71 yr. old Solo needs advice

[derrickg]

I will be a solo paddler who is 71 yrs. old and has had shoulder surgery (both).
I am looking to buy new or used, kayak or canoe something to go on flat water and a very rare occasional river (no whitewater).
I will be car topping, so weight is a big factor. I would like to stay at 48 lbs. or less.
I'm 5' 11" and weigh 190. I would probably stay on the water no more than 3 hours.

I'm considering an Old Town Pack or a Wilderness Systems Pungo 120, as well as others in this size and price range ($1000 or less new)

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[okieboater]

derrickg

I am older than you and with more damage to the bod.

I had a Old Town Pack and it is really light weight. Great as a lake or stream fishing boat as very stable. Gave mine away to another fisherperson.

My Pack canoe was really slow.

I have a Winona Rendezvous solo canoe. That is my go to river runner. Recently got a Nova Craft 15 ft Prospector that is a bit heaver, but I can paddle it solo or tandem. I use a little two wheel canoe trailer to move my canoe from point a to point b. I have a Yakima rack on my truck camper shell with the Yakima pull out pipe extension inside the rear cross bar. I put one end of the canoe on the extension bar, lift the other end to the front bar. Then adjust the other end on the rear cross bar.

Sounds more complicated than it is.

My suggestion is to watch this message board for a deal on a used solo canoe if you want to do anything more than fish from a small lake or pond. If you want the small lake or pond option, a Old Town Pack is a good choice - but not much for even small streams. If you want to fish small streams or even more than a farm pond, I suggest getting recommendations on a used light weight solo river runner from Mohawk etc. A boat like this would work well on small ponds and easier streams.

Not much experience with the rec kayaks but many of those on this board are.

Welcome to the sport and this message board.

[Cowper]

Besides strength, things to consider are any other "not what they used to be" issues you are dealing with. Different folks have different aging experiences; one avid paddler friend developed some inner ear issues and his balance became very limited; he once fell out of the boat sitting in still water because of some momentary dizziness. Another fiend has decent balance, but serious mobility issues getting from the seated position to a standing position. Hopefully you have neither for years to come, but, think about which concerns you more, balance, or ability to get in and out of the boat.

Balance considerations would point you towards a kayak (very low seating position, thus more stable once you are in it), OR, towards a more stable "recreational" or "fishing" canoe design, instead of a faster, lighter, but less stable "solo touring" design.

Mobility issues might point you toward a canoe, which is generally a little easier to get in and out of, vs. a kayak, which again has that very low seating position.

There's what looks to be a very good Mohawk Solo 14 canoe on the message board for sale right now; this canoe is a good compromise. Not very fast, but pretty stable, weighs about 44# which is lighter than most kayaks. If you're not wanting to cover long distances or keep up with a group of faster paddlers, then it is one on the choices you should look at.

If you need a faster boat, then a Wenonah Vagabond is worth a look. Less stable, but faster, and the weight is still in the low end of the range for ABS (plastic) canoes.

In general, I find lightweight solo canoes easier to carry and load without assistance than kayaks, unless you have a pickup truck and just plan to throw the kayak in the bed.

Depending on where you live, we could find several models for you to try. Or, just buy that Solo, at the price being offered, you'd likely be able to resell it if you found it was not working for you.

The only note of caution I would throw out is that a canoe is less than optimum for safety if you intend to cross large expanses of open water paddling alone. For that, you'd me much safer in a sit-on-top kayak that you could just crawl back on to if you fell off, and those things can't be "swamped". But they are heavy and hard to load without help.

I should also put in a plug, and say go browse some boat designs at OOO in Hot Springs if you live anywhere near that part of the state. In addition to supporting our whitewater paddlers, they are also working with a kayak fishing club and other groups, so they can show you a range of options.

