touring kayaks?

[ieatcrayons]

i have been saving up for a canoe. but in looking for what i want i have came upon touring kayaks. i don't know anything about them or kayaking for that matter. my question to those of you who do know.! what would i be getting into. it looks to me that it would be a great middle ground for both. i like the canoe and the idea of packing up for a weekend trip....don't like the idea of trying to lug it around or drag it down rivers... would i still need to know how to kayak with the touring..? I'm really not interested in the "white water playing". but i don't want to be worried about floating through them. any thoughts? anyone have both and prefer one or the other? any "helpful" thoughts would be great... thanks again!!

[okieboater]

http://www.wildnet.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Prijon yukon expedition might be an option for you

check it out at the URL above

[Cowper]

There's a good deal on a used recreational/touring kayak at http://www.arkansascanoeclub.com/mb/vie ... f=2&t=9997" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
that you might also want to consider. More info on the boat at
http://www.wildnet.com/tour.asp?name=capri%20tour" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

To some of your questions:

i like the canoe and the idea of packing up for a weekend trip....don't like the idea of trying to lug it around or drag it down rivers... would i still need to know how to kayak with the touring..?

I think you’re really asking, “do I have to learn to roll or learn any other special or “advanced” skills?" Well, not really – if you see “recreational” in the boat description, that is a clue that the boat is probably more stable than the “whitewater” models, making you less likely to turn over. So you could do Class I and easier Class II rivers without any specialized training. With any boat on any moving water, taking time to read up on some general river safety stuff would be time well spent. Unless you are a backpacker, you will find packing overnight gear into a kayak to be several times harder than packing overnight gear into a canoe. But the kayak is much easier to use for “day” trips. Now, having said all that, let me throw in a bit more: Do you have to go to multiple rolling sessions and beat your brains out learning to roll - certainly not, if that's not part of where you want to go with the sport. Enjoy it at any level that suits YOU. But I would be remiss if I didn't tell you that most folks who can take out one weekend to come to something like our Recreational Canoe/Kayak school, leave with enough new skills to enjoy their paddling trips a bit more, and a better ability to "keep it safe".

I'm really not interested in the "white water playing". but i don't want to be worried about floating through them. any thoughts? anyone have both and prefer one or the other?

Either a canoe, or a recreational/touring kayak, should be able to get you through the easier rapids without much incident. For Arkansas rivers, you would not want a pure “touring” or sea kayak, since it would be hard to maneuver in rapids. With a kayak, it is easier to bust through some pretty big waves without having to worry about taking on water, but with either boat, if you get swept sideways into a rock or tree, it is going to be trouble, so you need some boating skills to “keep it safe”. For overnight camping, I will always choose a canoe. For day trips, I will choose a canoe for easier floats, but take one of my kayaks when I’m looking for a “whitewater” run. So I prefer BOTH.

[Zach]

I think liquid logic just came out with two new versions of the Remix that are touring/whitewater boats at 9+ft and 10+ft.

[RomanLA]

I think liquid logic just came out with two new versions of the Remix that are touring/whitewater boats at 9+ft and 10+ft.

I was thinking about getting a Dagger Approach, but the Remix looks funner. However, the original poster would probably like the Approach better. It's based on a rec boat, so it's probably a lot more stable.

[ieatcrayons]

thanks guys.. that was just the kind of info i was looking for !! i do love this site!