers make lower volume boats for women and especially in plastic in the lower price range. You may try looking at the Necky Eliza. It's made supposedly for women.
http://www.neckykayaks.com/kayaks/touring/eliza_polymer.shtml
rethinking
I know camping was mentioned, but “expedition dreams” are one of the the common buying mistakes. It makes no sense to buy a boat with enough volume for a multi-day trip if 95% of your padddling will be day trips or shorter.
Even a “women’s” kayak like the Eliza or Tsunami 135 weighs 50 pounds. That’s half of this poster’s body weight. I certainly wouldn’t have wanted an 80-pound kayak as my first boat.
Since this person is raring to go, I’m leaning more toward something like the Tsunami SP. It’s only 35 pounds, 21" beam, dual bulkheads, and only $640 at REI right now. It won’t fufil the camping/distance role, but it’d be a good safe boat for building skills, and will be a fine short-tripper/easy river boat if she eventually adds a sea kayak.
55 pounds in plastic–T165.
http://www.wildernesssystems.com/tempest-165
SP might be the way to go though. needs to try both and some other boats.
http://www.wildernesssystems.com/tsunami-sp
do you know of any 80 pound one person yaks in any material? I only know of doubles at that weight.