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Syano posted:So I've basically got a decision to make between a pair of tandem yaks for me and the 3 kiddos or a pair of canoes. The canoes seem to be more practical from a on the water perspective. More weight capacity and maybe a bit more room certainly stands out as a huge bonus. The yaks seem to stand out from a portability perspective. Should be easier to rack those things on the truck. Anyone got any strong opinions one way or the other before I pull the trigger? 2 canoes 1 vehicle would be trailer territory for me. Don't know how strong your kids are, but there are a bunch of tandem sit on top kayaks popping up these days and one of them is almost certainly lighter than a 15-17' canoe. Plus, a sit on top kayak is much more manageable in a capsize than a canoe is.
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# ¿ Aug 14, 2020 18:33 |
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# ¿ May 21, 2024 00:35 |
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Syano posted:Yes they are fishing Kayaks. Im eyeing specifically the Brooklyn kayaks brand fishing tandems. I can get those or a solid canoe for about the same price. Kids are not super strong yet so thats certainly an issue with loading and unloading Hm, those Brooklyn 12.5' fishing tandems are actually not that much lighter (68-74#) than Royalex or polyethylene canoes in the 14-16' range (75-80#). While the kayaks are still less likely to sink if there's a capsize, a 14' canoe is way more versatile in that storage space is just one giant hull, you can move around and trade seats out on the water, pee off the side, bow person can turn around in their seat and paddle the thing solo or access the middle space, you can throw a cooler or lawn chair in for a third person, handle a dog, etc etc. Plus, when it's in storage, you can put all your paddling stuff, straps, pfds, etc inside the canoe. One person can portage a canoe easier than they could a tandem sit on top kayak. There's a reason canoes are still being made and sold without many changes to their design alongside the rapid development of kayaks. I've got an Old Town Guide 160 and while it's a bit hefty at 80#, I can still do all the loading, unloading, transporting by myself and then at the lake we can just chuck all our poo poo into it plus the kid and dogs and sort things out as we go. That would be impossible with a tandem kayak of the same size and length. Plus, a canoe can hold a ridiculous amount of weight. Maybe get one of each and return the one you don't like? Rent one of each a few times? With regard to transport, I got sick of dealing with the canoe on the roof of the truck and got one of these and I love it. While it wouldn't do two canoes, I tossed the canoe, a solo kayak, and a paddleboard on it a couple weeks ago and it was great. HenryJLittlefinger fucked around with this message at 21:36 on Aug 14, 2020 |
# ¿ Aug 14, 2020 19:08 |
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pumped up for school posted:I keep meaning to get one of those. I have a long box for my truck, but that still looks nice. How'd you load it? Paddleboard strapped on top of the kayak? Sort of, canoe down the center, upside down, strapped at 3 points on the boat to 2 points each on the truck bed and bed extender. Kayak upside down on top/one side of the canoe, board done similarly on the other side. It was a big ugly package, but solid.
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# ¿ Aug 14, 2020 19:50 |
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Syano posted:Got any opinions on the the flat bottoms vs shallow arch? They each have their advantages. Right now I have a flat bottom because it's for carrying dogs, kids, and fishing out of. I only use it on flat water, so I don't have a lot of need for quick maneuverability. It's got a ton of primary stability, so I can walk around in it and if the dogs get freaked out they won't capsize, same for the kid. Any speed and efficiency benefits that a shallow arch have over a flat bottom would be lost on kids. If you're in it with a kid and suddenly get stuck doing both the power and steering, they're a little bit less of a hassle. Which canoes are you looking at?
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# ¿ Aug 14, 2020 20:32 |
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Syano posted:The old towns were the ones I was comparing against the Brooklyn Kayaks. Well that's convenient, because I was too. I love my Guide 160. As stated, they are not small, but I guess they're not that much heavier at least than the Brooklyn kayaks. I'm thinking about trying to trade down to a 147 if I can but won't be upset if I can't or end up not doing it. The Guide series has a flat bottom, minor keel, and chines to account for the lost secondary stability. I don't know how much they actually help, but I've never come close to capsizing. Apparently, if you really load em down they can get tippy. If you want to do that, or camp out of them, the Discovery series is a solid boat too. The Disco 169 is like the long-bed F250 of canoes, it'll carry a shitload of cargo and be pretty comfortable while doing it, if slow. It's the go-to livery boat where I'm from. They handle lakes just fine but also rivers. You can get gently used Old Town boats for $400-600 in my area, the caveat being that they're so ubiquitous it might take a bit to find one that's not abused.
