by Darlene Archer

Paddlers tend to be superstitious-which is understandable, considering the risks they face. However, when it comes to buying a boat, superstitions can get in the way.

“Orange boats roll much easier…Oh, don’t worry about your feet, you don’t need to feel them…You’re supposed to be crammed in your kayak like that.” Perhaps you’ve heard a few of these myths around the put-in.

Don’t listen to them. And don’t rely on appearance when buying a boat. There’s only one proven way to find the right boat for you: Paddle in it yourself.

With all the new high performance boat designs coming out each year, it can be difficult finding the appropriate boat for your skill level and performance needs. Quality is not always obvious. In the long run, having a framework of criteria helps because it defines the concepts that will provide you with quality. Here are a few tips:

1. First, you have to figure out exactly what you’re looking for in a boat. Are you going to be mostly paddling rivers for attainment (in other words, to get downriver as quickly and safely as possible)? Or do you want to do mad aerial loops in big raging holes? Or maybe your thing is running steep gnarly drops. Knowing the function of the boat you are looking for is essential.

2. Next, you gotta be comfortable. You don’t want to dread sitting in your own kayak. When I am paddling, I need to feel relaxed and uncramped, especially on long, all-day excursions. Fitting a boat is key. Every paddler has a unique body shape and size. I have a short inseam and a long torso, but at the same time, I have a small frame. So I need a boat that can be fitted to my body’s unique needs. Ultimately, paddling is about having fun, not discomfort and misery.

3. Pay attention to the durability and simplicity of a boat. In general, more complexities result in more possibilities for failure. The current influx of fancy gadgets and flashy gizmos on boats can distract us from what is essential. These extra parts primarily provide an easier and more effective way to adjust the boats and make them comfortable, but they often tend to fall apart faster. Their short life span ultimately devalues the boat, and the additional components increase the boat’s weight and create unnecessary holes that only make the boat leak more.

For example, on the way down my friend’s class-V driveway the other night, I cut it a little tight under a tree that had fallen. Not surprisingly, the boats atop my car flew off one by one. The only damage: broken gizmos and lost gadgets. For me, simple is better. Count how many holes are drilled in the kayak to hold the outfitting in place before buying it.

4. Another essential element to a boat is how it responds. Does the boat perform predictably and reliably? Is the kayak trustworthy? I find that a responsive boat is helpful and beneficial when teaching and modeling to a student. When the boat responds quickly and reliably, I can more clearly demonstrate how imperative vision and rotation are while catching an eddy. More importantly, I need all the trustworthiness I can get when I am running a class IV-V river and it is vital that I make a particular move.

Don’t be fooled on the showroom floor. Take your time choosing a boat and make sure to take it for a test ride before buying it.

Darlene Archer is a kayak instructor for the Nantahala Outdoor Center. She can be reached at darlenearcher@hotmail.com.