For the first time in about 3 years I got a new kayak. I managed to get a used rental Dagger Alchemy 14.0S for a good deal from EMS. I was looking for a short, narrow beam, surf and rock garden kind of boat and this is an excellent fit.
I am 6' and about 200 lbs and while I am on the higher end of what this boat is made for it is a blast. Here it is with my Greenland paddle and my normal paddle on Shelburne Bay.
While I will go back and review this in detail in a couple of months the feeling of it on the water was perfect for what I wanted.
Even while so narrow the boat is still stable enough to pull out my iPhone for pictures of all the turtles on the log.
The next day I went out as well to Sand Bar/Lamoille River so I could wander out into rougher waters on Champlain. This boat, while not as graceful, or dry, as a sea kayak was awesome in the surf. There was a steep learning curve but once I got a feeling for it I can honestly say I have never had so much fun in a kayak.
You can see the rocker (i.e. how much the bow and stern are up from the surface). It is fun to run and spin in-between waves and quite responsive.
This is a new kind of cockpit for me. A low backband means I can lay back on the hull and knee pads give me a degree of control I have never had.
Sunset over New York. And excellent way to end the day
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