Canoe or Kayak?

[athena53]

It's been a crazy time but DH and I are due to close on selling our current house on June 26 and buy a (slightly) smaller house on July 1. I'd always joked that my dream of retirement was to live on a lake and have a kayak. Unbelievably, we found that rare house on the lake that doesn't come with 6 bedrooms and a huge price tag. The ground floor has 2 bedrooms and the lower floor has 2 more bedrooms, a full bath, living area and a deck that looks out onto the lake. We are thrilled. Here's the view from the ground floor deck, which we plan to enclose:




So- now I'm trying to figure out what kind of boat to buy. It's a tiny lake, less than a mile long but 26 feet deep. No power craft. We now have a delightful one-year old granddaughter and DS and DDIL are hoping for one or two more. I'd like a boat that will be somewhat stable and will hold 2 adults plus a munchkin (all in life jackets, of course) but still be manageable if I'm in it on my own. I'm not into fishing although the lake does have bass and perch in it.

So- what would you buy?

 

[LOL!]

I've never seen 3 people in a kayak.

 

[travelover]

I have both a canoe and a kayak. When I go by myself, I take the kayak and when I have company, I take the canoe. They both have their strong points.

 

[JPatrick]

They make some pretty cool pedal boats that look a bit like a mini pontoon. They rent them at our marina and they appear to easily hold 2 adults and a bunch of little ones.

 

[athena53]

I hadn't thought of mini-pontoon boats- thanks! I like the idea of working my upper arms with paddles- I'm already a big bicycling enthusiast- but then I could do the boring thing and do strength training at the gym, too.

 

[martyb]

I'd have to have both, but that's just me. And I am a fisherman. In fact, I'd also need a small aluminum boat like a Jon boat, with an electric trolling motor. That's just me....I tend to overdo things.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[ls99]

Canoes can hold several people, learning to paddle it takes a little effort.

Kayaks can hold 2 adults,, they have fairly wide sit on top unsinkable ones.

Either will do for floating about and contemplating the sky, or your belly button.

 

[athena53]

Either will do for floating about and contemplating the sky, or your belly button.

I noticed in my research that canoes now come with cup holders. Yeah, I need a cup holder!


And I just found this. I may go with a small, light kayak plus this one for company.

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/pro...&kpid=427711&gclid=CPKK7dH-j8YCFZOCaQod0h8Afw"

 

[outdoorgirl02]

I don't know about canoe vs. kayak but you might want to think about a paddle board too. My daughter loves sitting on it while I paddle around the lake. Yesterday, she was sitting on the front of it fishing while I paddled around.

 

[Sea Kayaker]

The biggest advantage of a canoe over a kayak is the ease in which you can get into one. It can be a bit of an athletic move to squeeze into a kayak, especially a top end, enclosed deck touring model (my preference). But once you are in, a nice kayak will run circles around most canoes. And if one learns how to "Eskimo roll", a kayak with a sprayskirt in place is probably the most seaworthy vessel in the world.

But look at my screen name... I might be a little biased.

 

[bld999]

Wind may not be a factor where you are, but canoes have enough sail area to make you work like a slave of you need to go against it.

 

[Free To Canoe]

I have both a canoe and a kayak. When I go by myself, I take the kayak and when I have company, I take the canoe. They both have their strong points.

+1

 

[pb4uski]

We live on a lake and have kayaks. While we don't own a canoe but I have done some canoeing, including a 10-day trip in the Canadian bush. I think a canoe is more versatile in that you can use it single-handedly or load up 2 or 3 people in it. Why not both? A canoe for when you have company and a couple kayaks for you and DH.

If you like the idea of exercise, forget the kayak and get a stand-up paddleboard.

You might also enjoy a peddle-boat.

We have a pontoon boat and love it. The marina down the road had a small electric pontoon that could hold perhaps 6 people a year ago. That might be something for you to consider if the pond is big enough. I just got back from a great pontoon boat ride around the lake with DW, my mom and a couple friends. Or perhaps a small pontoon boat with a trolling motor.

