first tlme owning a kayak, need help on everything
524914
Karen: I am very pleased with my Vapor 10. Most of all, I feel safe in it. Stable. Doesn't rock easily. Takes waves well. Large, comfortable cockpit. No cramped feel. roomy. My seat is not particularly comfortable, however, bought an inexpensive padded seat at TJMax, like one you would take to a football game. Did the trick! I don't think kayaks are the best boat for fishing, despite the advertising hype. Canoes are far better in my opinion. I fished from the Vapor 10 once. I.m glad I didn't catch anything. Don't know how I would manuever with a fish on the line. Overall, a very good recreational kayak which I recommend. Hope this helps. Allan Karen: I am very pleased with my Vapor 10. Most of all, I feel safe in it. Stable. Doesn't rock easily. Takes waves well. Large, comfortable cockpit. No cramped feel. roomy. My seat is not particularly comfortable, however, bought an inexpensive padded seat at TJMax, like one you would take to a football game. Did the trick! I don't think kayaks are the best boat for fishing, despite the advertising hype. Canoes are far better in my opinion. I fished from the Vapor 10 once. I.m glad I didn't catch anything. Don't know how I would manuever with a fish on the line. Overall, a very good... » Read More Karen: I am very pleased with my Vapor 10. Most of all, I feel safe in it. Stable. Doesn't rock easily. Takes waves well. Large, comfortable cockpit. No cramped feel. roomy. My seat is not particularly comfortable, however, bought an inexpensive padded seat at TJMax, like one you would take to a football game. Did the trick! I don't think kayaks are the best boat for fishing, despite the advertising hype. Canoes are far better in my opinion. I fished from the Vapor 10 once. I.m glad I didn't catch anything. Don't know how I would manuever with a fish on the line. Overall, a very good recreational kayak which I recommend. Hope this helps. Allan « Show Less
524915
I bought 2 old town Vapor 10's. I've had a 17.5' old town canoe for umpteen years but never a kayak, although I was in a kayak in an estuary by the ocean once and didn't care for it because it was the kind where the water is in the kayak (stand up or something - I forget) but it was not so much fun because the sea water would rub my thighs and caused a lot of irritation. The vapor is like a canoe but much more stable than mine. They are light, easy to maneuver in the water and stable. I'm sure there are other models that are equal but I personally like short and light. It's also a fishing kayak in that it comes with an anchor. I bought 2 old town Vapor 10's. I've had a 17.5' old town canoe for umpteen years but never a kayak, although I was in a kayak in an estuary by the ocean once and didn't care for it because it was the kind where the water is in the kayak (stand up or something - I forget) but it was not so much fun because the sea water would rub my thighs and caused a lot of irritation. The vapor is like a canoe but much more stable than mine. They are light, easy to maneuver in the water and stable. I'm sure there are other models that are equal but I personally like short and light. It's also a fishing... » Read More I bought 2 old town Vapor 10's. I've had a 17.5' old town canoe for umpteen years but never a kayak, although I was in a kayak in an estuary by the ocean once and didn't care for it because it was the kind where the water is in the kayak (stand up or something - I forget) but it was not so much fun because the sea water would rub my thighs and caused a lot of irritation. The vapor is like a canoe but much more stable than mine. They are light, easy to maneuver in the water and stable. I'm sure there are other models that are equal but I personally like short and light. It's also a fishing kayak in that it comes with an anchor. « Show Less
524916
You need to decide what you will use it for. Do you need one you can sit in or on top. Fishing or whatever.
524917
I began with an open kayak for fishing. Start with a comfortable life vest. Try a few on at a boating supply store and be sure it feels ok when you sit and when you rotate your arms. Next is a kayak paddle. Check the ratings for quality and get the kind that has drip rings. Kayaks are very light and don't sit deep in the water. Choose a calm day or you'll get blown around. They are quite "tipsy" so choose shallow water until you are confident with your balance and paddling abilities. Hope this helps.
