Greetings All,
We have a Perception Montour 11 and a (older) Perception Acadia 11' 4"....While I like the Acadia alot, My wife is always zigzagging in the Montour (she designated this one as hers)...tried it out yesterday...it for sure is almost always pulling to the left (confirmed from a few other reviews on this site) - the retractable skeg doesn't help.... Compared to the Acadia, it also feels like it just plows through the water and is feels noticeably slower...
The guy that sold me the Acadia, just happens to have a Dagger Baja 15'6" for sale (I think I can talk it to under 400 w/paddle and crappy pfd...he just sold the sister baja w/ non functional rudder for $300) - Think it is a good move? (both of us are well below the weight limit of the baja) We are still pretty new to kayaking - we kayak mostly in the canals around our area in south florida - the worst thing we have to worry about is a jack-ass speed boat gunning it when passing us in a no wake zone. Because of the temp here and the lack of waves in the canals we never use spray skirts - would you need them with this kayak since it sits lower?
Think better to wait, until we have more paddling time and the Montour truly drives us crazy?
Thanks,
Bob
//update
Pictures of the kayak
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/Rudder_Guts.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/Inside_cockpit_pedals.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/Left_pedal.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/Right_pedal.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/Rudder1.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/Rudder2.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/front.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/length1.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/length2.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/underside%20Rudder%20Guts.jpg
I liked my Baja
Most of the kayaks I’ve sold, wish I had back, from time to time, or, at least, have a soft spot for them. Only notable downsides of the Baja, to ME, were that the seat was not comfortable for my bony butt, and, I seem to recall that at 5 ft. 9 in. and size 9 1/2 shoes, my feet were cramped. Well, they’re cramped in the boats I have now, too. Sooner or later, you’ll get a need for speed, and the ability to cover distance. Might as well jump in, if you have a good deal. Just be prepared, as you’ll soon want another sea kayak, to go with it.
I thought the rudder mechanism was nicely designed. It does have a center lock. Back then, I wasn’t into torso rotation, or pressing on the foot braces. I don’t know if that setup will take much aggressive use of foot pressure.
Oh, I remember: Some of the Bajas were equipped with thigh braces – like a factory add-on. I did not have them, but wished I did. I would still say that not having them would be a real deficit, WRT skill building.
Went to go see it today…
Took a look at it today.
The guy who knew most about it wasn't there, for some reason the rudder wouldn't move with the foot pedals - it looked like too much slack in the wires... Later got a call to come back to take a look at it, it appears you need to sit in the cockpit for the rudder to engage w/ the foot pedals - does this sound right?
You can see pictures of the Kayak here:
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/Rudder_Guts.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/Inside_cockpit_pedals.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/Left_pedal.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/Right_pedal.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/Rudder1.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/Rudder2.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/front.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/length1.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/length2.jpg
http://bobchu.com/ebay/baja/underside%20Rudder%20Guts.jpg
The kayak doesn't look like it comes with thigh braces. Assuming the rudder works properly, what would you say a good price would be for this kayak?
Is it hard to add braces? Cut up some closed cell foam and some glue?
followup
Didn't you sit in it? And try the rudder? Yes, slack lines would make it seem to not work, if pushing by hand. In the right pedal photo, you can see that the sliding rail is rearward about 3 inches. That would put slack in the line. It doesn't take 3 inches of foot movement to swing the rudder; very little, really, maybe 3/4 inch or so.
That line to the bulkhead, from the pedals may not be doing its job. I think it's a solid line that would keep the system taught. Or, maybe bungee.
Note in the rudder mechanism photo, the center notch, with the 3rd control cable. That goes to a control at right rear of cockpit. That's to lock the foot pedals at center. Make sure it works.
From the pics, the plastic and foot brace parts look to be in good shape.
I guess it was at one time, possible to get a kit to add the thigh braces, which gave some keyhole shape to the cockpit. I could never find a set.
Yeah, you can add foam, but getting it keyhole-ish is more challenging than just adding a downward wedge or hook that follows the cockpit rim. I've done it on a skin-on-frame. You'd need enough height in that area for about 1 inch of foam, and you'd need a larger piece, to make the 1-inch part that glues in be continuous with the thicker hook -- all sculpted. And, you can't make toooo much extension to the keyhole shape, or it will flex too much, rather than provide leverage.
$400 sounds pretty good. I paddled the Baja mostly without a skirt. Mostly calm water on an inland lake.
[edit]
Oh, why is there water in it? How was it stored? Protected from sunlight? Inspect the bulkhead seals for obvious problems. And, the hatch lids, for cracking. Sight down the upside-down boat, to check for lateral warp. And oil-canning, banana warp, etc. Blah, blah...