(Part 2) Top products from r/Kayaking

Hey there,

I will attach links at the bottom.

$350 is going to get you a new boat from dicks or wal-mart. Those usually are $299 or so. If that isn't the route you want to go then I would recommend craigslist and see what boats are already available in your area. A lot of local paddle groups buy, sell, and trade their boats as well and can hook you up.

If you just want to do river's and bays you should be able to find a sit-on-top pretty cheap in your area. That said I also prefer a sit-in. My favorite is the jackson day tripper because is a sit in with an open cockpit (bad knees), good back support, lots of storage space, flat bottom for stability, and I can put my dog in it with me. It's a stellar boat and it is made out of the same plastic they use for the whitewater boats so it is super durable. I have seen them used for about $350, new is $599 up to $799 or so depending on if you want the fishing package. Basically, that just means they put a lawn chair in it. Awesome!:) It comes in sizes 10 and 12. So 10 feet and 12 feet. You would fit in either as my spouse is 6'1 and uses the 10. The 10 is cheaper as well.

Most outfitters will let you demo the boat, so I would do that if you can.
If they don't go somewhere else until you find a place you can or offer to rent it for the day, so that they can make some money.

You would want a recreational paddle, which basically just means a longer paddle that you can reach really far with so you don't have to work to hard. You would most likely want a 230cm for your height. I will include the fit guide below from werner so you can get a size comparison. However, you do not need to buy a werner paddle unless you want too.

They can run from $140 up to $450ish depending on what you want. I always did just fine with my $100 paddle, but I got it used (originally $300). Start with the basic paddle, you can get a two part paddle and that won't be an issue at this point. What that means to you is you can change the angle of the blades and that just helps your shoulders and wrists adjust to the paddle. Single shaft paddles usually you have a built in angle, straight, or can have it ordered to have different angles.

Also, a good thing to buy for your boat is 404 which is like sunscreen for your boat if you plan on leaving it outside locked up. It is $16 bucks. Don't forget a lock either, so that people cannot walk away with it. Get a whistle for your PFD and a dry bag for your stuff.

Transportation is not an issue at all. You can actually get by without buying a rack this summer, unless you have the money. I would wait until you are sure you love kayaking and will go as often as possible before investing in it. Bars are $70, q clips are $35 each and you need two sets, and then you need the mounts, for like $125ish. It ends up being around $300 for a rack -brand new, and that's when I was installing them 2 or so years ago. You can buy it used online for like $100 if you can find one that fits your car.

Look online and buy some foam blocks and some tie down straps with the the cam buckle. Toss those suckers on the car, place the boat on top, and then throw the straps across it. Then open your car doors (NOT WINDOWS) and connect the cam buckle on the inside. This won't be an ideal situation for cross country travel, but if you aren't planning on going more than an hour or two not so bad. Basically, you want to pull on the strap until you can't wiggle the boat any longer. Don't pull so tight you buckle your roof- it can happen, but it means you aren't paying attention. If you do just pop it back out- it will pop back out. This is about $30 bucks. It also is a great system for loading mattresses on your car during a move. :)

References:

Yakima Fit Guide- if you want to buy a roof rack- new or used this gives you your size: http://www.yakima.com/fit/Information

Werner Paddles- gives you the most detail on how to determine the right paddle for you and your size- you most likely will want rec or touring since you aren't speeding from a shark: http://wernerpaddles.com/fit_guide_widget/

Jackson Kayak Day Tripper- my preferred choice and seems to be a favorite for a lot of people: http://jacksonkayak.com/jk-kayaks/recreational-touring-kayaks/day-tripper-3/day-tripper-photos/
(don't let the floppy hats fool you this is a cool boat- I've got cool pictures in it somewhere :) )

Foam Blocks Kayak Carrier: http://www.amazon.com/Malone-Standard-Block-Universal-Carrier/dp/B000SXQCVA

Also, if you go looking at used boats, try not to buy unless you can test it. Look up the stats on the boat as well, some of these things are so heavy! You can also shine a flashlight on the bottom of a sit in and look at the other side, if you can see the light then the plastic is thin and the boat is wearing out.

Check gaskets and screws, if applicable, to make sure they are tight and the washers look good.

Lastly, if you see a lot of patches, unless you plan on learning plastic welding and repair just walk away. You get what you pay for is what it comes to with this kind of stuff.

Best of Luck! Email me if you need any other help, I worked as an assistant manager and sometimes manager(college comes first) of an outdoors store for years. Lots of fun.