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# ¿ Aug 14, 2020 21:35 |
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Syano posted:What area of the country is that? From Arkansas, currently in front range Colorado.
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# ¿ Aug 15, 2020 01:37 |
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pumped up for school posted:I'm looking for an extra PFD, and been looking at REI since I have nothing else to use coupons. All the outlet stuff is XXL (I'm a tall / large) so I guess it doesn't matter where it comes from. I love NRS, I have an older Ninja pfd. It’s one you slip over the head, buckle two on the right side, and cinch up. So not convenient if you’re in and out a bunch, but it’s super low profile for a type 3. I wear mine for 6-10 hours at a time a lot in the desert in the summer on rafts. Works well with kayak seats. It’s designed to be 100% out of the way for paddling and rowing and I found that to be true, your sides and shoulders are entirely open because the floatation is a triangular block on your chest and on your upper back. My work demands a lot of mobility on boats of all kinds in all seasons, and it works perfectly for me whether I’m shirtless or layered up with a raincoat and waders on. I swim in it a lot and it’s easy to do. At rest in the water, you have to maintain a little bit to stay upright, but not much. I’m 5’10, 160#, and wear a M/L. I just got one for one of my techs, he’s ~6’2”, 210# and seemed to like it for a week long river trip. Check NRS.com, they usually have a few on clearance and the bigger sizes are usually discounted the most. I used to wear an Xtrasport, I forget the model. Zipped up the chest. They’re generally good and a bit cheaper than NRS. A bunch of my colleagues who do way more white water boating than me use Stohlquist as well as NRS. They tend to be a little pricier but have some nicer perks. If you’re going to use yours a lot, be wary of zippers. Pfd zippers are big and beefy and plastic but they are still probably going to be the thing that fails first. Sometimes that failure manifests in “oh poo poo I can’t get this thing off,” which is a pain in the rear end. If it won’t see sand or silt, or much dirty water, it’ll last longer. If you do get one with a zipper, rinse the zipper after every use and occasionally scrub it down with bar soap and don’t wash it off. That will extend the life of it.
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# ¿ Sep 6, 2020 04:17 |
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meowmeowmeowmeow posted:I'm a big fan of astral PFDs, lots of good options from them. Oh yeah, astral makes good stuff. I’ve got a pair of their Wrassler shoes that are pretty good.
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# ¿ Sep 7, 2020 21:20 |
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meowmeowmeowmeow posted:I (and my friends) have had nothing but terrible luck with their shoes as far as durability, its a huge shame 5.10/adidas stopped making all their water shoes as they were way better than any Astral shoe I've ever had. Interesting. I’ve only used mine on a few trips so far so haven’t really put them to the test. A few of my colleagues have really used them hard for a couple years now and still rave. Speaking of water shoes though, I am ending friendship with Chaco. I’ve been loyal for 13+ years now, and their material quality, offerings, prices, and customer service just keeps declining. When my current pair finally blows out I’m going to get some Bedrock sandals.
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# ¿ Sep 8, 2020 00:26 |
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its all nice on rice posted:Anyone have recommendations on entry level canoes? I've been doing some research, but it's hard to settle on something. There are a lot of different options on craigslist/FB Market/Offerup. Old Town Discovery 169
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# ¿ Sep 8, 2020 19:37 |
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its all nice on rice posted:Not seeing any in my area on the used market. There's an Old Town Guide 147 and an Old Town Discovery 174. I've never paddled a 174, but the Discovery shape is built for hauling a bunch of poo poo and being really stable. In big lovely water, it'd probably be even more capable of handling waves head-on. If it's not a really new one, it's probably Royalex, so heavy but tough as poo poo and resistant to oil canning. The Guide is probably not great for really nasty stormy water. The primary stability is good because they're flat-bottomed, but secondary isn't so great. They put chines on them to account for that, but they're still more of a casual day tripper. You could easily camp out of one for a couple people and a dog or kid, but the heavier you load it, the less stable it will be. edit: To clarify, all canoes gain stability as you load them, but a flat bottom will lose that stability after a point, and that point comes earlier on the Guide than the round-bottom Discovery. HenryJLittlefinger fucked around with this message at 20:52 on Sep 8, 2020 |
# ¿ Sep 8, 2020 20:39 |
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# ¿ Sep 8, 2020 20:47 |
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its all nice on rice posted:Would a 17ft+ canoe be unwieldy for one person and gear? I weigh ~185, and if I pack a cooler, I'm looking at something like 100lbs or so of gear. Yes. Even more of a pain in the rear end to load and unload. If you want that option, get the Guide 147 and put web seats in it if it doesn't already have them. Sit backward on the bow seat to paddle solo. A 100# cooler would be a benefit to you in that situation, it'll balance the boat and make it track better in addition to getting it deeper in the water. I posted up thread a bunch about this, but I am thinking about trying to get rid of my Guide 160 for a 147 so I can solo canoe or take the kid out by myself till she's old enough to paddle.
