re: Missouri Paddlers...You'll Want to Bookmark this Thread for this Summer!

I did Ponca to Pruitt on the Buffalo in 7-8 hours (27 miles) two years ago. Air gap at Ponca was 4", the river was really rolling! The FS10 handled great, stable as hell, tracked well, turns on a dime. You sit so low down in the boat
you never feel like you might tunk.

I floated 11 miles two weeks ago, The Prongs to Rymers on the upper Jacks. Water was low and it was more of a paddle than a float. I cruised easily in low water while my friends in Wendy's canoes had more of a drag.

I'm 6', 190 and I am very comfortable on long floats and it's fairly easy to get in and out of, you can stand up in it while on the water.
As you can tell I am really happy with mine.

Its been on the Big, Meramec, Saint, Jacks, Buffalo, 11 pt. North Fork of White, etc. and will be on the Jacks this 4th of July.

Glad to help! while you are at it get a Stream Machine to bail with. I have one that is about 2' long and it does a great job bailing the yak. Don't get a 1 footer, too short.

quote:

---

I've seen it when the old damn was just a ripple there was so much water.

---

I was standing on top of that damn a couple of weekends ago and the water was 20 feet below me. I can't imagine that much water moving thru there

KCMIZSEC

Dagger makes a great kayak for a budget price. The first MR340 race that I completed was done in a 14' Dagger kayak with drop down skeg. I finished in 72 hours and could've finished 8 hours earlier. It handles extremely well. It's very durable and stable yet sleek.

It can handle a lot of abuse (ie. rocks) without being compromised by rips or holes. It has plenty of storage room.

The one I had a few years ago was purchased on Craigslist for $350. Used Dagger kayaks are selling online for $400 - $600, which is a fantastic price for an above average kayak.

Of course there are better kayaks on the market, so it really depends on what you want out of your kayak and how much you would like to spend.

If you would like to go the used route (and I would always recommend you go the used route for several reasons), let me know and I'll try to find you a used Dagger or similar kayak. I have a LOT of connections to the paddling community, so it's worth a try.

That boat would be a perfect beginner's kayak!

It would handle incredibly well on any river. Very stable. You can learn the feel for this boat in probably about 15 minutes (assuming you have a proper paddle) regardless of experience.

If you're a beginner, always purchase your boats used and spend money on a new carbon fiber paddle (they aren't cheap). If you plan to paddle a lot, you want an incredibly lightweight but strong paddle. You would be surprised at how quickly your shoulders tire when using a heavier double blade paddle.

Expect to spend $250 - $350 on a double blade carbon fiber paddle. Make certain to purchase the right size paddle too. Usually, the paddle size directly corresponds to your height.

I recommend Werner Paddles. In 2010 I asked them to sponsor me with supplies and they sent me a brand new carbon fiber paddle. You'd be amazed at how much an incredibly light paddle affects your paddling experience.

Werner Paddles Website

Oh, the reason a Dagger kayak would be perfect for a beginner is because of the material it's made of - thick and durable plastic.

Some people refer to those boats as "tupperware boats". That's not a bad thing. It just means that it's a plastic boat that can take a LOT of abuse. One of those boats could scrape over sharp rocks or plow directly into a rocky bank and never burst a leak.

They're designed very well, so you cannot go wrong. Perfect starter kayak.