Newbie Kayaker seeks advice from petite paddlers

vftt.org

Help Support vftt.org:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
One thing about online reviews (and I think you are learning this) is that you have no idea how experienced the reviewer is or how he/she uses the boat. So you have to take a bad review here or there with a grain of salt.

Like Jay said, if the Mystic really had a skeg problem specific to the boat then I am sure you would see a lot of references to it online. Unhappy people post more than happy people when it comes to gear.

Usually a stuck skeg is caused by a pebble being jammed between the skeg and the body. I make it a habit to check the skeg as soon as I enter the water from a beach. Even if I don't plan on using the skeg I always check it while I am still close to shore.

Even with a stuck pebble once in a while, I would take a skeg over a rudder any day. Among other reasons, the fixed foot pegs gives you a much tighter fit and more control over the boat.

- darren

ps: if you get the Mystic then you and Jay will have to come down/up and paddle with Carmel for a Mystic-fest.

pps: as for max fit in a Mystic, I tried the Mystic out ONCE. (yah, once, never again). I wedged myself in it. I mean wedged! Sitting at the edge of the beach I thought "ok, this is really uncomfortable, but I can at least go for a very short paddle. I shoved off and as soon as I was underway, I realized that I was in big trouble. My weight and high center of gravity made the boat incredibly unstable. It was so tippy I was super afraid of turning around. If I rolled over there was no way I would get out of the boat. I would probably drown. I did the slowest widest arc of a turn and eventually made it back to the beach. It was really stupid and I was very lucky. So, 6'4" + Mystic = not so good. :eek:
 
Thanks, Darren. I actually really do like the Mystic despite that one review. It fit well, and I do think that one of the things that has come through in this discussion is that boats fit a range of people. We've talked about upper limits and the links posted and oline reviews have all talked about which paddlers within a range best fit a particular boat. Knowing that you don't fit a Mystic is actually comforting to me. :D

I like the adjustable footpegs and they do make a difference, but I'm more concerned with how a boat fits my hips, as it seems like that is where a lot of my "control" in the boat is. What I liked about the footpegs of some models is that I could adjust them while sitting in the cockpit; others I had to get out to adjust them.

Both the Eddyline Fathom LV and the Impex Mystic fit the best so far (as judged by my hips). Leg room is NOT an issue in ANY boat for me! :D I like the Carbonlite of the fathom LV, but prefer the slightly lower price and less weight of the Mystic. I'm slightly concerned about having a fiberglass boat because I was not named Grace for a reason. :rolleyes: I try to buy things that will last despite what I will inevitably do to them, or not spend a lot of money on them. When I got my motorcycle license, I was smart enough to buy a used motorcycle, as I knew at some point I was going to be glad I did. If I can find a used Mystic, I'm there. In the meantime I'm going to continue looking at and trying out other boats. It's good to have my field narrowed, but I don't want to close the door to a decision too soon (especially if any more sales will be coming up this fall).
 
Mystic-Fest.. I Like it. I guess we'd have to have it at Mystic, CT! :)

I was paddling up in Little Tupper Lake in the ADKs, very very nice. non-motorized, it was pretty much quiet except for about 6 other kayakers/canoiests we saw all day.. nice!

Need to check out Lake Lila and the Bog River flow soon..

Jay
 
update

Ok, those of you who are expert kayakers with lots of experience and high performance boats will probably cringe when you read which kayak I finally chose since I began my search late last summer. Consider yourselves warned. Stop reading now.

First, MANY THANKS to all of you who took the time to answer my questions last summer and provide valuable information to a newbie. I appreciated your advice so much! :)

Quick review: I learned by trying out several kayaks last year that not all kayaks fit the same on this 5 ft. 3 in. frame. I also learned that I needed one that weighed less than 50 lbs., preferably less than 45 if I was to have any chance of transporting it independently, especially getting it on and off my car. Because I am not named Grace for a really good reason, I also wanted one that was durable. And on an educator's salary, I didn't want to spend big bucks. So I started looking and discovered that some of the above criteria seemed incompatible with each other. For example, less weight usually meant more money. Plastic was cheap and durable, but weighed more.

I initially fell in love with Eddyline's Fathom LV which fit really nicely, and was made of durable carbonlite, but at 47 lbs. it was pushing my weight limit, not to mention frightening my wallet at $2500. The Impex Mystic was even more of an attraction at 43 lbs., but again the cost was prohibitive at over $2000, and I was told by kayak dealers that repairing a fiberglass boat isn't cheap (remember I'm not named Grace for a reason). So after many months of no luck trying to find a "cheap" used Mystic, I reminded myself why I wanted a kayak in the first place....FUN....getting out on the water, exploring shorelines, and enjoying the sunshine. I don't need an expensive high quality boat to do that, but I do need one that I can lift...

