August 21, 2006

Kayaks for Big Guys (And Gals)

"This article first appeared on 'Wes Boyd's Kayak Place' website and is republished with permission. All articles in this category were authored by Wes Boyd unless otherwise noted. [Woody]"

Sometimes, it seems like kayaking is another place where the shrimps get all the breaks. It seems like all the really cool boats are shrimp boats, designed for someone standing about 5'8" and weighing maybe 150 lbs. If you're much over that size, the selection thins out rapidly. There seem to be a lot of "extra small" boats on the market, but not many for those of us that fall into the "extra large" category.

Well, there are a few boats out there designed for the big guys and gals. Not many, but a few. I've put together this list of boats for big people. It's not complete, but probably does cover the majority of easily available "big guy and gal" boats.

Most important: A boat can haul a load that could break down a pack horse, track like an arrow, turn on a dime and be fast as the wind, but if you can't get in and out easily, and be comfortable in it for several hours, it is not the boat for you. The only way to be sure it fits you is to try it on; if it doesn't fit, look elsewhere.

The boats on this list are chosen with the reasonable expection or actual experience that my 300-lb. mass can fit in the cockpit. However, I have not tried out all these boats, as much as I'd like to.

Some boats are largely regional boats, such as Nomad, Pacific Water Sports and Nimbus. These boats may not be available for demonstrations across the country.

Many capacities are estimated. Manufacturer's published capacities (if published at all) are often nowhere in contact with reality, due to potential liability concerns, which causes them to be underrated. Other manufacturers are a touch on the optimistic side. Where a boat does not have a manufacturer specified capacity, its capacity was interpolated from other boats near its size. However, capacity figures should be taken with a grain of salt, as this is not an exact science.

Boat weights for composite boats are the manufacturer's stated weights in fiberglass. Most composite boats are available in a kevlar layup, which saves about 5 to 10 pounds per boat, on the average. Many published boat weights represent a good share of wishful thinking, anyway, especially for rotomolded boats. Add at least ten percent to get a little closer to reality; if that figure proves too high, you can be pleasantly surprised.

Some cockpit sizes are measured inside of the rim to inside. Others from outside to outside, which can turn a promising big guy boat into a too-small one very quickly. I've actually measured a few boats, but not all of them. I guess that says that you can't take these figures as gospel.

Prices are mostly taken from the 2002 Canoe and Kayak Buyer's Guide, and may have changed -- or you may be able to get a better deal. Sale prices, a boat's history as a demo or rental boat, or other factors can result in huge savings.

Opinions are strictly my own unless otherwise stated, and yes, I may have made transcription errors, too.

Composite Sea Kayaks

Composite sea kayaks, usually in fiberglass or kevlar, but sometimes other exotic materials, are at the top of the heap. The molding process allows for a finer design, and often more flexibility in layups --for more money, you can get an extra light version or a heavy, bulletproof of the same boat. Composite boats (usually referred to as "glass" boats, since most are fiberglass), are usually more expensive than plastic, but almost always are lighter and have better performance. In addition, there are more different types out there for the big paddler than the plastic sea kayaks.

Plastic Sea Kayaks

Plastic sea kayaks, either rotomolded or blowmolded, are far more common than composite boats, but, let's face it, don't have the charisma of the composite boats. Price has something to do with this -- a plastic boat is usually half the price of a comparable composite boat. But, they're heavier -- sometimes considerably heavier; the handling is usually not as good, and due to the molding process two boats from the same mold can differ considerably. But, a plastic sea kayak can serve you admirably if you accept the limitations.

Recreation Kayaks

The line between recreation kayaks and sea kayaks, or between recreation kayaks and whitewater boats, can be a bit fuzzy at times, since there can be quite a bit of crossover. In general, though, recreation boats are shorter and slower than sea kayaks, longer than most new whitewater boats, and wider than either. They often lack features seen on sea kayaks or whitewater boats, and are almost always plastic. In general, they're designed for flatwater conditions and really shouldn't be taken into rougher conditions. But, if you're staying in calm conditions, they can have distinct advantages -- especially in price.

Whitewater Kayaks

I really don't know much about whitewater kayaking any more -- I've done but little in 20 years. However, if it's tough to find a sea kayak for a big kayaker, it's even tougher for whitewater boats -- the list is very limited, and two good candidates just recently went out of production. Modern whitewater boats are pretty tiny, and most just don't have the capacity for a big guy, even if it's possible to get into one. But, there are a few out there.

Some Closing Thoughts

IF YOU ARE A FIRST-TIME BUYER, don't worry too much about getting the perfect boat the first crack out of the box. Get one that you can get into and out of comfortably, preferably used and don't bypass the rotomolded boats. There are a fair number of used boats in both plastic and fiberglass out there that will serve you through the first part of the learning curve. Or, buy a recreational boat like an Old Town Loon or a Perception America as that first boat -- mine was a Loon. Spend a few months or a year with that boat, learning how to handle it and getting some feeling for what you want in the next boat, trying out various possibilities based on what you enjoy doing and what you want to do with it -- and not what someone else would do with it, either. Then, you can sell the first boat to someone else for almost what you paid for it, and have a boat that's a little closer to what you want -- and what you want probably won't be what you thought you wanted the year before. The time will come when you're probably not satisfied with it, either, and will be shopping again . . . get used to it.