I have been looking for several months to get back into recreational Kayaking. And what I require is what anyone else does!  Boats that are stable in the water, track well and have ample space for comfort, and some extras. So I have done net research and also looked locally to see what dealers have to offer.  This led me to Dick's Sporting Goods. There I found a brand I was very familiar with (Perception) and a name of a Perception Kayak that I had never heard of. (Rhythm 11)  So back to the net I went to learn more about this "Rhythm".  Turns out, Perception once made a Rhythm 14'.  This was a fiberglass boat however, and didn't in any way resemble the one I saw hanging at Dick's. No, according to my research, this Perception Rhythm 11 is a boat sold exclusively through Dick's Sporting goods.  And according to Ask.com, this boat is made for Perception by a company called Confluence Inc . Confluence is the third largest Canoe/Kayak manufacturer in the world and market several products under brand names such as Wilderness Systems®, Perception®, Dagger®, Wave Sport®, and Mad River Canoe®.  My dilemma was trying to find some valuable info on this boat before I laid down the hard earned cash for it.  After much pondering, I decided to take a chance and purchase this boat.  I was very nervous until I got it out on the water. 

So I have paddled this boat only on a small lake but have paddled it enough to form some opinions. Here we go! 

• Tracking and Handling - The boat does a great job of tracking! It goes where you point it! Wind drift is not too terribly bad. It's not a tub! In fact, it's really pretty nimble. It's not the fastest boat on the water, but I was pleasantly surprised with how well it came out of the water when I paddled. The bottom line: for a Kayak of this class, I think you will be hard pressed to find anything out there better. 
• Stability - I have gotten very confident in a very short time with this boat! So much so, that the first time out, the digital camera came out of the dry bag and into my jacket pocket.  I was able to reach down into the boat to locate items, and not feel like I was going to tip the boat.  leaning to the left or the right, caused the boat to lean to the left or right but it doesn't feel like you will keep going over. 
•  Cockpit - 38" long and 21" wide. Plenty of room!  The seat is comfortable and the butt portion also removes for cleaning. The backrest is very comfortable and also allows for multiple adjustments.  Adjustable footpegs are comfortable and offer a wide range of adjustment. This boat also includes knee pads.  Although a very welcome feature, especially when running in class 2 rapids and above, this design seems to be lacking.  The pads are "riveted" to the boat.  These rivets are plastic and not very tight.  Carrying the boat on my shoulder to and from the water normally means that at least one or two of these rivets come out and yes, I have already lost one!
  
• Storage - water-tight storage behind the seat is a welcome feature in a boat like this.  I can't speak for how much there is, but I can say it is rather large and a 40 liter dry bag went in it without issue, and slight room to spare. Of course it also includes webbing on the front which  should never be overlooked in any boat of this type.  I use this webbing in so many ways. I secure my paddle there when needing both hands for other things like taking pictures. :) And on other boats, its great to have jackets, etc handy.

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My experience is a little diff Rick (164.89.253.xxx) 2009-05-18 04:27:06 I bought this same kayak in a similar way. I was looking for something a bit more comfortable and saw this one at Dick's. The price tag said $270, but seemed to have a different brand than what was on the kayak. I went back to another isle where I thought I saw the same one on the floor so I could try it on for size and found that the price was $400. A salesman came over and I showed him the different price tags. He said they couldn't give me that price since it was just too low, but offered to split the difference, so I bought it. When I first put it in the water, I was pretty happy. I only started kayaking a few weeks ago with a Future Beach 126DLX. Although it seems ok in many respects, my feet and legs are a bit cramped. The Rhythm cockpit opening is higher in the front and my legs fit very well. Being a bit larger boat and with my large frame, 210 lbs and 6'1", the Rhythm also seems to float better and glide easier. The Future Beach has a decent seat with thick, dense foam, but I like the seat in the Rhythm much better. The things I didn't like include the rivets you mention. I have not had a problem with them yet; I won't be carrying it more than a few feet. I thought they might be snaps (which would make some sense), but they are really some sort of plastic rivet which I am not even sure are removable. I hope I don't find out. I also noticed (after I left the store of course) that there are no drain plugs to let water out. It does drain fairly well when turned upside down, so maybe they are not needed. My main problem with this boat, which is different from what you found, was the tracking. The Future Beach would mostly go where it was pointed so I only had to make small adjustments to keep it going where I wanted it to go. I can't say that about the Rhythm. I found that it would constantly veer to one side or the other and I had to make significant efforts to keep it heading in the right direction. Some of this may have been from the wind as I had either head or tail winds much of the time. But even when I was in a sheltered area and just coasting (mostly to sneak up on some wildlife) it would keep turning one way or the other. This was very frustrating and makes it much more difficult to cross the lake I was on: so much so that I am thinking of adding some sort of rudder to try to stabilize it. Is it possible that I am doing something wrong? I am new to kayaking, so I an happy to learn! Reply | Quote 1   0

I am a little jealous Duke (164.89.253.xxx) 2009-05-18 04:26:25 My experience with Kayaks is limited. But I can say that your problem with the Rhythm is exactly mine with the Old Town Loon 100. I tried this one out on a lake last summer and tracking was horrible! Honestly I would be going down the lake in a line and out of no where the whole boat would start turning to the left or right and I would usually end up facing the way I was coming from before the boat stopped! Very frustrating! The seat in that loon looked to be soooo comfortable but to my surprise, it was only average on comfort. Before my recent purchase of the Rhythm and the Swifty, I owned a very old Pelican that was a two piece plastic glued/bolted together and a Swifty. The Swifty was/is good at tracking, and the Pelican although not as good as the Swifty, performed like a $2000 boat compared to the Loon. The reason I say that the butt portion of the seat is removable to clean is exactly because it has those same plastic Rivets as the knee pads, and I am finding those have no problem being worked out of place. The swifty also has a drain plug which I have had to use on occasion. Looking at the design, I am hoping that the top is designed in such a fashion that rolling the boat onto its top will effectively drain the water. I have yet to tip it over, and sponge off any water I pull in from feet and legs. Doing something wrong? I couldn't answer that question. I will have to say that I plan on running several gentle rivers here in East Tennessee, and for that reason I wouldn't consider a rudder. With that said, if I thought I was only going to be on lakes, I would love to have a yak with a rudder. It's really hard to buy a Kayak without paddling it first, as you and I have both found out! The Loon I mentioned? The guy that bought it was a friend of a friend. He swears it's the best rec boat ever made . . . I am a little jealous because you got a much sweeter deal than I did, believe me! And I don't know where you are from, but if you consider getting another, talk to me, because I might be interested in purchasing your boat depending upon your location. Reply | Quote 0   0

Happy with the Rhythm Rick (24.126.90.xxx) 2009-05-18 09:22:46 I was very happy with the price I paid. Dick's also have fiberglass shaft paddles for $50, so I bought two. I actually was looking on Craig's list to buy a used one, but didn't find anything right away. A Necky Manitou Sport had just been put on the list the day before, but it was already gone. That looks like an interesting kayak. I'm hoping that with a used kayak I can test it out, or at least I'll be able to sell it if I don't like it. It's funny that when I read users reviews I often find one person saying it tracks great and others say it tracks poorly. That is what makes me think it could be what I am doing or maybe it has to do with the size of the user. Pushing the boat deeper into the water could change the handling. I am in Maryland and I use the kayak at Lake Anna in Virginia. In addition to running around the lake, I like to take it up the feeder streams. Yesterday, just after it had rained all night, I was able to take it a bit further upstream and saw a nice setting with a small cascade and a hiking trail bridge. Here are some pics... I had only been able to get to the tree roots before (this is looking back downstream). It's only about 20 feet further, but this is what I could now see... Rick Reply | Quote 0   0

Beautiful! Duke (164.89.253.xxx) 2009-05-18 10:13:51 Thanks so much for sharing! I love the top photo looking out over the bow of the boat! I am headed out next Friday to do a section of the Holston River with friends. Part of the appeal of rec kayaking to me is the ability to take photographs! Check back around June 1st and I will probably have some shots up of that trip! Again, thanks for sharing the photos! Awesome! By the way, I have spent a little time in that area. I have ridden the C&O Canal twice. Seeing that stream brought back some really nice memories. Reply | Quote 0   0

Camera? Rick (24.126.90.xxx) 2009-05-18 10:54:39 I am using a regular camera that I keep in a baggie until I need to use it. But it has a limited lens and I am always worried about it getting wet. It also has a slow shutter and I have missed some wildlife shots because of that. I have been looking at some waterproof cameras with zooms up to 5x. I have read that some prefer regular cameras (better than what I am using) in waterproof housings. What do you use? Any suggestions on where to learn more about this type of equipment and photography? Since you are interested, here is another shot I took. The camera limited me both in zooming in enough and being able to get a stable picture. I have not seen any waterproof models with mechanical stability correction. BTW, I see this page is using Joomla. Did you put this entire site up? It seems to be a one man show. That's pretty impressive. Rick Reply | Quote 0   0

Clueless Duke (24.158.116.xxx) 2009-05-18 17:55:52 I carry a flip mino with me on most of my outdoor adventures. The 1st flip has a very inexpensive waterproof housing, that kills the sound but takes excellent video. I emailed the company to see if they had any plans to offer something similar for the mino and they said, "not at this time". Now they have introduced the mino "HD" that is the same chasis as the mino, so I am hoping it's only a matter of time. As far as stills . . . I am currently using an older HP 5 meg, slow shutter speed, point and shoot that I bought my wife about 4 years ago. We recently upgraded her camera, and this was something I didn't care to drop in a bike bag and not worry about. Lately, it has become the camera I wouldn't care to drop in water . . . I currently use a Canon S-3. I have loved the camera and have considered upgrading to the new S-10. But if I did, it just isn't a camera I want in a Kayak. Too big, bulky and too expensive to be using around water. I am hoping the HP will get me through the next few months and I want to pursue finding something better for such trips. To this point, I have been using a very small dry bag to house the HP. But after the last trip, I think I am going to try keeping it in a ziplock bag. The bag being easier to zip closed than to roll the dry bag up and down. So if you learn of any inexpensive, cool solutions, please share!! I am pretty much a Joomla junkie. I started out doing the wordpress blog thing, and enjoyed it. Got to considering other options, two of which were drupal and Joomla. Joomla just blew me away. This is a 1.0 site, but I have been playing with 1.5 and actually just built a 1.5 site for a chirpractor. (the money used to purchase the Kayaks) Probably come fall, I will install 1.5 here and migrate the content over. Don't know if you are using it or not, but I highly recommend! Reply | Quote 0   0

