Kayaking

[ridgerunner70]

How many of you kayak? What is a good starter kayak? Good brands? I was think of getting into this for fitness and have no clue where to begin.

[drrufo]

Find a local shop that rents complete outfits. Try several styles and constuctions to see what you are comfortable with. Then when you have a good idea look around for someone who is wanting to sell their setup, I bought a fiberglass kayak from a teachers assistant at the University of Colorado who was moving up to a lighter boat, damn thing was handmade and heavy. I took a class in the middle of winter that had 12 of us using an olympic size pool to learn the techniques. Never did learn how to do the eskimo roll, but I did learn how to paddle both forward and backwards.

[Jack-O]

Dagger, Perception, Jackson, Wilderness all make good stuff. For longer trips over open water it's really hard to beat the Wilderness touring line. probably the best designed for that purpose.

There are so many boats that fill very specific needs, and a few that span across a couple areas. Ultimately if you want to go touring and play on the rivers in whitewater then you will want two boats. the play boats dont track on flat water and the touring boats dont turn fast enough for whitewater.

Take my advice on this (learned the hard way of course...) take a class on kayaking and get some pool time and time on mild water first. it takes some figuring out and time in the seat to get good enough to hit the whitewater. videos just dont tell the tale as it's very much a body mechanic, muscle memory thing. Pay for a good class and learn how to roll. thats a must.

Inflatables have some stability advantages but dont negate the need to learn how to paddle and ride the water.

I'm still learning myself and it's a journey for sure, but I'm getting better. I tried the "grab a boat and hit the water" thing last year and let me tell you it's not all that much fun to be upside down in the boat and bouncing off of rocks. it's just cold and it kinda hurts, and after two or three times it gets real old.

[ridgerunner70]

Dagger, Perception, Jackson, Wilderness all make good stuff. For longer trips over open water it's really hard to beat the Wilderness touring line. probably the best designed for that purpose.

There are so many boats that fill very specific needs, and a few that span across a couple areas. Ultimately if you want to go touring and play on the rivers in whitewater then you will want two boats. the play boats dont track on flat water and the touring boats dont turn fast enough for whitewater.

Take my advice on this (learned the hard way of course...) take a class on kayaking and get some pool time and time on mild water first. it takes some figuring out and time in the seat to get good enough to hit the whitewater. videos just dont tell the tale as it's very much a body mechanic, muscle memory thing. Pay for a good class and learn how to roll. thats a must.

Inflatables have some stability advantages but dont negate the need to learn how to paddle and ride the water.

I'm still learning myself and it's a journey for sure, but I'm getting better. I tried the "grab a boat and hit the water" thing last year and let me tell you it's not all that much fun to be upside down in the boat and bouncing off of rocks. it's just cold and it kinda hurts, and after two or three times it gets real old.

Thanks, I'm in a situation where there is no classes in my area. Basically I will do floats on the river, no major white water for me. So it would probably be a good idea to get a helmet then?

[Jack-O]

probably wouldnt suck. good lifejacket as well.

if there are kayakers in your area they will get together somewhere and play during the winter, usually a local pool. ask at the boat shop or chat up some kayakers.

there are good videos to watch to help, but you will need some seat time.

define your needs in a boat then find one that meets those needs, talk to some pro's then go try it/rent it if you can.

[Ty_B]

I used to do a bit of kayak fishing in the ocean. My advice is that if you're considering going out in cool to cold water and your kayak is longer than a whitewater kayak, get a SOT (sit on top). A SIK (sit in kayak) is faster and a little more stable, but if you go over in cold water, it can be the difference between living and dying. Some would say it's crazy, but I did not fish in a dry suit - only chest breathable waders and a surf top (gasketed neck, sleeves, and waist).

SOTs can be rolled back over and self bail. Especially in rough water, good luck rolling and bailing a SIK, especally if there's stuff on it.

SOTs are still many times more stable than a canoe, and plenty fast unless you're going miles and miles. Longer kayaks are faster, shorter kayaks turn more easily. If you want to be more effient, get a rudder. Of course, longer kayaks are heavier. My 14' WS Tarpon weighs about 90 pounds loaded.

Completely agree about trying before you buy. Here in the northeast, there are shops that let you do that. For SOTs, you have to size the boat for your weight to some extent. Some boats sit lower and can flood if you weigh too much.

