Another Exciting Episode in Audrey's Great RV Adventure

[Martha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1 Yeah, I figured it was out of the question on large bays in windy conditions and I expected the handling might be pretty squirrelly. But we would use it more in the smaller sheltered lakes and bays where we are camping. So many places we camp have water nearby so this looks perfect. And it would be mostly for exploring edges of lakes for wildlife watching, etc. We would try it out first at the resaca at Bentsen State Park - just jump on the tram with the kayak - sounds pretty easy! We've been traveling with dry bags, paddling vests, paddling shorts and water shoes all this time, but no boat or paddles!!!! Glad to know it can be used solo, as DH wants to be able to get out in the water with his camera occasionally, and sometimes I'll want to go out alone. Thanks for the Amazon link. I was wondering whether the upgraded seats were worth it? Audrey

I think seats are partly a matter of taste. The upgraded seats are higher and some feel that it makes the kayak feel a bit unstable. I don't feel that way and I like the "stiffer" feel of the upgraded seats. The cheaper seats feel kind of air mattressy to me. I would only get the better seats if you get a good deal. The 370 has them apparently and the 370 is a bit bigger, which is nicer when two are using it. But I have never tried the 370 and I am happy with the 330. My sister and I use the 330 together just fine.

The seats are adjustable, you can place them anywhere in the kayak. Handy.

I did take it on the tram to the resaca. Worked great!

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Translation: I'm seeing no photos.

Oh! OK - I guess I had some weird caching thing going on locally with my browser, because I was even seeing my photos in your quoted replies!

I was trying to pull a stunt with having the uploaded photo in-line but afterwards removing it from the attachment. I guess that only works if you post it at least once first. I thought I'd made that work before - I wonder where else I have missing photos?

Audrey

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martha I think seats are partly a matter of taste. The upgraded seats are higher and some feel that it makes the kayak feel a bit unstable. I don't feel that way and I like the "stiffer" feel of the upgraded seats. The cheaper seats feel kind of air mattressy to me. I would only get the better seats if you get a good deal. The 370 has them apparently and the 370 is a bit bigger, which is nicer when two are using it. But I have never tried the 370 and I am happy with the 330. My sister and I use the 330 together just fine. The seats are adjustable, you can place them anywhere in the kayak. Handy.

John is 6'4", but I'm only 5'3". I don't know how often we would go out together - but I suppose it might be half the time. Hard to tell!!!! I wonder if he would be cramped in the 330, then again, I can get pretty compact.

Audrey

[RonBoyd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1 Here's how we avoid staying at a "dump": RV Park Reviews and "The Big Rig Directory" really helps us when we are in travel mode.

Yeah, I know all the reasons why we shouldn't stay at a KOA but, to be honest, we have never had a bad experience and I cannot say that about other stops.

I am familiar with RV Park Reviews and have used it often -- we have an Aircard so the Internet is available as we are going down the road. I have found the Trailer Life Directory Campground program to be quite useful for finding close-by out-of-the way sites.

When we have the time our preference is in this order:

1. Passport America
2. Escapees
3. KOA
4. Good Sam

But when we are running late or simply "don't want to be bothered" with research, KOA is a no-brainer (pun intended).

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1 Here is one of numerous small cascades along the hiking trails at Petit Jean State Park. I don't have any of the big scenic vista photos quite ready to go. Audrey

Woops! Looks like my small stream cascade from Petit Jean SP photo was missing too!



Audrey

[Martha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1 John is 6'4", but I'm only 5'3". I don't know how often we would go out together - but I suppose it might be half the time. Hard to tell!!!! I wonder if he would be cramped in the 330, then again, I can get pretty compact. Audrey

Tough for me to judge. I am only 4'11" and my most frequent kayak companion is my sister who is all of 5' and so we feel it is roomy enough, even though it is substantially shorter than my Innova Sunny. But as I said, I have had some difficulty coordinating paddling with inexperienced kayakers who may flail about some. I sure like the 26 pound weight and even though it is a bit tubby I can still carry it.

It looks like the 370 is about a foot longer and weighs about 6 pounds more than the 330, coming in at 32 pounds. Here is a comparison between the two: Sea Eagle 330 Inflatable Kayak/Canoe

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonBoyd Yeah, I know all the reasons why we shouldn't stay at a KOA but, to be honest, we have never had a bad experience and I cannot say that about other stops.

It seems like the majority of KOAs are way too tight for our rig - either driving to the site or the site itself. That's the main reason for avoidance for us and the reason we have marked "never again" on several we stopped at. The park reviews site is pretty good at warning about tightness for larger rigs.

Audrey

[Martha]

Audrey, these reviewers, which include a taller guy, prefer the 370 to the 330 for the extra legroom. The site also talks about the seats: Sea Eagle 370 Sport Kayak

[NW-Bound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewer12345 I think that this is much ado about nothing. Towing is like everything else: idiots will do what idiots do; the rest of us will read up as necessary and do it safely... In short, I do not find towing to be much of an issue even with a tow vehicle that isn't really designed for heavy duty towing (minivan).