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# ¿ Sep 8, 2020 20:55 |
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One other thing to consider is the Guide series in general is slower and less maneuverable on the water than the Discovery. Not by a huge amount, and it matter less on flat water/lakes/lagoons. A good paddle helps, and you'll want to have a good j-stroke. A touring/sea kayaking paddle is nice to have if you want to do solo stuff, but not necessary. Just make sure it's plenty long enough.
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# ¿ Sep 8, 2020 21:05 |
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its all nice on rice posted:Went with the guide. The seller had two oars of different lengths. Nice! I'm interested in what you think about it. Try kneeling if you're going solo. The Guide is just a little wide, so you may have to reach a bit if you're kneeling close to the middle. I use a Harmony Shadow paddle that's a little longer than most online paddle-sizing guides recommend, specifically so I can paddle a wide canoe from my knees or while standing. Also gives a little bit more reach for harder turns on boat that doesn't like to turn quite so well. My wife likes her basic Carlisle Scout paddle. Good paddle brands: Carlisle, Bending Branches, Harmony, Werner, Sawyer. Carlisle has ample budget paddles, and their basic blue and yellow plastic t-handle is always good to have on hand for beatering or loaning. I've never seen foot braces in a canoe. My first thought is that if you're trying to brace your whole body with your feet to put power into a stroke, you're trying too hard and will wear yourself out. Flatwater canoeing is leisurely. Develop a good j-stroke, don't get your shoulders and traps all tense, and let your torso twist naturally. If you do really want a foot brace, which isn't unreasonable, try stickier shoes first. If that doesn't help, get some of the foam used in whitewater kayaks, cut it to shape, and glue it on the inside of the hull. HenryJLittlefinger fucked around with this message at 22:47 on Sep 10, 2020 |
# ¿ Sep 10, 2020 22:42 |
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its all nice on rice posted:I think I might just lay down some grip pads/anti slip strips; I saw some canoes on CL with them installed. Can only help with grip, and would be safer for little ones. Oh poo poo I never thought of that. I’ve got a roll of grip tape, it’d be perfect for that.
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# ¿ Sep 11, 2020 04:32 |
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its all nice on rice posted:Outside of testing it on the water, I think the canoe is ready to go! gently caress yeah man. Need a trip report soon.
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# ¿ Sep 22, 2020 03:41 |
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its all nice on rice posted:Actually took it out last weekend on a short camping trip. Nice. How much weight would you estimate in the fully loaded boat?
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# ¿ Sep 23, 2020 20:17 |
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Easychair Bootson posted:I bought one of the cheap Tamarack Angler 10' sit-on-top fishing kayaks recently and pretty quickly realized that I need an anchor setup to keep me in place. I've installed the Yak Attack trolley and I've got my grapple anchor rock-rigged and my quick disconnect system all set up: Reef up all but 10 feet of your rope at the boat end, tie an inline figure eight to attach to the boat (that’s now the effective ‘end’ of the rope), and keep the excess bundled in a drawstring bag.
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# ¿ Sep 28, 2020 00:29 |
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NRS Ninja for pfd and Bending Branches Whisper or Sunrise for paddle. Harmony Sea Passage also acceptable.
