White Kayak?

Oh wow, did not think about fading. Thanks for sharing that!

I feel that a white over white is classy and beautiful. From what I have observed of Eddyline boats and told by Eddyline owners is the Carbonlite is very tough and hard to damage in any color which extends through the material unlike superficial gelcoat. Enjoy the new boat for many years of happy paddling!

2 Likes

The hull is always white, Yes? So all you are talking about is the deck.

Think about maintenance, like as it starts getting indications of use will you want to fix up every little thing. Honestly, any color can be a PITA. Because you have to match it or worry about fading. And yeah, red will fade more than the others.

If it is white you don’t have issues show up so much, and you don’t have to worry about the color fading from sun or from your buffing out scratches. It starts white and stays the same color.

I also think that red is the least visible of the three on the water. My husband’s first sea kayak was red plastic. My teal/light blue plastic boat was way more visible.

But visibility is not just in the boat. It is in the color of the PFD - yellow or traffic orange or if you like it lime - think of the colors that road crews use to be seen. And a hat in similar color - you need it against sun.

And finally in your paddle. You can get it with bright colored blades and/or have patches of SOLAS reflective tape around the shaft or on the blade on each end of then paddle. It will flash as you paddle, on a sunny day that flash can be seen from a long way away. Same thing with the boat, stick a patch of SOLAS tape on each end of the boat, both sides.

Reflective deck lines if you are rerigging the boat and want to get that.

There is something called the Great Hudson River Paddle that goes from Albany down to Manhattan every year, except of course this one. The require all participants to put SOLAS tape on their PFDs as well as paddles and boats.

While I am here, between the move up to a fully capable sea kayak lessons and the choice to start with a good paddle, you are doing everything right. Congratulations! You will make progress to be able to do what you want much more directly than I and my husband did. We spent a year with almost-right choices before getting our act together…

1 Like

That is a positive of white decks – they don’t fade much. I have a white Caribou that I bought in the 1990’s, and the deck still shines with a coat of 303 or car wax. (Let’s not talk about the much abused hull) My better half’s Explorer with a Purple deck seemed to start fading the day she bought it.

1 Like

I’d go with yellow. I have a white Epic and a lot of… stuff… shows up because its white. It gets a yellow pollen band along the waterline, and wood and leaves left to sit wet on the deck tend to leave a brown tannin mark. I have to scrub (not just rinse) it a lot even though I paddle in fresh water and use 303.
OTOH white is cooler in the hot sun. If I lived in the Keys instead of Michigan I’d go with white.

1 Like

I was wondering about keeping all white clean and the up keep of it. It’s a shame because not too many out there and sharp looking for sure. I will be paddling in the bay mostly because I live very close to it, but will be doing lakes and rivers also, but not primary. Thank you!

Yes, hull and deck all white…I have a yellow PFD, I also paddle board and sail. Thank you for all your safety tips, I appreciate very much! Safe Paddling!

Thank you for sharing! I am torn between white and yellow, red is no longer a consideration, I want to be seen out there…the eddyline’s hold up well in the sun, or so I was told. Will see!
Thank you!

Thank you so much! Yes, I heard that also about eddyline, I am excited! Its decision time! :slight_smile:
Safe paddling!

Carry an air horn for powerboat operators that are not paying attention.

1 Like

Upkeep is pretty simple. Wipe it with a wet rag and if there’s an actual stain, soap and water. I’m in the Great Lakes area where we have an invasive species problem, so after returning home I always hose down my kayak, including the skeg box.

EDY’s Carbonlite holds up well with minimal maintenance. Here’s a photo of my 12-year old Skylark paddled by a friend.

1 Like

If they sell as many boats as it sounds like they do, and if they really think the white is a superior build, that would do it for me. I like a nice yellow boat, myself, but white over white is definitely classy.

2 Likes

Nice!!! Looks brand new!! I considered the skylark for a long time. I will wash it down after every paddle for sure and in the garage she will go. :blush::blush: thanks for sharing!!

1 Like

Excellent idea!!! Thanks!!!

I like the yellow also. Hard to tell by pictures when it comes to white, but with the black bungee cords and seat I am sure it is beautiful!!

I had a thing for yellow. Not really sure why. The only boat I ever owned with a yellow deck was one that I ordered but didn’t see eye-to-eye with. Beautiful boat but we didn’t get along.

I sold it and prodealed a yellow-over-white Tempest Pro. It was loaded into a container bound for the PNW. On the day before it was to arrive Wilderness Systems called me and said that someone else needed that boat and that I wouldn’t have a production slot for a yellow 170 for several weeks. If I wanted yellow, I would have to wait a month! I was ticked. I didn’t want to wait a month, obviously, and resented being jerked around but with prodeals, unless you are important you take what you get. I wasn’t, never was and took what I could get.

Asking about my other options I was told that the only boat in the shipment that wasn’t sold was white on white. Oh! Gag! I hated the idea but took the deal so that I would have something to paddle. When I unwrapped it I was shocked. It seemed so stark. No color at all other than black and white. I hated it but, a bird-in-hand, right?

Everyone else who saw it loved it and I came to love it, too. Twelve years later I still love the look of my white-on-white Ghost Tempest. Very clean, clear, crisp and defined.

I’ve bought a few day boats since to fill out my needs and none of them were the colors I wanted and all what I could get. I really like white-on-white (especially with a black keel strip).

2 Likes

So what color did you choose?

BTW, with your enthusiasm for paddling and learning, I’ve a hunch you’ll have your own fleet in the future. :grin:

1 Like

Haha!! I want to be you when I grow up :blush::blush::blush:

Hi!! Yes, me also with yellow and red. That’s hysterical you did not get along with yellow omg lol

That sounds so frustrating to go through, but so worth it at the end.

White is sharp and classy… different , not too many out there.

Sounds beautiful!!

1 Like

My wife and I both have yellow over white Kevlar kayaks with a black seam. Mine is now 21 years old. Even white degrades from UV exposure and time over a period of years, even with 303, although it’s not as noticeable as with colored boats. It tends to become a slightly cream color. The difference is stark if you do any gel coat repairs without color matching. This is not just a surface change that can be buffed out. When our Club offered a fiberglass repair workshop taught be professionals at an Annapolis boat yard they went through the process of color matching my, in theory. white hull. You couldn’t tell where the touched up areas were.

Now, it just being a boat and not a fine piece of furniture, I just use the white gel coat and the touched up areas are obvious. Color matching is an art. If you obtain original colored gel coat from the manufacturer of your several year old boat, you will find that it no longer matches exactly.

The only thing I wonder about with a white deck is whether it is hard on the eyes on a bright sunny day.

1 Like