Okay, so believe it or not there are factors here that haven't been brought up in the other comments.

First off, what kind of kayaks are we talking about? For whitewater boats, the Thule Stacker or Yakima Bigstack are the obvious choices, but if you're carrying fiberglass touring boats, you won't want either of those.

Second, why is it that you want to fold down - just for aesthetics or do you need to clear an overhead obstruction, like a garage door? If it's just for aesthetics I might encourage you just not to worry about it - carrying your boats safely and loading and unloading easily is a lot more important.

If you're carrying touring or rec boats and want a fold-down solution, the Swiss Cargo carrier is a good option. As far as I know it's really an in-house brand at Dick's Sporting Goods, there's a link elsewhere in the comments. It's essentially a fold-down two sided J bar. Great for what you've described. But I wouldn't recommend it for whitewater boats.

An Expedition is very tall. Loading boats on your roof can't possibly be a pleasant experience. If you're loading heavy boats, I'd really suggest looking into a Thule Hullavator. It's crazy expensive, but it stays horizontal and has a relatively low profile, while greatly simplifying access to your high roof. But because it's so expensive, it's really targeted toward touring paddlers with heavy boats and old shoulders.

My buddy uses [Thule Stackers])http://www.amazon.com/Thule-830-Stacker-Kayak-Carrier/dp/B0001FUAXQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1459269597&sr=1-1&keywords=thule+stacker) on his Tahoe and loves them, but loading is an ordeal that involves a lot of climbing. The Stackers fold out of the way, and unlike the Yakimas they've got a slot in the middle to hold paddles. I use them on my VW when I'm not carrying the boats inside the car (for best fuel efficiency). But for easiest loading for touring and rec boats, you'd be better off with a set of j-bars for each boat. Thule now offers the Hullaport Aero which is pretty nice - J-bars that fold flat. But still a bit pricey. You can get non-folding j bars on ebay for $50 a set.

As you have whitewater kayaking experience, your biggest obstacle is learning more about the ocean and getting experience paddling on it in safer areas than the Inside Passage.

As you live in the Rockies, that would probably consist of some more trips to the PNW, for several days at a time. I'd buy a 17" sea kayak. If you can find something on Craigslist, great, but there's a lot of overpriced junk on there too. Then again, if you're in no rush, you can wait for something good to come along.

Here's a great guide on buying a kayak

The best how-to book on paddling the Passage is Alone in the Passage. It tells you everything you need to take, where to camp, where to send food packages ahead of time, etc. It's great.

The best book on ocean kayaking I've found is Sea Kayak. It covers a tremendous amount of material in a concise, clear manner.

One more book I'd recommend is Sea Kayak Navigation.

The three books together will give you a lot of what you need to know. They're worth reading and re-reading during the winter months while you plan your summer trips.

Here is my evolution of racks (originally posted here:

I've just finished trying solutions for getting my 60lb poly Tempest 170 on the roof (almost always solo).

First I used inflatable roof racks from Malone, which get the job done surprisingly well, but lifting the 17 foot boat up there remained a challenge.

Second I shifted to J racks as i hated watching the hull deform a bit (temporarily only) by tying the poly boat down on the inflatable. So I got these Malone J Racks. I like these racks, but they add a few inches to the height needed to lift the boat. I could do it, but tended to scrape the car and boat up a bit. That and eventually I was going to injure my back.

Third I got the Malone Telos Load Assist which seemed like a nice, more affordable solution to load assist than the Thule Hullavator. It can be moved from side to side and vehicle to vehicle so the more boats you are loading (requiring Malone J racks) the cheaper it is effectively. The Telos system works, but ins't perfect. It was still scratching my boat up too much, and my side mirror even when folded in. Honestly for smaller boats it would have been just fine.

Finally I caved and returned the Telos and ordered the Thule Hullavator (Note that you can get it cheaper from other places than amazon, but Amazon is convenient to link to for reviews and such). It is silly how pricey it is, but it simply works. I don't risk my back or my gear when loading or unloading, and it is cake to work with.

Been a few months of use and I am SO happy with the final solution.

Looks like a nice place to visit.

I love camping with my Kayak: http://modustollens.org/photos/galleries/Canada/Opeongo_Lake_Sept_2016/Opeongo_Lake_Sept_2016_008.jpg

Near my home: http://modustollens.org/hosted_images/Tipi_Kayak/Kayak_Dunks_to_Dyers_Sept_2016_019.jpg

https://www.reddit.com/r/Kayaking/comments/51xfgu/georgian_bay_ontario_shorline/

A good place for you to visit one day! That's all fresh water too, so, lots of drinking water to be found here.

