WHAT BOAT!!! For my better half.

[banzer]

Now that we both have Mondays off (if anyone fancies a paddle within school hours on the Wharfe let me know!), it's time I got my better half out on the river. What's a good first boat for a lady. New, second hand, don't mind. Ideally something secure, easy to roll(!), that can also be surfed 'cos she loves the ocean. Something like the Dagger GT? Roughly 5'9 and 60 kgs... thanks,

[neonbowhawk]

Axiom! She is at the bottom of the weight range for the 8.5 but it wont matter, it will still be a great boat. I paddle one and im 62kg and 5'8"

Simon

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[Neptune]

Small Nomad, you won't get anything better and you will probably pick on up second hand on here.

[Mini2]

A little bit old school ,, my first boat was a dagger outlaw I picked it up off eBay for £150 found it good for river running , I still use it now for sea surfing I love it don't think I will ever part with it

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[DaveBland]

Small Nomad, you won't get anything better and you will probably pick on up second hand on here.

Agreed...apart from the lack of surfing ability.

My first thought was Axiom too. Or a JK Fun thingy.

[banzer]

Axiom significantly better than the GT then for a beginner / intermediate? It's a good £200 odd more expensive.... can get a new GT for under £500... I admit the Axiom looks a bit more modern in design, but is it worth the difference? (Also a bit worried about unintended tail squirts when not used to it...)

[Yew]

Wavesport Diesel?

[DaveBland]

Axiom significantly better than the GT then for a beginner / intermediate? It's a good £200 odd more expensive.... can get a new GT for under £500... I admit the Axiom looks a bit more modern in design, but is it worth the difference? (Also a bit worried about unintended tail squirts when not used to it...)

Okay well in that case... yeah, GT.

[Mark Dixon]

If chances are she will swim if she goes over I would get her a boat she is likely to stay upright in and enjoy it more, there are plenty of cheap small Burns or similar creekers available for a couple hundred quid. She will be more comfy too and feel more stable.

[SPL]

Riot Trickster, edgy as hell and power flips at will...she'll love it.

[gp.girl]

Get borrowing/demoing :) she will peobably hate at least one 'suitable' boat, like some and love another. Plus sometimes you just don't fit in some boats. Secondhand boats sell on without loosing too much so even if things change you'll be fine. Or you can get her 2*......

*This could be dangerous - you will need a large shed

[Franky]

Do women like different boats from men? I suppose body shape means some boats are a better fit than others, but then there is as much difference in body shape within the sexes as between them.

The issue seems more, "What's a good boat for a beginner?", and my answer would be that any boat other than a creek boat or a playboat is a possibility. A creek boat seems overkill for the rivers a beginner will be paddling, and a playboat might be a bit challenging unless they're a natural.

I learned to paddle in a GT 7.8 borrowed from my club, which I liked a lot (I am a shortish man). It's not the most forgiving of boats, but it is very responsive and it surfs nicely.

I've also liked the Burn and Mamba, and not liked the Diesel or Machno. I ended up buying a Mamba, and haven't yet found anything to persuade me to trade it in. That said, it's not as good a surfer as the GT (I subsequently bought a Rockstar to satisfy my limited surfing needs).

I've paddled an Axiom and a Tutea and found them fine, but they didn't bring out any hidden paddling brilliance in me.

I think anyone, of either sex, should demo or borrow a boat before they buy. If you like something enough to get enthusiastic about paddling, that's a boat worth starting with.

[Jim]

For easy water rather than creek bashing? Good for surfing? Suitable for 60kg paddler? Easy to roll?
How about a slalom kayak cut for 60kg?

Mid range construction (carbon/kevlar/vac bag) even if it has a bunch of repairs already will be surprisingly strong. Low end (diolen or non vac bag carbon/kevlar) or high end (full carbon) are not so strong, mid range boats are definitely better value especially second hand.

[TheEcho]

If you are after something easy to roll, a bit like an Axiom but much much cheaper, she is the right weight for an Infrared.
However she would need to try it first as her legs might be too long. I fit in one with at least a couple of inches to spare but am 5’ 7” and fairly short legged for my height. Otherwise a GT would fit but be less surfy.

[countvoncount]

A lot of the women in the local club prefer shorter baots--I think it's because it takes less strength to turn them; also, they are easier to carry etc. The Dagger Juice 6.9 seems popular. The smaller Wavesport Diesels also seem like good boats (and are nice looking, with great colours and good outfitting).
I would stay away from a big creeker; I don't really believe they are easier to keep upright in easy white water, and they are much less responsive.
The Jackson Fun might also be good (expensive, though); perhaps the Wavesport Fuse; the Pyranha Varun (now only available used) or perhaps the Pyranha Z-One (in my opinion a very underrated boat that is good up to Grade IV-).
Finally, the smaller of the Prijon Curves might be worth a look--I think one of the UK shops is selling them quite cheap, and they are excellent all-round boats.

[Jim]

Do women like different boats from men?

Some do, some don't.

There are more petite women than petite men, most of the boats out there are designed around non-petite men and therefore are not ideal for a lot of women, but that doesn't necessarily correlate with whether they like them or not.

I know one petite woman who was so fed up with being compromised in the available boats that she designed one that fitted her requirements. It is a canoe, there is a lot more choice for petite women in kayaks than there is in canoes but they are still not very well catered for, if they wanted to be. Which not all do.

There are also petite men who seek out boats normally preferred by petite women for much the same reasons. But not all do.

There is at least one non-petite man who prefers a boat explicitly designed for petite women. Most people do think I'm wrong, but I paddle differently to them, and I still beleive it suits me better, even if I am a little heavy for it still.

[The Chuckster]

Just noticed you are in Harrogate

In the new year me and my girlfriend will be off on Mondays and we live in North Leeds (Yeadon) so would be keen for some paddling! We will have a baby in tow and take it in turns to paddle!

Boat wise I import Titan Kayaks, the Yantra will be a good boat for her, plenty of speed and awesome rails. Its a bit narrower so good for the female figure!

All the best Chucky

[banzer]

That's great Chucky - we might be onto something. School hours only if it's both of us us so 'training runs' on the Wharfe likely, or this new development at Linton locks. Our kids are 5 and 7 so we're just coming through the other side with a bit more freedom! If it's proper wet I can get out to do something more exciting if you fancy it! Will check out the Yantra....

Thanks for all the other comments. Rich.

[The Chuckster]

Sweet, I do FB more than here nowadays so I'll stalk you up! Some stuff like Kex gill might be good too, the new Linton place might be a "club only" type thing??

[The Chuckster]

Pen y gent et al as well😉😉

[KaitsuH]

The small Pyranha Ripper.