Heron on the wing Rick (199.190.8.xxx) 2009-05-29 04:52:58 Since you like the photos, here is one I took this morning. I only get internet access once a day, so you won't hear from me a lot while I am at the lake. I would like to learn Joomla, but the beginner guides don't start with the overall picture; they tell you to install everything before you know what any of it does. I may take another swing at it this weekend. This almost looks like a painting. Reply | Quote 0   0

Nice! Duke (32.134.135.xxx) 2009-05-23 04:55:48 Hey Rick, I am on a lake all weekend also. My wife and I are camping with the Kayaks. I have been out several times over the last two days. The only shots I have so far though are of a racoon and a deer. The deer was dead and floating the water however. For some reason, when I go to upload the photos out here from the campground, they are only partial pictures. I am too busy enjoying the campground/lake to worry about the photos. They might have to wait until I get home. getting ready to try again. That shot of the Heron is really nice! It does look like a painting! Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (164.89.253.xxx) 2009-05-27 10:59:43 Thanks. I have this picture as my computer background now. I went out last night in the Costco Equinox (Future Beach) and there is a world of difference in how the two handle. The Equinox goes in a straight line unless I turn it. It also does not feel like it is gliding through the water like the Rhythm 11. The Equinox does have an amazing degree of lateral stability, unlike the Rhythm 11. I spend a couple of hours out at night looking at the stars and I can lean back in the Equinox and it is rock stable. When I lean back to look straight up in the Rhythm 11, it can roll a bit from a small body movement. Looking at the hull shapes, I can see why this is. The Rhythm 11 is very rounded while the Equinox has a concave bottom with fairly straight sides, almost like a row boat. Clearly the Rhythm 11 is optimized for speed with handling secondary. I do notice some difference in speed. I can move the Rhythm 11 over 5 mph when in warp drive and it cruises at 4 to 4.5 mph. The equinox cruises at 3.5 to 4 mph and I have had it up to 5 mph, but Scotty was yelling, "Captain, she can't take much more of this!" I am enjoying both kayaks and I am glad I got both. But today I noticed that the Equinox rear bulkhead fell loose. The rear bulkhead in the Rhythm 11 is sealed all the way around while the Equinox was only glued at the bottom. So it was never a water tight seal to begin with. But I guess that wouldn't matter a lot unless you sank or it fell out (which it did). I am going to return the Equinox to Costco, but I may just get another one. It was such a great price, $330 with paddles and car carrier! In the meantime, I am going to look into adding some sort of rudder or keel extension to the Rhythm 11. I saw photos where someone had reinforced their keel with the stuff they use to line truck beds. I was thinking of adding ribs to the kayak with that until I thought about it a bit. The problem won't be fixed by a keel by itself. The real problem is that the center of water resistance is ahead of the center of gravity. I realized this while I was reading about skegs. These are typically adjustable to compensate for the effect of the wind making the boat turn. They are typically movable up and down for adjustment. I will try adding a fixed skeg to the read of the Rhthym 11 to see if that will make it track better. I guess this was a long post. I wish the little window I'm typing this in was larger. :^) Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (24.126.90.xxx) 2009-05-27 09:42:14 I made a post a few days ago, maybe Saturday, and I haven't seen it here. I figured you were busy over the weekend. Did it get lost or is it still just pending? There's no need to actually post this message, I just wanted to see if a bump might help. Reply | Quote 0   0

Sorry Duke (164.89.253.xxx) 2009-05-27 11:02:15 I had to put up the mod block because of spammers. But for some reason, I never got the email until you posted again. Turns out, the email landed in my spam filter! I usually approve through my phone when I am away from my computers. Anyway, all comments approved and published now! :-) Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (71.176.152.xxx) 2009-05-28 14:38:04 I like your web site. Partly I am posting my comments to help others who are interested in one of these two kayaks. But it is hard to tell if anyone else is reading them. Do you have any statistics? I just curious if this page gets much traffic. Reply | Quote 0   0

Duke (24.158.116.xxx) 2009-05-28 14:48:20 The short answer to your question is most of my traffic to this site this month has come from searches for info on the Rhythm 11 Kayak. The below copied from my control panel: Search Keyphrases (Top 10) Full list 381 different keyphrases Search Pe rcent perception rhythm 11 128 14.9 % perception rhythm 11 kayak 57 6.6 % rhythm 11 kayak 38 4.4 % colorado 26 3 % mobile 16 1.8 % perception rhythm 13 1.5 % perception rhythm kayak 11 1.2 % perception kayaks rhythm 11 11 1.2 % rhythm 11 11 1.2 % spray skirts for perception rhythem 11 10 1.1 % Other phrases 537 62.5 % The table is probably scrambled but maybe you can see, that the top searches involve the Rhythm. No one has felt the need to post comments other than you and I, but make no mistake that many are reading this article and our comments. Reply | Quote 1   0

Catching Up! Duke (199.190.8.xxx) 2009-05-29 05:09:18 I have been reading your posts, but haven't had time until now to properly respond! It's been a hectic short week on my job, plus I have had other "irons" in the fire. The Equinox sounds like a great boat for the $. I hear you on the sealed bulk-head also! Still, for $330 with the extras, and rock solid tracking, it is a boat that one should consider. My wife and I went camping on a local lake for Memorial day weekend. We thought it would be a great way to enjoy our Kayaks, and it was! About the coolest thing that happened, was I was going down to the lake Friday by myself and ran into my nephew, who was launching his Kayak. It just so happened, he had just picked up a Rhythm 11 very similar to Yours and mine Rick! He took me to some of the more scenic views that he was aware of because he is very heavily involved in paddling and probably averages about 40-50 miles per week, 9 months a year. His Kayak is part of his truck, as when I see him on the road, it is always in it! Also, while camping, my wife was approached by a gentleman who asked if we would be interested in purchasing a one year old Perception Swifty tandem. This guy had eight Kayaks there at the campground, and everyone of them were being used by adults and children. The next day, I spoke with him and found out he is an avid fisherman. He had two Future Beach "Trophy" Kayaks that he said were his favorites. He also had a couple of Swifty's as well. The long story short is, I bought the Swifty Tandem off of him for what I thought was an excellent price of $200. The only problem is, I had one chance to really try it out and elected to take my Rhythm out instead. I have several home projects to do this weekend, but hope to get it out for about an hour and try it out. It is in great shape with very few scuffs on the bottom. The guy said he bought it thinking it would be great for fishing and for he and his wife to get out on it. He said he had a hard time storing and transporting it, and he just didn't use it. I have noticed that my local Dick's stocks the Perception Montour. It has a rudder on the back and is looks a lot like the Rhythm. Now I am Kayak poor and am not looking to purchase another boat anytime soon, but I am thinking as much as time as I have spent on lakes with the boats I now have, the Montour might have been a great boat with it's rudder on the back. One other thought: My nephew invested in a "Seven" paddle at a local specialty shop. He gave $210+ tax for a very nice ergo/lightweight paddle. The day we ran into each other, his paddle broke as soon as we started out. He took it back the next day and they gave him a new one. It turns out this Paddle has a lifetime warranty. When I upgrade from my current Azul, I will certainly consider this paddle. I know this is long, but I just wanted to say I appreciate you posting here. I have also spotted a couple of "Diggs". A couple of years ago, I was running about 2500 visitors per month, but had to take a break and visits dropped to just under 1000. I haven't looked today, but I should be close to 2000 for the month of May. I could go on, but will save for another note . . Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (24.126.90.xxx) 2009-06-09 22:54:48 Hi Duke, Nice post and photo. I have thought about latching onto a tandem kayak. That would be good for taking someone out that is too green to put on the lake in a kayak by themselves. But then I have a 16 foot canoe which will actually hold three, so I'm still on the fence about the tandem. But for $200, how can you go wrong?!!! I found another site with reviews of the Rhythm 11 and a lot of posters there have nothing but good to say about the Swifty! It just seems a bit small for my size, heck, I'm cramped in the Equinox. But if you feel like having one more kayak and you get a good deal on a Swifty, word on the street is to go for it. One thing I am learning to like about the Rhythm 11 is its weight. I think it is close to 40 lbs compared to 50 lbs for the Equinox. Considering that the Rhythm 11 is almost a foot longer and the cockpit is larger, I'm surprised. But when I have to lean over from the edge of the dock and pick the kayak up one handed, or lift them over my head to put them in the back of the truck, I'm glad I've got the Rhythm 11! It rained most of the week here but I took it out Sunday with no real plans. I got to a spot that is a good mile and a half from the house and is often my turning around point. I decided to cross over to the other side of the lake and head up that branch a bit. Then I remembered from being in the ski boat that there is a sand bar that is quite the social spot. So I headed on up the branch remembering a little at a time where things were. While I'm heading up the power boats were showing off and a number were passing rather close by. I guess they felt like I was a bicycle on the highway. I noticed a tree in the middle of the lake and headed over that way. The lake is up a bit from all the rain this year and this is a tiny island, not on the map, at this point no larger than my bedroom with one tree on it! While I was taking the GPS coordinates of it, a small power boat unloaded four people and sped away, I assumed for more. They started playing in the water at the edge of this tiny island like it was their private beach. It just seemed so odd. I had kept pushing myself to see if I could find the sand bar, but realized that it was still another three miles. Having already come five miles, I decided to not push on any further and headed back. By now it was after noon and the traffic on the lake was pretty heavy. So I got a chance to thoroughly test the stability of the Rhythm 11! The the icing on the cake... As I tried to exit the kayak at the dock, I tipped over and made my first wet exit. :^) Once I was out of the kayak and wet, I figured maybe this was a good time for a try and reboarding the kayak. I've never done this before and was not sure if I could. I am 55 and have a bad hip, so sometimes acrobatics can be a bit painful. I made it back in although not very gracefully... I've been trying to find a used kayak that I might like better, but so far they are either a bit more than I want to spend or they are sold before I can get there. That part is frustrating. But I've learned about Craig's List which I had never looked at before. Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (24.158.116.xxx) 2009-06-15 18:20:19 I don't have a blog of my own, so if you don't mind, I'll post some stuff here. I have been going down to the lake every week and doing about 5 to 10 miles a day, weather permitting. It rained Thursday and Friday, but Friday night and the weekend it was pretty nice. I went out Friday after dark to look at the stars poking through the clouds. It was pretty. I could tell that other than the thin clouds, the sky was very clear and it would have been one of those nights when you could see the milky way otherwise. While I was hanging out a few fishing boats would head my way and I would put a light on them to let them know I was there. One of them turned around and came back, apparently thinking I was in trouble. He asked what I was doing out there and I replied, "just hanging out". He let out a few explitives concerning my lack of intelligence and gunned the motor as he left. It struck me as funny actually. I guess some boaters think if you don't have an engine, you shouldn't be on the lake. Saturday was nice too and I did a run up Contrary Creek. I had been to Freshwater Creek before which is at the same end of the lake. But Contrary Creek veers right and continues as the lake for a bit before it becomes the actual creek. It got rather shalow very quickly and I was paddling with my bottom dragging muck for a bit then it got deeper again and narrower. As I passed a tall dead tree, a hawk complained about my interferring with his fishing and few off. But as I passed he circled around and came back. I guess that is a choice spot for him. So I doubled back and tried to get a snap or two. But that guy was very camera shy. I only got close enough for him to show up as a dozen pixels before he hit the road again, this time to settle in a different tree back down stream. So I moved on up stream and left him to his fishing. I didn't go far before the water got a nastly looking brown film and foam on the surface and then it got shallow again. This time it was gravel and rocks. I dragged knuckles over a part of it, but then it looked like it was going to be this way as far as I could see so I gave up. Later someone told me it was navagable again if this part was portaged, but that would be a half mile! Sunday I hookked up with a kayak club on a little tour of one of the larger tibutaries feeding the lake, Terry's Run. It was a nice little 3 mile round trip with a few logs to skim over and some gravel to knuckle over. There were a number of heron that saw us before we saw them. They are such majestic creatures as they are flying off. Each time the bird would circle around and squawk at us to let us know how much we were bothering them. We eventually got to a point where we would have to portage over a large log. Most of the group didn't want to do that, so we headed back. The return trip was quiet and peaceful. Rick Reply | Quote 0   0

