H2Yo

I rented this boat at a couple of parks in the Monmouth County Park System here in NJ. I rented this boat at Turkey Swamp Park and the Manasquan Resevoir, both of which are inland, flat water venues. I must say that this is a nice recreational boat. I must also say that this is the DRIEST SOT I've ever used.

It has a removable, rear deck storage compartment which straps in behind the seat. The seat has a high, solid back back, offering great support. Unlike most other SOT kayaks, you don't need a separate seatback. This boat has molded-in carrying handles in the gunwales, a nice touch. The cockpit is roomy, even for a big guy. The ony gripe I have with the cockpit is that it could use one or two more foot wells, which would provide a greater variety of seating positions, not to mention comfort, for the paddler. This is a kayak that would be great for kids of all ages and sizes, so you won't need to purchase another kayak as they get bigger. If you're under 6' tall, you should be fine.

OT Sport says that the capacity of this boat is 250#, which is very conservative. When I paddled this boat, I weighed in at 265-270# and carried a gallon of water with me; the boat gave me no problems. This boat is suitable for bigger paddlers, at least on flat water, where I rented it.

The boat tracks decently for a boat of this size and type. It has decent speed. It turns fairly well. Whether turning or going straight, this boat doesn't require much effort. For a recreational kayak, this boat is decent.

Overall, the H2Yo is a nice little boat. I don't know how it would do on the ocean, for I never used it there; for flat, inland waters, it's fine. If you're looking for a nice recreational kayak for your children that'll last through their growing years, get this boat. If you want a kayak that's also big enough for you too, get this boat. If not for the lack of footwells, I'd give this boat a higher rating. However, for $500, you can't go wrong with the H2Yo.