Need advice on boat

[antwhabap]

I am female and nearly 5'9" about 137 pounds. I am trying to determine the best river running boat for my size (Ex. I run Cadron, Snow Creek, Mulberry, Piney, etc.). I currently just have a rec boat (Old Town Rush) and am wanting to upgrade out of rec boat. I like stability in a boat. I see several interesting boats posted in the swap and sale section (ex. RPM, Pyrahna S8 225) but would like experienced paddlers thoughts.

[Monsoon]

Diesel 80 is what I have and I love it. Very stable, but moves like a champ!!! You might want to get a smaller one. Also, if you can find a Liquid Logic Remix.....nice boats!!!

[hdh]

My advice is to grab a boat a go, there's water everywhere !!!



Go to OOO (hot springs)for the day and try several boats, a few hours will be well worrth it!!

[Monsoon]

agreed!!!! But if you don't have time...BEG BORROW AND STEAL....well don't steal. That's no good.

[antwhabap]

There's definitely water right now...wishin' I could get away to paddle this weekend.

I have considered going out and trying out boats, and will one day. But I figure my "first" boat is going to be a used boat...cheaper until I know for sure what I need, like, want, etc. And there are always boats on here, so I thought I'd see what some of the folks here thought so I could watch the used boat sales and actually know what I might need to look for.

Thanks for the responses so far.

[Lupe]

Since you're coming from a rec boat, you might feel more comfortable first transitioning to something like the Diesel65 that is for sale. That is a great true "river runner" - it will be more forgiving as you learn how to paddle a ww boat than something like that Pyrahna. There are newer models at 60 gallons that would probably fit you even better, but you probably won't find any used ones. The 65 is the older version, but a really good boat (I had one myself for quite awhile - very nice boat!)

The RPM would be good for your size and if you are looking to learn to roll - there's just about no boat easier to roll. It's a bit of an outdated model (yeah, I know - they actually still make them), but it was definitely a classic and best seller for a long time. The very low volume stern can trip people up until you learn to edge the boat properly, but at your weight, I think it might be less of an issue. However, the RPM will feel a bit "tippier" to you at first than a Diesel.

If you see a boat for sale and aren't sure about it, google it to find a picture, and take a look at the overall volume distribution. Slicey, low volume ends can be trickier for a newbie to deal with, and can cause more unintended flips. Unless you feel aggressive about learning to surf and possibly do other play boat moves, I think you'll be happier with a full on river runner (typically more even volume distribution through the ends). You can usually find a little description too - if it's described more as a playboat, it's probably not going to be as good of a fit for you as a river runner; and you also wouldn't want something described as a "creeker." Finally, also - make sure to check the weight ranges - at your size, you'll need the smaller model (most boats come in 2-3 sizes). You can often find descriptions of older model kayaks at http://www.eddyflower.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good luck! Happy boat hunting!

Cheers