Hi,
I've been wanting to get into kayaking lately. All I really want to
do is go around on lakes and some local slow moving rivers. Now that
I have a vehicle and roof racks to haul stuff around (an '82 vw
rabbit), I'd like to buy a kayak in the not too distant future. I've
never been in a kayak before, but may be going on a little kayak trip
thing (we'd rent) with some friends. I'd probably buy a kayak next
year, but am would like to get started researching. I'd like a kayak
that would be good for a beginner, but, that I wouldn't "outgrow" in
ability really soon. I'd buy something used. Anyone have some
suggestions of any models or categories of kayaks to look at? And,
how much would a good used beginner (sorry, I don't know the correct
term) kayak cost?

Thanks.

Back in the halcyon days of r.b.p, your question would have kicked off
a multi-day debate, with some people urging you to go right out and
buy a WW kayak and learn to roll (because you would want to do that
eventually), others telling you to go for a sea kayak capable of off-
shore work (because you would want to do that eventually), and some
others bemoaning the notion of a "beginner kayak," because your skills
will certainly outgrow the capabilities of that boat, so you might as
well go straight to one of the first two options.

That was then, this is now. I'll suggest you visit the websites of
several of the major kayak companies (Dagger, Perception, Wilderness
Systems, Current Designs, Liquid Logic, etc) and visit your friendly
Local Boat Shop. The term of art for the type of boat I think you want
is "day touring" or "transitional touring." There are several nice
boats in the 14' range that will do what you want. Here's a page to
get you started: http://www.wildernesssystems.com/wil...tional-touring.
My sister-in-law just bought a Tsunami 140 for precisely the type of
paddling you're interested in, and she loves it, but of course that
doesn't mean you will.

The usual caveats follow:
Don't be too concerned about tippiness. You'll get used to it quickly.
You WILL grow out of a very stable boat.
Budget for a good paddle. Expect to pay over $100.
Budget for a good PDF and WEAR IT.
Buy used if at all possible. Paddling.net has some good classifieds.
Find a local paddling club, for a lot of good reasons.

Good luck, and don't be a stranger.

Steve

On Aug 5, 11:04 pm, kc0kbh wrote:
Hi,
I've been wanting to get into kayaking lately. All I really want to
do is go around on lakes and some local slow moving rivers. Now that
I have a vehicle and roof racks to haul stuff around (an '82 vw
rabbit), I'd like to buy a kayak in the not too distant future. I've
never been in a kayak before, but may be going on a little kayak trip
thing (we'd rent) with some friends. I'd probably buy a kayak next
year, but am would like to get started researching. I'd like a kayak
that would be good for a beginner, but, that I wouldn't "outgrow" in
ability really soon. I'd buy something used. Anyone have some
suggestions of any models or categories of kayaks to look at? And,
how much would a good used beginner (sorry, I don't know the correct
term) kayak cost?

Thanks.

On Aug 5, 10:04 pm, kc0kbh wrote:
Hi,
I've been wanting to get into kayaking lately. All I really want to
do is go around on lakes and some local slow moving rivers. Now that
I have a vehicle and roof racks to haul stuff around (an '82 vw
rabbit), I'd like to buy a kayak in the not too distant future. I've
never been in a kayak before, but may be going on a little kayak trip
thing (we'd rent) with some friends. I'd probably buy a kayak next
year, but am would like to get started researching. I'd like a kayak
that would be good for a beginner, but, that I wouldn't "outgrow" in
ability really soon. I'd buy something used. Anyone have some
suggestions of any models or categories of kayaks to look at? And,
how much would a good used beginner (sorry, I don't know the correct
term) kayak cost?

Depends on what kind of paddling you want to do.

Inexpensive recreational kayaks are great for easy fla****er paddling.
That's how I got into kayaking. My buddy and I rented a couple of Kiwi
Kopapas from a local river livery, and by the end of our first short
trip on a little fla****er creek, we were hooked! We ended up buying 4
used rec. kayaks from the livery. We got 'em for $225 each, with a
cheap paddle.

