new here. new kayaker. a friend took me down some easy class III in an old pyranha acrobat 270 playboat and it was not very fun. Very tipsy and just uneasy.
My friend was using his creekboat (dagger), and he appears so stable. He too is a novice.

I would like to continue to kayak. Any advice about what kind of boat - creekboat, etc?

I am interested in stability, yet having fun. Tricks and spins do not matter as much as staying upright. Heck, I'm 40 years old with 2 kids and a job, and I don't need that excitement, but I still enjoy some challenge.

Thanks

Puck in Alabama

With a creekboat you get stability, but if class III is your max, why not a riverplay boat for a little more exitement, your just only 40

ahh, my experience was in a playboat! After a few cold swims, I think I want something else! I want to see 41!

Good post. I appreciate it! Thanks for guiding.

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I wrote an article on choosing boats once:
adrian.playak.com/index.php?option=com_c...=view&id=93&Itemid=5

The photos of the outfitting of the Fluid boats is out of date, at some stage I should address that...

40 is not old. Hell, I'm only 2 months shy of 30 and I feel fantastic What's 10 years more? I have a mate who still windsurfs at 70 now.. Sounds like you want something with decent volume, but probably a flat bottom.

Fluid Detox might work for you:
www.fluidkayaks.com/wwkayaks/detox.html

There are many other similar designs too. Check them out. Go and try a few from your dealer, or from people that you befriend

Welcome to the world of kayaking. Awesome sport

I started out WW kayaking at the juvenile age of 43 (?) and I know what you talk about. Before thinking of "playing the river" and "see some action in the waves ", all the fun is in staying "booty down". You want a boat with some primary stability so you can gain confidence in your paddling. Any wish to learn more and take measured risks will surface only when you feel at least "so-so comfy" in your boat.

The trouble is: there is no such thing as a do-it all boat. Creekers (high volume boats of roughly 2,60m of length) are quite stable on flat water but the high volume comes from "high" - and that's what they are, too. So Creekers are a tad harder to roll than any other kind of boat and you might not really need the added volume if you stay in class II and III.

Flat bottom Creekers with strong rails (ex: Pyranha Burn) are more stable on flat water but get bitchy in lateral currents. Round bottom Creekers (Prijon Pure, Wavesport Habitat) feel a bit more tippy at first, but stay pretty calm in any kind of current. Inbetweens (Pyranha Karnali, Fluid Big Bang) are OK, if you do not want to go to extremes.

I recommend to start with such a boat, knowing that you will buy a second one (smaller, more "fun") 18 to 24 months from here. You can always keep the "aircraft carrier" for exploring unknown rivers and relax paddling, but you will wish for something more nervous, once you got the swing of kayaking.

Ironbutt wrote:
I disagree with the above. Sorry mate Creek boats are the easiest to roll. Cut in half most resemble more the cross section of a log, ie. round. More box shaped designs like playboats are harder to roll Creek boats are designed to keep you safe in difficult/dangerous whitewater, and hence also made easier to roll, mainly as a result of their cross sectional shape. Stern rocker also plays a roll and another reason why surf kayaks are so much harder to roll (apart from their edges but that's another story..)

I've paddled the Big Bang a fair bit last year and would also not consider it an 'inbetween' boat. Although a very enjoyable boat to paddle if you're a bigger built person or plan on carrying a ton of gear as well.

Probably the best advice you can take is to speak to your local dealer and match the boat according to the nature of the rivers found in your area... No point buying a huge creek boat if you're going to be paddling the Ottawa River everyday - as an example.

since my post, I took a trip in my buddy's big Dagger Nomad 8.5 - huge, big for me, but very stable. Thanks to all for your help.

Hi. I can relate to where you are comming from. I started paddling at 45. I went for a Bliss Stick Mystic which I am really happy with. I have seen guys get backflipped in holes that I didnt even feel. The extra volume is appreciated when due to lack of control you end up in going thru a hole that you were trying to miss. And as said above get something a bit more playful when your skill level goes up.