[ridgerunner70]

I used to do a bit of kayak fishing in the ocean. My advice is that if you're considering going out in cool to cold water and your kayak is longer than a whitewater kayak, get a SOT (sit on top). A SIK (sit in kayak) is faster and a little more stable, but if you go over in cold water, it can be the difference between living and dying. Some would say it's crazy, but I did not fish in a dry suit - only chest breathable waders and a surf top (gasketed neck, sleeves, and waist).

SOTs can be rolled back over and self bail. Especially in rough water, good luck rolling and bailing a SIK, especally if there's stuff on it.

SOTs are still many times more stable than a canoe, and plenty fast unless you're going miles and miles. Longer kayaks are faster, shorter kayaks turn more easily. If you want to be more effient, get a rudder. Of course, longer kayaks are heavier. My 14' WS Tarpon weighs about 90 pounds loaded.

Completely agree about trying before you buy. Here in the northeast, there are shops that let you do that. For SOTs, you have to size the boat for your weight to some extent. Some boats sit lower and can flood if you weigh too much.

I weigh 160 and mostly will be doing river floats in warm weather. I have one river that is very close to where I live and u can throw a rock across so this is my idea spot on learning the basics.

[ridgerunner70]

probably wouldnt suck. good lifejacket as well.

if there are kayakers in your area they will get together somewhere and play during the winter, usually a local pool. ask at the boat shop or chat up some kayakers.

there are good videos to watch to help, but you will need some seat time.

define your needs in a boat then find one that meets those needs, talk to some pro's then go try it/rent it if you can.

Thank you , I weigh 160 so what length should I be looking at?

[Jack-O]

Thank you , I weigh 160 so what length should I be looking at?

length and width are a function of what you want to do with it. longer = faster, shorter = more agile.

Native watercraft makes a "kayak" that looks a lot like a canoe but is more agile than your typical canoe.

there are advantages for sit in, sit on top, canoe style, open cockpit, inflatables. each has it's strengths and weaknesses. a beginner (kayak skills wise) might like a sit on top for fishing but then when they wanted to do some recreational boating in mild whitewater, they might want a sit in with a skirt.

I will say that the one thing that was expressed to me when I started was that learning to roll was a CRITICAL skillset. I dont own it yet, but I will, even if the boat I buy is almost impossible to roll back up.

I'm still learning myself. I took a class with the most unstable and small boat they could fit my fat ass in. it was hard but I learned the skills I needed (mostly). I've been looking for a boat that fits my needs, and ultimately have somewhat settled on an inflatable AIRE so I can fit it in my trunk and carry it anywhere, and is very stable and more forgiving, but is ideal for the rivers I want to work.

To be frank I go back and forth between several designs that would fit my needs and if I got a good deal on one I'd probably grab it.

I cant give you a lot of specifics on what boat to choose because I barely have a grasp on what I want/need!

[Gramps]

I just got into it last summer. Mine is about 18" longer than the "X" wife's, and her 9 yr old grand daughter can go quite a bit faster in mine, and she always takes papa's instead. It's easier for her too. You have to sit in one to see if you are not to wide for it. Sit on tops are great for warm weather fishing. I got one with sealed front and rear compartments, so when I want to go Kayak camping I have more room for gear, and it stay's dry. The x's has a cup holder built in it, and it's good for water bottle. I have a waterproof add on that zips shut mounted on the front of my cockpit to put my cell phone/camera, wallet, watch, first aid kit, fire starting equip, etc. For colder weather, I got a spray kit for the cockpit. I chose a paddle similar to a carbon fiber for light weight too. Some states consider them a watercraft, and you have to have a lifejacket with you. There are some good vids on youtube for how to get in/out, on dry land, in water, at docks in water. It is fun floating down the river too, as if you want you can alway's turn around and go back upriver for whatever. I have taken the Grand daughter down the river sitting on the front, and also pulling her in her inner tube. In the tube, causes a little drag with her feet down, and she thinks it's quite funny. Kayaking is a lot of fun, and you can carry it by your self. I got a med blue one, as I didn't want a bright orange outstanding, so everyone wouldn't easily know where I was all the time.
You won't regret getting one. We bought ours together, and I was able to get quite a bit more off for two from Sportsman's Whorehouse.