Or this: PADDLE QWEST - Apex Marine

 

[MikeWillRetire]

I've had both. If this is for summer only, then I recommend getting two sit-on-top kayaks. They can't get swamped and they are easy to get back into if you fall out.

 

[sdtech]

I currently have a cross over design that was sold as a kayak/canoe. It has two seats and a small keel. The keel design does add a little ability to stay on track in light winds, but it robs the canoe from easy turning. Probably easier to learn to paddle, but not as good once you've mastered it. The biggest thing to get right are the seats. Make sure you get a small craft with back support seats. The ability to add a small electric motor would be nice too.

If you are by yourself, nothing bets a small kayak. With others, a canoe with decent seats is better.

 

[Samz]

I would go with a canoe. I bought a Coleman Ram X-17 when the kids were old enough to do class II rivers with us. Me my DW, DS & DD (4 of us total) would do many trips in the spring / summer. We could carry a big cooler and the dog with us too.

If you can store the canoe under a deck at your home it would be good. You could just drag it up the bank, across the grass and stow it easily that way.

My RAM X is ~80 lbs and is unwieldy when trying to put it on top of a SUV or on our overhead storage spot in our garage. It takes two folks with some upper body strength. Helps if you are 5' 10" or more (DW is 5' 4").

 

[Ronstar]

I think you're going to have to get more than one boat. Definitely get a kayak for your solo journeys. A canoe would be fine for 2 adults and a munchkin. But if allowed, I would get a little pontoon boat with an electric motor instead of a canoe.

 

[athena53]

But once you are in, a nice kayak will run circles around most canoes.

My kayaking experience has been in three very disparate places: the Ozarks, Dubrovnik and Alaska! I think a solo kayak would be one good choice. DH has a bad back and won't be in any of these. For company, either a canoe or a pedal boat. I'm pretty sure anything with motors is out of the question and that's OK- we wanted peace in our back yard anyway!

I saw a paddleboard in a Costco mailing and it was $800 on sale! That's with the paddle and the bag, but still... I also tried that in Alaska and felt pretty shaky. It didn't help that I was in 42-degree water so capsizing would have been a bad idea. (I was always in view of the crew of our ship, who probably would have gotten there before I died of exposure but it was still scary.) I may look for a used one.

 

[ls99]

Craigslist is your friend.

My Epic 18X 18 footer and a half finished CLC 18 footer kayaks were both craigslist finds about 20 years apart. Both would be way too much for a little pond. Way too long and fast. From the looks from your deck a 10 to 12 footer kayak would do fine.

 

[springnr]

I read you like to bike, legs are stronger, you might give pedal kayaks a look too.

 

[BTravlin]

Wind may not be a factor where you are, but canoes have enough sail area to make you work like a slave of you need to go against it.

Quite true. Canoe alone in anything more than light wind and you'll probably end up spinning in circles.

 

[ArkTinkerer]

A short canoe was my choice. Shorter canoes are harder to find but most people get ones that are too long. A 13' Gruman lightweight with short keel has been my choice for over 35 years. Works for one or two people in moderate winds, lakes, or whitewater. There are some newer composites out there that will probably save you some weight. You can put a cover on it if you are facing waves or severe whitewater.

 

[ArkTinkerer]

Also getting hard to find but you can rig your own--a small mast and keel board will have you sailing small lakes in no time. Don't think you can do that with a kayak.

Wonder if anyone has rigged a kayak like a sailboard?

 

[imoldernu]

The Kayak is the easiest to handle, but not the best for kids, who get antsy having to sit in a small seat.
We have several boats... all on a no gas motor lake. All are circa 1960's. A Ted Williams fisherman, an aluminum pontoon paddle boat, and a 13' 1967 Sailing canoe. All will take a small electric motor, if we're feeling lazy.

 

[kitesurfer2]

Also getting hard to find but you can rig your own--a small mast and keel board will have you sailing small lakes in no time. Don't think you can do that with a kayak.

Wonder if anyone has rigged a kayak like a sailboard?

a friend launched a box kite and tied it off just forward of his coaming. He used his greenland paddle as a rudder and sailed out past the breakers from jacksonville to St Augustine.