Whitewater kayaking

[Medic-5150]

Does anyone know much about it? I know a lot about rafting, but very little about being in a kayak. Is the following a good deal? I know it's old...but does anything really go wrong with plastic?


http://denver.craigslist.org/boa/1432860608.html

Or for twice as much would this be a much better deal?

http://denver.craigslist.org/spo/1440142551.html

Thanks for any advice!

[Haku]

I've been boating since I was 12 (so 17 years so far), and used to work at a whitewater shop.

Those are decent deals, but I still wouldn't go for them at that price. I'd offer half what they are asking for, and hold there pretty firmly. Those are both pretty dated boats, and you can spend a bit more then the $200 and get something that you won't get tired of after you learn.

Additionally, unless you are dead sure you will take it on, I'd recommend taking a class first. They aren't too spendy, and not only will you learn all the basics, but you'll figure out if it is something you want to continue with. Its one of those sports that looks like a ton of fun, and it is, but its not for everyone.

Honestly, the best place to look on the web is www.mountainbuzz.com , in their gear swap section. This time of year is a great time to look for boating gear, since everyone is selling their stuff to pay for ski stuff. Additionally, nearly every shop in the state does a boat swap in the spring, so thats a great place to go too.

I've seen some "full setups" being sold lately too, so you get all the gear at once. Great way to do it if the stuff is your size. One thing you'll definitely want if you plan on kayaking before July, is a dry top. Colorado rivers and creeks are friggin cold in the spring, so be prepared for that.

Feel free to ask me about any other deals you see, there was a time where I was pretty "jacked in" to everything involving the sport, so I do tend to know what I'm talking about. Wheeling has kind of taken over now, but I do try to get out some still.

JH

[Haku]

Oh, just looked at the second boat you linked (the more expensive one) and it would be waaaay to small for you. It was designed for small dudes and women. They do make a bigger version called the Centerfuge, but its still pretty dated (probably 5 years old).

JH

[Medic-5150]

Oh, just looked at the second boat you linked (the more expensive one) and it would be waaaay to small for you. It was designed for small dudes and women. They do make a bigger version called the Centerfuge, but its still pretty dated (probably 5 years old).

JH

Thanks a lot for the info. I'm on a pretty tight budget and though maybe an older boat would be a good place to start. I'd like to try the snowyaking. It looks like a blast. I've done some kayaking in the past, but never in a designated whitewater kayak, just an open top, long wide kayak. I enjoyed it then, but was way too young/weak to do anything exciting.

[Haku]

hahaa........yeah, sleding in a kayak is pretty fun. Pretty hard to fit in there with boots on though, they aren't really made for that style shoe.

Not the greatest time of year to get into boating dude. There are pool sessions all over Denver though, so thats a great place to get the feel for the boats and maybe learn to roll it. Some people think you should spend part of a season getting the basics before learning your roll, but I disagree. No matter how good you get in the pool over the winter, I guarantee you will swim the first time you flip over in the river, and probably the second and third time too. Rolling a kayak is all about posture and making sure you spine is bent correctly. Learning all the basics in the pool over the winter is a huge help, and sets you up very well for a comfortable transition into the river. Just remember to bring nose plugs, as chlorinated water up the nose is about the most unpleasant thing ever. Most of the pool session provide kayaks and gear for ya, so you don't have to worry about getting gear right away. I have a few kayaks you can use for snow boating if you really want to try it.

There are a couple ways you can go with buying your first boat. They mostly depend on 1) Your wallet size and 2) How "gung ho" you are when it comes to these kind of sports. First, you can buy a used kayak that the more advanced guys have gotten bored of and isn't the "newest greatest". You can find boats anywhere from $50 to $200 that will fit the bill on that one. Even better if you can find a package deal. Its a great way to get out on the water without spending a ton of money, and you won't notice the performance differences as much as a beginner.

The second and third approaches are for the more serious boater, who is pretty much sure that they'll stick with it and progress rather quickly. First approach here, is to buy a boat that you know you can grow up with, but will be friendly for harder whitewater. This is the approach I recommended for people to take if they were reasonably sure they'd be on class IV whitewater within a season (its pretty rare I have to say) or two. This means something with a bit more length and volume that is easy to roll. Essentially a boat that will be great to learn in, and will be one you can come back to when you start to step up the difficulty and still be comfortable with it.

The other approach here, is to just buy a playboat with a bit more aggressive tendencies edge wise. In general, they will be a bit more tippy and catch edges. However, playboating is nearly always the first place new kayakers go (rather then creeking and throwing yourself off waterfalls and such). Essentially, buy a boat that will be a bit harder to learn in, but which you will grow into as you progress. If you get the right one, you can find a really good mix of friendly and performing, and since kayaking technology has plateaued a bit in the last couple years (but they still keep cranking out new models anyway), you can find decent deals on the "hot item" from a few years ago. Only the Pro Boater types will really be able to get the full performance out of the differences between them, so its great for the everyday boater.

I will stress again, that its very very much worth your time to take a class with kayaking. Its not like a lot of sports, where you can kind of pick it up as you go, and just go out and float. There are some very counter intuitive things that will take you a long time to figure out on your own, but can be taught in 5 minutes by a competent instructor. Kayak lessons are pretty cheap too, and a great way to get into the sport. Most of the shops also offer "paddle clubs" to their customers, where you can get together with similarly skilled people and try out different kayaks to see which one you like before buying.

I won't go into what makes kayaks peform differently, because in order to understand it you really have to experience it a bit first to 1) get the jargon down and 2) understand the physics and techniques of kayaking. For playboats, I remember you looking midsized (170-180 lbs), so keep an eye out for the middle or large model of a given kayak. Most of them come in at least 2 or 3 sizes. Also, you want to look at something a bit shorter and stubbier, since thats the trend for play boats of late. For a friendlier boat, look for anything referenced to as a "river runner" or "all around" boat. This is jargon for, "friendly and easy to paddle, but still fun".

Ok, thats probably more info then you'd ever want on the subject of boat selection 101, so I'll leave it there. If you can source some time in a pool (preferably indoors) I would be willing to bring some gear and give you the basics. Otherwise, its gonna be next spring before there is somewhere I would really want to do that.

JH