Kayak Recommendations

My wife and I bought 10 foot Wilderness Systems kayaks at Gander a few years ago.  What I liked about the 10 foot models is that they have a nice large cockpit (I think that is what it is called).  They are very easy to get in and out of.  I also kayak quite a bit with my daughter and she fits nicely in front of me and doesn't interfere with paddling at all.  One thing I recommend is taking the kayaks off the wall and actually sitting in them on the floor of the store.  Doing this allowed to figure out pretty quickly what I liked in a kayak. I would usually grab a paddle and sit in the kayak and pretend paddle.  Looked like an idiot doing it, but I figured out quickly what I wanted in a kayak.  One thing to keep in mind is that in MN if the kayak is 10' or longer it requires registration.  I highly recommend the Wilderness Systems kayaks.  They are very easy to paddle, stable and I am able to hang off of my wife's when OWS and don't feel like I am going to tip the boat over.

I LOVE my kayak.  I have a Perception Carolina 16 - meaning it's 16' long.  At that length, it's heavier, and less portable, but I can get it on the roof rack of the car okay. 

I think I paid about $800 for it many years ago, but it was money well spent for me.  I probably get out on it 10+ times a year. 

Be sure to consider what you really what to do in your kayak.  Shorter ones will do better at maneuvering in rapids and going just downstream.  Longer ones, like mine, are better for touring.  I'm on the Mississippi and Rum Rivers more than I am on lakes, but it's often long paddles both down and upstream.  And I fish from my kayak a lot.  Being plastic rather than kevlar, it's not as fast, but I've got no worries about grounding it on the shallows of the river.  And I love that I have a rudder...makes boat control wayyyy easier.

Also, I named my kayak.  I call her "Dontforgetthepaddle."