Help w/ Finding a Beginner's Kayak

Help w/ Finding a Beginner's Kayak 18 years 7 months ago #14815

Tarheelfan14
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Hey,everybody...I was wondering if anyone with more experience could give me some advice on what type of whitewater kayak I should purchase.I'm a fresh beginner and have just this past week had my first two whitewater experiences on two different Class 2 rivers.I think im addicted to it now so I want to buy a kayak fit for me.To start with,im new to this so i would mainly be looking to use the kayak on class 2-3 rivers.My body size is 6'0 155 lbs...i could grow tho im only 16(lol)and my budget stops around $500(I plan on buying used)Any kayak model suggestions,advice,comments,etc...would be greatly appreciated,thanks. :grin:

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Re:Help w/ Finding a Beginner's Kayak 18 years 7 months ago #14816

Kayaker0678 Offline Platinum Member Posts: 821 Thank you received: 0	I would say check boatertalk.com for some good deals on boat. also check out alabamasmallboats they are really good. I would say check out a M flirt a jackson Fun or an old Jackson 4fun
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Re:Help w/ Finding a Beginner's Kayak 18 years 7 months ago #14817

Tarheelfan14
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Kayaker0678: \"I would say check boatertalk.com for some good deals on boat. also check out alabamasmallboats they are really good. I would say check out a M flirt a jackson Fun or an old Jackson 4fun\"

Thanks Kayaker,i checked out your suggestions and really like the Fluid.Although im a little worried about my inexperience being a hinder to owning a playboat.I think the idea of buying a playboat would be awesome,but to be honest i literally have no experience in that area and would have no idea how to handle it on a wave/rapid.I live on a lake so i'd be willing to practice enough to open myself up to this but im totally ignorant to the level of difficulty in learning how to handle this type of boat in a whitewater setting and being comfortable in doing so.If it's at all possible for me to buy and handle a playboat on low-class (level 3 and lower) rivers/creeks with my limited knowledge then i'd definately choose to do so.Im not too much of an expert in this area so let me know whatever you think,thanks again. :grin:

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Re:Help w/ Finding a Beginner's Kayak 18 years 7 months ago #14818

nortis
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I learnt to paddle in a Fluid Flirt.
It is a a little difficult to roll but once you get used to it isn't too bad. It is a decent river runner and plays well. For grade 2-4 water is it great.

I am a little taller than you and about the same weight as you and the M flirt fits me well. If you are a little worried about being inexperienced in Flirt check out the Fluid Spice. I've seen beginner paddlers handle grade3 water easily in it, it's a bit longer, has more volume and is easier to roll.

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Re:Help w/ Finding a Beginner's Kayak 18 years 7 months ago #14820

AdrianTregoning
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For sure, What Neil says is true (above). The Flirt handles well once you have enough skill/experience but I would say, go for the Spice. Much easier to paddle. Here's a pic of a dude paddling a river in a plastic kayak for the FIRST time. He's in a Fluid Spice (medium) Ok, so he has paddled rivers before in K1's and K2's (long fibreglass beasts) but he wasn't doing too bad. He got creamed in this rapid further down and had to swim out of the hole but he made the top part of this rapid which is pretty fast and pushy. Not bad for a beginner. Good testament to the boat too. It has sufficient length to hold a line and also more speed than a full-on playboat. The parting line of the boat is higher out of the water so it's not as edgy as something like the Flirt. It is classified as a river running and within that, it tends more towards river running, I think. :think: