Interior kayakers?

[Scott in AK]

Howdy to ya.
Here's the deal.
I am interested in getting into kayaking, but I seem to have trouble finding the right boat. due to an ankle injury several years ago I have gained weight, aww hell i will call it like it is, I'm getting to be a fat old man :mad:

6'3" 300lbs and hating it, but due to the ankles, I can't run, hike very far. Even walking over 1/2 a mile is out
I do swim on ocasion and I dive...

Anyway I was thinking of ways to help to get in shape, and thought about paddling, I am very comfortable on the water, and have done alot of canoing 25 yrs ago, but I have never even sat in a kayak.

I think I would enjoy Sea kayaking, I have been looking at kayaks, and the trouble is that very few of the that will cary me and gear for several days are way to spendy for starting out. I plan to do some trips out of valdez.
And rivers and lakes in the interior.

I guess my questions are.
Can you use a sea kayak for a Yukon river trip?
Are there other kayakers in Fairbanks? club?
What are the options for us big guys?
Any info would be welcome, even if ya tell me to forget it.

Thanks in advance
Scott

[hodgeman]

I started paddling when I was about 275lbs. I used a Perception Captiva 16' ocean kayak and took it everywhere but whitewater. It would hold myself and enough stuff for a weekend and handle pretty well. I wound up using it so much on slow rivers and inland lakes and so little on the salt that I eventually sold it and bought an Dagger inland double. I basically started kayaking lakes and rivers exclusively and forgot about the ocean altogether.

An ocean kayak on a calm lake is remarkably fast however when compared to other carbohydrate powered watercraft.

[RedLoneWolf]

Howdy Scott, there is a paddlers group in Fairbanks. Try reaching them at: www.fairbankspaddlers.org
They have sessions in Hamme pool as well as various day and overnight trips. I do not have any suggests for you regarding a boat, but go for it none the less, live is way too short. Calm seas and Blue skies!!!

[Scott in AK]

Thanks
hodgeman,
How do the longer kayaks work in the rivers? I lived on the Clackamas river in Or. and those ppl were/are crazy! little short kayaks...

redlonewolf,
I spoke with Dave from Fairbanks paddlers last evening, There is a water expo the 28th and 29th at Hamme, going to go and check it out.
Thanks

Scott

[hodgeman]

No good answers on that one as rivers vary quite a bit. On larger rivers with longer bends and little surface disturbance they work really well. On smaller creeks or whitewater their completely outclassed.

I did (like an idiot) take mine a couple of times down the Portage river from the lake to the highway- wrong spot for a long ocean boat but it was fun. On rivers like the Clearwater their fine- lots of water to turn in. I've seen ocean kayaks on the Chena numerous times.

Your experience and comfort level will generally determine where you'd take it.

My unsolicited advice is unless your dead set on using it on saltwater get an inland rec boat. Good capacity and easier handling- think of it like a canoe with a lower center of gravity. You can always rent an ocean kayak for the rare trip you'd make out of Valdez. Its what I wished I had done.

[akjw7]

I did a trip a long time ago on the little su with a sea kayak - it was sooo much faster and more fun than the big river raft hauling all the gear that everyone wanted the kayak.

I've always wanted to get into it, probably will when the kids are big enough. They do seem expensive though...

[knifemaker]

Scott,
I'm in kind of the same boat you are (pun intended), got injured a couple years ago and have been packing on the weight since I can't really exercise anymore. I'm shopping for a boat hoping I can get some good exercise that way. I'll probably see more open water so am looking at the Ocean Kayak Malibu Two XL and since we're planning to spend lots of time camping this summer at family canoes. figure a 14-16' canoe should be ok for the little su or for the river out of Portage lake, wonder how the Malibu two XL would do on a river.

[George Riddle]

I have the Malibu double (I think it is older that the xl 2) and have it on the Kvichak River. The SOTs sit a little higher but this is a barge and very stable. It will be a little tippy until you get you kayak seat but have put novice in/on it and sent them down river with no events. Just make sure to get a pabble lanyard. If you go over in moving water the paddle with move away much faster than on a pond.

George