Cheap Kayaks at Canadian Tire

[+tangerineman]

Canadian Tire has these kayaks on sale for $230.

 

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/5/Sp...-in%2BKayak.jsp

 

They weight only 26 pounds, and at just 8 feet long, you can toss them in the back of your van. They're only good to 200lbs, but I just kayaked 9 km on the Rouge and out to L. Ontario with someone admitting to topping that weight, and they were very comfortable.

 

I have spent hundreds of hours on flat water in my Paluski Ripple kayak, and found these just as stable (very stable), very comfortable, and faster than the Ripple.

[+Westacular]

Tempting! But how much leg room is there in one of these? I'm 6'2" and it looks like that might be a problem.

[+tangerineman]

Well, the individual I was with is just under 6', like 5'11". They found there to be enough room, and this is someone who tends to like to, shall we say, be fussy about things like that....this is also someone who never reads these forums .

 

The Ripple kayak has more leg room and a very open cockpit. I take my puppy in that one, but am probably not going to take him in this one. The Ripple is almost 10' long and weighs 42 lbs.

 

The Pelican is a fair bit faster, and can pivot on a lily pad....When I stop paddling my ripple, it just keeps cruising through the water, but when I stop paddling the Pelican, it can easily tend to turn around. But it's supper easy to steer, and is very responsive to the paddle. Today it handled beautifully both in a teeny bit of current on the Rouge, in the calm Rouge marshes area, and on Lake Ontario, which had gentle swells.

 

It's probably the cheapest, and lightest, and shortest sit-in kayak available, handy for caching as you can pop it in the back of the van. I purchased it at $280, but am still within the time limit to get the sale price...$100 refund on 2 kayaks...a very happy Canadian Tire shopper here.

[danoshimano]

...how much leg room is there in one of these? I'm 6'2" and it looks like that might be a problem.

Most likely will be a problem. I am also 6'2" and while I can fit in our 10'6" Walden Explorer, it is not a comfortable fit at all. The 12'+ Walden Vista is perfect.

 

An 8' Kayak is pretty short. You could always pop into your local Tire and put one on the floor and jump in it to test it out.