In a message dated 98-05-18 18:14:53 EDT, BarbiRyan_at_aol.com writes: << I'm so confused! I attended a 'kayak demo day' this past weekend. I tried out appr. 20 kayaks, initially wanting to purchase a nice kevlar boat. I currently have an Ocean Scrambler and a Jocassee and am ready for something a little lighter and somewhat more 'high performance'. After many of the reps told me about how careful one has to be with a fiberglass OR kevlar boat (i.e., not drag it over the sand, etc.), I'm not sure what I should get! I tried a few plastic boats --- I really want one with a rudder (I paddle in the mouth of the Cheaspeake Bay). We live a couple of blocks away and use a cart to transport it. I liked the Shadow the best, but was told that it would be too small for my 6'2" hubby. The Sea Lion also seemed nice -- although somewhat more roomy in the cockpit, it would hopefully hold my husband. I'm not sure if I will like to haul a 67 pound boat over a sand dune! I also tried an Epic (wild. systems) which I liked. What are your thoughts? The kayak store has already placed an order for their summer boats --- if I don't want to pay shipping, I must let them know in the next couple of days. HELP! >> Barbi, first thing is --- don't panic. There are a lot of boats out there! There are a lot of kayak stores. You really don't have to decide in a couple of days. The folks in Virginia Beach have a great store --- assuming you're talking about Wild River --- but they're not the only dealers in the general area --- three to four hours away? And you don't have to buy "new", either. Most area and regional clubs have good, totally functional boats that are a few years old --- at a lot better price than new. A few points --- fiberglass doesn't really like being dragged around, but it's not going to destroy your boat to be beached with a running start. Plastic doesn't exactly love being dragged through the dunes, either, but is more forgiving. But you don't have to treat composite boats like they're fine china. Sounds like you and your husband intend to paddle the same boat. That's often an interesting challenge. I'm 6'2", 185 lbs, and I rattle around in my Sea Lion, but my 5'3" daughter can paddle it reasonably well. And there are a lot of them available on the secondary market. Lots! Try one for a year --- keep it if you like it, sell it if you don't or if you outgrow it. But they're heavy! You might want to try the Chesapeake Paddler Association listserve for ideas on used boats. Let me know if you want details. ANorAK is an association that has a newsletter with a lot of good used boats, too. But don't rush into a decision. There are too many options to make a quick --- and potentially wrong and expensive --- decision. Jack Martin *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Mon May 18 1998 - 19:55:13 PDT
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