If you are thinking about boats for a long, cross country trip, there are a few things to consider:
- will you be leaving the vehicle unattended for significant periods of time? Boat theft is not a trivial issue.
- paddling rivers, and especially ones with rapids, requires some sort of shuttle to get you and the boats back to your starting point. For a couple with one vehicle, and both wanting to paddle, that can be difficult to arrange. Signing up with a tour company that provides both boats and shuttle could be worth while.
- are you thinking about longer paddles, possible on the ocean, where a long, faster boat would be a big advantage?
- or is your paddling most likely to be after dinner tours of the lake you have camped by? A decent inflatable is my boat of choice for this type of paddling.