You could, for a few dollars, pick up a small Sawyer water filter (e.g., https://www.amazon.ca/Sawyer-Products-Water-Filtration-System/dp/B013I0HNJ4); then you could get more water and maybe carry less. I have one of these tiny Sawyers for short trips plus a few other high capacity pump filters. Is there freshwater where you will be going?

Are you new to kayaking or only kayak camping? Can you roll or get back in after a capsize? The general rule is to be 'dressed for immersion' - that is, you should be wearing clothing suitable for being in the water, not sitting comfortably in the kayak.

Signalling equipment - flares, a marine radio, would be a good thing to add if you are going solo. I did not see a map in your gear list. What about tides, rip currents etc. - be good to know the local conditions around that island. What about something to bail out your kayak should it start to get flooded?

I just finished reading this: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001NAC4W8/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title

Lots of things can easily go wrong.

Be sure to post some pictures of your trip and camps when you return; I could use a vicarious adventure!

roof rack. the roof rack (or rails) runs front to back, cross bars run across. neither Yakima or Thule make a roof rack for your car, so you're going to be stuck with a generic rack. Maybe something like this or this.

Ideally, you get a roof rack and cross bars. Canoes don't use J-racks. You could just use foam blocks and ratchet straps, but it's sketchy if you're going too fast or far. I've made 400 mile trips using foam blocks, but you got to be sure and tie it down well and use bow and stern lines.

Here's a great expanation of how to tie it down. It's worth buying the hood tie down things, $7 on Amazon.

17' canoe is heavy unless it's composite. there's some videos of best ways to load them solo.

The site you really have to check out for traditional boats is Qajaq USA. I'm not sure if they have a German site but this is a fantastic organization. Go read the forums for lots of great advice.

I'll second the Chris Cunningham book as it was what I used for my first SOF at it turned out great (perhaps a little over-built).

I will probably base mine off of one of the designs from here: http://www.yostwerks.com/

They are all free, although you do have to draw them up yourself. There are a few other sites like http://kudzucraft.com/ where you can buy plans though.

For the traditional style I would definitely recommend the book by Cunningham http://www.amazon.com/Building-Greenland-Kayak-Manual-Contruction/dp/0071392378 as it helps you custom-size the kayak to your height/weight.

You can get 3 kayaks (maybe 4) on a properly setup "Stacker" system - Malone, Rhino, Thule and others make such systems (basically two poles that mount ontop crossbars that can fold down when not in use) Example

​

Prerequisites - you'll need a good set of crossbars & mounts that can bear the weight of 3-4 kayaks. Then get the stackers, good cam straps (6), some minicell foam blocks (6) ( two sets usually come with the stackers) and bow stern ties (6) and you'll be set! Tip - if you get Crossbars that extend past your roof by 6"+ or so inches, you may be able to fit 4 kayaks on your roof...just be sure to be careful on your turns ;-)

​

This is the stacker we used and carried 4 kayaks for a while, until we moved onto a KariTek system

I have a beater pickup truck. I purchased a set of these on eBay for $88.00. Works great. I have 4 kayaks (me and the kids), soon to be 6. 4 is easy with 2 on top and 2 in the bed. 6????

You should see us when we go camping. We look like the Beverly Hillbillies

Keep seeing posts looking for mount options on small cars. Your car probably has tow sockets front and rear + one loop for either. These handle thousands of pounds and you probably have the first one in your jack kit already. Just get a second factory tow loop off eBay for the pair.

Remove the covers and screw in the anchors. Then run straps front and rear plus through the side windows. Ratchet straps are best. Tighten all 3-4 straps until you can’t wiggle the boat with good force.

Photo shows a triangular strap setup since our factory mounts are off center. Third strap goes through the opposite window and to a grab handle. Protect hood paint with a soft cloth. Also shown are purpose bought foam supports front and rear. Complete setup is stable at highway speeds.

LINKS

Foam Kayak Blocks

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BCLL4LA/


Straps

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7P7EOX/


Flag

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F4RX3AM/

Anchors - eBay search: make + model + some of tow hook towing eye loop bracket ring

Well, I paid $150 for my used rack but then bought clips, straps and locks which was more money on top of that. You can try to look for some used racks online for $100 but they will be harder to come by. Still you never know you may get lucky. I would look and see what you can find. Or just buy the foam blocks and straps and be done. Go to Amazon and search for "foam racks for kayak" you will find a few options there. I have no experience with these so read the reviews to make sure you're not buying junk.

