so far, I love it. I’m using my fanny pack drawn tight against the back of my seat to pack my G19. I spray the trusty old G19 with Eezox before each trip.
So, let’s talk kayaks. Any tips/tricks?
Does it come with anti crazy dogs repellent? hehe. Hope you like your new kayak.
Do you kayak with the intention of going white water? Or are you interested in open water?
Interested in all of the above.
You mentioned you live in Wyoming in the dog thread? I’ll return there one day!
Have you done the Snake yet? I would suggest it in June/July if you want to get into white water, it’s a nice run, not to highly rated, and there are a ton of holes you can practice rolls in ext. I was trained as a rafting river guide on that river, and I love it! But I don’t have much Kayaking experience but the guides that trained me used the upper part of the Snake run to do a lot of training.
Have fun!
I’m still learning kayaking, but white water and open water boats can be a bit differant. Here in northern NY i mostly do open water with my 4 and 9 year olds. My 9 year old daughter has her own and does quite well with it. However, I would not take any of our boats into any serious white water though even if we had the skills. They are slow turning, stable, open water boats.
Has they get older I may end up with a boat house so we can have white water kayaks to.
Wyoming native, marooned in Northern VA unfortunately.
What’s the length of the boat, Lebowski?
I have to resist all urges to get one of these for the fact that it’s got a gun rack:
The best tip/trick I’ve got is that I’ve learned never to skimp on the paddle itself. For lakes/large rivers, the longer the better.
I have zero experience with whitewater adventures, other than rafts.
The more lake kayaking you do, the more you will grow to despise “smokers”.
They’re a serenity buster for sure. Nothing like a pontoon boat full of belligerent, drunken assholes to spoil some tranquility.
I had some pricks get within 6’ of me on a jetski. “Why”, you ask? I suppose because they could.
Other than the occasional joker, I’ve had nothing but good times on the lake.
Don’t tip it!
Horsing around, I pushed a buddy of mine’s boat with my oar, at a pretty good heft. As soon as water hit the lip, the boat, for all intents and purposes, sunk instantly. Fortunately, it was in shallow water, and it was easily recovered.
The other tip, no pun intended, that I’ve got is to carry trucker bombs with you, or do what I’ve failed to master:
Pee out of the side of your boat, standing up/balancing, and not getting any in, or on, the boat.
Good luck, young paddler.
keep the rubber side down?
Where in WY? I’ve heard that VA has great rivers. When I was in College a professional Kayaker that lived down the hall from me grew up in VA. He loved it there! I haven’t spent enough time in the state to say much about it.
Wow, i’ve ben lurking here so long, learning all I can. Now somebody who’s posts i’ve read many times asks about something I know a little about. What kind of kayak is it? Make/model? Enclosed or sit-on-top? Are you looking to run whitewater or cruise lakes? The type of boat you bought will help determine it’s best use. I’m not a kayaking expert, but I taught whitewater river running for over 20 years. I’d be glad to try and answer any questions you might have.
At least 3 kinds of water and each requires its own boat to optimize performance:
Flat water - ponds and lakes = recreational or touring kayak
Whitewater - moving, sometimes rapidly, creeks and rivers = whitewater or creekboat, or playboat (yes, there is a difference between the 3)
Ocean = ocean kayak
I transitioned from flat water rec boats to whitewater a few years ago and love it, but a whitewater boat sucks on flat water, just like rec and touring boats suck in serious whitewater. I one point I owned 3 different boats.
Here is a good little tutorial on water an boat styles: http://www.dagger.com/pages/index/kayaking101
For a good whitewater school in the west, consider http://www.otterbar.com/
Do you fish?
We do a little upriver day tirp kayak float down the Shenandoah every year.
we catch more beer than fish… wife hasn’t figured out that’s by design.
(I don’t have to clean a beer before I eat it.)
This is the best time to broach the subject:
Am I crazy/alone, or has anyone else ever considered Rhino-lining a kayak?
Why would you? You would be adding weight to your boat.
So, what type of kayak did you buy? What do you plan on doing with it?
I used to teach WW and did a bit of touring, too. I’ve sold a ton of rec boats and touring boats too.
Let me know what questions you have and I’ll try and help you out, if I can.
Excellent purchase! Pics man, we need pics!
I spent the morning on the range, the afternoon kayaking, come home put the boat away hang my gear to dry and start the computer and see my buddy RyanS emailed me the link to this thread.
I also just bought a kayak, but I have been researching them for the last few weeks in preparation for me buying one. I am a large guy, so I needed capacity, and I wanted a boat that tracked straight, was quick and had good initial and secondary stability. I ended up with a Dagger Catalyst 13 and it is a decent recreational touring boat.
The color wasn’t my preferred but I didn’t care as it was on sale and the last one. Everything from the boat, PFD, paddles, spray skirt and roof rack for just under 1100 bucks.
I bought it last Thursday, and I have already paddled 6 lakes and a stretch of the local river. I have also lost just over 6 pounds, and can feel my arms and core getting a good workout. Been practicing wet exits, different strokes, getting the boat outfitted for my needs. I have to install some rod holders for my fishing rods, and I need to attach some sort of bag/holder to the cockpit for some gear I want to keep handy.
I have to say that paddling is the most fun I have had with my pants on in years. And I am getting one hell of a tan.
Jon
Done a little kayaking in Western MI. A lot of fun and a lot of work. Used a friend’s Klepper. Cool boat. Not sure if the gators would paddle up to one down here in the Atchafalaya Basin, though…
Harmony makes a few options…
http://www.harmonygear.com/products/203824/Deck_Bags%2C_Dashboards_
I thought it might not be a bad idea to do the lower portions. The bottom of my boat is looking really rough from rocks, ramps, going over dams, etc. There will eventually be a hole.
:eek: