what design of boat fits this bill?

nor
do I suspect that anyone suggesting that you wear a PFD in such conditions routinely wear a PFD in the bathtub, which statistically puts you at much greater risk of drowning given the frequency of bathing vs paddling, even for most paddlers.

for what reason
?

They have been blamed for…
… the transfer of invasive species between waterways. Most worrisome among these is the stuff called “rock snot”. An internet search will result in lots of info on the topic.

worried about the threat of invasive
species- a much more likely scenario is that species like “rock snot” are brought in by folks who aren’t drainin’ their boats completely. They swim on the yough and then swim on the gauley (which is to be expected if they’re swimmin’ on the yough), and they share their seeds and spores in a new environment.



Yeah, blame it on my felt soled booties, I’m sure that’s it. Funny thing is though, you don’t see the invasives on the creeks, its on the popular stretches of rivers where there are a lot of boaters. That’s how it is around my parts.



Its all good until you bring some firewood with ya from Atlanta to WV. Next thing ya know the trees have Christmas ornaments hangin’ on um year around, we got dem bugs too. Sometimes its not nice to share.

Actually, it’s been well documented…

– Last Updated: Dec-01-14 12:36 AM EST –

... that various species have been transferred between trout streams, often great distances across the country, and often in cases where no boats could possibly be involved. One of our local trout streams, a stream so small that you can almost reach across it with your fishing rod, has been involved. The streams with which it has "traded" are clear on the other side of the Great Plains.

It's not the felt-soled booties of paddlers who rarely even step in the water that are being blamed. It's the felt soles of countless trout fishermen who spend all of their time walking in the river, many of whom are wealthy or enthusiastic enough to travel all over the country pursuing their hobby. That's the only logical way that species within tiny streams too small for boats have been traded when it's occurred between the streams in the western mountain regions and a little prairie stream in southern Wisconsin. I'm, not saying I've researched this or that I'm some kind of expert, but I DO get tired of how the normal layman's reaction to such discoveries is that those who study such things "aren't even smart enough to see what's obvious".

In any case, all streams are probably doomed by man-made processes which we can't entirely prevent, but doing things to delay some of those processes as much as practical still makes sense.

If you are in Coast Guard patrolled
waters, it is the law to have one on board, but it doesn’t have to be worn.

In my state and most other states it is not mandatory in most inland waters, (maybe some exceptions in state parks)

I very seldom wear one in the type waters you are talking about. -Kind of stupid on a 90 degree day to have one on in waters that are only a foot or so deep.

With that said I never leave shore without one on the boat



Jack L

How about naming a few states
where it is a state law?



Jack L

Examples in the immediate Atlanta area
include the South Fork and Main Fork of Peachtree Creek (from Medlock Park to the Chattahoochee), the Yellow River above and below Yellow River Park in Gwinnett County, Big Creek below Roswell, the South River above and below hwy 155, and the “usual” Alcovy run from hwy 213 to Factory Shoals. Recently I checked out the Towaliga from High Falls State Park to hwy 42. I’ve done the Ocmulgee from Lloyd Shoals Dam to hwy 18. I’ve explored Murder Creek and the Little River near Eatonton.



Most involved some significant whitewater, and the risk of tree blockage. If you go just south of the Fall Line, you can find rivers and streams that are flat and that can often be paddled in both directions.



Check out the Paddle Georgia program. You can meet a lot of paddlers who look for new experiences on easier rivers.

That shallow not practical.
Water that is too shallow to wear a pfd in is also too shallow to paddle in. Push sticks might be more practical, but I question the enjoyment factor of boating in water that would be more appropriate for knee boots.

Jack, you are in the clear (I think)
I don’t think your state is one of them, Jack. Here are some, perhaps even all of them.



Alaska

Maryland

Missouri

Nebraska

New Jersey

Rhode Island

South Dakota

Vermont

I beg to differ on the “not hot” !
They are hotter than hell on a 90 degree day.

Why do you think racers leave them off in the summer



Jack L

Why a kayak?
You mentioned poling. The obvious answer is this (scroll to bottom of page)…



http://www.millbrookboats.com/tandem.htm



No need to drag, since it is lightweight. Put a rack on your pickup or one of those receiver hitch bed extensions and carry it easily.



A more affordable option would be a used royalex tandem in the sub-60lb range. For strictly downstream work, a used 14’ Wenonah Fisherman would work just fine.




Think outside the box
How about one of the better inflatables? I’ve got an Innova Safari and it’s a great boat, especially for what you’re describing. http://www.innovakayak.com/store/store.aspx#!/~/product/category=184322&id=465855

FeelFree Nomad SOT
9.5 ft long so it’s short enough to carry in the truck bed, 46 lb, molded-in handles and wheel in the keel make it easy to portage. would be perfect for exploring small twisty streams and pulling over strainers.

The jackets I have worn, quite a variety
have not been “hotter than hell” on 90 degree days. One difference may be that the whitewater over which I’m paddling on those hot days is quite a bit cooler. Certain lakes near Atlanta, especially Lake Lanier and Stone Mountain Lake, can get very warm and can seem, subjectively, to radiate heat in midsummer. But one simply avoids those bodies of water.

Dagger,Jackson, Liquid Logic
I have a Dagger Zydeco 9.0 that is an amazing rec boat for conditions such as that. I can use it on class II+ whitewater also. They Dagger Katana 9.7 would be very good for that also. I have one of those and it is hard to find a type of waterway that it doesn’t cover. I even go creeking in it sometimes. The Jackson Karma RG is a great boat too and it is also made for sea kayaking. The Liquid Logic remix xp9 would fit the bill also. Plenty of options.

Wimp
what would you do out here where it hits 105ºF (or more) during Eppies ? :wink:



You probably leave your helmet off, too.


Innova Safari

which boat
The popular answer is a SOT plastic kayak around 10 feet long. The best boat would be solo canoe around 15 feet with some rocker in the hull.

I have done quite a bit
Of this and prefer a small solo canoe with a kneelable seat. It is handy for quick entry and exit. I curently use a Mohawk solo 13 which is light at 37 pounds and very tough . I have a more elegant fiberglass 13 footer but it is enough heavier that it stays on the rack. Mohawk makes the solo in 13 and 14 foot length. Either would work. They come up used at very reasonable prices mostly in the southeastern US near their source. If interested, try searching for “Mohawk” On paddleswap.com.