Sorry Duke (24.158.116.xxx) 2009-06-15 18:34:24 Rick, I had to edit out the photos as they were too large for the template. Not before I viewed them however! Great photos that I enjoyed very much!a 640 x 480 is a decent size for this template width. Sorry, but the photos were causing the template to shift far to the right and I couldn't even comment. If you get a chance, please resubmit the photos in a smaller format. My son visited this past weekend and although we were busy, we managed to get out on the Lake for a few hours. I forgot the camera but remembered my trusty flip mino and took a few videos. I haven't had a chance to edit/upload yet. Good times. I am keeping my Kayak in the back of my truck for any moments I identify as a chance to hit the water. As far as a blog, if you think you might be interested in having your own, I could probably help. Not that I mind you posting here at all! And I love the photos! I liked the ones of the kid riding on the back of the SOT Kayak. And I agree, I loved the one in the thick, with the kayakers ahead of you and the sun glistening off the water. Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (24.126.90.xxx) 2009-06-15 20:34:20 Yeah, I was thinking I am hijacking your blog. But I thought you wouldn't mind. Sorry about the photos. I forgot about the size. I really like your videos. I have been thinking about getting a new waterproof camera, but have been putting it off because I can't find one with image stabilization. I find half my shots are ruined by my hands not being steady enough, especially the ones using the zoom. I want the new camera to have a higher zoom, 5x is the best I have found. But the video may convince me to go ahead with what I can get now. I appreciate the offer to help me with a blog. I would like to take you up on that later on. Right now I have paying work I need to get done and the whole kayaking thing is being a distraction all by itself. I am really hooked! BTW, if you ever find yourself in Virginia, please let me know so you can drop by. I would love to host a trip on the lake with you. Reply | Quote 0   0

Duke (164.89.253.xxx) 2009-06-16 05:06:15 Rick, the same offer stands for East Tennessee. I am right off of I-81 and have several lakes and flat water streams here in my back yard. If you are ever this way (I am about 90 minutes from the Smokies/Dollywood and about 15 minutes past the Bristol Race Track) Just curious as to what you thought about your local Kayak club. There is a club here where I work, but I know no one in it. Still, I am thinking that it might be a great way to learn the best places to run the many local rivers in this area. I am about an hour away from the Nolichucky river, which is ledgendary white water! Something I don't feel I am ready for, but maybe with some peers to learn from . . . And even with that said, I would just love access to maps, with someone saying, drop in here and leave your other vehicle here. Like you, I am hooked also. Since I am just about 2 miles from a local lake, it's perfect for those times when I only have a couple of hours. I compare it to cycling on water. I used to really be into biking/mountain biking. If you have done it, you know what I am talking about. You find that rhythm and you are riding along taking in nature and can forget that you are actually exercising. BTW, if you are interested, I have taken a few really nice trips on the bikes. The Natchez Trace http://bike.dukecarico.com/natchezday0.htmand the C&O Canal http://bike.dukecarico.com/co.html Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (24.126.90.xxx) 2009-06-16 07:52:53 Duke, Thanks for the offer. I have a friend who lives an hour west of Knoxville. When I come down to see her, I will plan to drop in and visit. I go right down Rt 81 from here. The kayak "club" is organized by the guy renting/selling kayaks here on the lake. I don't know if he has a day job, but I guess he and his wife can make a living off of this. The store hours are only Friday through Sunday. I think he is one of those people who just find ways of keeping it all going. In his emails I see he has an online magazine, Woods & Waters Magazine [url]http://www. woodsandwatersmagazi ne.com[/url]. I think it is also pretty obvious that he does this because he loves it! So I think the club is a way to promote kayaking around the lake. He leads a trip each month in season and we get a coffee mug, hat and a sticker. Actually, I like the hat! I've only gone on one outing which was not at all challenging, but it was a lot of fun and it was just really nice to meet other kayakers. So its not like we have meetings or are organized in any way that I can see. It is more like a group of kayakers who do stuff together... sort of like your family! One of the other members has organized a short run tomorrow morning that I am going to try to attend. If anyone is interested, I will try to organize one from my house to show them my section of the lake. I am across from the state park and have explored a couple of short creeks. Mainly it would just be a loop down one side of this section of the lake and up the other. Doing this in the early morning quiet is a real treat. I did it one morning at sunup and it was just so nice. I think that is one of the big things I like about kayaking, the solitude. Just being able to do something where I try not to make any noise and don't even need to talk to anyone. It's just a whole different place for your mind from day to day life. BTW, if you are interested, the rest of the photos from the trip are on the web at http://arius.com/stuff/Lake-09-06-14/. This is just a directory listing of the unvarnished images including all the blurred ones, etc. The last file is an aerial photo with the GPS track overlaid and the start and end point marked. Chris, the organizer, really seemed to like that one! He plants a little flag at the furthest extent of the trip, so that is what the little flag icon is about. He also brings his two kids. Reply | Quote 0   0

Larry (173.88.76.xxx) 2009-06-21 10:34:05 Guys: I just bought a Rhythm II at Dick's last night at the end of their sale ($399) but haven't taken it out on the water yet. I was at Dick's for another reason but have thought about a kayak for a while now, and with the sale...well, consider it an impulse buy but an impulse that I've had for a while. I'm in central Ohio so don't have the lakes and rivers that you guys do (my folks live in Tryon in western NC and I lived for a while in Richmond, VA) but we have some decent rivers and streams here close to my house so thought this would be fun. Anyway, I'm trying to do some research to help me decide whether or not to keep the Rhythm...there are a lot more reviews of the Swifty and by all accounts it's a nice boat, but like you guys I'm a photographer (when I'm not teaching) so part of the appeal is a more comfortable boat that I could take out for longer periods of time, take pictures, etc. I'm new to kayaking so don't know a lot, which is why I'm doing the research. Rick, have the tracking issues you've had improved any? The guy at Dick's told me this boat tracks well and moves well, and while the second seems to be the case your problems make me a little hesitant. I'm going to continue to look on the web a bit, but if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them...I'll bookmark this page to return to anyway, if for no other reason than to enjoy the photographs! Take care! Larry Reply | Quote 0   0

dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-06-21 14:28:06 Larry, Congrats on the purchase. I still say the Rhythm tracks solid! I have paddled it quite a bit now and the better my paddle stroke, the better I find this boat, and that goes for tracking, speed, stability, etc. With that said, I have a Swifty II. It is a longer tandem, and agree that it does track better than the Rhythm, with the Swifty single being the one that tracks the worst of the three. Yesterday, I was on the lake fishing out of the Rhythm in a hard wind. On this day, tracking sucked! And I am willing to bet that ANY Kayak without a rudder was not going to go where I was trying to point it! Once I got close to the banks, where the wind was blocked, no problems. Photography seems to work really well from this boat. At least for me. As I mentioned, I have started fishing out of this boat. I will probably add a clamp-on rod holder, but think I have figured out how to manage a fishing pole, a small tackle box, along with a couple of cameras. I would give the Swifty high marks for the stability it offers. . . Probably a little more stable all and all than the Rhythm. With that said, the Rhythm is much more efficient when paddling flat water. It's faster than the Swifty, glides much better than the Swifty, and is more comfortable. With all that said, I think the Swifty would be a better boat in some rivers as where the Rhythm glides better, the Swifty sits out of the water more and would probably be better in shallow rivers Vs. the Rhythm. For recreational purposes, all three of my Kayaks are decent. Depending upon conditions, and water, one might be better than the other two. But out of the three that I have, if I had to choose just one, I would keep the Rhythm and sell the other two. I am pondering adding one more Kayak to my "stable". I am thinking a Wilderness System's Tsunami or Perception's Carolina (touring Kayak) might be a great boat for my style. I am enjoying hitting the lakes around me and just paddling for hours. One of these boats would be much better for such a task than any of the three I currently have. Reply | Quote 0   0

