what about this one?
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/boa/1238047714.html
Was listed about 20 min ago.
I would like to try out boats, but really don’t want to spend $35 for the local rental. I’m having a hard time finding local outfitters and local help. I’m really not sure what I’m doing… Its kinda frustrating.
In think it was Audry Sutherland who
Said, " Go Now , Go cheap"
Your in college and you don’t have a lot of time. Get a boat and go whenever you can and where ever you can. I rowed the lakes of Central Florida and the Florida Keys with a cheap Sevlor inflatable raft when I was in college. I made oars out of 5 foot mohawk canoe paddles that I cut the T off of the handle. I went everywhere and snorkled and spent the night. I carried a patch kit and a pump and I never put the boat in a situation that I could not swim out of. (ie: no cold water, no tide currents I could not snorkle without a boat)
That raft lasted several years after my graduation and I got a canoe.
Now I have several kayaks and one of them is a really expensive Kevlar model. It don’t have a lot more fun than when I was in college with the rubber raft. Back them I hadn’t been out much, now I go farther and try to go to new places the fun is the same the gear is better.
The boat doesn’t matter. Borrow one. Use and inner tube. Trade baby sitting for one. It doesn’t matter, you just need to get out there as soon as you can, then you can start getting better skills and gear as you go along.
thousands of boat models
Have you checked out the pnet reviews? Look up the model you see & sometimes the reviewer will mention his/her size, experience, type/location of paddling, etc. for the boat he’s reviewing. The more you have in common with the reviewer, the better. You seem to be in a hurry to get out there, so go ahead and get a boat - but absolutely learn to do this safely.
Pnet reviews
There are 82 reviews of the Perception Swifty 9.5
and 42 reviews of the Dagger Blackwater 11.5
This should be enough info for you.
For small lakes and rivers
The Swifty is an excellent boat. Even though I have other kayaks I still enjoy taking out my Swifty from time to time.
A < 10’ boat, a paddle like the Carlisle Day Tripper, a PFD that fits you, foam to strap the yak to your car’s roof and your ready to do some paddling.
You don’t need to spend a bunch of money to enjoy paddling!
Good first boat
This was basically my first boat when I was in college (I got the Montour from perception, this is daggers version)and I love it. It’s a little more than boat the swifty so it will let you develop more and go more places than the swifty will. The rear hatch is nice to keep things dry or at least drier. And the skeg (I think it has one) will also help you track better (go straight).
When I first go a boat I was in your same situation, didn’t want to spend a bunch of money demoing boats, since that would make it harder to afford a boat. I basically bought the best boat I could find for my budget and then the cheapest paddle that looked half decent and the cheapest life jacket I could find. I was lucky to have a roof rack on my car so all I needed were some straps, if you don’t have a roof rack you can just use foam blocks for an easy cheap way to transport your kayak.