New Boat

[Redhead]

Hi all,

I\'m thinking of buying a new boat in the next few months and need some advice.

Gonna stick to plastic for the moment because of its durability. I want something thats fast, fairly stable but easy to manoevure and responsive in rougher water too. Guess i\'m looking for a good all rounder.
Have been trawling through catalogues and the internet and thers a very wide choice really. Have used the fasnet Sealion once or twice and found it very good. Other than that its usually my carolina. I like the look of the P and H Capella which is available in a plastic version too, loiek the day hatch too. Not sure about the dagger or necky boats.

Any advice?

[DesKeaney]

Redhead, we sell the Valley Canoe Products range of plastics and have demo versions for you to try. We have cosmetic seconds in Aquanaut and Avocet. The Aquanaut is a new design in plastic. It\'s triple layer which means it\'s more rigid than single layer. It\'s the bigger sister to the Avocet (17\'1\" vs 16\'2\"), has 2 oval hatches and a round day hatch. Both boats include footrests, backrest and retractable skeg. The Aquanaut also has adjustable thigh braces. Both boats are €1090 for cosmetic seconds or €1245 for new boats.
See www.valleycanoeproducts.com for specs.
Your choice depends on your size and weight. You should always paddle a boat before you buy - if you\'re not comfortable in it, don\'t buy it. Also, be sure you get either a rudder or a skeg. Unless you\'re a very competent paddle, you\'ll need it sooner rather than later.
Don\'t hesitate to give me a call if I can help with advice.
Des Keaney
Deep Blue Sea Kayaking
01 2760263

[Redhead]

I\'m 80kg, 5 foot 7 inches approx. I am a level 3 going on Level 4 paddler. Have used rudders. Is the skeg on a boat likely to get damged easily in shallow water or on dry land?

Whats your opinion on both the boats you mentioned? Are they the only plastic ones you carry? Do they handle well in all conditions?

Thanks

[DesKeaney]

Either would suit. It would depend on which you like better.
You can kink the skeg cable if the skeg is down in shallow water and you wallop it off something. It tends to happen once and never again! The positive side of a wire skeg is that the control is very positive and you know exactly where it is at all times. Also, the Aquanaut can have a rudder fitted if that\'s your preference.
Both these boats are expedition sea kayaks and handle well in all conditions.
My opinion is biased - you\'d be better off hearing from someone else! However, the plastic Aquanaut is now my boat of choice. While it\'s just over 22\" wide, it\'s incredibly stable in big water. It just sits there and everything moves around it. If I were smaller, I\'d probably use the Avocet. For those past the introductory stage, it\'s good to have boats that can be \'worn\', not sat in or on.

[Redhead]

I would be using it for a mixture of day trips and overnights camping etc. Want something for a bit of everything.

Havent used a skeg but have heard they are very effective at preventing the boat cocking in the wind. My choice of course would be to use efficent enough paddling as not to have to use them but gotta have just in case.

Do you find the longer the boat the faster or is it just the theoretical top speed is higher than shorter boats?

[DesKeaney]

Efficient paddling definitely the way to go but it\'s great to have a bit of mechanical assistance on a long crossing.
A long, narrow boat is always faster than a short, narrow boat. However, I\'d be more concerned at which fits better. The Avocet has a relatively long waterline for it\'s length so it tracks well anyway.