Date of trip: 9/28/2012
This was my first trip on the South Branch of the Raritan River. I took the small boats as the water was shallow. It was great trip. I was truly surprised. Details are http://over50kayakingadventure.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Intro
I'm new to kayaking, but i am really enjoying it. It all started with a family drip with my wife and 3 daughters (Geena 19, Jill 16, Justine 15 (2011)) to the Adirondack's in August. The cottage that we rented had 2 12 foot kayaks and was on a 375 acre lake. I spend hours paddling around. It was great fun. The entire family enjoyed kayaking.
After returning, I ended up purchasing 4 kayaks. I bought 2 Emotion Comet 8 ft kayaks and 2 Old Town Loon 120 kayaks (12 ft). As we were new to the sport, the goal was to get in with minimal investment so recreational low end is the right place to start in my mind. You can pay thousands for 1 boat which is not what I wanted to do as new entrant into the sport. Even with focus on low cost boats, costs increase rapidly as you buy roof racks, cockpit covers, etc. Note: The Comet kayaks fit in the back of Honda Odyssey with seats removed which is very convenient.
Although we have used both types of boats on the Delaware River, the 2 types of boats are useful for different purposes. I would recommend both boats as they are very stable for beginners. Believe me, the last thing you want to happen is have your wife flip into the drink after convincing her to go out with you.
The Loons' excel (relatively) in the Delaware, but the Comet's are great in small rivers. They do catch wind, but my big concern is stability The Comet's have the limitations of a 8 ft rec boat, but that should be expected. Both boats are FUN. Also, since the Comet's are roughly $200 each, you don't worry as much as they hit bottom or you drag them up a rock embankment. I like the performance (speed, better tracking) of the 12 ft boats and the convenience and maneuverability of the 8 ft boats.
I'm really enjoying this sport and hope others get into it as well. I have had all of my daughters except for Jill out on the Delaware at least once. I also have been on the South Branch of the Raritan River. I will post on these later.
Update: 8/2/2018
A lot has changed since my original introduction. I've sold all of my original boats and purchased Wilderness Systems Tsunami 145 and 135....I've sold the 145 and purchased a Delta 17.
Scott
After returning, I ended up purchasing 4 kayaks. I bought 2 Emotion Comet 8 ft kayaks and 2 Old Town Loon 120 kayaks (12 ft). As we were new to the sport, the goal was to get in with minimal investment so recreational low end is the right place to start in my mind. You can pay thousands for 1 boat which is not what I wanted to do as new entrant into the sport. Even with focus on low cost boats, costs increase rapidly as you buy roof racks, cockpit covers, etc. Note: The Comet kayaks fit in the back of Honda Odyssey with seats removed which is very convenient.
Although we have used both types of boats on the Delaware River, the 2 types of boats are useful for different purposes. I would recommend both boats as they are very stable for beginners. Believe me, the last thing you want to happen is have your wife flip into the drink after convincing her to go out with you.
The Loons' excel (relatively) in the Delaware, but the Comet's are great in small rivers. They do catch wind, but my big concern is stability The Comet's have the limitations of a 8 ft rec boat, but that should be expected. Both boats are FUN. Also, since the Comet's are roughly $200 each, you don't worry as much as they hit bottom or you drag them up a rock embankment. I like the performance (speed, better tracking) of the 12 ft boats and the convenience and maneuverability of the 8 ft boats.
I'm really enjoying this sport and hope others get into it as well. I have had all of my daughters except for Jill out on the Delaware at least once. I also have been on the South Branch of the Raritan River. I will post on these later.
Update: 8/2/2018
A lot has changed since my original introduction. I've sold all of my original boats and purchased Wilderness Systems Tsunami 145 and 135....I've sold the 145 and purchased a Delta 17.
Scott
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