(menapole) writes:

I'm looking to get into surf kayaking and wondering if anyone has any
boat suggestions for a beginner. I've never done any real kayaking
before and wondering if it might be better to start with a sit-a-top
like the A HREF="http://www.wildernesssystems.com/kayaks/surf.php"Kaos
by Wilderness/A?

I'd stay out of a decked boat until you can roll it; surf is not a
good place to be without a roll. For that matter, in a lot of surf
you won't be much better in a sit-on-top, but...well. I wouldn't
want getting dumped in the surf with a 60-pound Torrent thundering
down on me. You also might want to get some basic instruction, on
easy movin water or even on fla****er, that will teach you some
basic paddle strokes, how to lean the boat, how to brace, etc. All
of those are skills you will need immediately once you get a kayak
into the surf, which is not the place to learn the basics.

--
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::
Mary Malmros
Some days you're the windshield,
Other days you're the bug.

the Kaos is a good boat to learn in, it surfs well. With my old surf kayak,
I could only sit in comfortably for about 2 hours. Sometimes, while
teaching classes, I'd switch into the Kaos to give my legs a break.
There are other good SOT surf boats too, like the Islander Lipstick and
Bigstick. If you can find an Ocean Kayak RRRapido there Ok too.

Nothing will give you the performance of a Nice glass or Kevlar Surf Kayak,
or a good Waveski.

there are many people that sell SOT kayaks with the idea that you can just
climb back on, but I can roll a boat faster than I climb back on, and don't
have to worry about the boat being pushed to shore without me when I get
dumped. I enjoy both, and think both types of boats have their advantages
and disadvantages.

Try both. Where do you live?

check out the Surfzones section on Boatertalk.

and www.pacificfleet.net


Geoff


menapole wrote in message
om...
I'm looking to get into surf kayaking and wondering if anyone has any
boat suggestions for a beginner. I've never done any real kayaking
before and wondering if it might be better to start with a sit-a-top
like the A HREF="http://www.wildernesssystems.com/kayaks/surf.php"Kaos
by Wilderness/A?