Kayaks

[Maestro]

I've become interested in the sport of recreational kayaking. Does anyone here kayak? Can anyone give me some pointers on what brands are good and what to purchase? I'm a bit heftier fellow, so I'd need one that can handle 300+ lbs.

 

[doubleohfive]

Can't really offer any valuable suggestions on what to buy but I used to kayak fairly regularly when I lived on the marina in Long Beach. Great workout, and even better way to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

But rock on! Kayaking is the best!

 

[SmoothieX]

I enjoy it myself as well. I want to buy a pair, but can never justify the expense. I end up just renting one for the day.

 

[DBall]

Just go to Dicks and pick up a cheap-ish one... you can get them for under $200 and that way, if you end up not liking it, it'll be easy to get rid of. Kayaking is a blast... enjoy!

 

[Lindley]

I like kayaking, but rarely get around to doing it.

 

[arch101]

The best thing to do is find a place that rents them, try a bunch, and find a model you like. In Boston, I went to Charles River Canoe and Kayak and rented a different boat every week for a summer before settling on a Current Designs Storm, which is a high volume boat with lots of cargo capacity (as well as sizable for bug guys). Any high-volume sea kayak will accommodate a larger person (as well as have room for kayak-camping stuff) I've had my boat for 11 years now and it's held up pretty well. Also, once you find a model that fits you well, poke around on Craigslist. Lots of folks buy a boat and then get bored with paddling after a year or two.

 

[SmoothieX]

The best thing to do is find a place that rents them, try a bunch, and find a model you like. In Boston, I went to Charles River Canoe and Kayak and rented a different boat every week for a summer before settling on a Current Designs Storm,

The one right by where 90, 95, and 30 meet in Newton? I've passed that one a few times, done some work near there, and have been itching to go. They've got a moonlight canoe my wife and I want to try.

They have another branch at Cochichuate State Park, I go canoeing there all the time in the summer. I'm in Framingham, btw. There's another rental place (separate outfitter) in Concord near the minuteman memorial that's also nice, but the current can get stiff.

 

[arch101]

[QUOTE
The one right by where 90, 95, and 30 meet in Newton? [/QUOTE]

Yup, that's them. They also haul many of their plastic boats to their remote locations, like off of Soldier's Field Road. However, if you want the greatest range of models to choose from (plastic, carbon, glass, etc) you need to go to Newton

 

[Canadave]

You'd definitely want to check out sea kayaks. Most "recreational" kayaks are pretty terrible boats, and if you're serious about it, you'll want a boat that's half-decent. I second the recommendations to try some out—many outdoor outfitters will let you "test drive" their boats, so be sure to check if that's an option.

You might want to check out Riot Kayaks, incidentally. I have one of their boats (an earlier model of the Edge 10.5, under Day Touring LVs), and I find it to be solidly built and well-designed. They're also good entry-level boats; they're relatively inexpensive, and made out of a durable (but lightweight) molded plastic, so they're also pretty hard to wreck.