Newbie Kayaker seeks advice from petite paddlers

[cbcbd]

No, I'm still trying to decide which kayak rack will look best on my '98 CRV.

If ya got the cash, you can always get the Thule Hullavator... and then you'd have NO problems with putting kayaks up there

 

[daxs]

I have a thule rack, no hullavator or rollers and not the J rack. My kayak sits in the rack on sets of pads. The back set of pads is a smooth pad that lets you push the kayak. Works well for me.

 

[Roxi]

I have a thule rack, no hullavator or rollers and not the J rack. My kayak sits in the rack on sets of pads. The back set of pads is a smooth pad that lets you push the kayak. Works well for me.

That's what I'm looking at too. The Hullavator seems like way too much money.

 

[Roxi]

Used custom kayak?

I got an interesting email from a co-worker yesterday. She wants to sell her custom marine mahogany kayak. It's 15' 7" and 35 lbs. and has a rudder. It's "based on the Chesaupeak Kuome model"(?) and covered with a "West _something_ apoxy." She said it has two hatches which can be opened to "drain." She's selling it for $400 and is including a paddle and a repair kit, although she said it doesn't need any repair, she's just giving everything that goes with it. The pics were nice, but I noticed it doesn't have any cords on it to hold anything. When I asked her about that, she wondered what people would want to carry on the kayak instead of in it. Seems like a good deal, but I don't know enough about kayaks yet to judge whether or not it is. What do you all think?

 

[cbcbd]

The pics were nice, but I noticed it doesn't have any cords on it to hold anything. When I asked her about that, she wondered what people would want to carry on the kayak instead of in it. Seems like a good deal, but I don't know enough about kayaks yet to judge whether or not it is. What do you all think?

If it has everything you want, fits you well, and you like the way it paddles then why not get it.
Deck rigging can always be added later.
I like my deck rigging - good for strapping extra paddles, bilge pump, camera case, map, and my deck compass. Many good uses for deck rigging.

 

[DougPaul]

custom marine mahogany kayak.

Wood looks nice, but can be delicate (with respect to rocks), can rot, and maintenence can be critical (to preventing rot). And if rot sets in, it can be a piece of work to fix.

Plastic or fiberglass doesn't rot and is not damaged by "deferred" maintenence.

Doug

 

[Roxi]

Wood looks nice, but can be delicate (with respect to rocks), can rot, and maintenence can be critical (to preventing rot). And if rot sets in, it can be a piece of work to fix.

Plastic or fiberglass doesn't rot and is not damaged by "deferred" maintenence.

Doug

Good points, Doug. I keep coming back to the Eddyline's Carbonlite. It seems like a nice compromise between durability, repairability, and weight. On the other hand, at $400 for the wooden kayak, I haven't invested a lot of money.

 

[cantdog]

I have no plans at this time to ever paddle whitewater rapids down a river.
QUOTE]

You'll change your mind.

Anyway, since I'm shorter than Darren, that should count as being petite enough to have my message read.

Here is where I'll shamelessly plug Suncook outfitters. The owner is exceptionally good to his customers and he might have some good advice from a product quality and customer satisfaction point of view. The site is a work in progress, but you could call or visit the place, if desired.

 

[Roxi]

You'll change your mind.

Maybe. But I think I'll start out tame, and get more adventurous after I've gained some experience and skill. Thanks for the link! There are some interesting names for the white water kayaks: Katrina, Dominatrix...now if one of them was named Aragorn I might consider it.

 

[DougPaul]

Re: whitewater

Roxi,

You appear to be looking flatwater boats right now. Many of them will be unsuitable for whitewater, in other words, you will want a different boat if you go in for whitewater.

Doug

 

[Roxi]

Re: whitewater

Roxi,

You appear to be looking flatwater boats right now. Many of them will be unsuitable for whitewater, in other words, you will want a different boat if you go in for whitewater.

Doug

I know. I am looking at touring boats and not white water. As I said in a previous post, my intention is to explore lakes and eventually the seacoast.

 

[Carmel]

the boat i paddle

the impex mystic that i use is actually darren's. I absolutely love it. at 43 pounds I think its the max that i can handle carrying around alone. maybe i'm a wimp, but i wouldn't want the boat to weigh any more than it does, especially with my kayaking partner MIA.

for the record i'm 5' 6-1/2" and weigh $%* pounds (i think my keyboard is stuck). I guess i'm the max fit for the kayak. i fit in it VERY comfortably, but i've had friends try it who weighed another 20 lbs or so, and it didn't fit it at all.

anyways, i love the mystic.

good luck.

