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Posted: 7/25/2002 7:38:37 AM EDT
[#1]
Talk to Anti.
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Posted: 7/25/2002 7:47:57 AM EDT
[#2]
Since you're in North Carolina, check out Nantahala Outdoor Center ( [url]http://www.noc.com[/url] )You will greatly enjoy the sport, if you get proper professional instruction.
For new & used gear, check out Appomattox River Company, based out of Virginia( [url]http://www.paddleva.com[/url] ). Ask for Bob Taylor, he'll get ya taken care of. Buying a boat that may or may not fit, because of a good sale price, could be a tragic or even fatal error on your part. Kayaking is an inherently dangerous sport, and needs to be treated with a high level of respect, that most beginners tend to overlook. Safety is paramount! Oldtown makes some great canoes, but they know [u]nothing[/u] about the world of kayaking. Here are a few companies that make some great boats, for relatively low prices: Dagger [url]www.dagger.com[/url] Perception [url]www.perceptionkayaks.com[/url] Prijon [url]www.prijon.com[/url] Wave Sport [url]www.wavesport.com[/url] |
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Posted: 7/25/2002 8:40:14 AM EDT
[#3]
Go find a place that rents first, and try them out.
I was thinking about a short light kayak, turned out the best for my needs is 4 feet longer than what I started with, and 400$ more. If I'd rented the Pelican (8'9") before buying it I wouldn't have bothered. It turned into a great "Play toy", but It's a real effort to paddle, you can forget about traveling in a straight line in any sort of breeze or current. Determine whether you want a recreational or expedition/touring type. I use a 14' Dagger with a rudder now. Bought it used. My emphasis is on fishing, and that involves covering a lot of territory in windy, rough conditions. (Try launching a kayak in heavy surf sometime. It's a real kick) It's a great rig, weighs somewhere around 50 pounds unloaded, probably close to 85 with all the necessities. I've paddled 40 miles in the thing and didn't fatigue at all. (Okay, with wind and current, but it was sitill 40 miles!) I wouldn't have gotten 10 miles in the Pelican. Anti is right. Kayaking is risky. It's a lot more physically demanding than most folks realize. You need a good boat that matches the water you're in, good safety gear, and a good plan. One last thing. Kayaks are like guns. They cost about the same, and you'll never be satisfied with owning just one. |
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Posted: 7/25/2002 8:58:21 AM EDT
[#4]
Definetly go to a demo day or rent a few different models before you buy. When i bought mine, I had my mind set on a specific model, and after testing it, I realized it was too big, too slow and too stable. Try different boats and fifferent paddles. Buy a good paddle now, because you will only wind up buying that same paddle later. Go demo a few, GO HOME FOR A DAY, then after you thought about everything, go back and purchase one. As John in Austin said, you wont be satisfied with just one. I am already looking into purchasing a cheseapeake 18 from [url]www.clcboats.com[/url] to build up and take out for some serious touring. I have a cobra explorer sit on top right now and use it mainly for fishing. Surf launches are easy, its getting back in that is rough.
If you email me at [email][email protected][/email] i can set you up with some good message boards and email lists where all of you questions can be answered by people with a hell of a lot more experience than me and you can meet people locally to go out with and show you the ropes. Also DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE YOUR ENVIRONMENT. ITs summer and people get a false sense of security. IF you plan on going somewhere where if you capsize you can be stuck in water for a long period of time, look into a wet or dry suit. People, kayakers, boaters, fisherman die every year in may or june because its 90 degrees out but they fall into a 50-55 degree ocean/lake and die of exposure/hypothermia. Be prepared, this is a dangerous activity |
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Posted: 7/25/2002 10:40:36 AM EDT
[#5]
Also, Remember the old 110/120 degree rule. When i surfed that was the rule we went by as to use our heavy wetsuits or not. You ad the air and water temp and if its less then 110 for males or 120 for females put it on, if its over, use at your descretion
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Posted: 7/26/2002 9:59:48 AM EDT
[#6]
My wife, kids and I just finished a kayak trip on the Buffalo River this past weekend and it was fun. We have did Kayak and canoe trips before and we all would highly recommend it! Most of the ones we use have been like the Dagger brand ones and also we have used the flat top style yahoos.
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Posted: 7/26/2002 10:10:17 AM EDT
[#7]
Avid canoeist here, but I have friends who are into both whitewater and sea kayaking. Listen to anti and the others.
You have described two different scenarios, lakes and rivers w/ rapids. A lake kayak will be long and thin to make crossing the lake fast and efficient. A whitewater kayak will be fairly short and, in relation to its length, wide to make manuvering much easier at the expense of efficiency in paddling. Try before you by and decide on what you will be primarilly doing. This will greatly enhance the fun potential. |
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Posted: 7/26/2002 10:27:09 AM EDT
[#8]
I have a Hobie Pursuit sit on top.
[URL]http://66.70.187.204/DW-Website/KY-Hobie-pursuit-02.html[/URL] I actually got it from the Appomattox River Company named above. It is the type you are looking for, very fast, and tracks well. I have gone through some minor rapids (read: laughable), and I can tell you that it wasn't cuttin it even on those! I know it wasn't intended for even minor rapids, but damn, I'd hardly call those little bumps rapids. Also, on this type, the material is too soft for much rock bashing. It can indeed take it, but they appear to shred easier than hard core river kayaks. The low water levels here on the rocky James River in Richnond, VA is aging mine quickly. Don't let my above statements make you think I don't like it. I do! I just imagined it was a little more flexable. |
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