Get your new kayak for less

[@lesliemckinnon8995]

You must have heard this before ... you remind me of Richard Dryfuss ... which I hope is compliment. I am an experienced paddler especially with sea kayaks. I like your attitude towards good gear. I have always shopped second hand for high end gear... but this year I splurged and bought my dream boat, a "new". ... A Valley Etain. Thanks for your channel.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Yeah, Ive gotten the Richard Dreyfus...I'll take it, could be worse. Thanks for watching! I love the Etain... such an amazing boat. enjoy it.

[@drmwpn]

@@AdventureOtaku Yes, it could. I was once walking down a street in my town when some paramedic lady standing next to an ambulance yelled at me from across the street and asked if I was Michael Moore. I've lost ~150 lbs since but am still scared to wear baseball caps.

[@superfly9478]

Watched local for sale sites for almost a year, finally 2 days ago a delta 15.5gt came for sale, I jumped and bought it, was in near new shape, way cheaper than new and no taxes!!! Thank you for all your info on sea/touring kayaks, I really appreciate what you do for us.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Thanks for watching, enjoy that new boat! You’ll love it, I am sure.

[@n-da-bunka2650]

So YOU were the one that bought the one in this video. Congrats. I am looking for a 12-to-15 foot fiber or composite model from any number of manufacturers but it seems very limited availability right now.

[@gadgetman_nz4092]

I pretty much always buy second hand. Winter is a good time to buy as people get tired of working their way around the kayak in the garage and demand is low which equates to low prices. I have Scottish ancestry. 😉

[@AdventureOtaku]

I feel like winter is a hard time to shop for a boat - you are totally right about demand and ll - particularly if you live someplace where paddling in the winter isn't possible.

[@bluesideup007]

Join a paddling club. Most of us have more than one boat you can try out. Used boats and gear often come up for sale. Plus you can go on outings to new places with new friends. Here in Wisconsin (and surrounding areas), it's Mad City Paddlers.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Paddling clubs are a great resource at lots of levels assuming you have access to one.

[@JeffBrandt-p4n]

I didn't hear you mention anything about fit (if you did, I missed it). All need to fit. I took your advice and attended Canoecopia for the first time, I tried on dozens of boats. Great Experience! Learned a bunch. None of my dream boats fit, I'm too wide in the hips. Then I found Eddyline's Sitka XT, big smile. Amazing when you can feel all the points of contact. It's top of my list for a test paddle when the weather warms up.

[@AdventureOtaku]

I didn’t get into fit. If I went down that hole the video would have been 45 minutes long.

[@JulieOParkCity]

I bought in June my starter kayak off of Facebook marketplace I got a Wilderness Systems Tsunami 135 with rudder and Werner paddle that all were in excellent shape for $425. I recently moved to Tahoe and thought it was a great way to get started.

[@AdventureOtaku]

That’s a great price. I am looking for similar to use in the rivers here.

[@JulieOParkCity]

@@AdventureOtaku I’m currently living in the Tahoe area so lots of kayaks for sale here.

[@AdventureOtaku]

kind of a haul for me though....

[@roblilly9579]

New paddler....Bought my boat on Facebook Marketplace....near new and a $750 below retail....FB is loaded with good boats, especially here around Vancouver Isle, BC. Carbon shaft paddle was on sale for a small dent in the shaft and I bought a new PFD for safety and fit concerns. Drysuit is next. Already have neoprene pants and a drytop. Combined I'm $2700 in so far, plus incidentals like dry bags, paddle float and such. Today we did Beecher Bay circumference....was awesome!

[@AdventureOtaku]

Sounds great. Yeah I bet the options around Vancouver are amazing. What boat was it?

[@Simon_W74]

I tend to while away time on FB Marketplace looking for items. That is where I got my Original Scottish made Lendal Paddle. I am also a member of a few Kayaking groups with sales pages. Which is also a good place to find what you need. So items have had very little use to the well loved but still life left. When I joined my Club I was the only one on our intake that had all my own kit. As the Club had a good selection of boats and paddles and PFDs. Even helmets for those that want to do White Water. When I did the Leadership Assessment Course as a Volunteer to the lead, I borrowed a Tourer as the club ones have more rocker and softer chines than mine. Great video again Brett.

[@AdventureOtaku]

thanks brother. thanks for watching. Make sure you catch the very end of next weeks video.

[@Simon_W74]

@@AdventureOtaku ​​⁠I will certainly be watching. I wasn’t able to watch yesterday as I am currently away on the Isle of Anglesey. The UK Sea Kayaking Mecca. Sadly with no boat. I did drive past the Nigel Dennis Factory this afternoon. My family couldn’t understand why I was so pleased to see it. I would love to go there on a tour of their factory. Would love it even more if I could afford one of their lovely boats. Although I think I am better off with a plastic boat. I am still getting a paddle in. I am off tomorrow to Canoe there and back on the UK’s highest Aqua-duct. One side has a small lip and a drop and the other has the tow path and railing. From when Narrowboats were tow by horses. I don’t know if I will be paddling tandem or solo yet. Happy to do either.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Id like to be able to afford one his boats too.... I am looking for a beaten up one for sale....

