for those with kayaks/canoes...

[ironj]

so im thinking id like to add a kayak to my camping arsenal of junk to tow/store/maintain so I can enjoy it a few times a year.....lol

I know a lot of you on here have em, so what should I look for and/or what do you recommend?

wont fish out of it, and would like sufficient space/arrangement so I can take my 2yr old along with me.....nothing crazy...just fun and another way for me to get her out and enjoy things with her..

we don't have much of a kayak market here so I didn't bother to go out looking at em....we have all the usual (gander/cabelas/academy).....or is there somewhere else I should be looking ?

or is there a kayak forum I need to join and become the new guy there?..haha..

thanks

[Enconcapt]

Look at Nucanoe as an option. Very stable, you can stand up on it. You sit on top not inside so very easy to get on and off and the entire deck can hold gear. Also available short enough to stand up on the back of RV, easy for one person to load. I am thinking of selling my 12 foot kayak for one, although it is a great rig.
The wider sit on styles let you get off and swim, then slide right back on and paddle.


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[Twisty]

Check out inflatable floats/boats/canoes/kayaks.
We have a hard plastic canoe because we have dogs. I would prefer an inflatable.

[ironj]

thanks guys...a collapsible/inflatable was my first thought, but I don't have good luck with anything that holds air combined with my 200lb dog and kids...

ill check the nucanoe...that sounds interesting....stability is important since I want to take the mini mouse muppet with me....

[lswartz]

We are looking too. We were in a SOT (sit on top) & a sit in, both recreational ones this week. The SOT is more stable but you will get wet. It is also slower, more work paddling. We plan on two sit in kayaks about 10-11 feet so they will fit in our truck bed. Prices range down from $700 to about $250, don't forget the PDF & paddle.

[ironj]

Is it just you in there or do you have kids? ..so u get less wet in a sit in?..seems u would get wet either way..

And everything with my mouse muppet is more work. ..we mtn bike , hike with her in backpack, and I trail run wirh her in a bob...im used to it...I dont like it though...keeps me in shape I guess...lol

[lswartz]

Our son is 28 so it is just the 2 of us with a kayak each.

The SOT has holes in it to drain, is easier to get both of you in, & more stable. You are more exposed to wind, sun & water. The sit in also gets some water that runs down the paddle so you need a sponge.

As long as it is warm, the water needs to be warm too, a SOT seems to me the way for you to go. If you are in Maine, I would get a sit in.

[ironj]

We are in texas...generally anywhere we would use a yak its warm...im looking em up now!. Thanks

[kz08h5]

It all depends on your budget. Since you are in Texas, check out Austin Canoe and Kayak. They have about every kayak made in their inventory. I have nothing to do with them, but have made purchases from them. They are also available to answer questions. If at all possible, I suggest you try a few out before you buy. Every brand has it's following and forums. I wouldn't spend time cruising forums trying to figure out what to buy.

[ironj]

Wow kayak overload!...austin kayak is nice, but austin is bout 400 miles from me!!. Lol..texas is a big ol state. ..I think your right though...I need to try some out especially if its gonna be as expensive of an endeavour as it appears! Thanks!

[slipf18]

First....take some advice from an ol' kayaker...once you try kayaking you will become addicted to the sport, and will wonder why you never got into it sooner.

Soooo...consider....in yaks, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for. Check out the Hobie line-up. For paddling, perhaps the Kona or Odyssey (the Odyssey is what we currently live with...a great yak). For peddling, yes, I said peddling, look at the Outfitter. Depending on your abilities and needs, the mirage drives offer interesting options... Whichever you choose, you will be assured a safe, stable, maneuverable and well built boat. Hobie has dealers all over the U.S. ...including Austin Kayak.

[NeedMoreLeisureTime]

After trying to put our two Ocean Kayaks on the roof of our truck, we found they just barely hit the 5th wheel on a tight turn. So we went with OruKayaks. Home | Oru Kayak | Explore outside the box. They fold up so we can store them behind the chairs in our living room slide. They're not intended for running rapids, but for most general use, they're great. Plenty sturdy, track well, and light and easy to carry.

[ironj]

I kinda wondered about a non conventional power method. ...thing is I had bilateral rotator/labrum reconstruction a year ago...previous to that i did white water and stand up but the paddeling was quite painful....

Im fixed up now and after 6 months of therapy and about the same time of strengthening im able to get back into those activities. So that was another consideration...its not an issue of physical conditioning (I own a gym and specialize in performance nutrition and conditioning)...but more of how hard it would be to paddle me and my muppet around....now more options to consider!...great info and help everyone

[Joe_GA]

I too have Hobie Kayaks. I have one Adventurer and one Revolution. When we originally bought them, Hobie had a structural issue with the way the Mirage drive attached. Our broke and Hobie replaced them with the newer design no questions asked. And, we purchased the Revolution second hand! Their customer service is second to none. I like the fact that you can peddle and/or paddle.
Whatever you buy, test drive. Where I bought mine, they had a 9 acre lake and would let you try out as many different models as you liked. Research on-line also.
Kayaking is a blast! And, fishing from one is too!

