First time back from Kayaking

[adventureduo]

Wholy smokes im sore!

Headed out to Picacho SRA to camp, fish and kayak over the past weekend. Fighting the current going up stream on the Colorado river was a work out!!!! The Kayak i borrowed was a Ocean Kayak Frenzy and it was super stable. I didn't feel un-balanced on it at any point. I felt very stable and took to it in a matter of minutes.

I think im addicted now and need to pick up a kayak and get into it more so i can get back in shape!!

Just wanted to share.

PS thanks Andrew Walcker for letting us borrow your Kayak! Pics soon!

 

[upcruiser]

Kayaking is one of my favorite passions. Just something about the quietness, the efficiency, and the feeling of being one with the water. Sounds cheesy but its true. The only bummer for me is that 6 months of the year it isn't safe/nor even possible to paddle where I live. It makes the spring, summer, and fall that much better though!

Sounds like you guys had a great time. Good luck with your boat shopping.

 

[Ursidae69]

Welcome to the addiction. Kayaking rocks! :victory: I suggest you plan a trip to kayak Black Canyon below Hoover Dam, it is incredible and all nice flat water.

 

[grahamfitter]

Wholy smokes im sore!

Headed out to Picacho SRA to camp, fish and kayak over the past weekend. Fighting the current going up stream on the Colorado river was a work out!!!! The Kayak i borrowed was a Ocean Kayak Frenzy and it was super stable. I didn't feel un-balanced on it at any point. I felt very stable and took to it in a matter of minutes.

I think im addicted now and need to pick up a kayak and get into it more so i can get back in shape!!

Just wanted to share.

PS thanks Andrew Walcker for letting us borrow your Kayak! Pics soon!

Welcome aboard!

Cheers,
Graham

 

[1leg]

I have a cobra fnd for sale. 450 to expo members that pick it up.

 

[Ursa Minor]

now that your hooked...

...you might want to head over to Misson Bay at Campland Beach the weekend of 3/29-31 for the Southwest Kayak Symposium - there will be a whole lot of kayaks on the beach to try out, classes on paddling and kayakers everywhere. Don't be overwhelmed, there are a lot of beginners as well. It's all run by www.aqua-adventures.com, they can give you the details/times/schedule.

cheers
John

 

[tdesanto]

Wholy smokes im sore!

Headed out to Picacho SRA to camp, fish and kayak over the past weekend. Fighting the current going up stream on the Colorado river was a work out!!!! The Kayak i borrowed was a Ocean Kayak Frenzy and it was super stable. I didn't feel un-balanced on it at any point. I felt very stable and took to it in a matter of minutes.

I think im addicted now and need to pick up a kayak and get into it more so i can get back in shape!!

Just wanted to share.

PS thanks Andrew Walcker for letting us borrow your Kayak! Pics soon!

Try out other kayaks before you buy. You may find that there are other models out there that may still be stable enough for you (true that the Frenzy is very stable) but will offer you more capacity and are more efficiency. Look at the Tarpons, both 14' and 16'.

Liquid Logic also has some nice Kayaks. I have a 15' LL and love it. Much faster than a lot of other ones out there, but it's also not as easy to turn on a dime as the shorter boats.

Ultimately, you need to find the right one for your needs and use.

Good luck in your search and I hope you get out there more and more.

Cheers,

TD

 

[Streakerfreak]

Try out other kayaks before you buy. You may find that there are other models out there that may still be stable enough for you (true that the Frenzy is very stable) but will offer you more capacity and are more efficiency. Look at the Tarpons, both 14' and 16'.

Liquid Logic also has some nice Kayaks. I have a 15' LL and love it. Much faster than a lot of other ones out there, but it's also not as easy to turn on a dime as the shorter boats.

Ultimately, you need to find the right one for your needs and use.

Good luck in your search and I hope you get out there more and more.

