![]() The stability seems to be good, though the Class 3 areas were a bit of a challenge (actually flipped on one). The weight is good and the molded in handles are great. It was very easy to get to and into the water. I'm very pleased with the performance of the yak, though there are a couple of areas that could be better.įirst, the good things. The river section we did ranged from still water to Class 3. Took the new Swifty out for the first time on the Chattahoochee river in NE Georgia. I got this kayak on sale, and it's a really great buy for the price. My only complaint is with the drain plug, which is somewhat oddly positioned to one side, making it a bit tricky to completely drain the water. It does not have padded thigh rests, although I haven't really noticed the lack of them, and I've been in it, fishing and paddling, for as long as five hours at a time. The hatch compartment doesn't really keep anything dry, but when the trip is over, it's nice to be able to pop off the cover and reach inside to retrieve something like a stray bottle of sunblock. While it's rated to 300 pounds, I think a smaller kayaker would be more comfortable in it for longer paddles I'm 5-1 inch and 132 pounds and it's ideal for me. The gunwales are somewhat low, a feature shorter paddlers appreciate, and its weight - 44 pounds - makes it easy to transport. The dashboard offers a flat platform to set things like a small tackle box and a pair of pliers, and front and back rigging is a nice touch at this price point. The seat is comfortable and it's easy to reach the rod holders positioned behind the seats. It's stable and tracks well for its size. Until you know what you’re doing, paddle with a buddy.This is an excellent kayak for fishing quiet waters, and it has handled quite nicely in a bit of chop, although with some mild splashing when paddling quickly through small waves. Take a look at e-Bay and the classifieds on this site and see how much folks are asking for them. If you get an entry-level 'yak to get into the sport and want to trade up in a year, or decide that it’s not for you and want to get rid of the boat, the sell value may be worth knowing. They’re worth the money they ask, but you can surely get better boats for more money. I’d tend to go with the OT Rush, but I’ve paddled Perception Sparkys (now sold as the Islander model you’re considering) and found them to be pretty functional boats for the kind of paddling I do too. Depending on your size, either can be comfortable (that’s a personal fit and preference thing). Keeps the sun off in the summer and the wind off in the cooler months.Įither of the boats are suitable for slow, casual jaunts. You can get them at May as well eventually get a skirt too. ![]() The float bag suggestion is a good one, but they’re cheap. How you intend to paddle will make a huge difference as to how happy you’ll be in a 9’ or 9.5’ boat. If you’re going to get in and paddle expecting to make way rapidly, length is a very big deal. In those instances, I don’t need speed, I just need to be going a different speed than the current so that I can control the boat. When I paddle, it’s to avoid an obstacle or navigate a rapid. Most of the time I’m floating downriver at river speed and fishing. Started with a 13’6" boat, then to a 12’, and now in a 10’. ![]() While longer may be a consideration, I started with a longer boat and have been going shorter. Before listening to others telling you to get longer boats, you need to think about what kind of paddling you’re going to do.
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