Kayak help needed

SO ... like many guys who have been married for a while, I really only shop a handful of times each year: Christmas, Mother's Day, Mrs. Coco's birthday, etc.

There's someone who would really like a kayak for Mother's Day, and I am clueless about buying one for a beginner. Obviously I don't want to break the bank, and am hoping there's something in the $100-200 range. Of course, our local "outdoor adventure" stores have many new models available, made out of fancy materials, for prices much greater than that.

I'm looking for a single-person vessel that would be used primarily on calm inland lakes here in the Northwest, and perhaps occasionally on some relatively tame rivers. She/we have kayaked and canoed a few times with rented or borrowed equipment, but as summer approaches, Mrs. Coco would like to kayak regularly for exercise and enjoyment.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

I'll read this with great interest.

We live in the foothills of the Sierras, and there's a lake just above us. Since we moved in a few years agao, I've often thought about getting some simple kayaks.

But, man those suckers are expensive, and I am very cheap.

 

This site has some good information:

http://www.kayak.com/

 

EMS

REI

LL Bean

Campmor

Cabela's

Craigslist

eBay

Sierra Trading Post

 

Craigslist

They are made of plastic which does not wear out.

And lessons. Has she ever rolled a kayak?

 

if you're just talking about calm waters or minor rapids, try one of these

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_485861_-1?Ntt=0021444880&Ntk=All&cid=CSE-GoogleProductSearch-0021444880

 

A couple of those look pretty good ... thanks for the link. I'll probably head out to the store tomorrow, take notes on the models/features I like, then look for a better price online.

And 93Devil, she has not "rolled" a kayak. There is a kayak/paddling club in our area that has weekly outings, though ... probably would be a good place to start with "lessons."

 

Ooooh.... I'm on a river!

Sorry, I've seen that Aziz Ansari ad way too much.

 

For nine summers I ran a waterfront at a summer camp lake, and I had probably about 25 different kayak instructors work for me. The first thing they did with each new group was get the person in the kayak, flip the kayak so the person is upside down while still in the kayak and have them signal for help. The reason is some people freak the hell out when upside down in water and they cannot help themselves. You really don't know this or not until you flip them. Also, you need to know how to get out of your kayak if you are upside down.

If the kayak you are getting her can roll or has a skirt, knowing how to do this can save her life because once you flip, it is very, very difficult to flip yourself upright. If she cannot get herself out, she drowns.