I'm thinking about getting a touring kayak. Something a serious beginner/intermediate paddler can grow into and use for a goodly number of years. Primarily I'd be kayaking lakes and rivers in Minnesota and surrounding areas. Eventually probably planning further distant trips. Not interested in whitewater, flatwater is much more my thing

I've grown up canoeing with my family and over the past 4 years have borrowed my friends 10' recreational tub for dinking around the twin cities area. I'm interesting in getting my own boat and moving up a peg or 5. What i'm looking for is a touring kayak in the 14' -16' range. I'm interested in being able to pack enough equipment to make a decent multi-day trip. I'm also a photographer and would like to have room for a dSLR, a lens or 2, batteries, cards, etc.

My friend, who is purchasing an Easky 15 from Midwest Mountaineering, and I have been talking for a little while. Among other options he's pointed me to the Wilderness Systems Tsunami 140 & 160. From what I've been reading about them, they look like great boats. Of course I haven't actually seen either yet, let alone paddled them, so that is a priority before making decisions.

I'm just curious if there are any other paddlers in the TC Maker crew and if you have any input for someone diving into the recreation.

Related to the boat itself, any tips or recommendations on transportation and storage would be great. Looking into things like Yakima racks to roof mount my boat and my gf's.

Thanks,
Skyler

PS I'll probably be at the Wednesday night gathers starting two weeks from now when I move back to Mpls.

i'm (still) building my own. ~200 in materials, and prolly 60 hours of construction total (if i ever find the time)

I'm hoping to start on skin on frame kayak mark II.

The first one was tarp on a frame of plastic electrical conduit, materials cost about $25.

I'm expecting the mark II will cost a little more, but I've already got an engineer buddy who's going to donate the fancy synthetic skin they use on the good ones.

Fun stuff.

Riley

Wilderness Systems boats are great starter boats and they sell back into the market well. Also Piranha has a flatwater line that Midwest has been selling and those are also great all-purpose boats.

My suggestion is to go to Hoigaards and try a few out. You just tell them which ones you want to test out, and they put them on a trailer and meet you at a Three Rivers Park at a scheduled time. I think the next time is next week, but they do it often enough. Unless you've been in it on the water, I'd hesitate to recommend one. It's highly personal - both in expected fit and function.

I built a Sea Ranger design awhile ago that I use quite often. Free design plans on yostwerks: http://yostwerks.com/
It cost about $400 in materials (aluminum, HDPE, and canvassing material). More foldables here: http://www.paddling.net/folding-kayaks. ... r=FOLDBANR

So now I've got one really nice flatwater boat, two whitewater, and one homemade flatwater pak-yak! Which is why I have no more garage space!

I saw someone with a "Safari" inflatable yak last weekend that she said cost ~$800. It stores in her condo in a backpack and she's taken it on business trips and such. That sounded like a neat option.

Welcome back to MPLS! I'd be up for a paddle sometime!

I think Pyro is off in Colorado kayaking now, perhaps he purchased one?

Just got back from Utah.

I got a Wilderness Systems Tsunami 140 w/ Rudder. I'm loving it so far.

Hauled it out on Lake Powell on my uncles houseboat. We camped in Wetherill canyon which was great to explore with my kayak. It went back a few miles untill it turned into a narrow slot canyon. Had to backpaddle for about 5 minutes before it actually widened out enough for me to turn around again.

I plan on getting out with it much more locally during the remainder of the summer.