WANT TO BUY SIT ON TOP KAYAK

[Dustinlee]

Hi I am wanting to buy a sot kayak. What i am interested in is a Jackson Riviera or a cricket by dimension. I am also interested in a two man sot as well. Just let me know what you have thanks.

[RiverRummer]

Hello
I just posted below message on another post, and yours is related so here it goes again:

Just curious as to why you want an sot? In the past I have found that people who get SOT's normally end up wanting to kayak more than just in the hot summer months, but with a sot its not very comfortable when it's cooler out, like early spring or in the fall (beautiful time of year to paddle).
If it's a claustrophobic thing? many rec boats have huge cockpit openings, relieving this fear.
I don't know you or your reason for a sot. But have had many prospective sot customers change their mind when brought to their attention that an sot usually has a much shorter paddling "season"
Just my two cents worth, to give you something to think about.
Now to add another dilemma (sorry) but rec boats (sot's or not) do not get bought and sold as often as w.w. kayaks do, so it is often much harder to come across used boats for sale. (even harder for sot's)if you can't find one from an individual, you may want to start checking with the outfitters who rent these as they sell off their boats from time to time to replenish the fleet. I do know a few on the spring river have started using the Jackson sot's, but it is a new addition and they may not have any they want to get rid of yet?
Hope you find what you are looking for.

[Wildwood]

I have 5 Liquid Logic XP10's (I like different colors) but recently bought a LL Coupe SOT and LOVE it. Since I already have all the neoprene/cold weather gear, I do not see a problem just because it's winter. . .
Jan

[Dustinlee]

river rummer whats a good kayak for big piney with a large opening?

[RiverRummer]

Hi Dustinlee

that's a hard question to answer, and the kind that will get you a different answer from every person who replies. don't know your style or size of kayak your looking for, but the Piney is fairly straight forward pool and drop kind of creek, the rapids may have your nose dipping under from time to time so a skirt would be handy to help keep some water out. it's mostly a personal preference decision. will you be doing day trips? overnight trips on the river? or even longer? I like long enough to carry my gear, but not so long that it can become a hassle to turn on the curves of the smaller creeks or in pushier, faster water. So it's a combination of what fits your needs, what your comfortable in, what class of river you want to do, and so on. if I'd knew more I could be more help. there's so many to choose from, which can make it hard to find "the one" but most all the "name" brand kayaks are pretty much the same as far as quality and the way they handle on the river, it's all those little things that takes time to figure out what you like ( and what you don't) and everyone's different. I'd be happy to help if you could tell me more about what your looking for? size-wise or just a daytripper? or multiday, or a do it all kind of boat? Im better with whitewater but have a few years under my belt paddling rec. boats. and selling them for awhile as well, so I had a great opportunity to paddle many different brands, lengths, width's and so on.
and unless you're really tall, You don't have to worry much if at all, about what boats are too small for you. so tell me what you wanna do? or where you wanna go? and i may be able to steer you in the right direction or at least save you some time by eliminating certain styles. even if you don't know for sure, just more of a starting point. these starting points quite often change quickly once you get out and start paddling, you'll want to see more or do more rivers than you thought you would be doing when you started. this leads from a rec. boat and then a canoe, and a w.w. boat ( which then get's split up into a river runner, playboat, creekboat, squirtboat.??) and it won't be long before your saying to yourself how did this happen? I only started out wanting one boat? I'm just saying.... it happens and you won't regret it. So wax the cars and get them out of the garage! you will need half the garage for boats and the other half for camping gear, paddling gear, safety gear and so on. Hopefully You are not already regretting asking me this question.
let me know

[tomOzarkVideo]

river rummer whats a good kayak for big piney with a large opening?

A solo canoe.

[RiverRummer]

Hi Dustinlee

I just realized that in that long post above that I did actually answer your question in that post and won't need any more info from you afterall.
My answer is to simply.......
...... buy one of each!
then you will be prepared for wherever you wanna go.

I never realized it was that easy of a question to answer until now. LOL
Just some basic info like your height/shoe size ( if your not too tall or have unusually big feet, this isn't needed, if we're talking rec. boat)
mostly what rivers or class do you want to paddle? You asked about the piney so I'm assuming you want more than just a Buffalo (slow river ) cruiser type kayak, sounds like maybe a combination of some mild whitewater and slow water is what you're looking for. that narrows it down some, now are you looking for one capable of storage for overnight trips? or just for daytrips? after these questions are answered, it will be easier to to give you a list of possible boats you might like. from there, it's just a matter of looking at the different one's and see what the differences are and decide what you like and what you don't like about them. then My biggest advice would be to paddle it before you buy it. If that's not an option from the store, post a question about that particular boat on here and most of the time you can get answers from people who have paddled that particular boat, or own it, and even better maybe meet with them and paddle theirs to see if you like it.
In the past the rec boats made lousy whitewater boats and the WW boats were lousy on the slow rivers. that has changed.
so even though I babble on and on.... it's easier than it looks!(really, I swear)
I often paddle my 5'6" ww boat on 11+miles sections of slow rivers
Oopps, shouldn't have said that. I bet now your thinking "why am i listening to this idiot" he doesn't know which boat to paddle for himself?
Just let me know

[RiverRummer]

" a solo canoe

Now that's funny right there! :)

but we're trying to start him out with the "better" craft!