[@sandrablackwell2929]

I have used boats (our local club has a member who flips boats as a way to meet people) and used paddles. Our club is having a gear swap even to open the kayak season this year. I bought my PFD new. I tried on just about every one in the store and wore it around. The first one I got said it was women specific, but it did not accommodate "the girls" in a comfortable manner. I may be in my vest all day, and it needs to fit well. I can modify the fit of my boat-I can't change the fit of my vest. Also-my used boats always get new hard line and bungee lines. We have even added attachment points to make sure we have the hard line we want. Customizing a boat takes a bit of research and work to make sure you know what and how to do it, but it isn't super hard. We spend a day or so in the spring cleaning them up, making sure all the rigging is good, tweaking any fit issues.

[@AdventureOtaku]

All great tips Sandra. On the PFD fit, you are so right. I did a video a while back on PFD's, maybe it's time for another! An update.

[@sandrablackwell2929]

@@AdventureOtaku Pockets on PFDs sound great-and I want POCKETS on everything...but the clam shell on the front can interfere with re-entry on the water. I have seen the pockets get caught on the combing of the boat.

[@AdventureOtaku]

The clam shell on the front of my PFD definitely means I have to be a little more careful getting in. Mine is pretty smooth (the issue with it is more the bulk) so i think the likelihood of it getting caught is pretty slim - not saying it cant happen, but it hasn’t happened to me, and a LOT of people use the same PFD as mine and I haven’t heard of any issues. It’s all about balance. I am pretty used to it, and on my last trip to Alaska I did a self rescue in an unfamiliar boat in 3 foot waves and it wasn’t an issue. There are lots of things that in the broad scale might be deemed “unsafe” but on the individual level don’t really pose a big a threat. For me, to have that pocket is worth it.

[@Billcameratech]

I have four used boats I got on Marketplace for really good prices. Definitely the way to start off, especially if you're trying to figure out what you want in a boat, instead of buying one new and then figuring out it doesn't have something you want.

[@nunyabidness3075]

Absolutely. Everyone on a budget should buy used. The cheap boats are just terrible.

[@AdventureOtaku]

I know what I want, and for a used boat I think it is still a great option. I think I need a tsunami 140 to use on the rivers in eastern PA….why would I buy that new!? No reason.

[@twiggyll1803]

REI has a friends and family discount coupon, actually it was this weekend. That coupon does offer 15% off kayaks. So if you know anyone that works there, hit them up. I did! I suspect they have them other times of the year as well.

[@AdventureOtaku]

They do, I didn’t mention them because A) you have to know someone to get one… and B) they don’t (or didn’t when I worked there) come out at regular times. But yeah if you can get one 15% off on a boat is great.

[@trevorstreet2271]

As a new paddler, I agree with your big three, but for people not on a body of water, they also need a way to get their kayak to the water. Facebook is also where I got big discounts on two Yakima JayLows and a roof rack.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Absolutely. With the exception of what is on my vans roof right now, most of my roof rack parts were either used, or bought from REI garage sales (so maybe used, or opened and returned.) The roof rack is a big part of the the first kayak purchase to be sure. Thanks for pointing that out.

[@patrickh621]

Same thought here. I bought my roof rack even before the kayak: So that I could rent various boats over the weekend to try them out.

[@trevorstreet2271]

@@patrickh621 I did the same

[@admsteck]

Shops that offer demos may sell their demo boats at the end of the season similar to rental fleets.

[@AdventureOtaku]

a great point. I should have thought of that.

[@K9River]

Buying a used boat in high population areas is easy if you are east of Kansas or on the coast. If you live in the middle of the U.S., you're probably not going to find the item you want.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Of course there are going to be variations, but give me an example of a location? I just checked Craigslist (which in my experience isn’t as good as facebook marketplace) in Kansas City and eastern Colorado and saw a fair amount of options. Mostly sit on tops, and white water boats, but a couple of touring boats and a lot of canoes. Yeah, you may have to travel a bit to find the perfect option, and yeah there isn’t as much demand for say a touring kayak in the middle of the country. But you never know what you will find. I saw a good deal on a Werner Kalliste in Kansas City too.

[@K9River]

@AdventureOtaku I live in Central Montana. I was looking for a used Crescent Ultralite, but no luck. I did find a never-used CK1, but I already have that one. Same color, too. Lol. Craigslist and Facebook are certainly worth a look. Montana is a great place to recreate, but the selection of anything here is ridiculously limited. I've had a couple of friends that I've met in my travels come up for a visit, and they both were bothered by the lack of selection of everything. I'm working on buying an Ultralite, but that's not going so well.

[@AdventureOtaku]

So I think you are struggling for two reasons. the first is obviously location. But combine that with a very specific "It's gotta be this boat!" you're gonna have to travel. But if you said I want a ten foot, sit on top fishing kayak, I bet it would be much easier.

[@K9River]

@AdventureOtaku On a little off-topic note: Montana has thousands of miles of accessible class 1 and 2 rivers along with tons of lakes and reservoirs, but kayaking and canoeing isn't that popular. That's weird to me.

[@AdventureOtaku]

@K9River not just to you. That is weird. But it sounds like you could have a river to yourself