Cheers,


TD

This is exactly what I would have said. Try many different styles before you take the plunge. Tarpons are great boats by the way. I personally am a traditional sea kayak guy, but I did test out a few Tarpons when I was a guide in South Florida. If I was to buy a sit on top, a Tarpon would be the boat of choice.

 

[Funrover]

Very Cool!! Being a newb ( like I hope to be soon) what are things I can do that will help and what was the hardest part?

 

[tdesanto]

If I were to get a touring kayak (since I already own a recreational sit-on-top fishing style), this one continues to catch my eye.

The Necky Chatham 18 Composite. At almost 18' and a ridgid hull; this one looks like it would just glide on top of the water effortlessly.

 

[Streakerfreak]

If I were to get a touring kayak (since I already own a recreational sit-on-top fishing style), this one continues to catch my eye.

The Necky Chatham 18 Composite. At almost 18' and a ridgid hull; this one looks like it would just glide on top of the water effortlessly.

Necky's, while very expensive, are one of the best brands of kayak out there. You really can't go wrong with a Necky, but since this is your first kayak I would stay away from Composite. If you stick with kayaking then get one down the road. Composite is a lot more expensive and there really is no need to shell out that kind of money right from the start.

 

[WhereTheHellIsJames?]

My father is big into sea kayaking (funny since he now lives in Tucson) and has had many boats. His most recent one, he built himself.


While in Washington, he’s an ‘every-single-day’ paddler, and after 6 years of heavy use and abuse in Washington and BC, as well as the Sea of Cortez, he’s still really stoked on the boat. He tells me that with the Pygmy that he built and the AT paddle that I got him as a gift, for every 2 strokes that he takes, his paddling buddies have to take 3.

As for myself, I’ve spent a lot of time in canoe’s, but have plenty of kayaking experience in the San Juan’s and Mexico as well, and can vouch that this is a truly sweet/fast/stable/lightweight/durable boat.

 

[tdesanto]

This last post reminded me of some solid advice I received when doing the research: don't skimp on the paddle. In fact, I have heard several times that a well made paddle that works for you can overcome many shortcomings that a particular boat may have.

Think ridgid carbon fiber. This is the one that my kayak dealer finally sold me on. He claimed that Bending Branches paddles are a great value and have a lot of technology and quality built into their products. I also really liked the fact that the length is adjustable so I can vary the langth depending on the type of paddling I need to do in a particular situation.

I'm sure there are many fine paddles out there, but after first using a $40 Carlisle Day Tripper, I can safely say that the BB one is much more efficient. Now, that may be a bit of apples to oranges comparison, but the point is to consider a solid paddle as part of the purchase price of the boat.

I was, however, impressed as well with the Carbon Fiber Carlisle's as well, so that may be a brand you might want to look into also.
Get the best one for your purposes that you can afford and you won't be dissapointed.

 

[Streakerfreak]

This last post reminded me of some solid advice I received when doing the research: don't skimp on the paddle. In fact, I have heard several times that a well made paddle that works for you can overcome many shortcomings that a particular boat may have.

You are very right! Most people buy the cheap $40 paddles and hate the sport after a few trips using those paddles. Back when I was a kayak guide/sales I would spend a considerable time going over paddles. Most people did not realize how important it really was. I personally think the Aqua-Bound Sting/Manta Ray lines are a great value. We have two Sting Ray paddles and I love them. They are great, quality paddles. They can be found from about $102- $200 depending on which material you buy.

Bending Branches is also a great line as stated above. They also have really beautiful wood paddles. Or if you feel like being unique you can try out a Greenland style paddle http://www.mitchellpaddles.com/paddles/kt/horizon.html#

But no, that is not something you want to get at this stage of you paddling.

After a day on the water the extra cash you pay for a decent paddle will be worth it's weight in gold.

 

[T.Low]

Agree'd

I agree.

I always bring my own paddle when going to demo a new boat.

The paddle is essentially the "tires" of the kayak. Very important. There are places to skimp and places not to skimp; don't skimp on the paddle or the spare paddle.