 

[Roxi]

the impex mystic that i use is actually darren's. I absolutely love it. at 43 pounds I think its the max that i can handle carrying around alone. maybe i'm a wimp, but i wouldn't want the boat to weigh any more than it does, especially with my kayaking partner MIA.

First of all, YOU are NOT a wimp! I've seen the pics of where you've traveled, by land and sea. I think of you as a very adventurous explorer, not a wimp at all.

And I agree with you. I really liked the fit and feel of the Impex Mystic. I liked its 43 lbs very much. It felt very comfortable all around and got two great reviews on the the link that KayakDan gave. But a third reviewer said this:

"Submitted by: cdc2
08-04-2005
My wife has owned this boat for a good 5-7 years and loves the light weight and way this boat paddles. It does have a few problems. The cockpit is cut low so put the boat through a 6 inch wave and water splashes in, not a problem I have with my Eddyline.

The retractable skeg is a great feature that enables the boat to track beautifully. The only problem here is with use in saltwater the wire connecting to the skeg regularly binds making the skeg unworkable. We've tried everything, set the boat to the factory, replaced the while skeg unit and its still requires constant maintenance.

While my wife still loves the way the boat paddles she wishes she'd take the dealer up years ago on his offer to replace the boat with another model.
Rating: 6 of 10"

Have you or Jay H had any similar issues?

 

[Carmel]

The cockpit is cut low so put the boat through a 6 inch wave and water splashes in, not a problem I have with my Eddyline.

The retractable skeg is a great feature that enables the boat to track beautifully. The only problem here is with use in saltwater the wire connecting to the skeg regularly binds making the skeg unworkable. We've tried everything, set the boat to the factory, replaced the while skeg unit an its still requires constant maintenance.

my only problem has been the hatches leak (the old one are fiberglass hatches and not rubber), but they make them differently now, and its supposed to be fixed (according to the woman at the kayak rental place).

i do get a little water in the cockpit when i paddle, but usually its because i splash in the water with my paddle or something when i'm not paying attention. any water that gets in it is not significant. so, i would say no, it hasn't been a problem. i don't mind getting wet either.

my skeg did get a little sticky at the beginning of this year, i just took a papertowel and some WD-40 and its been fine since. i just used it on the outside of the boat where the skeg lever (up to down) is. I dont' know if this problem would exclusive to mystics, or if its just the nature of skegs? when i asked the lady at the kayak rental place about my hatch, she said it was a problem with the older mystics...when i asked her how to fix my skeg, she didn't mention that it was just a mystic problem.

thanks for thinking i'm not a wimp

43 pounds is GOOD!

but that other one is almost an extra 2 feet longer and only an extra 7 pounds...

cheers,
carm

 

[cbcbd]

My wife has owned this boat for a good 5-7 years and loves the light weight and way this boat paddles. It does have a few problems. The cockpit is cut low so put the boat through a 6 inch wave and water splashes in, not a problem I have with my Eddyline.

Was this kayaker using a sprayskirt or was he just mentioning that water splashes onto the lap of the paddler?

I would recommend that if you were getting any sea kayak to invest in a good sprayskirt to at least keep... well, spray out of the cockpit. As you get more comfortable, adventurous, and experienced it'll give you more confidence and keep you dry as you get out in the surf, swells and use more advanced techniques like leaning and edging.

Anyway, just figured I'd mention that since in most sea kayaking situations it's beneficial to wear a skirt and I don't think the height of the cockpit coaming should play such a big part in the decision right now.

I even prefer a lower profile/closer to the water kayak - more stable and won't get affected by the wind as much.

 

[Roxi]

Thanks cbcbd and Carmel! I'm not sure if the reviewer was wearing a spray skirt or not. I will get one once I decide which kayak I want. The only thing I've purchased so far is my PFD. And I figured out the car rack I want.

Doug Paul, didn't mean to be short with you (although at 5' 3" it's hard for me to be anything else! ). My response to Cantdog's post was meant to be humorous. I got a kick out of some of the names of the white water kayaks - very fitting! Cantdog could very well be right, and maybe someday I will want to try white water , but learning that there are different types of kayaks for different settings was one of the FIRST things I discovered as I began reading about kayaking and trying out different boats. It's one of the first questions I get asked whenever I go into a kayak place. It's been a lot of fun talking with so many people about kayaks, and reading up on the various types, why they're shaped and sized the way they are depending on their function, pros and cons of different materials used, additional equipment needed, different paddle strokes used for different purposes; and then trying out what I've heard and read about as I take each boat out. I feel like I'm in "research mode" and I'm having a blast!