Larry (173.88.76.xxx) 2009-06-21 16:27:04 Okay, thanks for the quick response. I'm going to head to a couple of the more specialized shops here in Columbus tomorrow or the next day and talk with them. I imagine their lines will be different than Dick's, but for my first kayak I think some of the ones at Dick's would be fine. Given my likely mix of water (70% lake/open water/cove; 30% smaller river, etc.) I'm thinking a 10-12 foot length would be about right (at least for a first one). Also, the $399 price point isn't bad for it, I don't think. I'll keep looking and if I run across something else, I might drop a quick note and see if you've heard of it, what you think, etc., but it sounds like there are plenty of factors that could negatively impact tracking (current, wind, rowing style, etc.). I just want to make sure the Rhythm is at least solid in this area...and I DO like what I'm reading about it being a decent glider for the length. Take care and thanks again for the quick response! Larry Reply | Quote 0   0

dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-06-21 19:58:01 FWIW, I really liked the Wilderness Systems Pungo. That is what I thought I was going to buy before coming across the Rhythm at Dick's. The Pungo is a similar boat to the the Rhythm, with a much larger cockpit, and it is quite a bit more expensive than what you paid for the Rhythm, but still, it is a nice Kayak, and if it's a good boat for you, might be worth the extra $$$$. http://www.wildernesssystems.com/product_subcategory/index/products/recreational/recreational_pungo/ Rick has also mentioned the Future Beach http://www.futurebeach.com/5_kayaks/index.html I will let him tell you how he compares the Rhythm to the Trophy. Also, the Old Town Dirigo is in the same class and a great looking boat. http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/kayaks/recreation/dirigo_120.html But I got to try an Old Town Loon last summer and from my experience (negative) I really didn't consider an Old Town. With that said, the Dirigo seems to be a pretty popular boat. You can read reviews of all of these boats at http://paddling.net I for one would be interested to know where you head with the Kayak bug. Please head back here and let us know if you stick with the Rhythm or not. If you can, test drive as many boats as you can. Spending some time on the water will probably tell you what you need to know before dropping any more $$. What I have noticed is what seems to be the perfect boat for one, is totally the wrong thing for someone else. . . . Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (24.126.90.xxx) 2009-06-22 13:06:34 Hi Larry, Welcome to the club! I know I complain a lot about the tracking. Maybe because that is about the only thing I don't like about the Rhythm 11. I take it out nearly every trip instead of the Equinox (equivalent to the Future Beach Trophy from what I can tell), mainly because the Equinox is slower and the foot/leg room is not as roomy. Lately I have been getting a bit worried about what I would do if I lost my paddle in the middle of the lake. I would hate needing rescuing by the power boaters. So I took a spare paddle and stuffed the blades down past the toe area and let the handles lay on top of the foot pegs. The ends actually find a resting spot between the knee padding and the deck! It works out just great. All that said, I am still looking for something else that might suit me better. Like Duke, I have heard good things about the Pungo (like rock solid tracking ;^) as well as the Necky Manitou Sport. Most kayaks will get a variety of reports on any given quality. But these too get consistently good marks from all reviewers on tracking as well as good remarks on most other features. The Old Town Dirigo 120 is also compared to the Pungo a lot and is on my list to consider, but I am buying the rest of my kayaks used and I haven't seen one of these around here yet. I can't tell you why Duke gets his Rhythm to track so well and mine just loves to cut turns when I want to go straight. Like I said, it is not uncommon to see mixed reviews on kayaks. I am working with Perception on this. So far they have not acknowledged that there is a problem, but want me to take it to a dealer for them to look at it. Dick's took a look at it, but I guess that was not good enough. I only wish you were closer; I would invite you over to try my kayaks and see for yourself what you like. The Equinox really is rock solid stable in the water. I didn't fully appreciate it until I used the Rhythm enough to get used to it and then switched back. I'm not saying the Rhythm is unstable, I am just saying that the Equinox is like being on the dock! If you are near a Costco, ask them about it. It was only $330 *with a paddle and car mount*. That is what got me into kayaking finally after looking at boats for a couple of years now. It may be a bit of a sled, but for a starter kayak, I think it is tops! You read that about a lot of kayaks, but mostly they really mean this is what they started with and it didn't drown them. ;^) I think for $400, the Rhythm is a good kayak. I have my personal issues with mine, but as I said, it's not enough to get me to quit using it! If you want to switch at some point, you should think about a used boat. BTW, a friend let me use his $200 all fiberglass, WERNER CAMANO paddle last week and it is amazing how much of a difference that makes. I can't say how much lighter it is than my fiberglass shaft paddle, but I can tell you that with the same effort I sailed along about a quarter mile per hour faster! No kidding, just from a difference in paddle! Once I get another kayak, I may have to spend the bucks and get one of those! Do come back and let us know what you are up to. It is always nice to hear what others are doing in the sport. Reply | Quote 0   0

Jim (148.126.100.xxx) 2009-06-23 15:59:55 hello all, love the site and the info, I purchased my Rhythm 11 on 6/11, and have had it on the lake just once, for my first kayak I love it. tracking does not seem to be an issue once I had the spoon shaped paddle I borrowed from my brother. I found that the rhythm 11 was sold under the Dagger brand name as the Element 11.2,as late as 2007 reviews for that are also on paddling.com, lots of 10 out of 10's there...Ithink this ones a keeper. Reply | Quote 0   0

dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-06-23 16:23:07 Hi Jim! Welcome and congrats on the Rhythm! I have had mine out almost more than I can count now! I keep it in the back of my truck and hit the lake on my way home from work every chance I get! Honestly, the more I paddle this boat, the more I love it! Thanks for the info on the former Dagger brand. And for anyone interested, here are paddling.net's reviews for that boat. http://www.paddling.net/Reviews/showReviews.html?prod=1305 Thursday I am headed out for a stretch of a river and hope that Friday or Saturday I can do another river with my nephew. If I can't swing it Friday or Saturday, I do have some down time coming up with the July 4th holiday! You didn't mention your location: If you are close to East TN/ Southwest Virginia, holler and I will share locations/details. Reply | Quote 0   0

Similar dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-06-23 17:17:02 Googleing Dagger Element turned up some photos that do indeed favor the Rhythm. Reply | Quote 0   0

Jim (68.230.120.xxx) 2009-06-23 17:26:29 Hello Duke, your right I did forget to add where I'm from...a long ways away from you here in Arizona, I have visited your state just once and found it beautiful. but I do love my desert, your review was the one that gave me the confidence that the Rhythm was the correct boat as my first kayak. (my brother also gave it a thumbs up. I'm hoping to get out at least once a week. I'm 56 and 125lb 5'8"so the 40lbs was a big factor, but since its maiden voyage I can hardly wait to go again. Reply | Quote 0   0

Larry (173.88.76.xxx) 2009-06-23 21:32:26 Guys: Great additional info, thanks. One of the local outfitter shops had their "demo" night tonight and I got to try several different kayaks, including the Riot Edge 10.5, Riot Edge 12.5, Pungo 120, and Current Designs Kestrel. All were pretty nice boats, but I had to pick one of them I'd probably go with the Pungo...especially the new model with the dashboard and lever-operated cargo covers. They all handled pretty well, so I'll see how they compare with the Rhythm once I get it out. That said, they're also twice as much as what I paid for the Rhythm, so I'm thinking that I could keep the Rhythm and then if I get sufficiently engaged in the sport, buy a nicer boat down the road but keep this one for friends, my son, etc. I want to call Dick's, however, and make sure that if I try it out briefly and keep it in new condition I can still return it. I think I can get a read on the tracking in a pretty short amount of time. If I can't return it once it's been used (and I can appreciate that as I'm sensitive about paying "new" for "used" then I've got a tougher decision to make...plunk down the extra cash for the Pungo, for instance?? Anyway, you guys have a good night and I'll get back to you in a couple of days! Take care! Larry Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (173.72.224.xxx) 2009-06-25 10:45:52 This is great! We are really getting a group together here. I can tell you Larry, that Dick's, like most stores, have an X day return policy as long as the boat has not been in the water! So it is pretty useless since you can only look at it if you want to return it and you can do that in the bloody store. I asked if being rained on in the back of my truck counted and the guy didn't think that was very funny... I have read a lot of good stuff about the Pungo 120 as well as the Old Town Dirigo 120 and especially the Necky Manitou Sport 11. I am trying to buy a 1 year old Necky Manitou Sport from someone in Charlottesville, but he is holding firm on his $500 price. It has been about three weeks, so I may try again to see if he has softened up any... A guy in Richmond has a couple of Pungo 120s for sale. Again this guy wants $500 and I think that is a bit too much for an 8 year old kayak. I picked up an old Old Town Loon for a sweet $250. It has a few battle scars and since it is an older model, does not have all the padding and no hatches (or bulkheads). I need to find some styrofoam or something to stuff in the bow and stern. This thing will not do well in its current state if it fills with water. One way or the other, I will have it in the water later today. BTW, has anyone done a wet exit in their Rhythm 11 yet? I flipped out of mine while trying to exit at the dock a couple of weeks ago. Since I was already wet, I figured I'd try my first remount. I had heard that you do this by climbing over the stern, so that's what I tried and it worked pretty well. I had a little trouble with the buckles on the life vest catching on the kayak, but I was able to crawl far enough forward that I could sit up and lean back to drop my derriere into the cockpit and the only hard part was then getting my legs inside. Not at all pretty I'm sure, but if I had been in 40 foot water out on the lake, I wouldn't have had to swim back to shore! Rick Reply | Quote 0   0

dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-06-24 04:44:27 Larry, just food for thought, You can buy that Dashboard seperately from Wilderness systems and I have also seen them on eBay. I mention this in case your end decision comes down to the Pungo BECAUSE of that dashboard. Here again, before the Rhythm, I had actually gone to a local outfitter to purchase the Pungo, but they were out of the 12' models. I decided to keep looking when I stumbled upon the Rhythm. When I got my Kayaks a few years ago, I noticed a trend among Kayakers that is still true today. Notice how many reviewers on Paddling.net all own more than one Kayak? And many own more than three? I think it's safe to say, there are a lot of good Recreational Kayaks out there that do many things decent, but it's really hard to find the one that does all things well. And I agree with you Larry that it's nice to have at least two in your collection! If your running rivers, it almost always takes two persons anyway, so you have one to break in your friends! Rick has mentioned buying used: I check Craig's list twice a week for persons who might have placed Kayaks up for sale. If I stumble across a deal on a Touring Yak or say a Pungo 12', I am probably contacting that seller for a look-see. The plastic is going to get scuffed whether it's by me or someone else. If there are no holes in the boat and the price is right, I will probably bring home yet another Kayak, and save $$. The cool thing is, you usually end up with great deals on Accessories also. Spray skirts, paddles, vests, etc. when buying used. My frustration for a long time however was finding a good rec boat used! It just didn't happen! People seem to hang on to the rec boats and sale Yaks that are more specialized. Honestly, if I want a whitewater Kayak, I have like 40 to choose from within an hour from my house. And they start at around $200! Now that I can go anytime I want, I can afford to be more patient when looking over those ads waiting on the right deal to come along . . . Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (173.72.224.xxx) 2009-06-25 10:54:24 Duke, About Craig's List, I find that around here you have to be really quick to get a good deal on a rec kayak. Like you found, the WW kayaks are a dime a dozen, especially once they have a little age on them. I think the WW models evolve pretty quickly and a four year old model is pretty obsolete, 8 years old is a dinosaur! A friend wanted to buy a used Camry on the cheap end and found that if he tried to make an appointment, they would already be sold when he got there. So he would call to make sure the car was still available and tell them he was on his way over with the cash. Then he could look at it at his leisure and decide if he wanted it. I think I need to do the same thing with the better kayaks. Everything I am excited about goes before I can get there! (except for the higher priced ones of course) I am still holding out hope for the Necky Manitou. But I'm not paying the full $500 *and* driving an hour each way to pick it up!!! Rick Reply | Quote 0   0

Larry (173.88.76.xxx) 2009-06-25 12:05:03 Thanks for the info, Rick...I haven't talked with Dick's yet and probably will still call to check, but I figured it would be like you said....can't say that I'D be thrilled about paying new for a boat that someone else had used, so I can see their side of it (same thing for telescopes, another hobby of mine...too many hobbies!). Anyway, I think I'll probably just bite the bullet and keep the Rhythm and hope for the best...then a bit down the road I can look at a Pungo 120 or something perhaps, and keep the Rhythm for my son and/or friend, etc. Duke, like you pointed out, it seems that NOBODY has just one kayak! Reply | Quote 0   0

lance (71.91.232.xxx) 2009-06-26 15:07:36 Hey guys, I have kayaked for a couple o fyears and have a friend looking at rythym or old town voyager. I started with a 16 foot tandem loon which was fine but I found I did not like to tandem. Next old town predator 138 and adventure 139. Both work well for me in the meramec river and has also seen some on the buffalo/ white in arkansas. If the seat is adjustable moving forward if posssible may help the tracking one poster was having difficulty with. shorter equal easier turns longer equal faster and straighter. Hope this helps to answer some questions. I am 6 foot 185 56 yrs old and can enter from water if needed. Reply | Quote 0   0

dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-06-29 10:41:58 Hi Gang! Took a great trip this past Saturday! http://dukecarico.com/index.php/News/20090628325/General/Perfect-Day.html Maybe a 7 miler total, but it was more of an exploration trip and we have figured out that with one carry, we can turn this easily into a 18-20 mile trip! I have mentioned using an older HP camera for my Kayak outings! This thing really showed it's limitations this past trip out. If you will notice in the photos in the link above, many of the faces and even the Kayaks "white-out". I am guessing the sensor is just not sensitive enough to adjust to the light and the reflection of the light. I am investigating a Canon water-proof camera. Not sure at this point if this is the route I will go or not. I have a 14 miler planned for this coming Thursday! I hope to have movies and pics of this one. Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (70.106.50.xxx) 2009-06-29 19:34:51 Your trips sound great. I'm looking forward to the photos. I would love to do a multi-day trip sometime. I have been looking at water proof cameras and the one that stands out in my mind is the Pentax Optio W60. It has a 5x optical zoom. The Olympus Stylus 1030SW has a 3.6x zoom and it has a fast shutter rate which lets you take shots of fast moving scenes before they are gone. Personally, I have realized that my shots are most often messed up by the camera shaking, so I am looking for one with image stabilization. So far, I haven't found that in a water proof camera... at least "real" image stabilization that moves the image sensor instead of just speeding up the shutter time. Reply | Quote 0   0

dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-06-30 04:20:58 Rick, Canon recently released this camera:http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-Waterproof-Digital-Accessory/dp/B0029O8NLI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1246356957&sr=8-2 It is waterproof to 10 meters, does HD video, and can do both movies and pictures underwater. I have seen test videos on the net and the underwater shots are not what I would call HD quality, but they are watchable. It does have IS feature also. Reviewers have mentioned it's size. It's a fairly "thick" camera, but hey it's WATERPROOF! I am sure it's better than buying a camera and then buying a plastic case with a rubber seal to protect it! Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (24.126.90.xxx) 2009-07-01 10:15:03 Yeah, I've seen that one. The IS seems to be a real IS that works well. But it is only a 3x zoom and I would like to get something with a 5x. Pentax has an IS that is more than just speeding up the shutter time, but it still has a tradeoff of image quality. With it on the image is a little more blurry. It is hard to tell just how much more blurry it is since the test shots are clearly blown up and I can't tell by how much. I took a huge number of sunrise shots the other day. It is amazing how a sunrise varies over such a short time. Reply | Quote 0   0

Larry (173.88.76.xxx) 2009-07-02 11:18:08 Guys: Hey, another kayak question...did any of you ever try the Native Watercraft Marvel 12? We have two outfitting type shops here in Columbus, and they (of course) carry completely different lines (actually based on the parent companies I guess). One carries the Confluence lines (Perception, Dagger, Wilderness Systems, etc.) and the other carries Hurricane, Native Watercraft, Heritage, etc. I tried the Native Marvel 12 and the seat is REALLY nice (doesn't look like much but it's VERY comfortable) and it paddled well, so I'm thinking about that. I'm still interested in the Pungo but the shops here are more or less out of them (except a couple in light blue, which I'm not crazy about). The reason I'm asking is that I took my son on the demo rides with the 2nd shop, and we had a nice time being out on the water, so I want to go ahead and get a boat that's a little nicer than the Rhythm and keep the Rhythm as well (I think I've found every bit of info I can on the web about the Rhythm and I've decided to keep it). Work has been crazy so I haven't had a chance to get it in the water yet but that will change here very soon! Anyway, any thoughts on the Marvel 12? It's not a glamourous looking boat but it was pretty nice, and about the same price as the Pungo ($800). http://www.nativewatercraft.com/marvel_12.cfm The paddling.net reviews are pretty good on it, but I'd be interested to hear what you guys might have experienced as well. Thanks in advance for any thoughts! Larry Reply | Quote 0   0

dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-07-03 04:39:20 Larry, I have no opinion of the Marvel 12. Sorry. It's a good looking boat for sure. I really wish these sites would include a third picture of the bottom of the boat. It might not tell us the whole story but it might help us to determine if it will cut, it's width for stability, etc. With that said, Native has an excellent reputation in the industry. My opinions on seats: Lots of padding usually means that it is softer, but hotter. decent molding and support where you need it, is what I like in a Kayak seat. I like the Rhythm's seat back with it's ability to raise and lower to fit me just right. I have back trouble and on yesterday's 14 miler, I fared very good. In fact, I didn't even notice back pain until the last mile or so. Have you ever paid attention to those sea kayaks and the seats in those? Usually the butt portion is minimal, and the back rest is either a strap for back support or a piece of foam that supports the backbone and nothing more. I have been on a lake and two rivers now with the Rhythm. No problems, period! I am sure there are nicer boats out there, but since I now have some paddling experience under my belt, I am confident when I say, I REALLY like this boat! Yesterday, within the group I was in we had a Swifty Tandem, a Swifty and two Rhythms. The guy on the Swifty and the two in the tandem complimented the two Rhythms for their ability to glide, and the guy in the Swifty admitted he had problems keeping up with us. You can see in the video at http://dukecarico.com/index.php/News/20090702327/General/Holston-River-Run.html how stable the boat is in light whitewater, etc. Also, several pictures of the day! Reply | Quote 0   0

dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-07-03 08:16:54 As mentioned in the post above to Larry, yesterday 5 of us sat out to do a 14 miler down the Holston River. It was cloudy a large part of the day and we fought a pretty stiff headwind for at least an hour. It sprinkled rain on us 3 different times but all three times together might have equaled 15 minutes worth of gentle rain. The Holston River has a north and south branch. We put in about a mile below where these two branches join. At this point, this is a very wide river! There were a few flat bottom boats on this section fishing. All were very friendly to us. We hope to do either this section or another section below where we took out very soon. I figured out a way to mount a camera on a small tripod and attach to the front of the Kayak just in front of the skirt lip. I would start it running and just forget it! I edited 110 minutes down to just around 7. Also, I took a lot of pictures of the group. The only downside to this trip was my back . . . Although it didn't bother me much while in the yak, by the time I had gotten back home, it had gotten very stiff and is still pretty tight this morning. Going for a walk here in a few to see if I can get it to ease up. http://dukecarico.com/index.php/News/20090702327/General/Holston-River-Run.html Reply | Quote 0   0

