I can’t complain too much, because when I went looking for a kayak last year, all I really wanted was a cheap, functional boat that I could paddle around the reservoir once in a while. I found a Perception Dancer on denver.craigslist.org, packaged with a paddle, spray skirt, PFD, throw rope (not that I’ve ever used it), and assorted packing straps, all for just $200. I hadn’t done much research on different boats; all I knew were a few major brands, the difference between displacement and planing hulls, and the fact that I really didn’t like cramped feet. This boat met all of my major criteria: cheap, roomy, not completely flat-bottomed.
In retrospect, I wasn’t picky enough. I should have done more research; I should have been willing to spend more money to get the right boat for me.
Now that I’ve had the boat for a while, loaded it onto and off of the roof of my car, thrashed around trying to store it neatly in my garage, and paddled it across the reservoir a few times, I am well aware of its flaws:
1. It’s big and heavy; it’s too long to store neatly in my garage, and I really hate carrying it between my car and the water.
2. It doesn’t track in a straight line for more than 3 or 4 feet. It has this powerful tendency to veer off in one direction or simply drift into a spin.
3. It’s hard to steer; it is one of the least maneuverable kayaks I have ever paddled.
Sooner or later I’m going to upgrade. This time I’m doing my research, and I’ve started early, and I have enough money saved that I can be picky. So far it looks like I’m going to go with a crossover riverrunning playboat — any recommendations?
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