My brother and I just got into Kayaking this summer and really love it. We bought 2 Pelican Trail Blazers and mostly do lakes and clam rivers with minimal ripples. We would like to add to the adventure and have been looking at class I and II rapids. Our question is, are these kayaks ok for class I or II?
we have been looking for info on this but have been unable to find any. Thank you in advance for any info.
First know that I am not a kayaker, I do spend a great deal of time solo canoeing on Class I & II rivers paddling WITH kayakers. That said, I see a lot of people having fun in cheap Pelican kayaks and they seem to do just fine. (Any boat is better than no boat.) I should point out that I don’t know how these boats hold up over the long haul. I think you’ll enjoy kayaking more with a better designed (and probably much tougher) rotomolded polyethylene boat. For Class I & II, I THINK you’ll be happier with a 10-12 foot kayak. One thing I do know is that if you’re not using a spray skirt in Class II water, you will get plenty of water dumped into your lap. You’ll probably have an easier time finding a skirt for a better boat than you will for a Pelican. Remember, I canoe. Anything I tell you comes from casual observation and not from actual experience. Others here will be able to provide better advice. I just happened to be first.
Your kayaks are for neither. They are not remotely moving water boats. That said, people get away with these starter boats in class 1. But that usually means rocks, a lot of them, and frankly these boats are not made to hold up against hits like that.
Depends what you are trying to do. If the objective is just to run a short rapid, then sure, as long as you have a decent brace. Much more than that and I’d look for a different boat. I’m not sure what the Pelicans are made from, but if it is the hard plastic, I have seen those get cracked hitting rocks. I’d suggest that you hook up with someone who knows the run - it doesn’t take much to pin a boat if you are not careful.
Class I you should be ok. Class II is going to be a real challenge, especially since you guys are inexperienced and those kayaks are entry level/lower quality and may crack…happens. Safest bet for Class II is to rent or buy a decent quality inflatable that is self bailing. Something like this would work well on Class II/III: http://www.saturnrafts.com/13-saturn-river-kayak-rk-396.html For consistent use on Class III/IV (assuming you get some ww experience) this is a very good/affordable ww kayak: http://www.saturnrafts.com/13-saturn-whitewater-kayak.html I’ve seen a few of these on our South FOrk of the American and they are high quality and priced less than others.
Thank you for all the info. It is appreciated.