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# ¿ Oct 9, 2020 05:29 |
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Syano posted:Ite... I ordered a bending branches angler classic and an NRS chinook. More than I wanted to spend but the recommendation list was short Those are good picks. You’re right, not the cheapest, but good quality and comfortable to use all day (probably). If I’m solo, I’ll pack a little dry bag with a clif bar, peanuts, cheese, dried fruit, fig newtons, etc, and maybe pick up some candy from a gas station on the way. If I’m going with others, I’ll often take a small cooler with cheese, bread, olives, smoked fish, sausage, fruit, some beers.
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# ¿ Oct 10, 2020 14:59 |
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I think it's just a rite of passage, especially with a newer boat. A couple years ago, my wife (who has plenty of kayak experience, mostly in sea kayaks) got into my rec boat and promptly just went right over. I definitely flipped my rec boat a few times throughout the time I had it, and also my whitewater boat. Once you get tipped past that point of primary stability, things happen really fast. Glad you didn't lose/break anything. That's good thinking to have your stuff all lashed down even in shallow/calm water.
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# ¿ Oct 27, 2020 18:27 |
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All this talk of capsizing is a good time to remind everyone to wear a good pfd. It doesn’t matter how well you can swim, having one on makes getting your poo poo together in the water while you’re swimming soooo much easier. Especially if the water is cold. A good pfd turns a boat flip from something dangerous into a pain in the rear end, which is way better. Without one, about all you can do is get yourself to the shore/shallow water. With one, you stand a good chance of recovering your boat and gear. Plus, pfds are a fun piece of gear to nerd out over. The difference between a decent paddling vest and a lovely old horsecollar, fishing pfd, or waterskiing vest is huge.
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# ¿ Oct 29, 2020 00:27 |
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Syano posted:Im not sure I even know what snow is. I literally just got my boat a few weeks ago so I plan on using it all winter but the lowest the air temp gets here in the south where I am at is mid 30s on average. If you’re not doing whitewater or offshore paddling, really technical dry- and wetsuits are overkill and you’ll hate them and never wear them. Dry suits are for when you know you’re going to get wet in cold weather, or there’s a really good chance of it and your life depends on staying dry if you end up swimming. A good one costs more than your boat. For winter flatwater paddling in the south, you’re fine with just good synthetic base layers (UnderArmor type stuff, the low $ C9 stuff from Target is all I’ve ever worn and it’s great), quick dry hiking pants, and a splash layer. I paddled all seasons in Arkansas for years, and that was great for me. Rain pants and jacket from Cabelas, fleece top, synthetic base layer, and usually chacos. Stuff that dries reasonably quick while you get back to the car. I got pretty soaked a few times and it wasn’t fun but wasn’t dangerous either. A paddling splash top is nice, too, because they have some gasketing in the wrists and neck and a waist cinch. Wrist gaskets is key so water doesn’t run all the way down to your armpit. Again, this is all assuming you're not intending to get wet or there's otherwise a low chance of it happening. That’s still what I wear a lot of the time in Colorado now. When it really gets cold, I’ve got a 2.0 mil farmer john wetsuit that has been great. I did some summer sea kayaking in Alaska with it and it handled those temps well too. I don't really whitewater kayak any more though, if I did I'd have a drysuit setup like meow^5 described. I wore one for a swiftwater rescue course in the Colorado River in April and a wetsuit absolutely wouldn't have cut it. To be clear, though, 30-degree ambient temps are cold enough that even a dunk in 60-degree water would suuuuuuck. If you've ever experienced the mammalian diving response in cold water, you will take great precautions to avoid it forever after, or at least learn how to deal with it safely. Hence a good pfd being one of the most important things you can wear, especially in cold weather. A hypothermic person who can float with their head above water will probably get out of the water and live. A hypothermic person who is swimming frantically without the aid of a pfd is probably already dead and hasn't figured it out yet. HenryJLittlefinger fucked around with this message at 05:56 on Oct 30, 2020 |
# ¿ Oct 30, 2020 05:23 |
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meowmeowmeowmeow posted:Tall neoprene socks make a huge difference if you have to get in the water to launch your boat as well. I’ve never used these but was going to shill my neoprene booties as well. How are the socks? I think about getting a pair every now and then. I usually wear chacos up to the point that it’s just too cold for bare feet and switch to the booties. I picked up a pair of Astral water shoes recently though and was thinking neoprene socks might be good to pair with them.
