Best kayak for a kid?

[JWood]

I have an 8 year old daughter that I am looking to get a kayak for around Christmas. I have only briefly researched it and all I have found are jackson kayaks for kids. She did a little kayaking last year in a jackson fun 1 but it was too big. It worked for what she was doing but she is wanting to learn to roll and I need to find her a smaller yak. Anyone have any recommendations? Thanks, Jake

[Roger]

Not a kayaker, but the ones I see mentioned most often are the Jackson 1, Dagger Blast, Dagger Dynamo, Remix 47, or Dagger Axiom to name a few.

Might look in GearSwap on BT:

http://boatertalk.com/gear/gear.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

First one listed is a Pyrahana Inazone which kid-suitable but it's in Maryland!!

[Cowper]

I'm reading that an average 8 year old girl should weigh 54 to 76 pounds. The Jackson Website says this about the Fun 1:
"Since the Fun 1 goes from 30 to 80 pounds for kid’s weights, it covers ages 2-8 really well and up to a small age 10."

I'm thinking maybe when she tried one out last year, it might have been a Fun 1.5; I just can't believe the Fun 1 was too big because it is a really small kayak and one of the smallest out there. The other boats mentioned have all seen duty as kid's boats, but I'm reasonably sure they are all bigger than a Fun 1.

[JWood]

As it turns out my memory is no good. I went back and looked at the pictures. It was a fuse 35 she was in. That explains alot.

[Cowper]

Some other things to think about:

Some kids learn to roll at that age. Some kids that young have trouble, as physical skills may still be developing. If you get a smaller boat that gives her the best shot at being an early roller, but if the skill escapes her at first, she might find the smaller boat is less stable and cause a few more swims. Don't let this become a distraction or set her back, if you see that developing switch her to a more stable boat before she gets discouraged, and try again in 12 months.

Also, choose trips appropriate for her boat. In a short WW boat, she could wear herself out trying to keep up with a group of tandem canoes or longer kayaks.

[NickHobbs]

Fun 1 is hard beat for small kids, my best advice is get a skirt that goes on and off easily, and get her paddling with other kids. Some of my best days on the river were with my boys.

[Roger]

http://forums.arkansascanoeclub.com/vie ... =2&t=24777" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You might have missed this over in the For Sale forum.

[gannon311]

Also look at the jackson sidekick and little hero. Sidekick is the smallest. It is a really small hero. Never been in a sidekick but the hero is one of the easiest rolling boats I've been in! So I'm sure the small one would be the same. The thing that worries me about the fun series is the edges.... They are sharp and catchy. If she is confident and learns fast the fun will probably help her progress faster but if she is passive I would go with the sidekick or little hero which see could grow into! Just my 2 cents. I have a nine yr old girl.... I went with the little hero so I wouldn't have to buy another boat till she gets to 130 lb or so

[gannon311]

Thanks for the plug roger!! Lol

Jwood, I have a jib ( there is a link above in Rogers post) for sale cheap!!! It is a low volume slicy boat. Sharp edges and kid size. Not trying to push it on u but it would be cheap!!