[mlong]

Believe it or not I purchased my kayak from Home Depot online. It's amazing what you can purchase from them. This a great kayak. You can actually sit 3 people if you wanted to. It came with 2 paddles & 2 back rests. It has holders on the side for both paddles, drink holders, dry storage area, and fishing rod holders. The kayak is pretty easy to maneuver. My son and I used it a few weeks ago in the bay at Assateaque Island State Park. A little tough in the bay current but worked well. I also used it in a river. It was very easy to maneuver in the river. You can also stand up on this. The only down side I found is it is a bit heavy but does not need deep water to run in. Overall, you can't beat the price for the features. Al other kayaks with similar features were over $700 for a tandem set up.

Lifetime OD Green Sport Fisher Kayak with Paddles and Backrest-90121 at The Home Depot

[PNWTraveler]

I would say it is very important to try out several kinds. you can get a decent rotomolded kayak for less than $300. I suggest you spend decent money for a lightweight paddle, as the cheap ones are heavy, and a heavy paddle gets...well, heavy...after awhile. Also budget for a comfortable kayak PFD,. How do you plan to carry it on your vehicle? Kayaks are longer than you might think.

If you have more money to spend you can pick up a lighter weight kayak out of fiberglass, wood, or carbon fiber whatever, but if you are new to it and just want to try it out, I'd suggest putting the money into the plastic kind and more money into the paddle and vest. Then if you like it, move up. Also, don't get a double. Too heavy and harder for an individual to paddle. Better to get two kayaks instead of one double.

A couple of other considerations: size of the cockpit. Unless you get a sit-on-top if you are less than agile, and or want to take along a child or dog, be sure to get one that has a large cockpit that is easy to enter and exit.

If you get a sit-on-top be aware you may get a bit wet (and therefore cold) from drips from the paddle, and a few splashes.

Personally I would stay away from collapsible or inflatable. Not only for the reasons you mention, but a kayak is something that you will more likely use if it is convenient. If it takes time to assemble and disassemble, if you are like me you'll hardly ever use it.

I am in the Pacific Northwest and the only things more prevalent here than boat rentals and boat dealers are Starbuck's stores. So all kayaks have cup holders. :-)

Gook luck.

[ependydad]

When I first got into kayaking, my daughter was 2 or 3. We used a recreational sit in kayak because it has a big long cockpit. She would sit in front of me and I would awkwardly paddle behind her.

She ultimately found that she could climb up on the bow and ride from there. That led to her realizing that she could stand up and jump in. We found that when she did that, the little bit of gliding forward that I had would put her right beside me and I'd pick her up by her life vest and I'd set her back into the boat where we would repeat. I imagine a long trip of paddling for us was about 1/4 of a mile, but over the course of an hour+. It was the most glorious thing!

A few years later, by 5- I built her a kayak from a wooden frame with a cloth covering. She did awesome in that, but still really just wanted the boat to be a swim platform. The biggest thing I learned with that- they really don't make good kids paddles. Hers actually sent her for a swim when it dove and she followed with it. Fortunately we had practiced capsizes, exits and rescues. It was a non-event.

I upgrade to transitional sea kayaks. More narrow than recreation boats, but still very stable. In a pinch, she can sit in the cockpit with me, though it's really snug. More so, she would sit on the deck behind me asking for snacks until it was time to jump and swim.

About the same time, I built a kayak for myself. It's a lot tippier than the others, but it is fun to paddle. You'd be amazed at how much some seat time can help. (Even me- with my awful balance.)

BUT.. that all said, I haven't sat in any of our boats in 3+ years since we RV so often. I just have no way of carrying them and the fifth wheel in a way that my wife would agree to.

For you and my recommendation, we're a bit past the "Demo Days" that stores have. REI, LL Bean, Eastern Mountain Sports, etc. For now, I'd jump on Craigslist and find the cheapest recreation sit-in kayak that you can find and then spend the most money you can bring yourself to on a paddle. A cheap boat will get you here to there and you'll find what works for you.

[ironj]

Great info...after thinking about it your right...I have to look at it from my daughters perspective. Daddys comfort has always been secondary lol...I want to take her, but more than likely she will just want to jump out and throw rocks...and thats fine with me...its more about the experience than anything...

I looked on our local craiglist.... not a single kayak for sale....lol

[vinmaker]

I recommend a canoe. They tend to hold more gear weight than a kayak. I have an Old Town Discovery 159 and love it. It is even big enough to but the little one in the middle on a milk crate.

Always nice to be on the water.

Vin.

[Rockwoodjoe]

I bought a Snap-on-top kayak from Dick's sporting goods. Its modular and snaps together for $399. You can buy a center piece to add another rider. Each piece is less than five feet long. Easily fits in the truck bed when disassembled. Downside is they leak at the connections, but its a kayak afterall. Made in the USA. There are videos on Youtube.

Ford f150 5L Supercab
Rockwood 2703ws on order