looking to get in to canoe/kayaking got some ?s

Hey all, So I have been getting into canoeing (just leisure with friends). First off I am trying to decided if I want a canoe or a kayak. I have done a lot more canoeing than kayaking. I guess I have a bad taste about the kayak because every time I have been in one, the water are super choppy and has me bouncing all over the place.

Canoe is nice because you can load it down on weekend long excursions (I have done a few of these and plan to do more), you can also stand (depending on the water conditions) and stretch if you have been sitting a while. Its also a lot more stable in the water. The only thing I dont like is how much they weigh. I just had to load my friends 10 ft 40 something lb. Old Town canoe by myself in the back of the truck which was about 200 ft away on the top of a hill. wasnt too fun.

Kayak: its light, fast, not very comfy (the ones I have been in... i have long legs and knee issues, gotta be able to stretch every once in a while). There also isnt much room for storage.


Im leaning towards the canoe but can someone tell me more about the kayaks? If you own one, what do you have? I would like something that I can easily throw on my roof and head down to the river or lake and screw around by myself if no body else is with me. What about a sit on top kayak? How are those as far as stability? im not at all concerned like some people about getting wet.. i mean... im on the water... most likely I will be jumping out and swimming.

thanks

 

I have a 14' carolina kayak with rudder and 2 hatches
A rudder will help in windy/choppy situations
A dry hatch will store plenty plus dry bags can be strapped on deck rigging

If you want to lay out and relax i would suggest a canoe
If you want speed, lightweight, maneuverability get a kayak

I can pack a 2-3 week trip on my kayak

I also mount my 14' kayak (legally) onto my truck with only 2 ratcheting straps

 

oh and if you want to jump out i would suggest a canoe! but how do you self-resucue back into a canoe without shoring?

thay also have sit on top kayaks that allow you to have your body out of it but..... will still be tipsy if you stand up

 

thanks! I am looking at a few sit on top kayaks right now. seems like they have the best of both worlds. around my area the river I have been frequenting is pretty shallow in most areas. I m not going to jump out if I know i wont be able to get back in easily. Who should I look at for a good manufactured kayak?


Thanks!

 

Wilderness Systems makes great Kayaks. I have the popular Pungo 100. Tracks nice, not too heavy. However I would recomend something lighter and shorter for soloing. After paddling for hours, even 50 lbs feels like 200 when you drag it out of the river and lift it over your head.. I would recomend the Old Towne Otter. You'll go more if the transport is easier. I would also recomend considering the inflatables. I have Coleman. Inexpensive, makes storage easier and takes rock scrapes without damage to the hull.

 

IMO it depends on wind and water conditions. I like canoes but they suck when its windy and rough. I have a 16' homemade kayak and I love it. My only issue with it is not being able to stretch.

 

thanks. After doing 90% of the rowing today in the canoe (had a first timer with me) It felt like that canoe weighed 1,000 pounds. Did not like that at all. I will check in to the old towne otter. Are the Heritage Kayaks any good?

Im not too worried about the wind so much. I will mainly be traveling on the river for the most part. Like you though, the few kayaks I have been in, I need to stretch out. Really looking at the sit on top yaks. They seem to be what I am looking for, stretch room, storage, and are light weight (somewhat).

 

I have two Wilderness System Kayaks & a Perception. I love the seating system in the Wilderness, for long paddles there is a ton of adjustments to take pressure off. The company pretty much invented the system 3 seating system that is now copied in many other models.

The Pungo line is super stable & roomy. Mine are 12'. I have gone remote camping & paddled lots of ponds, resevoirs, lakes & rivers all around VT, NH, and Maine. My boats have gotten lots of use & have held up nicely because they do get dinged up on the river bottom rocks etc. Whatever they made out of has held up great for me.

As far as canoes, I owned a 14' Mad River Tahoe (Mad Rivers were my favorites). It was a great boat but it was hard for me to port by myself, thus how I got into kayaking.

 

awesome. thanks a lot! I found a few wilderness systems kayaks that look nice. The Angler line is one of them. I know someone that I think has the angler so I may test it out and see how I like it.

Portaging and carry a canoe are my biggest concerns. (not to mention storage and how well it will fit on my Mazda 3.

thanks for the help everyone!

 

I lived in Bermuda for four years. I bought an inflatable kayak (a very good quality, with a semi-rigid frame) that handled everything there. It was a two person so it actually held a fair amount of stuff, too.

The good thing is I could inflate it in 7 minutes, do my thing, and deflate it in 5 minutes and throw it in the trunk of the car.

 

my wife and i both have a wilderness systems pungo 120. it has dry storage, tracks well, and i have room inside to stretch my legs or i let my legs hang over sides once in awhile. and i use the oem roof rack with thule j-craddles.

 

Yeah wilderness systems, perception, old town, and necky are all great kayaks there are other good brands but priced to high

I love necky and old town but got a good deal on my perception carolina and its awesome

 

awesome. I knew Old Town and We No Nah were good as far as canoes but had no clue about kayaks.

Now I just gotta go check the ones I like out!

Perception Pescador 100
Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 Angler
Im going to see if I can track down an inflatable as well. I think I have seen a few of them before on the river.


Thanks everyone!