Kayak shopping

[Greg Feder]

Greetings, hive mind.

I’m looking for a tandem kayak my wife and I can paddle on the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers and fish from as well. We’ve found canoes too tippy, but maybe we didn’t know what we were doing?

We’ve been to Front Royal Canoe and we’re planning a trip to Annapolis Canoe and Kayak. Does anyone have a recommendation for a boat, thoughts on inflatables, and/or a recommendation for a shop with good inventory and knowledgeable staff? What (other than weight) are some factors we should consider in looking at different boats?

Thanks in advance!

Cheers,

-- Greg

Sent from my iPhone

[Phil Watt]

I have two tandem kayaks that my family use - one by LiquidLogic and one by Jackson. Both purchased at Delaware Paddlesports, so unfortunately not that local. They come with built in rod holders and cup holders, as well as a ‘dry storage’ area.

Both are extremely stable for two people, and even my 80 year old parents felt comfortable hopping on for a paddle on calm water. One downside is they weigh a freakin ton, so just need to ensure you and your wife can lift it on top of the car, and carry it down to the water ok. But all that weight is what helps ensure the stability.

One of the main things I focused on was the removable seats, because if these were not comfortable then nobody was going to use the kayak. Both these kayaks came with very comfortable mesh like seats that provided a lot of back support and airflow. Compare this to the type of seat you get on a cheaper kayak from say Malibu, and you realize pretty quickly that a cheap seat makes for a miserable experience and a kayak that will just sit in your garage.

Don’t get caught up in the carbon fiber paddle nonsense. Those are akin to the ceramic coat upgrade the car salesman pushes on you. Just make sure you get the right length paddle based on how tall you are.

The folks at Delaware Paddlesports were super helpful, so maybe give them a call to pick their brain a bit so you are well armed with info before heading to Annapolis Canoe and Kayak.

Just remember that in addition to the kayak, you’ll be dropping coin on paddles, life jackets, roof rack with tie down straps, and possibly a set of kayak wheels if it’s a long trip from the car to the water (again these kayaks are heavy). If the kayak will sit outside when not in use then Amazon have pretty cheap kayak covers which help protect it from the elements.

Best of luck!

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[Scott Diaz]

I’m borrowing a 2020Brooklyn Kayak 12.5tandem from a friend. Wide and stable. The newer versions have two types of seats, sit on the floor or elevated lawn chair type. 

Scott

[Eric Packard]

Old Town makes tandem kayaks. I owned a Loon, a very stable boat.

Eric Packard
Artist (I fish sometimes, too)

On Apr 26, 2024, at 12:36 PM, Phil Watt <phili...@gmail.com> wrote:

I have two tandem kayaks that my family use - one by LiquidLogic and one by Jackson. Both purchased at Delaware Paddlesports, so unfortunately not that local. They come with built in rod holders and cup holders, as well as a ‘dry storage’ area.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/26BC02FB-A3DD-4E58-9BC2-97E4DB26E95A%40gmail.com.

[peter odell]

I had an advanced elements inflatsble tandem kayak for years, and it was excellent except around oyster beds (my bonehead move), and just being able to throw it in a closet was great..  I had an old town tandem hard shell, but it weighed what seemed like a half ton and it was really long, making to tough to get on the Rav4 that I had at the time.  Strap on wheels were an essential.  

[Jeff Cook]

T-Bone curved hitch extender is not cheap, but beautifully designed to avoid scraping curbs and breaking down for storage. I highly recommend it. 

—

Jeff Cook

On Apr 27, 2024, at 8:06 AM, peter odell <peter...@gmail.com> wrote:

I had an advanced elements inflatsble tandem kayak for years, and it was excellent except around oyster beds (my bonehead move), and just being able to throw it in a closet was great..  I had an old town tandem hard shell, but it weighed what seemed like a half ton and it was really long, making to tough to get on the Rav4 that I had at the time.  Strap on wheels were an essential.  

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/dd382cc9-5463-4289-924a-8424862f9c57n%40googlegroups.com.

