Top Kayak
Sit in Kayak vs. Sit on Top kayak?
Looking for a Kayak but am not sure which model to go with.
New to Kayaking and looking for a tandem kayak to be used on lakes / rivers and possible inter coastal, recreational use and fishing
Not sure which way to go. Solo won't work. Need either a Tandem Kayak or go with Canoe (not a huge fan of canoes)
Need multipurpose for the family but preferably fishing when possible. Can go with recreational model but outfit it if possible - not just add a rod holder. Want it to still look cool.
Will use on lakes - small river and possible inter coastal in South Carolina.
Any help is greatly appreciated. Budget conscious so please no .. Hobie responses. I would love to get one if I could. I can't.
Has anyone hear of Crescent Kayaks? If so, am looking for real reviews.
Thank you
I actually rented a Splash 1 while on vacation in the Caribbean to tour a mangrove estuary -- it wasn't bad (though way slower and less manueverable than any of my closed cockpit sea kayaks, of course.) The seat and paddling position were reasonably comfortable. I would not have wanted to use it in cold water or heavy chop, though. And it was tiring and slow to paddle, especially when the wind picked up. But I imagine it would be OK for sitting and fishing in calm, warm water. The weight for the Splash 2 is fairly good for a tandem boat and it is pretty compact. Can you stay under the 500# capacity with the 3 family members?
Based on this guy's comparision of four models:
http://www.shortypen.com/boats/kayak/why/index.htm
It looks like it would not be a bad choice for you and the price is certainly decent (depending on what they nail you for in freight -- I always recommend that people buying new kayaks try to order them through a local outfitter rather than on-line -- most shops can match the on-line prices, the sales tax will be less than the freight charge and you will usually get a discount on the accessories you buy with a package, like PFD's and paddles.)
As beamy and high sitting as that boat is, be sure you buy a paddle at LEAST 240 cm, maybe even more if you are tall. And get yourself a good paddle, not one of those cheapo metal shaft boat anchors. Go for a fiberglass shaft and slim blades -- much easier, less tiring and faster paddling -- money well spent.
And with the boat, just make sure you don't store it flat on its bottom (lean it on the side or hang it from slings) to avoid the dreaded "oil can" dent in the hull.
As far as "looking cool" - I admit I'm biased and these "fishing barges" never look cool to me (they are parallel to mini-vans in the car "coolness" category.) They're a step up from an inflatable pool float but it's hard to really consider them a real kayak (the low, fast, sleek boats the Eskimos wore like extensions of their bodies to hunt sea mammals in polar waters). Maybe if you painted and plastic-trimmed it to look like an alligator or a shark -- then it would be funky cool. 
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