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Date: 08 Jul 2004 10:53:06
From: sparks
Subject: Buying a Kayak - Question
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Greetings everyone...
I am in the process of buying my first kayak. I have a friend who may sell
me one that was left at one of his rental properties. Has anyone ever used
or have an opinion about the Wilderness 'Critter' kayak? It is just over 9ft
long..seems like it is good condition. He is asking $150 for it. I intend to
do most of my kayaking in local rivers and creeks (calmer type water) but I
would like to try some more adventurous rivers eventually. What kind of
limitations would this kayak give me?
Thanks for any advice!
sparks
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Date: 09 Jul 2004 12:34:43
From: BREWERPAUL
Subject: Re: Buying a Kayak - Question
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Sounds like a good value for a first kayak. I would also not recommend it for
those more "adventerous" rivers, but for calm rivers and lakes it will serve
you well. If you decide to get into faster rivers, you could either sell this
one for what you paid for it, or keep it for future flatwater use, lending to
friends, etc.
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Date: 08 Jul 2004 21:25:50
From: John Fereira
Subject: Re: Buying a Kayak - Question
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"sparks" <shawns@iquest.net > wrote in news:ccjro0$2f38$1@news.iquest.net:
> Greetings everyone...
> I am in the process of buying my first kayak. I have a friend who may
> sell me one that was left at one of his rental properties. Has anyone
> ever used or have an opinion about the Wilderness 'Critter' kayak? It
> is just over 9ft long..seems like it is good condition. He is asking
> $150 for it. I intend to do most of my kayaking in local rivers and
> creeks (calmer type water)
The "Critter" will do fine for those conditions. The "Critter" is a
recreational class kayak. I couldn't find a Wilderness Systems "Critter"
but the Trinity Bay Critter is probably what you're looking at. They sell
for $299 new.
> but I would like to try some more
> adventurous rivers eventually. What kind of limitations would this
> kayak give me?
The major limitation is that since it is a recreational style kayak, not
only is it not appropriate for more adventurous rivers, but it contains
features which will inhibit to develop skill necessary to paddle more
adventurous rivers.
Due the the large open cockpit and shape of the hull it would be a difficult
kayak to learn how to roll in. If you're going to paddle more adventurous
rivers you should learn how to roll. With a large open cockpit you're more
sitting in the boat rather than "wearing" the boat as would do in a
whitewater kayak (or sea kayak).
Recreational kayaks are typically designed to be very stable and paddled on
a flat hull (without edging). The high initial stability will, by
definition, inhibit edging (and thus the development of a good bracing
stroke). Whitewater boats are often paddled "on edge" when peeling out of
an eddy, going from the main current into an eddy, or playing in holes. A
recreational boat will inhibit your ability to learn these skills.
Like most recreational boats the Critter doesn't have any bulkheads and the
bow and stern regions are fairly large. It it were paddled in fast moving
water (and even if it isn't) it should have float bags put in the bow and
stern. For an elightening reason why, try taking it 10-15' from shore on a
calm lake, tipping it over, and letting the cockpit fill with water.
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