Boats & Accessories
Specs:
- Length: 10 feet overall
- Beam: 32″
- Height: 14″ (hull only)
- Weight: 51 pounds
- Capacity: 275 pounds
More: Lifetime Tamarack Angler 100 …
Your new boat probably came with a paddle. I’ve never seen a boat come with a good paddle. It is just a starter, to get you going. Get a good paddle that is the right size for you. It will make a world of difference. Keep the old one for a spare. Rule of thumb: your paddle should be about your height. If you install a thick seat cushion, you might want to go a little longer even.
I regard my paddle as an emergency signalling device as well, which is why I like the yellow color pictured, especially if your boat is some camouflage shade of green.
More: Paddles …
This is a scupper cart. It is a set of wheels that fits in the scupper holes of the kayak and lets one person wheel it around like a wagon. The big advantage of this sort of cart is that when you get to the water, you can pull it out, flip it over, and stick it in the top of the kayak. Then off you go – no need to double back to put the cart away. Also, you’ll have it if you get somewhere that you might want to portage.
More: Scupper Cart …
First of all, if you’re going to be a sailor now, you’ll have to learn that it is called “line”, not “rope”.
More: A Piece of Rope …
This is a cable-lock I made, about 12 feet long. It is just 3/16″ coated steel cable from the hardware store, with crimp ferrules, and a big steel ring in one end. The ferrules fit through the scupper holes on the boat, but the steel ring does not. Together with any padlock, this will secure the boat (or several) to your truck, roof rack, a tree, or anything else that is handy. You can take this cable with you, it will give you peace of mind if you leave the boat unattended to go exploring on land.
The object is not to stop a determined thief – you can’t do that. It is to stop someone from casually taking your boat with their bare hands. Don’t lock the boat by the handles – they are easily cut with a pocket knife and cheap to replace. Run the cable through a scupper hole, and a thief would have to destroy the boat to steal it. If your boat doesn’t have scupper holes, you can probably find someplace to thread the cable though, or make a suitable hole in the seat.
You can find a cable like this all set to go on Amazon for under 20 bucks. Where I used a steel ring, you could use a second padlock.
Don’t spend a fortune on a PFD, or Personal Flotation Device, commonly known as a life preserver. Unless you plan to go far offshore in deep water, you will never need it or wear it. Most of the places I go, self-rescue would be a matter of standing up, or a couple of strokes to shallow water or the shore.
More: PFD & Other Required Gear …
