Thinking about a kayak.. I know nothing!

[parnold]

Hi all!

I have seen from several posts on the forum that many of you own kayaks, and bring them with you camping. I'm thinking about buying one, but know NOTHING about kayaks.

I'm looking at used, and one in particular that's local to me is a 10' water quest. One of the campsites I go to, has access to the delaware river, where it is shallow and very calm, but rocky so I'm thinking inflatable is no good at all.

I'm guessing that the flatter the bottom, and wider the kayak, the more stable it will be? I don't care about speed either, just some casual paddling about, and perhaps occasional fishing.

Any and all comments will be greatly appreciated!

[Grid Runner Adventures]

kayaks are a DIY project just like tears!

do a bit of googling on western greenland kayaks


little picture to wet your appetite heh

[DaveInMI]

Most people who get the kayak bug find the first boat they bought no longer suits them. For once in a while, the flat wide boats will work fine. Used is good. Then when you learn what you want you can resell for what you paid.

[len19070]

Paul
When I was in your situation, I went out and bought the cheapest Kayak I could, An Old Town Otter, $285.

Very basic and very stable.

I paddled that around for a summer, met and talked to a lot of people on the water, got to try a lot of other peoples boats but really found out if I liked Kayaking.

The next year I sold the Otter for $250, and bought the boat I realized I wanted based on my first hand info.

I figured it cost me $35 to rent a "starter" Kayak for a year.

Happy Trails

Len

[iplay10us2]

A lot will depend on your main use for the kayak. I use mine for more recreational paddling and for fishing, so I have a sit-on-top kayak. It also has a decent hatch opening in the front so I can load backpacking tent/gear for overnight trips. Getting ready to do 3 days/2 nights of floating/wilderness camping next week with it.

Here is a good link that gives good info on what to look for in the shape of the kayak hull.

http://www.topkayaker.net/Articles/Instruction/HullDesign.htm

[kirkman]

From what you posted, that you don't care about speed just stability. It sounds like the boat you found will suit you just fine. I do allot of kayaking both white water, and flat water. For my self I like a long boat for flat water, 17' to 19' but I am all about the boat tracking straight in the wind and fast. If you what the coolest boat out there and the easiest to paddle/pedal look at one of these. http://www.hobiecat.com/kayaking/index.html they are kind of pricey but you get what you pay for. I hope this helps!

[glamoree]

You may want to consider some lessons before you venture out, safety first is my motto. I did the canoe thing and love it. My son and I have paddled a few miles in it, we were thrown a couple of times too, do a google search on ozark canoes/outfiiters. They sell both very reasonable including shipping. Found the web ....here ya go.
www.ozarkcanoe.com

[b.bodemer]

I'll second Len's advice. Seems like I changed several boats, both whitewater and sea kayaks, until I found what I wanted.

If you buy a boat and then sell it for a fair price you can then move to the next boat of your choice........................

Barb

[parnold]

Thanks for all the answers and advice. Now I just have to keep my eyes out for deals.

There is a prijon for sale, only 75 bucks, but it's over two hours drive to pick it up. Of course yesterday I was only 20 minutes away from it at a family reunion. It looks like a Hercules model, but I'm not willing to drive that far two days in a row.

I see a Savage Gravity for sale on ebay, that if about 15 minutes from where I work and the opening bid is at 150, three days left. I'll keep my eye on that one.

There's a Waterquest for 200 on craigslist also, but I see that one is only 297 brand new at Wally World. The Prijon, or Savage are great deals, and I could probably resell for more than I pay if I'm patient.

Decisions, decisions...

Then of course I have an engagement party I'm throwing for my son in seven weeks that I have to save up for...

What to do....

[bradp]

Check the local outfitters in your area and see if they are having a "Demo Day". When they do that you can try lots of boats out and lots of qualified people there to help you make your decision. I know this because I worked for the no.1 kayak maker in the world for 25 years.

[parnold]

Brad:

Thanks for that suggestion. Unless a super deal comes along, I think I'll be patient (not usually one of my virtues) and make an informed purchase by testing some out to find out what suits me best.

I don't plan on whitewater, or surf kayaking, mainly lake and calm river or bay cruising, and maybe a little fishing.

[Juneaudave]

Paul...if you're not in a hurry...get a copy of Canoecraft by Ted Moores. It's a good read and introduction to building one yourself. There is a companion book, Kayakcraft for kayaks. My guess is that, given the great job on your build and all the stuff your fussing with, building a canoe or yak would be enjoyable and a piece of cake.

[parnold]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Dave! My original thought was to try building one, but a kayak is WAY more technical than a tear. I have no doubt I could build something that floats, but something that floats well is a whole different story.

[Corwin C]

If you're considering building I would suggest Gil Gilpatrick's "Building a Strip Canoe." Amazon linky I know that it is out of print, but there is a second edition that is expected to be available later this year. This book is a step-by-step of the entire process to building a cedar strip canoe. It covers design, building the form, cutting strips, forming the hull, fiberglassing, finishing (gunwales, thwarts, hand caned seats, paddles, etc.) The process for kayaks or any other small boat would be similar.

I have built or assisted in building 3 canoes now and the process is easy although time consuming. I built mine over a summer, working on weekends. I am absolutely certain that anyone with basic "cut and fit" woodworking skills is capable of building one if they're willing to put in the time. It can be done with a minimum of hand tools. If you're making your own strips, a table saw would be very helpful. His process is simple and basic, but can be adapted to make beautiful boats.

I will actually be using processes similar to his to strip the outside (and parts of the inside) of my teardrop. I have advanced to a "staple-less" method now which makes a cleaner finish (it is discussed in the book). Any beginner who is interested in strip/fiberglass construction could benefit from this book.

Here's a picture of the most recent ...

... that's my brother, Dad, and myself on Palisade Reservoir in my brother's canoe (his is the most photogenic.) It is regular dog-eared cedar fencing boards cut into strips with aspen and redwood detail strip, ash gunwales and thwarts and hand caned ash seats. The basic design of this boat is included in Gil's book.

Good Luck

[parnold]

Corwin:

In my brief research of building a kayak, I came across some sites, and youtube videos of the strip method. Awesome to say the least, and yes, it appears very time consuming.