EDIT: I like these straps since they have rubber surrounding the buckle. I can throw it over the kayak and not worry about breaking one of my windows in the process.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000AT0KC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502316433&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=yakima+straps&dpPl=1&dpID=41S6I1L1YnL&ref=plSrch

I LOVE my Flo its a Kayak PFD and has indents for your breasts so they don't get squished. I absolutely love it. its totally adjustable. I live in Georgia and it gets really hot, this one has never bothered me. If you have a local outfitter, go try one one.

I highly recommend the very cheap kind that just straps to your roof. 30 seconds to put on, 30 seconds to take off. I have been using this one, and I'm super happy with it. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015D19SS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I transport 2 17 foot yaks on the roof of my pickup truck in conjunction with one of these at roof level coming from the rear tow hitch
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HDL2DX6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have a Stohlquist women’s model. I picked I up as a last season color for like $50ish. I love it, super comfy, big pockets, comfy for all day paddling.

Edit: I have this one in orange: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006LJRW4Q/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1527033459&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&dpPl=1&dpID=51r2uZsT2vL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

Books:
Sea Kayaking Illustrated: A Visual Guide to Better Paddling

Sea Kayak: A Manual for Intermediate and Advanced Sea Kayakers

Sea Kayak Rescue: The Definitive Guide To Modern Reentry And Recovery Techniques

Fundamentals of Kayak Navigation

Other tips:

a) Join a club if there is one near you.
or: Join groups with the same interest near you
Generally the quickest way to learn. Ask in forums as well.

b) You already mentioned courses. Def. do them. This is the best way to improve your technique.

c) Practise. Practise. Just paddle around, sometimes test and extend your limits in safe conditions (example: Go out in windy to stormy weather with waves [<7bft, on really big lakes <6bft] with onshore wind on a bigger lake you know well. Keep near the shore, learn how to paddle in waves. Paddle parallel to waves. Just get experience. If you fall in, worst case the wind will blow you onto the shore soon(ish). Know your equipment, always wear a PFD, have apaddlefloat, pump, reserve paddle & paddle leash, comms device and ideally a buddy. Train rescue & reentry first. Tell people where you are and when to expect you back)

d) Read a few blogs from people who did long runs on rivers and oceans. Even if they've used an open canoe, you can still learn a lot (equipment, conditions, duration and so on)

e) Maybe some youtube videos, but thats - in my experience - a bad source for kayaking. Lots of people who don't know what they are doing but think they are professionals.


For the multi-month solo trip: Your space is very limited in a kayak. It will be hard to get enough food for longer trips. For long tours a canoe is way better, although not really seaworthy. Don't go alone.

I drop a bicycle at one end and drive to the start. I toss an empty backpack in the kayak to carry all my more expensive gear on the bike but most of the time I just stow my gear in the hatches. I have a cable lock like this for the kayak. Overall the places I am leaving my kayak are places that like minded people are hanging out as well, I have never had an issue with gear being taken.

Edit: This is the exact lock I have, works well.

I always use Thule - if it's a good one to start with it's gonna last for many years so it's worth the initial investment.

I've had a few different sorts of roof bars & uprights and found these the best by far.

Yes. It is great, and you can find it for $35 on Amazon!

Sorry, need to add another thing. I just zoomed in on the image and noticed you're not using straps on the boat, but just the ropes to keep it down. You should use some tough thick straps to hold the boat down. The straps will be more secure as well as provide friction on the boat to keep it in place. The ropes you're using will not be as effective.

They don't need to be expensive, you can pick some up from a walmart or target, or get brand names like a yakima or Thule

Yakima Heavy Duty Straps https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000AT0KC/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_xpGgvb1JWBZ3E

someone recommended me these and they have been great

https://www.amazon.com/Cascade-Creek-LIB351500-Yakgrips-Black/dp/B001MQEQ24/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1527252419&sr=8-1&keywords=yakgrips

I have a fusion and let me tell you these cars are not made to carry kayaks so you have a few things to buy. I'm gonna attach everything I bought for you and I've had great results with it so far.

