Give the guy a break.
The O.T. Dirigo 120 may not be as great, as a Pamlico 140. But I bet, it still has a gray thing.
Many of us started out in rec boats. I started about 17 years ago, in an OT Loon 138. Many, many kayaks later, my fleet and knowledge contiues to evolve. You have got to start somewhere. There are lots of kayaks, worse than a Dirigo. As long as he uses the kayak, for water beating small lakes and streams, he should be fine.
This isn’t about having a rec boat
Though the OPer is trying to make it about that it seems. Anything to blame someone else I think.
This guy came on with concerns about quality of the Old Town boats (questionable according to many), wanting to keep the weight of the boat down (where Old Town boats run heavier than similar alternatives) and was advised to go to 12 feet in length as a more apt size. Boats were suggested that were in the rec/transition category. And were lighter weight etc.
So what he did was to get an Old Town and had to return the 10’6" one that everyone advised him against because he would find too short/small. And ended up with a 12 ft boat that is relatively heavy.
Granted the Pintail is granted a fairly silly idea for someone who thinks Old Town boats look sleek. Since the Pintail is both a full length sea kayak and one that any beginner would find quite difficult to handle. But the guy asked if he could have gotten more boat for the same money and of course the answer is yes. Since he wasn’t paying a darned bit of attention to what anyone said in previous threads, it really doesn’t matter what anyone answered there. He will ignore it all anyway.
Rec boats are fine
I can certainly appreciate your storage problem. There are canoes I like but never consider because they just won’t fit where I can put them. As you no doubt gathered from the previous advice, longer is generally better for your intended usage. So going for the 12 over the 10 was probably a good upgrade.
While they have their limitations, Rec boats certainly have a place. At the very least they are a great way for people to get out on the water and get started in the sport. I have several friends who have purchased cheap Pelican/Lifetime type kayaks. These are boats that are not great performers and routinely ridiculed on this site (i.e. called “pool toys” and “bathtubs”), but my friends didn’t know that and they have loved their time on the water this summer. Decent chance if they continue to enjoy it they’ll upgrade to something better, but as long as they’re having fun and the boats are meeting their needs, so what if they aren’t “good” ones.
Now that you’ve got your new boat, get out and have some fun with it. The bottom line is are you happy with your purchase? I’d say that matters a lot more than what a bunch of strangers think.
If you love it enough and want to upgrade to a higher end model, come back to re-read your original thread. Folks with lots of experience provided some great advice on purchasing a kayak.
Pintail now re-listed
on free classifieds for Beaufort SC. Will email pictures and further details as requested.
OMG
You criticize someone for not buying your favorite boat??? Get over it!
So What
Celia is saying is the he flunked this class!
No, reread
I am saying that nothing anyone said here had any effect on what he did.
So there is no reason to expect that any advice offered now would have a different effect.
Just hoping
I’m hoping that none of this discourages the fellow from enjoying his new boat and continuing to visit this website.
Very likely…
after doing some paddling this guy will be back. But also likely with questions rather than a position.
Sometimes people just have to get into a boat to know what they need to know. That part was missing before, with a boat actually purchased it should fill in.
he’s doing the same on another thread
He started a thread asking about roof racks and again seems to be ignoring most of the answers. I not only told him as a first response exactly which Thule parts he needed for his car model but also linked him to Ebay offerings that would have cost him under $200 for the whole setup. Yet several posts later he is still whimpering that he is afraid that it will cost him $700 for a rack.
I read that
I read that thread, I thought the hostility was over the top and unwarranted, although typical of internet message boards.
Lessee
He spends forever being told he would be better off with a longer boat and gets offered lighter weight options for the same money. He buys the shorter boat, finds that it is in fact too small then gets the longer version and complains it is heavy.
Sounds like he is doing the same thing with the rack question (I didn’t bother to look, willowleaf is more patient than me). He blows off a perfectly good answer then asks for sympathy about the results of staying on his own choice.
So the answers are not surprising.
it pays to be gracious
There are a good number of expert paddlers on this site, and many more “novices” that constantly ask for advice.
When one of the experts is kind enough to volunteer their wisdom, it is only polite to say thank you. Willowleaf was an incredible resource to me when I moved to PA in July and sent me a very detailed message with links and instructions on how to register my kayaks, where to paddle, and even a book on paddling sites across the state.
When someone invests that much time in a complete stranger, a gracious and heartfelt thank you is the appropriate response.
The OP just seems to ask the same questions until someone supports his own opinion. I don’t know him, but I don’t think much of bothering others for their advice if you refuse to listen.
Thank you
His only response to wl in the rack thread was to say thank you.
I read
Only 3 conversational responses in that thread from the OP. He was berated and belittled. I wouldn’t be shocked if he moved on, Why stay?
what you did not see
OP also sent private emails to people who responded on the boards so even if you read the threads you didn’t get the full picture of how he doesn’t seem to pay attention to our answers to him.
Earlier threads were more involved
And a lot of people made much effort to help him. Those threads are the ones to read if you wish to understand the frustration. Or you can decide everyone here is mean.
Oh yeah, I forgot about that NM
original thread?
Could you point me to the original thread please?
I got into kayaking last summer with a Pelican SOT which an experienced paddler recommended to me. One paddle out and I hated it. I used it the rest of the summer, then this spring bought a used Old Town Trip 10. So much better than the SOT, but later I realized it’s a bathtub. I still have it along with a used Necky 13 Manitou. LOVE the Manitou except for the cockpit width. 2nd time using it had a huge bruise on my left hip from getting in and out of the cockpit on a rocky river where I had to portage through shallows. I’d love a 13 footer, but with a slightly wider cockpit. I really like the Necky weight, because it’s lighter than the OT. Thanks for all the info. I checked out the Perception Conduit, sweet boat but I really don’t want another 50lb boat if possible. 
Sure
I read them. I saw suggestions being given, but why do people get so bent out of shape if people don’t take their advice? I don’t know you from anyone and if I don’t care for your advice I’ll ignore it. I may offer some advice and if people choose to take it fine, if not that’s fine too.
I saw people have their advice ignored then begin to throw insults at the OP. Is everyone here mean? I doubt it, but there are certainly some self centered people here that have lost some perspective on what is important.