[derrickg]

I live in S'dale, AR, so Hot Springs is a bit of a hike.
I'm leaning now towards a Dagger Zydeco 9' that weighs in the neighborhood of 35 lbs.
Fortunately I don;t have any physical limitations other that the rehab process of getting my strength back in my upper arms. That's why weight and stability are my primary considerations.
Thanks all for the advice.

[Deuce]

Derrick, you can't easily make it to OOO, but you can visit our other really good friends at Ozark Mountain Trading Company in Garfield. I'd strongly encourage you to go see them. They'll help you decide what you need and sell it to you at a good price. They have a great selection of kayaks including Zydecos and sit on tops. FWIW my eleven year old daughter has a Zydeco. It's a stable and versatile boat (she's bored with it and is pushing me to let her start paddling a more playful boat ) and you could do worse, especially for the money, but before you buy one go to OMTC, and while you're there take a close look at some of their SOTs, especially if you like to fish.

BTW, I know Lewis and Clark is also up there and is a quality shop. I just don't have any personal experience with them but have had extensive interaction with OMTC, hence that recommendation. Happy hunting and let us know what you decide.

[Richard]

Derrick, I am way younger than you. I won't be 71 for another 29 days. Just wanted to say there has been some excellent advice provided. I would particularly make note of what Cowper said. Five years ago mobility was not an issue for me. Today it is. You and I are at an age where things can change pretty rapidly and unexpectedly. The important thing is to get paddling and build memories. Time is closing in on us.

[derrickg]

You are absolutely correct! I have really noticed how much has changed just in the last 3 years, in terms of mobility.
I've decided on the Dagger Zydeco 9.0. It's good for flat water, it's light and has good stability. A good starter kayak for me.
Thank you all for the advice.

[Eric Esche]

I live on Beaver Lake at Monte Ne on HW 94 SPUR. Give me a shout next week if you want to go out for some refresher and paddleing tips. I'd offer tomorrow, but I'm already promised out until Monday. Got some gear you might like to try. I'm only 62, but have had one shoulder done, one knee replaced, have degenerative disc disease, and 45% remaining heart ejection function. I take advantage of any "cheats" I come across so I might have one or two to share. Some gear makes more difference than one might think. I've been paddleing since 1968 and still go paddleing 100-140 days and nights a year.

Eric Esche 479-721-9101

[seark]

Good notes on the mobility issue getting in and out of kayak, but with practice it does resolve itself and actually improve your mobility for other activities. Even with flat water paddling, the best exercise you get from kayaking is loading and unloading boat (strength training!) and the "kayak yoga" you get from getting in and out and sitting "on the floor" - I can really tell when I haven't been paddling enough - back/ ham strings get tight. A couple of kayaking trips helps stretch things out again. Use it or lose!

[Winterborn]

This is a very good topic, and is applicable to those of us who are larger as we tend to have some of the same mobility issues. Thanks for the question and follow-ups!

[Crane]

I won't go into my own mobility issues, but it is my experience that an exercise program can dramatically help preserve or restore mobility. I strongly recommend we all incorporate a serious exercise plan into our lives as we age... and even after we have done a good bit of aging!!

[okieboater]

Like Crane allows, I will not go into my own mobility issues. I will state that over the past couple of years I have been right in the middle of state of the art medical and physical therapy. The fact that I am back boating is proof this stuff works.

Crane is spot on about the benefits of some sort of exercise plan that is designed to fit the person.

It has to be designed to fit the person and a plan the person will be motivated to follow.

I have after a lot of attempts found the exercise machines at my locaL YMCA facility fits me perfectly. These things allow a person to safely do the moves and weights they determine works for them. Our Tulsa YMCA organization offer full service gym facilities and even give us Seasoned Citizens a discount on dues. Check with your local organizations.

As one of my GP Doc's once told me about age and muscle powered sports "Dave, it does not matter what you do, just keep on moving. Once you stop moving, chances are you will never get back in the game"

Good advice from the Doc and Crane in my opinion. :myday"