Roof rack SportRack SR1002 Complete Roof Rack System, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BHWMDSM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_63UbzbPVPJJQX

Kayak rack Thule 830 The Stacker (4) Kayak Carrier https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001FUAXQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_k5UbzbKX7MW08

Under the hood bow and stern tie points. The whole car is plastic and there's no safe spots to tie them. Thule 530 Quick Loop Strap,Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EOZD26/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_X5Ubzb54HDK4S

This is what I use, they work great. I use one under my front hood, and one in my back hatch. https://www.amazon.com/Seattle-Sports-Quick-Loops/dp/B00CHFH1V2/ref=pd_sbs_200_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00CHFH1V2&pd_rd_r=70575P3CEN32W6YWRA5V&pd_rd_w=JmM2h&pd_rd_wg=Mo36U&refRID=70575P3CEN32W6YWRA5V

This is the one I have:
http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0047THVIO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm very happy with it.

I have the same method of loading except I use a boat roller instead of a mat. They have suction cups for attaching to my vehicle.

Seattle Sports Sherpak Suction Boat Roller Load Assist for Mounting Kayaks and Canoes to Car Tops, One Size, Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009PAAI5I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_KL3jDbVD31R0P

This one seems to have pretty decent reviews and isn't too expensive.

Thule 897XT Hullavator Kayak Roof Rack Mount Carrier. Used these for years.
https://www.amazon.com/Thule-897XT-Hullavator-Kayak-Carrier/dp/B000QV1WSM

Not cheap but you'll get your money's worth and never worry.

Easy. Yak grips. After a long day paddling without gloves, I have had sore hands. Wearing gloves is one option, but they are often too hot. These things supply padding but don’t heat up your hands. Totally worth the $15.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MQEQ24/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Consider this: it's not an upgrade, it's a fancy seat and a GPS holder. The Dirigo and the Camden are nearly the same boat. They serve the same waters, and the Camden doesn't really come with extra cargo space.

Consider a half skirt if you just want a place to put things. And a seat pad to keep your butt comfy.

Old Town used to make a Cayuga, which would be an upgrade on your current boat, but they no longer make it from what I understand. I have a Old Town Casco 120 (the predecessor to the Dirigo, or maybe the Camden) and, honestly, unless you move to a light touring boat not much of it's equivalent will be an "upgrade".

On the back we have them tied to the frame, our car has a few metal loops down there. On the front under the hood where using things exactly like these

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CHFH1V2/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1/191-6462991-3886465?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_r=0EADS372H84ZZV8PW05V&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=1944687542&pf_rd_i=B0024ALDMS

I just put these on my truck, though I got mine for $45+$45 shipping. I payed a body shop $20 to drill the holes. They're amazing and you don't have kayaks sticking out all over the place, a problem with my 12'.

The license plate holder is only tied into the bumper cover, just that outer plastic piece of the car. If there's a large amount of force, you're going to crack your bumper cover or rip the screws (not bolts ) right out. You may have to peek under the front of the car for a better point, or get straps that can go under one of the bolts in the engine bay.

https://www.amazon.com/Thule-Hood-Loop-Strap-529/dp/B004MZXI0I

Something like this, it goes under the hood: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MZXI0I/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I26T8QLK40Q9FL&colid=3WMSOC16FPPI

I made my own, but that's the general idea, one under the hood and another in the trunk to attach the bow and stern tie downs.
http://imgur.com/wldFQdQ

I use these

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thule-Kayak-Stacker-Canoes-Kayaks/dp/B000BSDUJE/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_1/278-5805233-0525724

Have had up to four kayaks across the roof, never any problems in high winds. You sometimes feel it pulling on the car, but the kayaks have yet to move.

>https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009PAAI5I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_KL3jDbVD31R0P

I have been trying for years

I've used this on a Dodge Stratus, and a Pontiac G3. Hauling a 9.5' kayak and an 11' one. Seems to work ok, but I did have the blocks come out from under the 11' kayak once with the Stratus. Both blocks fell off, but the kayak stayed on top of the car. I wound up with some dents and scratches. It happened when I crested a hill at about 55mph. I think a combination of the roof flexing, the kayak flexing, and the blocks flexing all lead to it happening. Putting the blocks right at the front and back edge of the roof (which I didn't do that day) keeps the roof from flexing and using a ratchet strap instead of the cam style straps they give you would probably let you strap it down tighter. Though if you tighten them too much you completely compress the foam and the boat will hit the roof. Again, it can lead to dents and scratches, if that's a concern. Like DrRabbitt mentioned though, you don't really need it to be tight, just tight enough that nothing really moves around.

Deep Trouble and More Deep Trouble are good reads and will give you an idea of what can go wrong and how to prepare for the worst.