Looking for a boat! Anyone selling?

[Rachel]

I'm thinking of buying a boat, some kind of creeker, thinking about the Mamba but am open to suggestions. I'd need to try out the boat before buying.

Main point- I'm 5ft 2 so something for little people!! 

[Ley-Ley]

You'd want to make sure you're really really into kayaking before buying a boat. Many a people have just given up after buying boats!

Maybe you should buy the rest of the gear first, or wait till you get your level 3?

But, if you do want a boat, there was a wee girl that was in the club last year who went back home to Sligo, her name is Caz, maybe you could find out what boat she paddled? Or talk to Shirley, she is in the market too!

[kmck]

Okay, I have nothing for sale nor would any of my boats suit you size wise.
There are a number of questions you should ask when buying a boat
1. Am I going to be padling mostly with the club?
2. Am I going to be doing mostly white water or a mixture of different types of river/surf?
3. Am I looking to push my paddling to a higher level?
4. How much am I willing to spend on a boat?
Okay my own view is that anyone buying a boat for the first time should buy a river runner not a creeker. The reason for this is a river runner will do everything you want to do with the club, run whitewater up to and above grade 3, will surf well (depends on the boat), can do a bit of play on a river trip. I brought my I3 to france and it was great.
Most importantly it is not a band aid to your paddling, creekers are designed to be stable and bouyant on creeks. Using one while learning to paddle is a bit of a mistake as it will not allow you to make the mistakes you need to make to learn more. In other words you'll swim less but also learn less as a result. A creeker can't surf very well in small surf and when it turns sideways all you can do is bongo slide. You don't need it to do alpine rivers as a good river runner will do the job just as well. Most instructors use creekers to teach, not because they are the best boat but that they provide a stable platform to rescue people with, they are also easy to use to demonstrate some strokes.
Price if you are paying more than 500 for a second hand boat stop and save for a new one or buy a cheaper one and some other bits of gear.
Suggested boats, jackson fun 1, dagger gt, any pryhana inazone 220 or the newer I4 make sure it is the smallest boat you can get.
Try out as many different types as possible, get into the playboats the club has and ask other small paddlers their advice as they may be able to tell you other boats that would suit.
My old carpentry teacher use to say think twice cut once, you can always demo boats but you only have money to spend on one and it will be yours for at least two years so think carefully. Also think what do I want to be doing on the water in two years and will this boat help or hinder.

[Asho87]

Pia was talking about selling her 2fun??

[Jer]

Get paddles and stuff first.

[FINN]

How about a Pyranha M3(isnt that what its called Matt??) in "perfect condition" no scratches (or dents) for about €700 
what a deal!!!!

[Jer]

So good, it practically runs rivers by itself!

[JODY]

If you dont own a decent set of gear (cag, b.a., helmet, paddles etc) i dont see much point in splashing out on a boat yet.

Give it a few more months, try out all the different styles of club boats & see what you like. Going for a creeker straight off isnt the best idea in my opinion... try something thats gives you the option to have a bit of a play too. There is alot of essential skills to be learnt from playboating & if you want to improve over the summer surfing & sluice are the most reliable spots to get water.

[Monkey Loving Bob]

Heya Rachel,

you have a great resource for boats in the club, it will give you the opportunity to try out loads of different designs and  brands (each brand has it's own outfitting, one will fit a little bit better than the others). It's huge market for for the amount of participants and the range available is really impressive and diversee. As has been said before, take the time assembling the other personal pieces of gear before you commit to buying the single most expensive item you'll purchase.

A great place to really spend money is on your blades.



There are some seriously good value blades that you will get years from available at the moment.

After that a deck and Cag will really improve your experience every weekend. A couple of smaller purchses now could see you enjoy yourself a hell of a lot more, improve your paddling and give you the time to familiarise yourself with the characteristics you're looking for in a boat.

On the other hand it's your money and we're not buying this stuff for you...

[Eoghan]

yeah first look into getting good gear and playing around with the biggerr and smaller boats the club have! 

[rowantheboat]

So good, it practically runs rivers by itself!

Jer, I salute you. Brilliant!

[Robyn]

yeh like i got blades and a helmet and other gear first rach and thats made a difference, id wait a while to try out the other boats and if people are super amazing they might even let u try out one of theirs so you can figure out what you're looking for before you spend super amounts of money (money that could be spent on alternate modes of transport for the time being *hint) maybe look into getting one over the summer or something instead?

[Rachel]

Ok, a lot to reply to..

Leighton, I'm sure sure!! I practically get withdrawal symptoms when I haven't been out in a while! Plus I kinda know my plan for the next few years, I've a good job here, and a house, so while I will travel I'll spend most of my time in Dublin so will be able to keep up the paddling.

Kieran, thanks for all the advice. Ye, a river runner sounds like it'd suit better actually. I am thinking of going to the Alps, although im not sure it'll happen, so if I was buying a boat, I'd want one I could use there. But ye, if I can get one that'll be alright there and can do more fun stuff here I'd be delighted!

Finn, you're alright thanks, nice try 

I do plan on getting paddles and the rest anyway, cause, as I say, unless I get injured I'll definitely be keeping this up. Got vouchers for Christmas for Great Outdoors which I haven't even gotten around to spending yet so 

Robyn, I will get a car, don't you fret!! And ye, I don't expect this to all happen overnight, It'll be a while before I buy anything, if I do, cause, ye, I'll be trying different boats out.

Thanks guys!

[rog]

So good, it practically runs rivers by itself!

Jer, I salute you. Brilliant!

I second that

[Nuala]

Don't make your first boat a creeker just to go to the Alps: the Alps will last maybe 2 weeks, you will be paddling the boat for a lot longer. I personally wouldn't say you need a creeker until you start heading for more serious whitewater or going for a level four or instructorships. You can run most of the rivers you will be doing for a while in a playboat, and you will enjoy club trips on rivers like the Liffey and Boyne far more if you can make the most of them in a playboat than just by floating down in a big creeker. My first boat was a playboat, I have paddled it on all the rivers the club does, even the Annamoe, and it can be taken out on the Boyne in low water in the summer and I can still have a fantastic day on the river.

I picked a playboat first because I like playboating, others may not but even a riverrunner with nice rails would make a river like the Liffey far more enjoyable and give you more scope for trying things, or having the odd surf on the way down: plan your boat around all the paddling you will be doing not just the Alps, you will be paddling in Ireland a lot more often than France.