Larry (173.88.76.xxx) 2009-07-03 09:21:55 Duke: Thanks for the response. I'd heard a ton about the Pungo and I admit to being more familiar with Wilderness Systems than Native Watercraft, but what impressed me about the Marvel was the hull seems much thicker and more solid than the Pungo--I know that means a bit more weight but I can live with that. The bottom is also much flatter, but has some decent chines. The seat itself is probably pretty close to what you're talking about...it's a couple of layers of really strong, soft mesh over a tubular frame, and while that doesn't sound that comfortable it really is. It provides great support but it's not hot at all, and your butt is also off the floor of the boat and stays dry as well. Pretty nice really. Great idea on mounting a camera on the front of the boat! I think you guys were right on with your earlier discussion of the benefits of IS for your cameras, too. I've got IS lenses for my Canon DSLR but my point and shoot is an old S50, which while it's a great camera is a bit dated. Probably need to start saving for something a bit more updated! Have a good day, guys, and Duke I hope you had a good walk! Reply | Quote 0   0

Comparing the Pungo 120 and Ne Rick (24.126.90.xxx) 2009-07-03 11:32:43 Hi Larry, I don't have a lot to add to your decision of which kayak to buy other than to echo that the Pungo 120 gets some very good reviews at paddling.net. I am picking up a used Necky Manitou Sport next week when I return to the lake. I had been comparing these two and I think they are about neck and neck (no pun intended). Once I sell the Zest I will try to pick up a Pungo 120 and then I feel my collection will be complete (5 kayaks)... or almost. I might want to pick up at least one tandem, perhaps a sit on top that is more stable than the Zest. I would suggest that you buy used if possible. You sound like you are in a hurry to get something on the water now. If you buy a used kayak that is not your "perfect" kayak, you can always sell it off again when you do find that just right one. This will also save you a few bucks. Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (24.126.90.xxx) 2009-07-05 13:23:34 WOW! I went on a kayak trip with the Potomac River Paddlers yesterday and it was fantastic! Bob, the guy running the show is a real trip; he has something to say about everything. The other people were all great too. We started about 10:30 at Shepherdstown and paddled up river. The first half was four miles of quiet water up to Snyder's Landing where we stopped for lunch, much of it supplied by Gail (or is it Gale?). The C&O canal is there and just on the other side was Barron's C&O Canal Museum and Country Store that a couple runs on the weekends for towpath bikers/hikers and paddlers. I didn't take the time to check out the museum aspect of it, but I am sure I'll be back. This picture is of the folks in our group plus one of the store owners. Bob is the one with the mustache looking like he is going to devour the entire table! After lunch one of our party left us and headed back down river. We were headed a little further up river to Mermaid Beach (both terms are used loosely). Another mile of flat water paddling on full tummies, we reached the beach of rocks. Here is a picture of one of the many trees that are almost completely undercut by the flood waters. This is a 100 foot tall Sycamore tree and doesn't really show any signs of coming down any time soon. But then there are two right next to it that are leaning more than the tower of Piza, so I wonder how much more water these trees can take. After we hung around a little at Mermaid Beach, I thought we were heading back down river. But Bob had been talking about Taylor's Landing only being another 3 miles. He said there were some very small rapids we would have to cross, but it sounded pretty innocuous. Another of the more experienced kayakers left us to head back down river. So now we are four, two very experienced in long touring kayaks (Bob and Gail) and two much less experienced (Ken and myself) in little 11 foot rec boats. The first rapid was just up river from the beach. Gail's boat is a very expensive Kevlar composite which apparently will suffer scratches to the gel coat if banged on rocks, so we walked our boats on ropes up through the first rapid. That seemed easy enough. Padding again it got interesting. A faster current held me to 3 MPH while I normally do 4.5. There were some ledges of rock that were vertical in the water and ran parallel to the river. We avoided them as they tended to be sharp and dangerous. There were places where the current got very fast and as we approached the second rapid it looked like there was a single spot to get through. I paddled as hard as I could and my GPS said I was only moving 1 MPH! If I was just a little slower, I would have never made it through. Even after getting through the little gap, I could only maintain 2 MPH for 100 yards or so. The water here was a little quieter and slower which was good as I was starting to feel the effort I was putting into this. Bob thought he would show off a little and turned his kayak around so he could paddle backwards. Earlier he had put on a burst of speed to show us how he could blow the doors off of our short boats. This was my chance! I said to Gail that I thought I could take him and started stroking with all I had. Bob responded with a little bit of uncertainty on his face. He kept his lead for a bit, but then his boat started to turn and he couldn't hold it as I pushed ahead!!! That was fun. Now we approached the third and final rapid. Unfortunately I was way ahead of the others and couldn't decide where to try to go through. None of it looked easy. The middle looked the most clear, but intimidating. So I picked a spot next to the shore where I thought I could squeak through. But it got so shallow I had no water to grip my paddle. I could hold my spot, but couldn't advance, so I let the boat slide back and followed the others through the middle. This was another strong flow and even after getting through the rocks, the current held me down to 2 MPH. I was getting really tired now and it was many hard strokes to slower water. I had reached my limit I think, but fortunately Taylor's landing was just ahead. We pulled into the landing and had a second lunch as Bob talked about how so many people didn't have enough respect for the river and proper safety. We saw a pair of boys dock a tandem kayak and swap with someone else who went back out again. NONE of them were wearing a PFD! On top of that, they only had a single paddle between the two of them. There was a small rapid right past the landing and they were paddling in that for a while. Bob had made a comment about how often people like that need to be saved... literally about 15 minutes later they had turned the canoe over and were struggling to bring it back to shore. They yelled out for help and we started to go out. But Bob talked to them and had them walk slowly (the water was about 5 foot deep) back to shore. They managed to get to shallower water and we watched them drag the boat to shore. But I have to say I was very scared that *I* might be helping to rescue them! I am certainly not prepared for that yet. Here is a picture of a family that only has two life preservers for their three kids along with Bob and Ken. I can't write a lot of what Bob had to say about the various people here. But then it was just this past week when some tubers caused the state police helicopter to be called to rescue them. I guess that gives him a bit of an attitude. We ate more of the bounty supplied by Gail and then headed back down river. We had come 8 miles up river in six an a half hours including the stops. The return trip was less than three and *much* less tiring. Here is a picture of one of the quiet stretches. This was my best day ever kayaking and in the top 10 doing anything! Reply | Quote 0   0

Great Trip Review! dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-07-05 13:59:28 Rick, very good review of a great day trip! Love the flag on the front of your Rhythm! It sounds as if you put in some serious cockpit time! Your buddy with the opinions reminded me of this guy I met while touring the Natchez Trace a few years back. He had opinions on everything and was telling us all how we were doing this all wrong. I couldn't convince him that it wasn't necessarily wrong just because it wasn't like he would do it. And we just had a guy get a $200 ticket floating a local river on an inner-tube/no jacket, and won't argue that people need to at least use some common sense when taking to the water. So you got a chance to paddle with a couple of composite boats . . Wondering if you had difficulties staying with them. . And how the Rhythm performed for you? I know that more I paddle the Rhythm, the more I like it! Great pics and write-up! Thanks for sharing! Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (24.126.90.xxx) 2009-07-05 14:58:47 Don't get me wrong about Bob. He is not a blowhard. He is just the sort that likes to talk and doesn't mind telling you what he is thinking. But he knows his stuff on the river. The Rhythm 11 did very well even if I couldn't keep up with the long boats. I won't mention anything about it not tracking. But that was very noticeable when I would hit one of the rapids. Going either way they then to turn the boat and then it was a real struggle trying to get it back straight again. Still I keep taking the Rhythm out instead of any of the others. But that may change. I am picking up a used Necky Manitou Sport this week and I will be putting it through its paces. I'll let you know what I think. Reply | Quote 0   0

Maybe a new one for me too dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-07-05 17:40:43 I am looking very forward to your comparison of the Rhythm and the Manitou. And I won't mention how well I have found my Rhythm to track under all but very, very windy conditions . . . I have emailed a local guy about an Old Town Adventure 139 XL. It includes a paddle and a spray skirt. All of this for less than half of what an adventure costs new. No pictures or details of the condition, but for the price, I have inquired. Waiting to hear back from the guy. Reply | Quote 0   0

