Mary Skater wrote:
I don't have a boat at all yet, but next year I'll be retired, and living in a more suitable place both for storage and paddling.
My last kayak was a Feathercraft folder with a 24" beam, but for ease of re-entry, I want a sit-on-top as my next boat. My ideal Hobie would be the Revo 11. But an inflatable avoids the problems of getting it on to a car-top, and that's tempting. Right now, I'm just considering the options. Certainly, I wouldn't rush out to buy a different paddle until I had tried with the supplied Hobie one, and with my existing paddle (which I think would be a bit short, at 215 cm).
Thanks for the input,
Mary
Hey Mary,
I agonized over the two choices as well, to answer your question, I have tried both paddles and prefer the tradition kayak paddle over a canoe paddle. The inflatables just dont glide very well, and even tho its a bit of a reach, I can keep a much higher cadence with a kayak paddle and its much more enjoyable.
As for both boats, I ended up going with two i12's because I like to travel, and they pack up nice. I also have a small garage, so it was an easy way to start out. Not having to cartop is nice, especially on roadtrips - but having to inflate is a little bit slower however then an efficient cartop rack. The i12's are remarkably stable, and fairly fast little boats that track reasonably well (even better with a sailing rudder, a simple upgrade).
If you really like the idea of paddling, I would recommend checking out a Werner paddle (made by hand in the states), as they are feather light and REALLY hook up in the water, I have one now, and its a HUGE improvement for paddling over the stock Hobie paddles.
Best,
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