I will only be doing day trips... which design?

While the idea of getting in a kayak and spending a week paddling from island to island has a lot of appeal, for many people finding the time to spend a week on the water is difficult. Even if you can set aside a week a year for a kayak tour, there are still about 50 other weeks where you may like to go out for a few hours or the whole day. You may not need a boat that is designed for carrying a lot of gear. You may decide that a boat that is a little bit smaller and lighter may actually be more fun.

A smaller boat will generally be easier to handle. There are several factors contributing to this. A smaller boat may be shorter, this makes it easier to turn. A smaller boat will be lighter which also makes it turn faster and it is easier to carry from the car. A smaller boat will generally fit a little tighter which allows you better contact with the boat.

 

 

The Petrel is designed as a day boat. It can carry a paddler over 200 lbs, but will not have much capacity left over for gear. It is efficient, responsive and can be built quite light. It makes a fun boat for day trips in rough water.

If you don't want to venture out in rough water recreational kayaks like the 14' Great Auk is a lot of fun without being as awkward as a larger boat.

Any of the boats for smaller paddlers may be a good choice for a paddler at the high end of the boats weight range to use as a day boat.