Help Pick My First Kayak

Took our kayak class on Saturday and I am well hooked. Had a Lure 13.5, it was very stable and paddled well in the currents in the channel off Hayden Island. But long and heavy, so I'd love to hear that the Lure 10 or 11.5 will be good enough paddlers go get me home against slow current and wind. But offering some others in the similar price range. I just can't get to the price of a Coosa HD, much less a Slayer Propel or Hobie Outback.

Keeping in mind I will not be going offshore. I may go into a bay eventually. This is mainly for the Willamette, Yamhill and Tualatin, and Hagg Lake or similar.

Thank for the help !

I would say

I had the lure 11.5 and really liked it, I did however move up to the lure 13.5. I have other kayaks thought for different things. Its a tank but it doesn't bother me, it tracks and paddles a little better than the 11.5 and has more storage space and capacity. On small steams and rivers I would prefer the 11.5 but I head out on the willy and Big C for bass and the 13.5 rocks in the bigger water. Both are great boats and you cant go wrong with either. I couldn't see myself in the lure 10 though, especially if its going to be your only kayak. The Lure 11.5 would make a good only kayak and if you added a rudder it would be even better. That is what I probably should have done... haha.

Thanks, Jay. I feel myself gravitating towards the 11.5 as he 13.5 is so long and heavy to manage. It is also what gives me pause about the BG II.

I think it will not be my only kayak once I reach the point of thinking about bays or (gasp!) ocean.

Another factor which, while not the sole or most important, is that having taken the class at AC, they give you a coopen (say it right !) for 15% including (non-Jackson) kayaks, within 2 weeks.

So my tentative plan, still being informed, is to go and paddle the 10 and 11.5. I've been told there's nary a whisker of difference between them, paddling wise. I want to confirm that for myself and decide if either is an acceptable paddle for me.If both are acceptable and I can tell the difference with the 11.5 being better, I'll go for that. If both are acceptable and I cannot tell the difference, I'll score the 10, saving money and being even easier to manage.

If neither is, I'll pass and regroup my short list, around 12 and 13's.

The Feel Frees are both shorter, yet heavier, than the BGII. If you plan on paddling anything other than small lakes or you're going to really, really appreciate the extra length. Anything shorter than 12', imho, is going to be much more difficult to manage in larger or moving bodies of water.

To each their own, but for your listed intended purposes - and if limited to the list you provided - I'd go with the BGII. Or, if not limited to that list, i'd suggest checking out several yaks that aren't listed (Prowler 13, Trident 13, Tarpon 12/14, etc...) in the 12-14' class.

First, I really appreciate being challenged on the thought process. Tell me where I am wrong, please.

I am trying to keep the boat itself to $1200 pr less. So thats one constraint.

I am also trying to err on the side of stable, in recognition that I have no prior paddling experience. So a 32-33" boat that others find to be stable might not be much margin for error. 34-35" is still a question mark in my mind vs. 36" but of course I lack an experience base.

I have no place identified where I would get a test paddle on a BG II. Neither AC or NA list it.

My offer to test paddle my big tuna still stands at 36" wide 14 ft long and able to paddle tandem. It is however over your price at $1800 unless you factor in two can paddle one boat so $900 each person.

Don't get stuck on a specific width measurement being stable or unstable.  A Jackson Coosa is 32 inches wide and 'feels' stable, until you lean just a little too far, then it's swimming time.  A Malibu X-13 is 29 inches wide, feels like it will tip, but won't unless you really screw up, and is really fast.  It's also a lot cheaper.  The Old Town predator is a nice boat, stable, paddles straight, but it's HEAVY and slow.

First, I really appreciate being challenged on the thought process. Tell me where I am wrong, please.

I am trying to keep the boat itself to $1200 pr less. So thats one constraint.

I am also trying to err on the side of stable, in recognition that I have no prior paddling experience. So a 32-33" boat that others find to be stable might not be much margin for error. 34-35" is still a question mark in my mind vs. 36" but of course I lack an experience base.

I have no place identified where I would get a test paddle on a BG II. Neither AC or NA list it.

NA has a number of different tarpons for sale that are below your price point. I think you'll find it plenty stable. It was my first real yak, too, and I loved it!

And if you don't want to go retail, this is an absolutely screaming deal on a killer yak - http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/boa/5065780524.html

My offer to test paddle my big tuna still stands at 36" wide 14 ft long and able to paddle tandem. It is however over your price at $1800 unless you factor in two can paddle one boat so $900 each person.

I do have that in mind, MJ, but...yeah. Spendy. And as a solo paddler, a bit of a beast, no ?

Don't get stuck on a specific width measurement being stable or unstable.  A Jackson Coosa is 32 inches wide and 'feels' stable, until you lean just a little too far, then it's swimming time.  A Malibu X-13 is 29 inches wide, feels like it will tip, but won't unless you really screw up, and is really fast.  It's also a lot cheaper.  The Old Town predator is a nice boat, stable, paddles straight, but it's HEAVY and slow.

I guess you nailed it there. I don't have the experience to be confident in a narrower boat. I expect that I will lean to far, or screw up, and end up in the water. Which I know I can recover from, having done it solo during the class, in water with no bottom. But I'd still like to avoid mishaps.

So I'm probably predisposed to having the least objectionable boat as far as speed, among the pantheon of uber-stable boats.

What I think I'm hearing, from all directions is, demo a bunch of boats.

First, I really appreciate being challenged on the thought process. Tell me where I am wrong, please.

I am trying to keep the boat itself to $1200 pr less. So thats one constraint.

I am also trying to err on the side of stable, in recognition that I have no prior paddling experience. So a 32-33" boat that others find to be stable might not be much margin for error. 34-35" is still a question mark in my mind vs. 36" but of course I lack an experience base.

I have no place identified where I would get a test paddle on a BG II. Neither AC or NA list it.

NA has a number of different tarpons for sale that are below your price point. I think you'll find it plenty stable. It was my first real yak, too, and I loved it!

And if you don't want to go retail, this is an absolutely screaming deal on a killer yak - http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/boa/5065780524.html

A big part of whether a boat is stable probably has to do with paddler size. I won't ask your measurements if you don't ask mine, so let me ask it this way...would Jackie Gleason have found the Tarpon to be stable, when he bought his first kayak ?

I'm about 190 and even loaded with way, way more gear than I needed (two heavy crab pots, fishing gear, 8# battery, water, beer, etc...) totaling an additional 60# or so, the boat still rode high in the water and felt stable. YMMV obviously.

I'm not even really pushing for the tarpon specifically, but suggesting that there are other yaks out there - specifically those between 12-14' - which will likely fit your needs better than the ones you listed, which are either (1) really short, and/or (2) really heavy.

Don't get stuck on a specific width measurement being stable or unstable.  A Jackson Coosa is 32 inches wide and 'feels' stable, until you lean just a little too far, then it's swimming time.  A Malibu X-13 is 29 inches wide, feels like it will tip, but won't unless you really screw up, and is really fast.  It's also a lot cheaper.  The Old Town predator is a nice boat, stable, paddles straight, but it's HEAVY and slow.

I guess you nailed it there. I don't have the experience to be confident in a narrower boat. I expect that I will lean to far, or screw up, and end up in the water. Which I know I can recover from, having done it solo during the class, in water with no bottom. But I'd still like to avoid mishaps.

So I'm probably predisposed to having the least objectionable boat as far as speed, among the pantheon of uber-stable boats.

What I think I'm hearing, from all directions is, demo a bunch of boats.

Yehp