524918
This is an awesome kayak. I love mine. Easy to load on my car by myself, a little heavy if you aren't a strong woman. Plenty of room and comfortable inside. Plenty of room to bring a dog along or lots of gear. Moves nicely thru the water. I've even put my feet up on the outside and reclined back for a different angle. I love to watch the Chincoteague Pony Swim from it every year. Get a life jacket and waterproof boxes. Pool noodles are great to use to protect your car if you don't have roof racks. Cut them on one side of the noodle hole and press onto the kayak opening, front and rear. Works great! You can't go wrong with the Old Town. :) This is an awesome kayak. I love mine. Easy to load on my car by myself, a little heavy if you aren't a strong woman. Plenty of room and comfortable inside. Plenty of room to bring a dog along or lots of gear. Moves nicely thru the water. I've even put my feet up on the outside and reclined back for a different angle. I love to watch the Chincoteague Pony Swim from it every year. Get a life jacket and waterproof boxes. Pool noodles are great to use to protect your car if you don't have roof racks. Cut them on one side of the noodle hole and press onto the kayak opening, front and rear.... » Read More This is an awesome kayak. I love mine. Easy to load on my car by myself, a little heavy if you aren't a strong woman. Plenty of room and comfortable inside. Plenty of room to bring a dog along or lots of gear. Moves nicely thru the water. I've even put my feet up on the outside and reclined back for a different angle. I love to watch the Chincoteague Pony Swim from it every year. Get a life jacket and waterproof boxes. Pool noodles are great to use to protect your car if you don't have roof racks. Cut them on one side of the noodle hole and press onto the kayak opening, front and rear. Works great! You can't go wrong with the Old Town. :) « Show Less
524919
If the question is specifically about the Old Town Vapor 10 I'd say I'm happy with my purchase. You don't need a lot of help if you want a good, reasonably priced kayak that is good on lakes. I'm over 6 foot and it is comfortable for me but I sometimes put in an extra seat cushion. It comes with an anchor so all you need is a paddle and life vest. The only change I would make to it would be extra rod holders aft of the seating area instead of behind.
524920
These are some lessons I learned after buying my kayak. 1. Get a cartop carrier you will trust. A long trip (or any trip) will seem longer and be far more stressful if you are second guessing your carrier or the straps. 2. Don't worry about scratches. It will get scratched. 3. Get a paddle you are comfortable with and fits you. Get a paddle leash and make sure it is always connected to your kayak. 4. Get a waterproof case for your keys, cellphone, other essentials. 5. A cushion may come in handy for your back. The seat gets hard after awhile. 6. Don't carry more than necessary. Tie down items you don't want to lose in case of capsizing. 7. A water bottle or canteen always quenches the thirst after paddling. 8. A sponge is handy for removing water from the occasional splash of a paddle, rain, etc. 9. Watch your environment. Watch out for other boaters. Avoid big water on weekends and holidays (speedboats, jet skis, etc.) 10. make sure you can handle the weight of your kayak solo before going on any trips. This way, after a long day on the water you will know if you have the strength or energy to lift it, strap it down and take it home. 11. Carry rain gear. Sometimes storms come up quick and it might take a while to reach shore.
524921
I am also a first time kayak owner. I have used it 3 times and as far as I can tell it seams to be a good choice. So far I would buy it again.
524922
did a lot of research on kayaks and this one came out on top. lots of good things to say about it but for a first timer it wouldn't make much sense to try to explain. i have 5 other kayaks and this one is the best of the bunch for many reasons qualityhomes@juno.com email if you want more info
1529442
You could fish with this kayak. Casting might roll some, but small lake, river fishing should be ok. try to get the better seats. we have the cheaper blowups and they really aren't as good- too low and not enough back support. there is enough room between seats for tackle box, worms, and you could tie a stringer off the bow or stern. Large fish might pull you around, though ;-).
1168903
Hey Rich- what I'll do is rollover the canoe with the backend clear and simply set the carriage on the bottom upside down, then cinch it down, flip it over & ur ready to go. Its important to get the strap over something like a tie down or notch in the kayak so it doesn't slip off. I have mine balances well enough my kids can jump in it when I'm wheeling it to the beach. Happy canoeing!&#128513; Brad
421675
read the manual, front to back. read everything. you should be an expert when you're done. if not, come back and i'll try to help you if i can.
1172990
A Boat..Everything else is included.Just make sure you order the correct transducer for your boat.I have a kayak,so I installed a rails and a different mount so I could slide the main unit out when I was transporting the boat..