[namfos]

Greg, check out Native Ultimate 15, https://nativewatercraft.com/products/ultimate-fx-15-tandem-kayak?variant=42982920650936 - I own a 12 - its a great boat.

Appomattox River Company in Farmville, VA used to do a Demo Day in June on the water at a local park. Not certain they still do. They're on FB and at paddleva.com

Mark

[SPENCER NORCROSS]

Carbon paddles have their places. My shoulders are extremely damaged from college sports and I can paddle for much much longer with a lighter paddle.

Spencer

Sent from my iPad

> On Apr 26, 2024, at 12:36 PM, Phil Watt <phili...@gmail.com> wrote:
>

> I have two tandem kayaks that my family use - one by LiquidLogic and one by Jackson. Both purchased at Delaware Paddlesports, so unfortunately not that local. They come with built in rod holders and cup holders, as well as a ‘dry storage’ area.

> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/26BC02FB-A3DD-4E58-9BC2-97E4DB26E95A%40gmail.com.

[Jeff Cook]

The LiquidLogic looks nice, and I’ll toss another into the mix.

I had a Nucanoe Frontier which had loads of room, extremely stable, great modular accessories, and open cockpit. Wish I still had it, but I moved and it’s not convenient now. Also look at the Nucanoe Ultimate, a bit more streamlined, not quite as beefy as the Frontier. Enjoy!

—
Jeff Cook

> On Apr 26, 2024, at 12:36 PM, Phil Watt <phili...@gmail.com> wrote:
>

> I have two tandem kayaks that my family use - one by LiquidLogic and one by Jackson. Both purchased at Delaware Paddlesports, so unfortunately not that local. They come with built in rod holders and cup holders, as well as a ‘dry storage’ area.

> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/26BC02FB-A3DD-4E58-9BC2-97E4DB26E95A%40gmail.com.

[Greg Feder]

Thanks. Jeff.  

That looks much easier to use in our Chevy Colorado than trying to get an 85 pound boat on the roof of our Accord.  

Cheers, 

-- Greg

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 27, 2024, at 9:32 AM, 'Jeff Cook' via Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

T-Bone curved hitch extender is not cheap, but beautifully designed to avoid scraping curbs and breaking down for storage. I highly recommend it. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/290CFAE9-69B1-4A2C-92C4-D3D5E6B66245%40icloud.com.

[Greg Feder]

Thanks, Mark. 

Appomattox Paddle Co. carries and has in stock tandems from both Native and Wilderness Systems, which I think are our two front runners.  We’re  taking to heart Phil’s advice about seat comfort.  And it looks like I’m getting a T-bone hitch extender for my birthday (thanks for the rec, Jeff). They stopped doing demo days during the pandemic, but we’re heading down to Farmville next weekend! 

I received some really good advice from the group.  Thanks, y’all!!

Cheers, 

-- Greg

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 27, 2024, at 11:34 AM, namfos <mark....@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Kevin Brugman]

Greg,

    Not to recommend any specific kayak, but the folks at Appomattox Paddle are top notch and I highly recommend them.

Kevin

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/4204EE7E-6706-45EC-BE6A-AC85D1CAF47D%40yahoo.com.

[Mark Sofman]

👍👍👍

[Gregg Rockett]

Greg.  After 15 years and two kayaks, I have now retired from kayak fishing.  Lugging 77 pounds of plastic to and from the car/water was getting tedious.  I now find places to rent them instead (Occoquan).  A resource for researching is a site called Yak Logic which is linked here.  I also wrote a blog post on kayak fishing which is linked here.  Some valuable accessories included the following: tethers for fishing rods and the paddle, a two-wheeled transport cart, outdoor storage rack (mounts on a fence) and a Thule Hullavator.  On the cart, do not go cheap as with these you get what you pay for.  Make sure it is sturdy, has high clearance and rugged wheels.  The Thule Hullavator was my favorite, as it made loading the kayak onto the roof of the car a breeze.  Yes, it is expensive, but it will save your back!