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Sea Kayak Trips Bulletin Board
Re: Help selecting kids boats
Posted By: Mark Brodesser In Response To: Help selecting kids boats (Karly)
Date: Friday, 24 March 2000, at 2:04 p.m.
Hi Karly; I guess you want three small boats, there are some really good open cockpit tandems like the Jocasse, but ever since I was a young boy I wanted to be at the helm. If your 9 year old doesn't already want to be in his own boat he soon will! Plastic boats are rather heavy when compared to composites but they are incredibly forgiving and durable, so it's probably your best choice. the really short boats like the keowee are inexpensive, stable and lightwieght due to their size, however they track just marginally better than an innertube. In calm water it might not be a problem, and you may find the size-cost-stability advantages of these boats to be a big selling point. Walden makes some really nice smaller boats but they cost a bit more. Try and paddle as many boats as you can and you will soon decide what fits.. and what won't. Renting for an hour/day is usually money well spent. Stay away from White water boats as they are tippy and designed to turn on a dime, like with every stroke. Heh Heh. High volume boats (ones that stick well out of the water) can become a real chore to muscle about when the wind picks up. You are probably looking for two around 12-14' and one perhaps a bit smaller. I always reccommend used outdoor stuff for kids because they grow so fast and unless you have "lots" of money its nice to stretch your recreational $. Renting and kayak shop "demo days" can really help you decide what you want, then shop the used market, you may pick up three boats for the price of one new one.
If you buy Used:
When buying a plastic boat, flip it over and look carefull down the bottom, scratches and slight gouges are common but try and avoid any deformities in the shape that have discolored the hull, these indicate areas where the hull has been hit hard enough to stretch the plastic. You also want to look and see if the bottom is "wavy", this oilcanning effect is not uncommon, not a big problem for just messing around but it will slow down a longer, faster hull, by the way its usually caused by improper storage.
For fiberglass and composite hulls check carefully for spiderweb-like cracking on the finish and gently push on the hull with your hands to check for any weak areas. Also check for spots where the outer gel-coat or epoxy has worn through, usually happens down the center of the bottom from tip to tip. It is common and repairable. Glass and composite hulls are real popular among "serious paddlers" because they always retain their shape but will require maintenance. They also have a sickening heart-wrenching crunching sound when launching on less than perfect sandy beaches.
Where as a plastic boat will never be any better than a "plastic boat", they will be useable for years and years maybe even decades, they bounce off rocks, docks and may even withstand a full on "oops it slid off the car"!! Oh, and they are recycleable when that tearful day finally comes.
Good Luck markB
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