Buying a new kayak, would love feedback on choices.

[dmaker]

Hi, new user here.

For history, I have been using a basic Pelican Pilot SE 100 for about 14 years on and off. Yesterday, I think I may have damaged the hull as my boat filled up 3 times in about a six km stretch. I had to pull out and drain it or I would have sunk. I was in a shallow river so I wasn't worried about my safety, but I think one of the rocks that I grazed likely did something.

I have this kayak for a long time and probably didn't store it properly--it spent all of Covid sitting under my Dad's trailer year round.

So, now I want to upgrade a bit, but not break the bank. I am thinking either the Pelican Sprint 120XR or the Old Town Heron 11XT. Both are just under $1,000 CDN.

Any thoughts on these two? Perhaps other recommendations?

Thank you!

 

[tketcham]

Welcome to canoetripping.net, dmaker.

Because this is primarily a canoeing forum I think you'll get more responses to your question from a website like Paddling.com, where the majority of participants are kayakers like yourself.

Tom

 

[billconner]

Warning - this is canoetripping.net - kayaks are sometimes frowned upon. But welcome!

 

[Foxyotter]

Welcome to forum. It does sound like your Pelican has seen better days. If you could add a little more info of how and where you would like to use your paddle craft and approximately your height and weight. Small changes in small craft make big differences in performance. If I was to choose between the two boats you gave for examples I would choose the Old Town. I personally find anything that short and wide to be miserably slow and a poor choice for most paddling. That being said if you float and fish with minimal paddling get what ever floats and fits the budget. I would suggest looking at used boats and getting something a little longer with bulkheads for better performance and safety.
Canoe tripping is way cooler place but the suggestion of Paddling.com is a pretty good one for Kayak info. We all occasionally talk a little smack about kayaks but many of us have paddle quite a few miles with the double blade paddles and decked boats. Even if you paddle a kayak we would still offer you a seat around the fire and a beverage of your choice.

 

[Boatman53]

Took the works right out of my mouth Foxyotter.
Jim

 

[dmaker]

Thank you for the responses.

I have taken the discussion over to paddling.com

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Dmaker, welcome to site membership! Feel free to ask any questions and to post messages, photos and videos in our many forums. Please read Welcome to CanoeTripping and Site Rules! Also, please add your location to your profile, which will cause it to show under your avatar, as this is a geographic sport. We look forward to your participation in our canoe community.

As others have mentioned, this site's focus is on open canoes, not kayaks. Therefore, as also mentioned, you may get more more complete advice on a site devoted to kayaks. There may even be a Pelican discussion forum, for all I know, and there may be kayak clubs close to your area that can give informed advice. That all said, many of the members here do own kayaks including me, so if anyone wants to give you any specific advice, I'm not going to stop them.

My advice is to consider getting a short open canoe instead of a kayak. You can get new plastic canoes for $1000, and used ones for less than that if you look on Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace. Some are made specifically to sit on the bottom and all can be paddled with a double blade paddle just like a kayak. For boats of the same length, a canoe will be easier to get in and out of, and will be able to carry more, than a kayak. If they are made of the same material, canoes of the same length will be normally be lighter in weight because they don't have decks.

Good luck in your search, and if you end up with a canoe, feel free to ask anything here.

 

[MrPoling]

My first suggestion is longer is faster, especially in a flat water boat. A few more feet, maybe 14 rather than 12, is a worthwhile improvement. Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace will probably have dozens of 14 ft kayaks you could choose from.

Second, I prefer a canoe for general floating around. Kayaks are great if you need a spray skirt to keep the waves out, but canoes are more comfortable on a nice day in calm water.

 

[dmaker]

I don't think that I have ever piloted a canoe solo. I used to canoe a fair bit when I was young and did long weekends portaging and fishing/camping in Algonquin park with my dad. But as an adult, it's been mostly kayaks.

I decided to go with the Old Town Vapor XT12.

Thank you for the responses here.