2204656
Each saddle requires one lock core. So for one kayak you need four saddles and four lock cores. Get it at Yakima and get a blank key &4-$5 that lets you install them easily.
937377
I was wondering how this worked out for you, on the intercoastal? (Sorry this isn't an answer - but I saw your comment about having ordered the kayak...
612538
User error. I had committed the same error. The skegs on the bottom must be in the rear of the kayak. In my maiden voyage I was thinking, "geez, this thing won't go straight. It sucks." Got out, looked underneath, and realized I had placed the seats in backwards: the skegs were facing forward. I turned the seats around and went back out. Worked like a charm and tracked straight and true.
1010921
Best to go to the Thule website and use their tool to configure what you need. It will list out parts for you, then come back to Amazon for better pricing....that is what I did.
1504583
Everything except the gravel. You should consider getting a second small air pump to bubble the water after you set it up. Also consider changing the lights to small LEDs.
1663431
I agree with everything Ron said. But a simple fix for the uprights I put some rubber caps on to keep from cutting my kayaks while loading and unloading it only cost a few bucks and they work great. Good luck
2170134
Have had no problems with kayak; however, I did lose the FIN while going across rocks. Cannot find a replacement. Just take fin off if you know you are going to be in shallow water.
173354
Hi Joe - you would definitely need to have aftermarket crossbars installed to accommodate the widths of both of these kayaks on the carrier. You may also need to upsize the bars from what is recommended. Also, please be sure to be attentive to the weight limits of the vehicle, as each of those kayaks are quite heavy.
1974562
I tried to research Polk boats but the site was down. I have a sit on top kayak. This seat requires you to connect 2 front (left and right side) secure points and 2 left and right rear secure points. This seat was only $59.99 a few months ago. The price change occurred after I paid $68. Now, I'm showing that it is being sold for $85. It's now over priced. Contact the boat manufacturer and ask them what type of seat is needed. Then start your research to find the correct seat. If his boat does not have 4 points of contact, this is not the right seat. Good luck!
158112
I'd recommending reading through a variety of tips from the many sources available on the internet. A lot of factors go into "correct" length, including your body configuration, the width of your kayak, the type of paddling you do, and on and on. For instance, I prefer a short paddle (220 cm) with big blades for moving water, but need to use a longer (230 cm) paddle for flat water. If I went to a 240 cm paddle for flat water, tracking would be a problem.This is indeed a non-answer-sorry about that-so I'll just say that my flat-water preference would be to error on the long side, and for moving water, error on the short side.And by the way, my Magic Plus is great. I'd recommending reading through a variety of tips from the many sources available on the internet. A lot of factors go into "correct" length, including your body configuration, the width of your kayak, the type of paddling you do, and on and on. For instance, I prefer a short paddle (220 cm) with big blades for moving water, but need to use a longer (230 cm) paddle for flat water. If I went to a 240 cm paddle for flat water, tracking would be a problem.This is indeed a non-answer-sorry about that-so I'll just say that my flat-water preference would be to error on the... » Read More I'd recommending reading through a variety of tips from the many sources available on the internet. A lot of factors go into "correct" length, including your body configuration, the width of your kayak, the type of paddling you do, and on and on. For instance, I prefer a short paddle (220 cm) with big blades for moving water, but need to use a longer (230 cm) paddle for flat water. If I went to a 240 cm paddle for flat water, tracking would be a problem.This is indeed a non-answer-sorry about that-so I'll just say that my flat-water preference would be to error on the long side, and for moving water, error on the short side.And by the way, my Magic Plus is great. « Show Less
1696144
You would have to configure horizontal bars (a set of two) spaced enough apart to ensure stability of the kayak you are carrying. I don't know the length of your cab, so I can't tell whether you'll have enough room for front and rear mounts, assuming you already have the cross bars. hope this helps, let me know if you need more instruction, then I will give you an email address to contact me at.
470015
I always use stainless screws or nuts and bolts. I built my kayak out of cedar strips covered with fiberglass. I fiber glassed a board that I had three self locking nuts inset to match the holes on the foot braces. I can thus replace the braces if they ever break. They have been plenty strong and easy to adjust.