I ended up wanting to pursue whitewater kayaking, so I quickly (within
a year) had to buy a whitewater kayak (new, $800ish), as rec. kayaks
just are NOT good for boating whitewater. (I found out the hard way,
with a monumental swim!)

If you end up wanting to do long lake or ocean trips, a good touring
or sea kayak is the way to go. $1500ish and up, new. Good luck finding
them used.

John Kuthe...

On Aug 6, 10:28 am, John Kuthe wrote:
On Aug 5, 10:04 pm, kc0kbh wrote:

Hi,
I've been wanting to get into kayaking lately. All I really want to
do is go around on lakes and some local slow moving rivers. Now that
I have a vehicle and roof racks to haul stuff around (an '82 vw
rabbit), I'd like to buy a kayak in the not too distant future. I've
never been in a kayak before, but may be going on a little kayak trip
thing (we'd rent) with some friends. I'd probably buy a kayak next
year, but am would like to get started researching. I'd like a kayak
that would be good for a beginner, but, that I wouldn't "outgrow" in
ability really soon. I'd buy something used. Anyone have some
suggestions of any models or categories of kayaks to look at? And,
how much would a good used beginner (sorry, I don't know the correct
term) kayak cost?

Depends on what kind of paddling you want to do.

Inexpensive recreational kayaks are great for easy fla****er paddling.
That's how I got into kayaking. My buddy and I rented a couple of Kiwi
Kopapas from a local river livery, and by the end of our first short
trip on a little fla****er creek, we were hooked! We ended up buying 4
used rec. kayaks from the livery. We got 'em for $225 each, with a
cheap paddle.

I ended up wanting to pursue whitewater kayaking, so I quickly (within
a year) had to buy a whitewater kayak (new, $800ish), as rec. kayaks
just are NOT good for boating whitewater. (I found out the hard way,
with a monumental swim!)

If you end up wanting to do long lake or ocean trips, a good touring
or sea kayak is the way to go. $1500ish and up, new. Good luck finding
them used.

John Kuthe...

Thank you all! I was finding some few hundred dollar used kayaks
locally (not whitewater), but was wondering if that was too cheap.
I'd suppose I can always resell the kayak after my skill level is
beyond it.

Thanks!

kc0kbh wrote:
Hi,
I've been wanting to get into kayaking lately. All I really want to
do is go around on lakes and some local slow moving rivers. Now that
I have a vehicle and roof racks to haul stuff around (an '82 vw
rabbit), I'd like to buy a kayak in the not too distant future. I've
never been in a kayak before, but may be going on a little kayak trip
thing (we'd rent) with some friends. I'd probably buy a kayak next
year, but am would like to get started researching. I'd like a kayak
that would be good for a beginner, but, that I wouldn't "outgrow" in
ability really soon. I'd buy something used. Anyone have some
suggestions of any models or categories of kayaks to look at? And,
how much would a good used beginner (sorry, I don't know the correct
term) kayak cost?

You want to buy what's called a "Recreational" kayak. 12 to 15 feet
long, made out of plastic. It'll be perfectly fine for day trips on
small lakes and slow rivers. (i.e. protected water and up to class II
rapids)

The next step up from that would depend on what kind of paddling you do.
If whitewater's your thing, buy a whitewater kayak. If long trips on
open water is your thing, get a sea kayak. For what you want to do
*now* neither is necessary or even appropriate at this point.

I've been very happy with my Dagger Blackwater that I bought a couple of
years ago - small (light) enough to be easy to cartop, plastic so I
don't care about dragging it over rocks, relatively inexpensive, and it
has a skeg that helps with tracking. I recognize it's limitations when
I try to take it on open water with wind and waves - that's when I wish
I had something more seaworthy. But I don't do all that much open-water
paddling, so I can live with the shortcomings.

//Walt