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# ¿ Oct 31, 2020 05:54 |
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Arkhamina posted:I am still waffling on what I want. On one hand, I enjoy canoes, and have more experience with them. On the other hand, my goal is water-craft travel based camping. My other half is ok with going camping, canoeing - he seems to enjoy it, he just never initiates it, and I am fairly sure my desire to sleep under a bug net and eat ashy food, sneak up on turtles on logs is much higher. Get a kayak for yourself. You might have to learn how to pack lighter and get some backpacking camping gear, or you might be able to do it with what you have. Drink wine instead of beer, get a backpacking tent, try a hammock, or sleep out, downsize your sleeping bag and pad, dehydrate your food and get a little MSR stove, etc. I love canoes and will always stan for them but I also love kayaks and have done multi days out of them easily. The bottom line here is you need to be able to easily get out by yourself. As much as I like canoes I will always have some kind of solo boat. For years it was an Old Town Voyager, lately it’s my wife’s paddle board that she lets me use. For that matter, consider a canoe and an inflatable sup board. It’s a different kind of paddling (slower, wetter), but easier to do on your own, and easier to store than a kayak.
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# ¿ Nov 4, 2020 02:29 |
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Easychair Bootson posted:Do the Immersion Research Basic Paddle Pants and Basic Splash Jacket fit the bill for someone in the southeast US who wants to extend kayak fishing season? I'm probably looking at ambient temps around 45 and water temps a little above that (I think) as sort of the lower end of the scale of when I'd want to get out there. I have had good luck with inexpensive rain pants and this splash top, which looks similar to what you posted. So yeah, that stuff looks perfectly suitable. Synthetic layers underneath are key. Some booties like these help a lot when it's really too cold to be barefoot or in sandals.
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# ¿ Nov 24, 2020 17:25 |
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Easychair Bootson posted:I got some of those NRS Kicker Remix shoes and have been real happy with them so far. I’ve got merino base layers for days that I think will do the trick. If I can get a couple of seasons out of the cheap splash gear I’ll be happy. Oh you’re set then. One thing about splash layers: hang them on hangers (pants on suit pants hangers by the waist or cuffs) or stuff them into high-volume stuff sacks like you would a nice down sleeping bag when it’s in storage. The liners in those will break down along folds after a couple seasons, and it’ll start by flaking off a little bit at a time. Hung carefully or crumpled randomly and loosely, they’ll last a lot longer. Rinse the sweat out of the interior too, especially the collar.
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# ¿ Nov 25, 2020 07:18 |
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WerrWaaa posted:Anyone have a lead on a good starting paddle board? I want to get one for my spouse. Long, wide, high weight capacity. Rigid, not inflatable. My budget is $600 or less, then PFD and paddle on top of that. I know nothing about these things other than what I see in the REI intro videos. Newb guide links also very welcomed. Anyone who wants to spot the DFW Craigslist or Marketplace ads and scoop a sweet deal would be a forever friend. What is your opposition to inflatable?
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# ¿ Dec 13, 2020 17:36 |
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I don’t have experience paddling a rigid board, but my neighbor’s fiberglass Tower board punctures and gouges really easily if you hit rocks and stuff whereas my wife’s inflatable NRS Baron is extremely tough. Drop-stitched inflatables are extremely hard at 15 psi and the hypalon and pvc they’re made from is some really tough poo poo. I use it like a bulldozer getting around brushy poo poo and snags when I fish bass in the spring and the only marks on it are in the foam standing pad from my dogs claws. The NRS Baron 4 is a great beginner board. It’s stable, packs down pretty small, and it should come with a bag, pump, repair kit, and two sets of skegs. NRS always has some boards on clearance from last year on their website. I like the Advanced Elements two piece paddle, which is a low budget item. The NRS budget paddle is pretty good too. Just make sure you get an adjustable 2-piece. I think Hala and Tower inflatables are supposed to be pretty good too, but I have no experience with them.
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# ¿ Dec 13, 2020 22:01 |
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Sure thing. Another thing to consider: generally speaking, longer boards are easier to learn on because they track straighter. Wider boards are more stable, but a short fat board is more of a headache than a long skinny one.