Kayak comparison Rick (24.126.90.xxx) 2009-07-05 22:13:58 I assume a 139 is over 13 feet? I expect that will make a big difference from the Rhythm 11. I haven't paddled a longer boat yet, but everyone on the trip who had one seemed to be able to go a lot faster with less effort. A couple of them even had $500 paddles! I thought I would be splurging to spend $150 on a used Camano all fiberglass paddle. I know the Rhythm 11 tracks well for you and that is what puzzles me so much. I also see that a lot in the reviews of many kayaks on paddling.net. Some will say a given kayak is stable and tracks great and others say it is tipsy and tracks poorly. I don't know if that it a difference in individual kayaks or individual kayakers or what. If the Necky, which gets great reviews for tracking well, also gives me trouble... well then I guess we'll know where the difference is. Reply | Quote 0   0

dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-07-06 04:08:16 "139" does indeed mean 13'9" long. Front and aft bulkhead, 28" wide at the hips. I still haven't heard from the guy, but I just emailed him last night. Reviews are all generally positive. The things that were knocked had nothing to do with handling. "Why isn't there a paddle holder, its called a touring boat." and "it's heavier than composites." I did an image search and must say that it is a nice looking boat in and out of the water. I found this link of an individual who takes lots of pics from his Kayak. http://www.maxsonlab.com/kayak/kayak.htm Reply | Quote 0   0

dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-07-06 07:51:17 Rick, I am meeting the guy this evening for a test paddle! The guy seemed very nice on the phone and assured me that it was in great shape, and that I would love it. He purchased for Kayak Camping and has never been. Is selling to purchase another whitewater boat. Reply | Quote 0   0

dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-07-06 21:02:42 OK, I did it! I picked up an Old Town Adventure 139 XL for a song! Included was the skirt and a paddle. The paddle nothing to write home about, but it is an aluminum break down paddle! Full review should be found on the frontpage by the time you read this . . . Reply | Quote 0   0

Larry (173.88.76.xxx) 2009-07-07 19:27:50 Duke: Cool video, and I like the "natural" soundtrack. Looks and sounds (especially from your review) like a great boat. Things are getting resolved here for me as well. After some test paddling, I decided to go ahead and buy the '09 Native Watercraft Marvel 12 for myself (got a good deal on it), and from the same place got a GREAT deal on a Heritage/Liquid Logic Stingray 12 for my son. When they went to get the Stingray, however, they realized their inventory sheet was in error. The owner felt really bad and gave me a PHENOMENAL deal on another Marvel 12, which my son liked as well. So bottom line is we now have two very nice '09 Marvel 12s and looking forward to getting them in the water. When we test paddled, it tracked great and the seat is by far the most comfortable kayak seat I've sat in. I figured the 12 is a good length for our first kayaks, and like you guys I'm sure my own "farm" will grow. But sad to say, I think I'll be returning the Rhythm as I doubt I'll be taking it out much. We're heading to western NC later this week to see my parents, and might take the boats there. In any case, once we get 'em out for a good trip I'll post my thoughts on it. Have a great day, folks! Reply | Quote 0   0

dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-07-08 04:09:23 Larry, Congrats! From everything I have read, NW is a great boat! My Nephew who currently paddles a Rhythm, says that the Marvel is probably his next yak. Like you, he test paddled a few boats Memorial day and loved the feel of the Marvel. On the trips that I have taken, I seem to pick up persons new to the activity and for that reason, I plan on holding on to my swifty. And when I run the rockier creeks and Rivers, I will probably choose the Rhythm over the Adventure, but make no mistake, The Adventure is now my boat of choice! I can't believe how stable this boat is. It doesn't even bobble when I get out of it! Western NC! Now chances are that if it's Western NC, you might be as far as two hours away from me! And maybe as close as an hour! Lots of paddling opportunities in Western NC! You SHOULD bring the boats! The Asheville area is a Kayaker's Mecca! The video that Larry refers to can be seen here: http://dukecarico.com/index.php/News/20090707329/General/An-afternoon-on-the-lake-with-my-Adventure-139-XL.html Reply | Quote 0   0

Rhythm 11 vs. Necky Manitou Sp Rick (70.106.58.xxx) 2009-07-15 14:08:19 I picked up a used Necky Manitou Sport this past week and had a chance to try it out. It is a little shorter than the Rhythm 11 at about 10 1/2 feet. This showed up in the slightly cramped foot room. The overall shape is similar to the Rhythm 11, but with a pronounced "V" keel. This is apparent on the inside giving a "V" shaped floor instead of the nearly flat floor of the Rhythm 11. I carry things between my legs and they set better in the Rhythm 11. The seat is made of foam rubber over a hard plastic frame with an adjustment for height. It seems fairly comfortable, but is hard to adjust either in or out of the boat. When I was trying to change it, I pulled a short knotted bungee cord through its hole and now I am struggling to get it untied and reknotted. This cord also prevents the seat back from folding forward out of the way when the kayak lays upside down. In the water, I think the Necky is a little less stable, at least the primary stability. I like to go out at night and see the stars, but in this kayak I was not comfortable tilting my head back or sliding down in the kayak so I could lay back more. I felt like I couldn't control it from tipping unless I was sitting upright. My Equinox 124 is solid as a rock in this regard and I don't have any real problems in the Rhythm 11. Paddling was almost as fast in the Necky as in the Rhythm 11, but this is hard to be sure about until I use it for more trips. It tracked better with only a small tendency to turn either way. I think this boat has a slight tendency to turn right more than left, but no real issue. So all in all, the Rhythm 11 is still my favorite kayak. But I took the Equinox on a river trip this weekend to break it in and give it some real scrapes... it got them too, along with a lot of fun! I think the Necky will be next. Rick Reply | Quote 0   0

dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-07-15 14:41:06 Rick, interesting review! Not at all what I expected. Looking forward to hearing your take of the Necky on the river! I have paddled the Adventure quite a bit now on flatwater, and Saturday I am headed down a calm river with it. I LOVE this boat! Don't get me wrong, as I still like the Rhythm, but have found this boat superior in everything except turning. Honestly, this boat barely moves when I get in/out of it. I have found the seat impossible to adjust while in the boat, but I consider that so very minor. Right now it looks like there will be 7 in our group, and although logistics get tougher to plan, the more the merrier when we hit the water. Reply | Quote 0   0

Heather (98.213.250.xxx) 2009-07-19 13:03:08 Hi Everyone! I'm just roaming about trying to get some valuable info regarding the purchase of my first kayak. I've canoed all my (old) life but recently had an opportunity to try some kayaks and I'm hooked. After spending a great deal of time in Dick's last night weighing all the options and dragging a few to the floor for a trial sit I'm a reading fool today thanks to you guys! You've provided some wonderfully helpful information. Primary considerations for me are weight...as I'd be carrying alone and transporting on my Jeep myself, cockpit size and of course a comfortable seat. Great pics too by the way. Thanks for sharing. Reply | Quote 0   0

dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-07-19 18:26:20 Heather! Welcome! FWIW, the Rhythm has been an awesome boat for me! Yesterday, I took a trip on a narrow, fast river. I took the Adventure, which is almost 14 feet long. I really wished I was in the Rhythm, just for it's turning ability alone! Since I have posted the review of the Rhythm, I have purchased the Swifty, the Swifty Tandem, and the Old Town Adventure 139. The Adventure 139 is my favorite all around boat for sure! It's stable, fast, comfortable. So is the Rhythm! But the adventure is better at those things! The only thing it doesn't do that the Rhythm does is turn quick. From my experiences, here is what I would now recommend in a Rec Kayak. Around 11-12 feet long! I think this is important as longer Kayaks tend to glide better. As I have stated longer Kayaks also don't turn as quick. A boat close to a 12 foot length should be a decent trade-off. Features such as dry storage are nice! Necessary? I could argue both sides! Dry bags are cheap, and I am betting you already have a couple since you have the canoe. If buying new, I would still recommend the Rhythm for it's Price vs performance. It is a solid boat for the $ vs other boats for the $. Before the Rhythm I had every intention of buying a Pungo 12. I know I would like the boat. It was going to run me close to $900. I doubt I would have liked it $400 more than the Rhythm. With that said, if I could have found a used Pungo for around $650, I could have justified the price difference between it and a new Rhythm. Hope this helps! And PLEASE let us know what you end up with! Happy Paddling! Reply | Quote 0   0

Kara (24.208.168.xxx) 2009-07-22 13:09:33 Sooo glad to have found this site!! I have been researching kayaks, ventured out to Dick's and found the Perception Rhythm, liked it alot! Luv all the info you've included bout the kayak. My brother has a perception 10'. Do you all think the Rhythm is a good fit for a 5' 7" small framed women? Reply | Quote 0   0

dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-07-22 18:04:40 Kara, Hi and welcome! I am 5'10" and 200 pounds. I would consider myself a Large framed guy, so I can't help . . Maybe someone smaller than I will weigh ( ) in . . . . Reply | Quote 0   0

Heather (98.213.250.xxx) 2009-07-20 18:02:50 Thanks for the warm welcome! I'm still mulling about trying to consider all the scenerios before I decide for sure. Storage and portability are two concerns in the equation so I want to make sure all my ducks are in a row before deciding..ie lifting onto and carrying on the Jeep, storage in my garage etc. Don't wanna do this and decide I should have done that because I didn't consider such and such. The easier it is for me the more often I'll use it! The sale at Dick's has expired but I'm sure if I keep my eye to the flyers there will be another soon. You've been a tremendous amount of help and I thank you! Happy Paddling...I like that! Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (64.241.37.xxx) 2009-07-21 11:40:28 Heather, I haven't had a Swifty, but I've read a lot of good about it. It is also one of the cheapest kayaks around. The only concern about it may be the seat. The cheap kayaks usually don't have good seats. If you want to spend the extra, I would recommend the Rhythm 11 or the Necky Manitou Sport (even more $$$ than the Rhythm 11). If you want to go really low cost, if you can find a Costco that still has them, the Equinox 124 includes a paddle and is only $330. It is a very nice and stable kayak which is probably very important to a beginner. My only complaint with it is that it is a bit slower than the Rhythm 11. That and the fact that you probably can't find them anymore. Reply | Quote 0   0

