Jim Sinsky wrote in message ...
My wife and I are looking to buy a couple of inexpensive starter kayaks,


Jim,

At the risk of attracticing to ire of several people on this
newsgroup, I would say that a recreational kayak might be well
indicated for you and your wife. You will appreciate the portable
nature of these boats (In many cases, no rack needed). You will also
find that, with their small size and light weight, you will be more
willing to get out often.

The OT Otter is based on a proven design (it is a slight variation of
the Hydra Minnow, Kiwi Kopapa or the Perception Keowee) and will do
well in quiet water and easy whitewater. It will be relatively slow
and will provide you with a lot of "initial stability" (i.e. it will
seem very stable compared to a narrower boat) but relatively poor
"secondary stability (once you have tipped it beyond a certian point,
it will be difficult to right). It will track better than a whitewater
boat but not as well as a sea kayak. It has a large opening and a
relatively comfortable seat with a backrest. I believe that it has
built-in floatation. One negative (and this may have been corrected
in more recent models) is that the seat is fixed and you can't store
anything behind it. These boats also have relatively soft plastic that
will "oilcan" easily.

There are many boats in this price range. Some of them have better
workmanship and plastic than the Otter. I would particularly look at
the recreational boats from Dagger and Perception. Also don't neglect
the used market. You could easily get a used older model whitewater
boat in this same price range.

A standard recommendation is for people to find and join a local club
where you will be able to get instruction and advice. Taking lessons
is also a good (but often expensive) idea. In any case, get a good
PFD and be sure to give the river or lake proper respect. You can DIE
even on class II. Be safe and have fun.

Randy Hodges


Good luck to you.
under in the $400 price range. We will be doing mostly quiet rivers and
back-waters but may occasionally deal with class II rapids or open lake
water, and if we are lucky, the Gulf of Mexico to play in the waves.
Primarily, however, the quiet water and rarely up to class II rapids,
figuring if we want more, we can rent.

I looked at the Old Town Otter. Would that be a good choice, or can
anyone recommend something else?

Budget really is an issue right now, so buying a more expensive boat
to "grow into" is not feasable. Thanks for any help.