He'll have plenty of time to canoe when he is too old and feeble to kayak any longer.... teeheehee :myday"

Now back to dustinlee... canoes are only good for carrying the stuff that won't fit in your kayak.
but mostly, they take up all of the room in the eddy.
Ok I've had my fun for the day
Sorry tom I couldn't resist

[Dustinlee]

riverrummer I am looking for just a day tripper. I am 5 10 and about 200lbs. I have a buffalo canoe that we use on Piney I am just wanting a Kayak to play in since we live close to the creek and most of the time we will be going in warmer weather also. Usually the earliest is early April. Thats why I am looking for a sot. I like the jackson riviera because it has the high built in back rest.

[Jim Krueger]

Dustin,

Check out the XP-10 MartinM has for sale. It's a great river runner, good price, and you can get a seat back extention from OOO to install too.

Best Regards
Jim

[Dannyboy]

I gotta respectfully disagree guys. I own 6 kayaks; 5 are SOTs and we LOVE them. A wetsuit greatly extends your paddling season, as does any of the other gear we wear in a SIS kayak. The reasons you see more whitewater boats for sale are threefold; for one they are so much more finicky when it comes to paddler size/style of paddling that it takes some people awhile to figure out which whitewater boat best fits/suits them. Hence all the boats you see getting bought and sold on here. Also alot of paddlers, esp. beginners and college students, tend to sell their boats when money gets tight or when the summer arrives and there isn't any whitewater unless you live close enough to make use of Rockport. Lastly, rec boats can be used by multiple paddlers of different sizes, and on different waters, not just whitewater! You don't have to roll them, they tote a ton of gear, and are much much easier to get in and out of. Ever tried getting back into a 4Fun in the middle of the Esses? I assure you there isn't a rapid I've been on where I couldn't just grab the thigh strap of my torrent and drag myself back up on top of the kayak if I ended up swimming for whatever reason. Which makes the torrent the number one boat in my shed for girlfriends, drunks, and noobs :) And I gotta admit, as much as I love my Jackson, most days if its not a play run you'll see me on a torrent, mostly because of how EASY everything is on one. And if there's fish involved (not you Bill) then I won't be caught paddling anything but my Wilderness Systems Tarpon, maybe my favorite boat of all time. And that is a pretty big statement coming from me.

Just my two cents, take it for what its worth!

Danny

[Dustinlee]

Dannyboy what kind of jackson do you have and do you like it?

[RiverRummer]

I would say try for a riviera demo at the end of the season from a dealer, or check with the outfitters who rent them and see if they have any for sale. But at $499 new for an 11+ft boat, that aint too bad. Especially when the 5'6" Jackson Star is $1100! but rec boats don't change as frequently and get more sales out of the same design. and like dannyboy said there are ways around the cooler weather times with wetsuits and such. I know the owners of Spring River Oaks like theirs (really popular). They might be a good place to start. the only trouble you may run into is, since they haven't been out that long ( i don't think) they may be kind of high in price (used) and/ or people are really liking theirs and don't want to sale and are keeping them longer. again like dannyboy said, alot of people don't sell these kind, they keep them and buy others or more of the same because you can throw anyone in one so easily. You might just find it easier to buy new though
( depends on how long you can hold out to find a good used one)

Is my "buy one of each" idea starting to sound better yet?

[Dannyboy]

I have a lime green 09 4Fun and I LOVE it. I'm actually putting it up for sale cause I got another Torrent yesterday and need to let a boat go. I almost never get to catch the really fun stuff anymore due to my job, so the Jackson has to go. I can always surf and run rapids with a torrent. Nobody makes a better boat than jackson IMHO and at your size you should check out the 4fun AND the super fun, I highly recommend them.

[RiverRummer]

Once again I agree with Dannyboy. I Love all my Jackson kayaks! and if dustinlee would like to try one out I'd be willing to meet somewhere, Im not sure he is looking for a whitewater boat though? I have the Fun, 4Fun, and a Star.
I used to paddle Riot's exclusively, and a big Corran Addison fan. Love that quote below your posts Dannyboy! that's funny :)
But you will not meet a nicer family than the Jackson's, and to have the best kayaks too is also a plus (IMHO)