...enter LLBean's Calypso. At 12 feet long and only 41 lbs with a rudder, I was able to get it on and off my car all by myself! Which meant that I could take it out on a lake all by myself and actually go paddling!!! :) And it's made out of plastic, so it might actually survive my ownership. AND it came with a carbon fiber shafted paddle, a type 3 PFD, and a cockpit cover, all for less than a thousand bucks. It also has one storage hatch and deck rigging front and back in addition to the rudder. Surprisingly, of the dozen kayaks I've tried, it has the most comfortable seat. I actually feel like my posture is upright and I have lower back support, which means I can paddle longer. The higher end kayaks I had tried had very uncomfortable seats and no lower back support that I could feel. Lastly, I knew that if I decided I was unhappy with it for any reason, LLBean would take it back without a problem. I figured for a first kayak, it was a pretty safe choice. They even had a really cute guy deliver it to my home. They get extra points for that! ;)

After receiving the kayak, checking her out, assembling the rudder, adjusting the seat, etc. it rained on and off every day for a week! :( Finally the weather forecasters promised warm sunny skies! I couldn't wait! :) After sliding her onto the J'hooks and strapping her down, I took her for her maiden voyage on a rather small lake (more like a big pond) at the base of Cannon Mtn 10 minutes from my home. That allowed me to test my skills at securing the boat to my car without traveling far in case I had a problem, as well as test the kayak in a relatively safe and quiet environment to see how she handles.

The paddle is light enough, the PFD fits nicely and has two pockets in the right places, and I LOVE how pressing against the foot pegs to adjust the rudder helps steer the boat. That is too cool!! I had a BLAST!!! :) Now I had read some reviews that said the Calypso didn't track well. Since I'm really new at this, I have no idea how it's supposed to track. Ignorance really is bliss as I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be experiencing here. It went everywhere I wanted it to, and I had FUN! And because I could transport it all by myself, and not be dependent on other people, I can go kayaking as often as I want to. Today's excursion on Echo Lake may have been small, but it provided me with a wonderful vantage point from which to view two adult bears, one with cubs, foraging along Cannon's ski slopes. Watching them from my kayak was pretty cool! :) Maybe tomorrow I'll paddle around Lake Tarleton....

So did I buy the best kayak I could? No. But I think I bought the right kayak for me at this time. Eventually I may develop enough skill to warrant upgrading as I learn what I like and want in a kayak, but for now, I just want to be able to get out on the water and have FUN whenever I choose to, without spending a lot of money or being dependent on others for help. The Calypso allows me to do that. :)
 
...seeks advice from petite paddlers
That leaves me out! :D Just buy from a dealer where you can actually test paddle a boat first. There are lightweight alternatives to expensive Kevlar and carbon boats, such as Perception's Airlite material. My first (and still only) kayak is a 17-foot touring model that I bought from a friend. I found that a snug-fitting cockpit gives the paddler a better feel for the boat - making you become sort of a part of the kayak; it aids handling and provides more control and a safer feeling in rough water. Have fun!
 
Congratulations!
Sounds like you had a great time. I'm a big fan of most any boat that can be paddled , thinking it's all about location, location, location, and Echo Lake is a beautiful spot.
Lots of nice places to see wildlife once you have a boat,,i'm sure you'll love it.
 
spider solo said:
Congratulations!
Sounds like you had a great time. I'm a big fan of most any boat that can be paddled , thinking it's all about location, location, location, and Echo Lake is a beautiful spot.
Lots of nice places to see wildlife once you have a boat,,i'm sure you'll love it.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Spider Solo. I agree with you. I love having a boat that I can get to and from the places I want to paddle. Although Echo Lake is a beautiful spot and a great place to see wildlife while checking out the kayak, Lake Tarleton yesterday was even better!!!! :)
 
thanks!

Thanks for the link Peakbagr! I like both versions of that Salar, but the costs even without the rudder is up there. As you said, maybe someday...I better start saving now! ;)
 
I'm in the same "boat' as you no pun intended, as a NYC educator I'm on a low budget....I bought a used boat (plastic) and have fun going at ramming speed to get back on to shore over the small rocks...the views from the water are som nuch different.....have fun...I'd like to go out tonight, it's 99F :eek:
 
ALGonquin Bob said:
so I suppose I should at least LOOK at the previous posts before replying... :D
Click to expand...

:D I'm sorry Bob! I didn't want to hurt your feelings by pointing out that I had already bought a kayak and was simply "updating" the thread with the info. Your advice is good and I did test a number of kayaks in the water as well as testing the "fit" of the Calypso before purchasing it. As I said, I knew LL Bean would take it back if I wasn't happy. So far I have been very happy! But I think this is like cycling in that my first 10-speed when I was 10 was a Ross. Over the years I gradually upgraded to better lighter bikes until in 2002(?) I bought a custom built Serotta titanium. I've never regretted that purchase because of how often I use and enjoy it. I am less willing to initially buy an expensive kayak until I have enough experience with the sport to know how often I'll use it and which features I want. So starting with a less expensive, liftable 41 lb. durable boat made sense. Years from now, I may be willing to spend more, but I still think this is a good first boat for me given my novice level. Since I don't yet have enough skill and knowledge to know how good a boat could perform I'm not disappointed when I'm having a lot of fun with what I have now.
 
"Years from now, I may be willing to spend more, but I still think this is a good first boat for me given my novice level. Since I don't yet have enough skill and knowledge to know how good a boat could perform I'm not disappointed when I'm having a lot of fun with what I have now."

Roxi, this is good advice in sports or pastimes where the difference between entry level, mid level and top performance can be a lot of $$$.
Be it boats, flyrods, ski equipment or high performance cameras or target guns.
It sometimes takes a lot of willpower to keep from plunking down the big bucks until whether you know you'll like the activity and be able to tell the difference.
 
hey, my first 10 spd was a Ross compact... It had a cool freehub, allowing one to shift without peddling.

Congrats on the kayak purchase, it's so hot now, I'm sure you are making good use of it. ;)

Jay
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

coldfeet
Sit on top trip
Replies
0
Views
146
coldfeet
coldfeet

Latest posts

Top