I so appreciate all the info folks have shared and I check out every link each of you has posted. Thank you so much!

 

[DougPaul]

Doug Paul, didn't mean to be short with you (although at 5' 3" it's hard for me to be anything else! ).

I wasn't offended--there is nothing for you to apologize about.

I think there has been one thing missing from this discussion: There are other issues in boat sizing than just the size of the user. The foot rests in a boat are generally adjustable and other adjustments can be made in the cockpit. Thus a boat will fit a range of body sizes. The performance of the boat depends on the size as well as the details of the hull design. (Darren made some earlier comments on hull design vs roll stability.) All else being equal, a longer narrower hull will be faster, but harder to turn. A longer hull may also be easier to handle in certain kinds of waves. A hull with a keel or sharp narrow ends will be easier to keep straight, but harder to turn. Certain hull designs (generally for whitewater) are directionally unstable--that is once they start to turn, they will turn more and more sharply until they enter a side-skid. This makes them more maneuverable, but harder to keep straight.

I understand your desire to have a light-weight boat, but I just wanted to comment on some of the other factors which enter the trade-offs.

FWIW, back when I was active on whitewater, I was your basic 5'8" 120lb "98 lb weaking". I paddled a 95lb 17 ft Old Town Tripper (whitewater open canoe) in up to class 4 water (heavy currents, twisting paths, waves up to ~4ft). I needed help getting the boat on and off the car, but the boat was enjoyable on the water. (BTW, a slang term for a whitewater open canoe is a "barge". It was a bit big and heavy compared to the much smaller closed canoes and kayaks, but you learned how to use the power of the moving water to your advantage.)

Doug

 

[cbcbd]

Roxi, I can sense the excitement... can't wait to see when you get out on the water... and then eventually you'll realize that one boat is just not enough

I paddled a 95lb 17 ft Old Town Tripper (whitewater open canoe) in up to class 4 water (heavy currents, twisting paths, waves up to ~4ft).

Hardcore!!

 

[Jay H]

My Mystic is newer than Darren's/Carmel's and it has Valley rubber hatches. Have not had any signs or problems of leakage. I 303 (UV protectant) it every year and store it in the shade. I rinse the boat off after every saltwater trip ASAP. No problems with the skeg line either so far. It got stuck once but just a little persuasion freed it and hasn't been a problem since. Probably got a little sand in it.

The water in the cockpit me thinks isn't a sign of the low cockpit. The Force line of Impex has a lower cockpit and much lower deckback on it... The shorter length with the british design (slightly raised bow) does make for nice sea splashs in rough seas, but hey, this is a water sport, if you don't want to get wet, take up golf. As far as the sprayskirt, I use a Seals extreme tour 1.2 which I like so far. I had an IR Navigator which was nice except the tunnel was too big and it would sag and eventually water would pool on the decking...

One note on the lower backband, when/if you learn to roll, the basic rolls pretty much have you lean as far back as possible to reduce the water resistance, a lower backdeck will make those rolls easier as it'll allow you to lie back farther. Big difference in the mystic vrs the force series and probably the vela too. I think I remember the Vela being a lower cockpit and lower backdeck...

BTW, the Vela and the Mystic all get pretty good reviews when I come across them on P.net, if the skeg was as bad as that reviewer claimed it is, I'd certainly hear about it on the paddling boards...

I just saw something in a magazine, a new Current Designs:

http://www.rutabaga.com/product.asp?pid=1019332

45lbs, 15'8"... Anyway, just thought I'd spit out another one...

Another thing that determines the manueverability is the rocker, the more rocker it has, the easier it will be to turn, some of the bow/sterns are more angled and some are more verticle and the boat's draft will determine the waterline of the kayak, i.e. how long is the boat at the waterline. A boat with less draft and more rocker will be effectively shorter than a boat with the same draft and less rocker. Of course, there are kakak techniques to improve a boats turning ability, called edging that makes boats seem more manueverable than others but that is just technique.

Jay

 

[Roxi]

I just saw something in a magazine, a new Current Designs:

http://www.rutabaga.com/product.asp?pid=1019332

45lbs, 15'8"... Anyway, just thought I'd spit out another one...

Thanks, Jay! I appreciate the link. The Willow looks very nice and I like the weight! $2800 is more than I want to spend though, especially when in addition to purchasing the boat, there's also the car rack, paddle, pump, appropriate gear/apparel, etc....this is like buying a good bicycle, a lot of money upfront. That's partly why I'm trying to look at many options and try out various boats before making a decision. Thank you so much for posting this one. It does look like a great boat!