I'm 5'10", 220lb, wife is 5'1", 110lb, buddy Fred is 5'8", 240lb.
Which Kayak or Canoe for: calm lakes, rivers, Gulf of Mexico: some surfing, paddling 1.5 mi to a jetty to hunt fish. Scuba diving, snorkeling, some fishing. And, of course, if there are some rapids...well you know what will happen. Ditto for being on the lake in a storm, it will happen, I know myself.
I want my wife to be able to come along sometimes and my 240lb hunting, diving, shooting, bikeing buddy Fred at other times.
Must be able to get back into the boat in deep water easily.
I might have to get two boats. Getting one or the most versitile one first is important...gotta take the wife...if I'm gonna be 'happy'.
Trailer, cheap one, from harbor freight is a possiblity. I'll set it up for 4 kayaks or two canoes and some other stuff. Might get a small boat trailer instead. Car topping...been there, done that. I'm too old and weak for car topping now days.
I'm looking at Ocean Kayaks: Malibu 2, Malibu 2 XL, Scupper Pro TW (tank well), Scrambler XT, Drifter, and maybe a Frenzy for the wife or a Venus.
Right now I'm thinking Malibu 2 XL for me and wife and other times for Fred to use for diving, and a Scupper Pro TW for me for a dive and general use boat.
I have solo paddled the Malibu 2 and thought it paddled very well. Also paddled the game warden's WS Ride. Thought the Ride paddled well but was harder to turn than the Malibu 2...but with limited experience I'm not sure about that.
Also looking at Canoes, they can carry a lot more but my experience is that they catch a lot of air and are not too good in strong wind. Boarding out in the middle of the lake looks like a problem as is turning one over. The Canoes look better for trolling motor power.
What do you think? What do you paddle?
How do you transport it? What hull materials do you like?
Thanks.
Mike S