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# ¿ Dec 14, 2020 02:39 |
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You’ll knock the absolute piss out of your head right around the hairline a few times before you learn where they are If they’re Yakima, there’s a boat loading helper called the sand dollar (I think) that telescopes out the end of one of the rails. It’s got a little sand dollar shaped thing on the end. It’s handy.
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# ¿ Dec 30, 2020 05:26 |
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VideoGameVet posted:Dumb question. I have never seen anything of the sort, but you could probably easily put some oarlocks in and push it Galloway style. HenryJLittlefinger fucked around with this message at 01:33 on Apr 1, 2021 |
# ¿ Apr 1, 2021 01:26 |
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dadjokes posted:I live in Michigan and have really enjoyed kayaking in the past and am finally in place where I can buy my first one. I'm mostly going to use it on small lakes and river with some fishing in those same places mixed in, but am a little concerned about the bottom and material I should use so I'm looking for any advice. I really like the idea of an inflatable kayak with a flat bottom but worry about punctures as the rivers around here would seem to be filled with things that would pop it. Same reason I was looking at the flat bottom, but am I overthinking that? Don’t get an inflatable for flat water and don’t get a flat bottom. They’ll be slow as molasses, won’t track for poo poo, and will generally be more irritating than fun. I’m a big fan of recreational kayaks, aka rec boats. Think big open cockpits and plenty of legroom, fairly good secondary stability, enough of a keel to track straight, and short enough to maneuver easily. My personal favorite for years was a 10-foot Old Town Voyager. Similar: Old Town Loon and Dirigo. All are light enough to tote around on your own on whatever vehicle and pretty forgiving for less-experienced paddlers. Others in this thread know more about sit on tops and hybrids. Also check out the Discord, we talk boats a lot in there.
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# ¿ May 19, 2021 01:52 |
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poo poo POST MALONE posted:I've got two Bending Branches kayak paddles. One of them is stuck as one piece and the other one won't go together as a single piece (too tight). For the stuck one, try some kind of penetrant. Kroil, PB Blaster, even WD40 maybe? Let it soak in for a while like overnight. For the one that don’t go together, make sure both the male and female sections are round. Otherwise sand it some more, both sections. Grease it, too, or when you get it together you’ll have two paddles that are one piece.
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# ¿ Jun 3, 2021 03:35 |
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Demon_Corsair posted:What are your must haves for accessories and safety gear on your kayaks? PFD, a high quality one Fox 40 whistle, always accessible on the PFD headlamp 25' of strong line, like paracord, 1/2-1" webbing, plus a couple carabiners throw bag if in a kayak or bucket boat, a big sponge or bailer That's my minimum for any boat I'm in/on. The bigger/heavier the boat, the stronger and longer the line. What kind of paddling are you going to be doing?
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# ¿ Jun 4, 2021 22:23 |
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While I don’t have any specific links to videos, research the power, draw, pry, and jstrokes. Canoeing is such an ancient thing that there are a ton of good resources out there and you won’t likely get fooled by bad information if you just watch some of the top results on youtube. I bet the American Canoe Association has a decent series.
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# ¿ Jun 5, 2021 05:46 |
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Math You posted:Twist the strap to stop the flap! Put two twists in the strap below the hull and above the door frame before tightening down and it will stop the dreaded hum. Trucker's hitch is also very necessary for tying up heavier boats by the painter line. My coworkers get sick of me coming behind them and untying their stupid slipknots and poo poo that tighten to the point that they can't be untied and the line is weakened and a hazard. Don't ever use knots in your boat lines, hitches only. Or knots that are easily untied, like a bowline or something on a bight.
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# ¿ Jun 10, 2021 17:01 |
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Nooner posted:is this a good kayak? Pelican is not known for great boats, but they’ll do.
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# ¿ Jun 12, 2021 03:24 |
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# ¿ May 21, 2024 00:35 |
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Quabzor posted:Also, I know hardhats and helmets should be replaced fro deterioration of the plastic every several years regardless of damage. Do you have to do the same with kayaks or are they thick enough that it's not a big deal. Yeah, like poo poo post malone said, they are not consumables by normal money having people. That said, they live much longer lives if you can protect them from sun and heat and don't store them on their hull.
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# ¿ Jun 25, 2021 18:09 |