Exactly! In posting these interesting videos, I certainly did not imply that one cannot tow anything unless he has a pickup or an SUV.

Though my SUV has a factory tow package rated at 5000lbs, I have not towed anything approaching that. But in case I get a large TT, I would need such things that I do not have such as sway bars and a load-equalizing hitch. In researching the Web, I found these videos that were eye-openers for novices like myself.

I suspect that fish-tailing accidents are caused more by the tail, meaning the trailer, than the dog. Specifically, the user did not load the trailer so that its center of gravity is in front of its axle.

The guys I saw fishtailing on the highway had BIG pickups. This highway is a divided highway, with two lanes in each direction. It has many long stretches of 6% slope and, when crowded with camping weekenders, becomes a kind of race track where these guys are showing off their trucks. Yeah, "my diesel truck got more torque than your puny truck". Pulling trailers, they have no problem passing my minivan, which I keep on the right lane, going up 6% slope.

My theory is this. The type of trailers most popular in this part is the "toy hauler". An enclosed trailer, it has a ramp and an empty tail end so that the user can drive up his off-road vehicle such as quads, dune buggies. It's fairly common for the weekenders to bring up 4 quads, one for each family member. So, he might have loaded the trailer tail-heavy, which caused the trailer to wag like a dog's tail. The saving grace was that their gigantic pickup could handle that tail. It's still not kosher, wouldn't you say? One time, as a guy with a wagging tail was passing me, he was tail-gated by another guy. I slowed the hell down to let them get far from me as fast as possible, as they chased each other into the sunset. Yes, the literal sunset, as the highway was westward back into the city and it was Sunday late afternoon!

In surfing the Web for RV blogs, I ran across a guy who lost his dually pickup and his fifth wheel to a roll-over. He certainly was a seasoned RV'er, and was not towing it for the first time. He blamed it on the highway being "grooved", the kind of longitudinal grooves that were cut into the road to enhance traction.

Now, I have heard of motorcyclists complaining about these grooves, but for these to cause a dually truck and its fifth wheel to roll over? If I find it again, I will post the link. Though his big pickup and 5th wheel were totaled, he and his wife were OK. They climbed out and took pictures to post for their blog.

[brewer12345]

I assure you,NW, the lunatics you see doing this stuff are not typical of most RVers. Towing is not hard to do safely with a modest amount of effort and equipment. I don't know what the guy with the dually and 5th wheel did, but I bet it involved excess speed.

[NW-Bound]

A safety-conscious guy, I do not worry about roll-overs. Thought I would post the videos to warn people to take things a bit seriously. It may not be lunacy or idiocy, but just plain ignorance.

However, I have stressed my minivan once, pulling a U-Haul moving trailer uphill. Stability wise, no problem at all. But the smell of overheated transmission fluid is not something I want to experience again.

Switching to my SUV solved the problem. And I do not want to smoke that SUV. Bought new and paid with cash, it's got to last.

[theloneranger]

Not mention more copperheads than I have seen anywhere else in the US of A

[theloneranger]

At PJ Mtn, that is.

[NW-Bound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonBoyd So now I have to start vetting my posts by scrolling down? Humrph!

Thanks for thinking of me, anyway. If the price is good enough, I will buy to tow as a dinghy.

Just kidding of course, as these are not light. However, I have seen a guy pulling a travel trailer behind his class C. Mother-in-law suite!

[NW-Bound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich_in_Tampa In my search for a motorhome I ultimately gave up buying it privately (Craig's List, EBay, etc.). There was just too much BS to waste my time on. In the current RV market you can get great prices from over-inventoried dealers, though I am told the prices are starting to rise a bit here and there.

It is certainly true that individuals tend to price their vehicles too high, whether it's an RV or a car. It also takes time to go out to look at them. Occasionally, I found what seemed to be a good deal, but it is in Timbuktu. Then, I hate to take a flight there just to see it's full of rust.

Dealers do have good prices, and they clean up the vehicle nicely. Yes, their prices are competitive with private sales. But I still like to be able to skip the sales tax when buying from individuals though.

[REWahoo]

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Originally Posted by NW-Bound But I still like to be able to skip the sales tax when buying from individuals though.

I think I understand what you're saying here, but would you mind elaborating?

[NW-Bound]

You mean the state is now collecting sale taxes for transactions between individuals?

[REWahoo]

In my part of the world, when you register the title, yes...

[Martha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo I think I understand what you're saying here, but would you mind elaborating?

I know that where I am from even though the seller doesn't collect the sales tax in these circumstances, you still have to pay it as buyer when you go register the vehicle.

[NW-Bound]

Ha! You can tell that I have bought only from dealers for the last few decades. If I remember correctly, it was not like that 30 years ago.