Have I got a deal for you...
Canoe vs kayak
- Thread starter rusty_tlc
- Start date
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I think I know the answer to this question, but why does your wife hate Canoes?
We have a 16' kevlar Ranger canoe. Very light and quite sturdy. My twelve year old son can easily help me load and unload it on our car and our 60.
Ranger Canoe - Quality Canoe Manufacturer
I vote canoe...though I know the wife out votes us both.
Ranger Canoe - Quality Canoe Manufacturer
I vote canoe...though I know the wife out votes us both.
- Thread starter
- #24
Do tell......................
Bad experience the one time we tried using one.
We plan to have two units, she is pretty well set on a kayak. I could be okay with a kayak. I'm just thinking about alternatives for a solo craft. I saw a guy with a solo canoe on the Delaware River years ago and think it might be a good option for me.We have a 16' kevlar Ranger canoe. Very light and quite sturdy. My twelve year old son can easily help me load and unload it on our car and our 60.
Ranger Canoe - Quality Canoe Manufacturer
I vote canoe...though I know the wife out votes us both.
I love canoes but the lower center of gravity and protection of a kayak work better for me. If conditions turn rough my Chesapeake Triple offers good protection and less wind resistance. I guess it all depends where you paddle. If you have limited wood working skills building your own boat can be an inexpensive option:
Chesapeake Light Craft | Boat Plans, Boat Kit, Kayak Kit, Canoe Kit, Sailboat Kit, Rowboat Kit, Paddleboard Kit, Boat Plan, Boat Kits, Kayak Kits, Canoe Kits, Sailboat Kits, Rowboat Kits, Paddleboard Kits, Boatbuilding Supplies, Boat Gear and Accesso
Rebuilt after it did a 65mph dismount off the top of the truck
Chesapeake Light Craft | Boat Plans, Boat Kit, Kayak Kit, Canoe Kit, Sailboat Kit, Rowboat Kit, Paddleboard Kit, Boat Plan, Boat Kits, Kayak Kits, Canoe Kits, Sailboat Kits, Rowboat Kits, Paddleboard Kits, Boatbuilding Supplies, Boat Gear and Accesso
Rebuilt after it did a 65mph dismount off the top of the truck
The 2 singles I've built:
Chesapeake 17
Pax 19.5
I just love this picture. Wish you could keep them 6 years old forever.
Chesapeake 17
Pax 19.5
I just love this picture. Wish you could keep them 6 years old forever.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #27
They have a great sense of humor
Einbaum Canoe
As I think I mentioned we will stick mostly to flat water, Lake Tahoe and other Sierra lakes. Maybe an occasional trip to Bodega Bay, or Monterey.
If you are launching in Bodega or Tomales Bay I would suggest a kayak with spray skirt. I have been surprised by wind events that would have swamped a canoe. We use our canoe on big rivers that afford some protection from weather. The good thing about a big kayak is that you do have some protection from the elements, it is stabilized from big crosswinds by being driven from the front and back, and it has a very large cargo capacity in the middle. The hard chine design is very stable in rough water and the 31" beam makes it very hard to flip.
You'll find that no boat is perfect for all conditions, that's why most people will have multiple boats. Small boats are a blast but whatever you decide on make sure you have the right boat for the conditions you may encounter and the gear that will allow you to survive a mishap.
The first kayak I made was a CLC Yare. Very fast but not very stable. I painted the hull a glossy black with the white markings of a killer whale on the sides. I was paddling by the Tides Restraunt in Bodega Bay when I was charged by a very large and pissed off sea lion. He was 1/2 way out of the water on one of his charges and I don't think my wetsuit ever fully recovered.
Good luck with your choice. If you haven't looked at them yet, folding kayaks are another option if storage space is a problem. Here's a Folbot I recently gave to my little brother:
I only had to go a couple of miles
. Klepper also makes a nice folding kayak and every now and then they will come up on CL and Ebay.
You'll find that no boat is perfect for all conditions, that's why most people will have multiple boats. Small boats are a blast but whatever you decide on make sure you have the right boat for the conditions you may encounter and the gear that will allow you to survive a mishap.
The first kayak I made was a CLC Yare. Very fast but not very stable. I painted the hull a glossy black with the white markings of a killer whale on the sides. I was paddling by the Tides Restraunt in Bodega Bay when I was charged by a very large and pissed off sea lion. He was 1/2 way out of the water on one of his charges and I don't think my wetsuit ever fully recovered.
Good luck with your choice. If you haven't looked at them yet, folding kayaks are another option if storage space is a problem. Here's a Folbot I recently gave to my little brother:
I only had to go a couple of miles
. Klepper also makes a nice folding kayak and every now and then they will come up on CL and Ebay.
i would be happy to let you borrow are canoe, it is pretty large aluminum 17" sea nymph canoe i also have a small trolling motor that mounts on the rear, we have been thinking of selling it. sense we don,t use it much, to many toys
- Thread starter
- #30
Thanks for the offer. We have tried larger Canoes,
does not like them. I'm 100% certain we will wind up with two small boats, or one small and one slightly larger one, rather than one large one.
Dan,
Come on out to Monterey, and I'll let you take our yaks out for the day. The water's cold, so you'll need wetsuits. We've got a pair of matching 12 and 14 footers you guys can go out and paddle to the aquarium on.
You've got my number. Give me a call if you want to come and try them out.
Here's a pic of my boy the last time we were out. He's proud of his boat...
Come on out to Monterey, and I'll let you take our yaks out for the day. The water's cold, so you'll need wetsuits. We've got a pair of matching 12 and 14 footers you guys can go out and paddle to the aquarium on.
You've got my number. Give me a call if you want to come and try them out.
Here's a pic of my boy the last time we were out. He's proud of his boat...
