RE: [Paddlewise] Kayak recommendations sought

Darryl,

NDK Explorer would be a great touring machine for a skeg-selected boat.

The Valley Aquanaut likewise - a kayak with lots of pedigree as well.
Probably the best boat Valley has ever made for touring and liked by some
who don't normally like Valley boats. Definitely try it out. 

There's some other great boats out there not on your list but may be harder
to acquire where you are (?). Check the Ecomarine website and maybe Western
Canoeing and Kayak to see what folks paddle on the coast.

I'd say the Legend was out and might be poor even advice. The Foster Shadow
is an awesome tripper, harder to roll back up but then harder to go over.

Boreal are making some great boats but try them out in a variety of
conditions first, please. Often with Boreal, they come out with a good
design finally, right about the time other manufactures are coming out with
more evolved boat designs.

You can never go wrong with a Capella but again, there are other boats out
there you might find more suited to your style. The Cetus makes a nice
tripper too. Impex models are all reliable standbys if you can get a good
deal. The Necky Chatham might be worth a paddle to you. 

Delta has come a long way and offers some innovations. I know guys who love
them but don't know anyone with the skeg version yet.

It's so hard to know what attracts certain paddlers to certain styles of
kayak but if British style is your gravitation, that narrows it down some.
Seat comfort, leg length/cockpit entry and egress, hatches, price and
weight, and handling can really guide a paddler these days. Handling either
empty or loaded or both if possible are considerations to take seriously. 

My short listed boats include the Maelstrom Vaag, Norkapp LV and RM,
Sterling Reflection, Northshore Atlantic, Tiderace Xplore, a self-designed
stripper, Cunningham's SOF (last two will be started at some point), and a
maybe a double-Baidarka stripper (in retirement years). 

Got 5G back from tax yesterday but holding off jumping on a new boat as our
family has some ongoing challenges right now and I don't want to be selfish
- though after 30 years, I deserve and need a new boat!
Waaaaaa (that's me whining, etc.) :-) 

Doug 




After a number of years putting up with my kayak which is too small to 
store all my gear on long and/or cold-weather trips, I have started 
looking at new kayaks.

I have a second issue with my current boat: I love playing in decent 
waves, but I'll have a "whoopsie!" moment and then I'll tense up and 
everything just goes downhill from there. So I'm looking for more 
stability in a boat.

At my age, it's doubtful that my skill level is going to increase to 
any extent, so please don't suggest I learn a new skill to make me 
feel better, and that isn't going to solve the storage issue in any case.

I have read a number of glowing reviews of the Valley Aquanaut and 
plan to drive to the nearest dealer (a day's drive away) later in the 
spring when he gets his full complement of boats in.

He has suggested a few other boats I might want to try:
	Current Designs Infinity
	Delta 17 Skeg
	Boreal Baffin
	Boreal Ellesmere
	Impex Force 4
	Seaward Quantum
	Nigel Foster Legend
	P & H Capella 173

The Impex Force 4, as I recall is a fast, narrow boat more suited to 
day trips and speed demons (which I am not), so I probably won't test it.

But I am interested in comments about the Aquanaut, vis-a-vis its 
overall stability, or any of the other boats listed.

I am just under 6' (and shrinking with age), about 185 pounds. I 
consider myself a decent intermediate paddler. I do not roll. (Or 
rather, I do not roll back up.)

Things seem rather slow on the list these days, so perhaps it wouldn't 
be too much of an imposition to throw myself on the mercy of other 
paddlers who may know these boats better than I.

Thanks in advance,

   Darryl
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