Hi all,

New to forum but not to fishing. Well only bank fishing, but wanting to get off the bank. Wanting to know which would be better a kayak or canoe? Wife's been mentioning wanting to be out on the water with me as well so gotta take that in consideration. Oh and also is there an age for kids to be on either kayak or canoe? I'm leaning more towards a canoe for the space we"ll need. Any input is appreciated...

Canoe will offer you a lot more family flexibility, unless you plan on buying several.

Once the kids are old enough to be obnoxious, you can get them their own cheapo kayaks with PFD's.

When they get old enough to work, they can buy their own high end fishing kayaks.

As for age, just make they wear their PFD's and don't go out in cold water and they'll be fine.

Impulse,

Do you have any suggestions which canoe is good. Brand, length, aluminum, poly, or fiberglass?

Personally, I'm a used canoe kind of guy. I'd keep an eye on Craigslist and the classified here. You can get a used one for less than half the cost of a new one, and unlike boats with motors, they don't really wear out. They do get beat up, but that's easy to see when looking, unlike an engine that's about to go bad but hasn't yet.

I prefer a fiberglass canoe as opposed to a molded plastic one, but they cost more. I also like fiberglass because I toy around with some reflective safety decals I make and they don't stick to plastic. Aluminum lasts forever and I like it, too, but they're noisy when you want to stay quiet.

There's a thousand brands out there. My only advice is to stay away from the ones that require a metal bar in the keel to add enough rigidity, and the ones that have double hulls because the outer hull is too thin to keep it from folding in half. They're cheap in so many ways.

16-17 foot is a nice size because they'll hold 2 people and some camping gear, yet still be light enough to wrestle onto a cartop if you're careful. Smaller ones look great for solo, but I've never owned one less than 16' so I can't tell.

One caveat, whether you're buying new or used, make sure you get the documents to register it. Even if you don't plan on putting a motor on it at first, eventually an electric trolling motor looks pretty handy. Unless you get (AND SAVE- my downfall) the documents, you'll have a hard time getting it registered at a later date.

BTW, in Texas, all non-powered kayaks and canoes, regardless of length, are exempt from registration requirements- a fact that I discovered after a game warden kicked me off the lake because my canoe was 17'4" long and had no TX numbers. He was wrong.

In fact, if I buy another canoe or kayak, I'll get it registered as soon as I get it home so I can't lose the documents (again).

Thanks a lot for the info! You've given me a lot to think about. I didn't realize there's so much consider. I didn't even think about paper work for registration. Thanks again!

2 yakity yaks

go rent a canoe and a kayak and try it out with the family before buying. when you buy, check craigslist and score a good deal on a starter; can always upgrade later.

Woolybugger,

I never thought about renting them to try them out 1st. That's a great idea. I have been checking craigslist and see prices ranging from $150-$600. $600 is a little steep for me for something used. Looking to spend at most $300 with or without accessories. Thanks for the tip.

A 17' Aluminum canoe would be a good entry point for what you are describing and within or very close to the budget. They advertise regularly on craigslist for $350-450 but in real life you can get one for about $300 if you watch and wait or find the right seller. Two adults and one kid is about a good load for them. They are actually pretty stable, especially with a full load.
I would take an older aluminum over a new plastic or abs. Just my preference, but I have owned a lot of canoes.

I sold one last summer to a guy buying to donate 10 to a scout troop and he was able to find 8 for his target price of $300 each. His troop had a lot of different types over the years, but when it came right down to it, the aluminum were the most durable for the abuse they get from the kids. they are a bit heavier and a lot tougher.

No matter how long you keep it, you will be able to get your money back from it when you decide to.

There are a lot of options, but most will quickly kill your budget and this will at least get you on the water.


God luck, Phill

Thanks for the tip Phill! I will keep my eye on craigslist

My advice would be to start with what you want. Get the cheap canoe for the family if you want to get them on the water but you want to get you a decent kayak and start to outfit it the way that works for you. Trying to accommadate my wife and kid in the process never really worked for me. It all sounded like something they might be interested in trying but I was the one that was really interested in kayaking. They never took to it.

The canoe can be a trial as to how much interest they have and go from there.

The only way I would limit myself to just a canoe would be if I was going to motorize it, which is not that big a deal, trolling motor, tm mount and a battery or two and of course, registration.

I was pondering the same thing. If I invest in a canoe to accommodate the family and they don't like it, I'll be stuck with a canoe when I really wanted to begin with was a kayak...specifically the Hobie Outback. Kind of makes me look bad when I think about it. If for the family I was looking for a cheap used canoe, but if just for me I'm looking to go all out...hahaha maybe I can find a used Outback. Wifey is sure she's wanting a canoe so the Outback will to wait...

It doesn't make you look bad at all. You have to start somewhere, I say start with what fits you first. That's my experience. You know your own level of interest. If it merits a greater investment then so be it. I misjudged my family's interest and wasted time and $ on it, that's all I'm saying.

Thanks for the advice Davo

I have a Mad River 16ft canoe I would let go for $300. I like it but my fishing partner is not fishing anymore so I'm looking to sell it and get a yak. I love it. It's actually close to a big sit inside yak. Let me know if you're interested and I will send you some pics.