Perception Rhythm 11 Kevin (72.15.85.xxx) 2009-07-20 22:53:20 Hey guys and girls... Have had a Swifty for years, LOVE IT! Just bought a Rhythm 11 tonight.... Gave the Swifty to my sweetheart. I hope i enjoy it as much as i have enjoyed this website... We do shallow rivers with class 1, 2 and some 3's. several about 2 hours from me.... Hope im happy with my purchase. After reading, im worried about the tracking. Ill let you know by Sunday evening! Thanks again for the info..... Reply | Quote 0   0

dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-07-21 04:38:54 Kevin, welcome! With all of this response to this one post, I am tempted to start a Kayaking forum! I go to church with a guy who bought a sizable farm. He invited me up in June to paddle the river that borders his farm. He has a canoe. I brought the Swifty for him to use. He has now floated that river three times. Once in the Rhythm and twice in a Swifty. He asked my opinion on what he should buy, and to spend the least amount he could . . He has looked at all the major brands. Wilderness Systems, Native Watercraft, Perception, etc. I asked him this question: Do you plan on using your Kayak anywhere other than this river? His answer was no. I then asked him what he thought about the Swifty since he had used it twice. He said, "I believe I'll be going to Dick's to pick up a Swifty". The bottom line: For a cheap all around good river boat, it's hard to beat a Swifty! I had two of them prior and loved them. With a skirt in place, I have burried the front end up to my chest a few times going over falls. Looking forward to hearing about your 1st time out in the Rhythm! As you have read, I really think a lot of mine! Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (64.241.37.xxx) 2009-07-21 11:35:29 I took the Necky Manitou Sport up the Potomac to Taylor's Landing Sunday and it did just fine. I'm still not sure if the Rhythm is a bit faster or not, but Necky is clearly easier to keep going straight (at least for me). The Necky feels a lot more stable now that I am used to it. The primary stability may not be quite as good as the Rhythm 11, but the secondary is just fine. I was out for over nine hours and I wasn't dying to get out of the boat, so the slightly smaller foot space is not an issue. Of course, I don't have an extra set of paddles stuffed into the front of the Necky like I do the Rhythm 11... The seat gives me a little trouble in the Necky. I haven't figured out how to get it to stay back when I am entering and sitting on the seat back is not good for me or the seat. In fact, once the seat back popped off of the upright and someone had to put it back on for me. I need to figure out how to deal with that. Otherwise the Necky is pretty much an equal to the Rhythm 11. Both are in the back of my truck right now just looking for some open water! BTW, we paddle *up* the Potomac through some class 1 rapids. That's fun. At some points paddling as hard as I can, I am only doing 1 MPH according to the GPS. At the end of the day you know you've done something! Reply | Quote 0   0

Rhythm Paul (76.114.96.xxx) 2009-07-21 19:34:12 I bought the Rhythm from Dick's a few weeks ago. I have taken it out twice and both times had a great time with it. I had it on Boone Lake in ET for a lake run and then down the Watauga River past Sycamore Shoals in ET on a Sunday while the dam was generating double. It did all I asked of it. I can't wait to get it out again this Saturday. Reply | Quote 0   0

Duke (32.134.255.xxx) 2009-07-21 19:42:18 Paul, we are neighbors! East TN native here. I love the Watuaga River! Holler and let's go Kayaking! Reply | Quote 0   0

Kevin (72.15.85.xxx) 2009-07-26 20:39:11 Hey guys.... just in from my Rythm's debut! hmmmmm, i must say that i was disapointed. as the weekend wore on, i got a little more comfortable with it. but i have to agree with the other guys... it does not track well at all. i will be thinking about my options and most likely making a change soon. hope you guys got out on the water this weekend. i will say this..... any day in any boat is better than a day of work! take care and have a good week... Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (64.241.37.xxx) 2009-08-03 16:36:41 I had a friend and her kids down to the lake for some paddling. She had been down before and used my Equinox while I used the Rhythm 11. The Equinox being a slower boat, in the Rhythm 11 I was able to paddle circles around her, literally. So this time I let her use the Rhythm 11 thinking our speeds would be better matched. After about 15 minutes, she swapped back with me because she couldn't make it go straight! I had a my little inspection from the "specialty retailer" and they didn't seem to have any better idea than Dick's did about what to do. They didn't see anything wrong with the boat and talked about having Perception replace it. But I wrote Perception almost two weeks ago and haven't heard back. I'm not sure what I am expecting them to do. It seems a bit extreme to replace the boat if there is nothing really wrong with it. I guess I just want Perception to acknowledge that this is the way the boat is supposed to paddle. Otherwise, it is clearly defective. I'll give them until Wednesday when it will have been two weeks. On the other hand, in order to keep up with the guys (and gal) I go out with on the Potomac, I got a 17 foot Prijon Kodiak. I took it out over the weekend and I like it pretty well. It will take a bit to get it adjusted for me, but so far, so good. Using a rudder is different and of course, turning a 17 foot boat without a rudder is a pretty mean feat. This boat seems to have the same cross section as the Rhythm 11 and so seems pretty fast running up to 6 MPH compared to 5 MPH for the Rhythm 11. I can't picture taking this through even the class 1 rapids on the Potomac. It will just have to bounce off the rocks rather than turn to avoid them! Rick Reply | Quote 0   0

Congrats Duke (32.131.156.xxx) 2009-08-08 17:15:27 Rick, I have been on vacation so I have been slow to respond. In fact, I am writing this now about 100 yards from Myrtle Beach South Carolina. I am looking forward to hearing about the Kodiak. Also, if you hear anything from Perception! I know you are tired of hearing me say it, so I won't. I would think that if it is that bad, there is something up with the boat. I LOVE the Rhythm on narrow, gentle Rivers. But like you, I also like the longer touring boats for the larger rivers. I am betting that stability and tracking will rock in that boat. Please let me know how you like it! Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (96.239.147.xxx) 2009-08-10 14:41:37 Hi Duke, No, I'm not tired of hearing you say "it". In fact, your comments are what is pushing me to get to some point of resolution on the Rhythm 11. It just seems odd that one person has a totally different experience than another in the same model kayak. Still, it is my favorite kayak for many types of trips. This past weekend I took the Kodiak out on the Potomac river with the Potomac River Paddlers. The other two times I've been out with them my short boat was holding them up and we "only" did 8 mile trips (each way) instead of going the full 12 mile trip up to dam #4 (and 12 miles back). So this weekend I was loaded for bear with tons of water and a good lunch. Of course there were half a dozen other paddlers this time with short boats, so we didn't even go to Taylor's Landing. I would have preferred to have taken the Rhythm 11 since I can almost keep up with the fast boats in that and still have had the maneuverability of the short boat! Still, the Kodiak was *very* fast and I got a lot of ribbing about being able to set the pace and my using (or lack thereof) the rudder. The rudder pedals are not easy to use and my feet and legs were cramping, so I just put the durn thing up most of the trip. At one point Gayle was trying to come up with a nickname for me and tried to make "Rudder Rick" stick. But that didn't work. :^) I guess the cockpit on the Kodiak is a bit more narrow than on the Rhythm 11. I can't get anything between me and the sides of the boat. In the Rhythm 11 and the other 10/11 foot boats I have, I put the water bottles and other gear in the spaces beside the seat. I put some stuff behind the seat, but then I couldn't get to it while I was in the boat. The opening is just not big enough to reach through without sitting way forward to lean the seat forward. Still, it *is* a fast boat. Top speed in my Equinox is about 4 MPH with 4.5 being flank speed. The Rhythm 11 can cruise at 4.5 MPH and flank speed is over 5 MPH. I had the Kodiak up to 6 MPH *against* the current and over 7 MPH down stream. Heck, at one point was padding backwards and got 7 MPH!!! The Kodiak also has a lot of room for gear. I brought three gear bags, small, medium and large along with a spare paddle, towels and the kayak cart! I'm going to squeeze a folding chair in there for the next trip. We typically eat at Mermaid Beach and there is nothing to sit on but rocks, mostly small ones! I will say it was a great day! With all the new people it turned out that I had met one of them before. I didn't realize it at first, but someone mentioned that she was a Tai Chi instructor and I knew where she was from and put 2 and 2 together. When I asked her how some mutual friends were doing, it took her a momment to figure it out and then remembered me! Part of the fun was that I didn't have to work at all to keep up with the group and in fact was making big zig zags across the width of the river so that I didn't have to pause paddling so much. Enough rambling. I'm glad I got a long boat now. I still need to find a better way to haul it. Putting it on top of the pickup is just not the best for the truck roof or the kayak. I either need a rack for the bed or a trailer. We'll see what I come up with. Reply | Quote 0   0

dcarico (Super Administrator) 2009-07-27 03:37:50 Sorry it wasn't to your expectations Kevin! I didn't make it on the water this weekend, but did last weekend. We had a large group in a variety of boats and we all had a ball. You know everyone is having fun, when the boats group up and you start plotting the "next time" 1/2 way into the day's ride! Keep us posted! Reply | Quote 0   0

Rhythm 11 Ken (66.41.189.xxx) 2009-07-28 23:15:32 After trying an Old Town Loon, Perception Swifty, and Perception Rhythm 11, I was sold on the Rhythm 11. I bought 2 a few months ago and have used them several times. I have taken them to BWCA for a 6 day trip which was a little challenge for packing...but we packed light. I have taken them to Mille Lacs with 3-4 ft waves which was very fun. I also fish often with them. Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (199.195.60.xxx) 2009-08-13 21:19:13 I thought I had posted about the Kodiak, but I don't see it. Have you just been too busy to put it up or did it get lost somewhere? I can write it again. I'll likely have more to say after another Potomac trip Saturday. Reply | Quote 0   0

Sorry Duke (24.158.116.xxx) 2009-08-14 16:36:25 Rick, I am sorry! I have been on vacation and running a week behind on everything. This is the 1st time I have logged on to this site in over a week! Normally I approve comments within minutes of someone posting providing it's not spam Reply | Quote 0   0

Rick (173.72.224.xxx) 2009-08-14 17:47:13 No problem. I figured you were off having fun somewhere. That's what it's all about, right?! Reply | Quote 0   0

Thank you for all the info Diego (98.71.188.xxx) 2009-12-10 20:33:50 Thank you very much for all this information. I just bought a rythm 11 tonight at Dick's for $439.00 and on top of that they gave me the Azul paddle for $20.00 which runs for $99.00 I am just starting to get involved with kayaking and this is a great boat from what I read. Reply | Quote 0   0

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