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This is an excellent all around family sit on top. It doesn't excel tremendously in any one area, other than in flexibility. It can be paddled solo or tandem. I have also paddled it while sitting in the center with one kid up front and one kid behind. It handles flatwater fine thanks to the addition of a drop down skeg. It also handles rivers up to class III without much difficulty thanks to slightly more rocker than a typical SOT and a more rounded hull. The seating is very comfortable.

In summation: If you're looking for a boat that lets you handle surf, flats, and moderate whitewater and lets you take two adults or an adult and two kids, and you have the space to store this 13' beast, the Deuce Coupe is well worth a demo paddle.

I purchased the ULI to mostly paddle through rocky areas in a class II and III river. The nice thing is the board also handles well in flatwater and, of course, surf. In fact, the most fun I had on the board was in modest East Coast surf in Myrtle Beach. I found the board to be fun, but as I gained weight (about 250 lbs), I found that I really wished I had bought a standard (non-inflatable) SUP. My son loved this board, and anybody under 200 lbs can easily inflate this board to enough pressure that it feels nearly as firm as a solid board. However, heavyweights are going to be able to feel the flex that comes with an inflatable in spite of the fact the ULI boards can handle significantly more inflated pressure than any competitor in the industry. In summary: Great board, nice that it can be deflated and stored, super strong body even on sharp river rocks, just be under 200 lbs or prepared to feel the flex. Pros Bomber Cons Flexed under my weight Usage River Running, Surf

I love, LOVE Lightning Paddles. I have both this and a touring paddle from Lightning, and I can't say anything negative about either. The fiberglass blades have held up to numerous rock bangs and hard braces. The shaft is more durable than any paddle I've ever used, including my old Werner Side Kick. The shaft is made from the same tubing as pole vaulters' poles, and it provides excellent grip, a warm touch, and outstanding durability.

When I sold my old kayak, I let the Werner go. If anybody ever asked me to part with either of my Lightning Paddles, I'd have to tell them "no". I hope the day never comes when either of these paddles wears out, because I doubt I will ever find a paddle I enjoy nearly as much.

I rated the Camper 16 a 10 out of 10 because it fits the bill for its purpose ideally. It is the ideal family "tank". It's rugged, can carry the entire family plus gear, and it's a heck of a lot of fun on flat water and non-technical rivers. I have detachable seat backs for the cane seats and a snap in center seat that allows two children to sit comfortably in the middle.

This boat is ideal for just tooling around with the family. I often use my kayak paddle in the back seat and do all the paddling and navigation for the family (me, wife, 3 kids, and golden retriever all fit fine with a cooler and gear), and this is also a great boar for taking my son fishing. This is a long canoe with a pretty flat bottom, so if you are looking to navigate a more technical river, then I would look for something with a little more rocker.

Lastly, make sure you have plenty of room for storage. At 16', I had to build a raised deck on my old house to keep it out of the elements. I now have a hoist system in my new house's garage to get it out of the way.

For me, the Redfish 14 is the perfect kayak. I'm 6'0" and 240 lbs, and it has more than enough flotation for me, a cooler, and gear. I've even taken my son and golden retriever on trips, though not at the same time.

This boat has the perfect balance of width for stability and length for tracking. I can stand and fish from it, and I regularly paddle moderately technical stretches of river up to class III difficulty. This is a boat that I truly love to paddle. It is heavy to portage, especially with wet gear, so make sure either your back is strong or you get a good stow-able, rugged cart to help you roll this thing!

The Overflow X is the big brother of the Overflow. It's a "creeker" kayak and capable of handling extreme drops and intense whitewater. The high volume boat will handle lots of weight. I'm 240 lbs, but the guy I bought it from was about 300 lbs., and he used it to run the Gauley and New Rivers.

It's a great kayak to learn whitewater on and is used by many instructional classes. The round hull design offers little primary stability, but the secondary stability is easy to work with. The benefit of low primary stability/rounded hull is it makes rolling the kayak much easier. I had significant trouble learning to roll my old Eskimo Quatro ("river runner") because of the flat hull and high primary stability. After a few attempts, I completed my first ever whitewater combat roll in the Overflow X, which allowed me to paddle with increased confidence and to take my whitewater paddling to the next level.

This is definitely not a "playboat", you won't be squirting, cartwheeling, or hucking in this thing, but if you want to safely run rivers, gain confidence, and have a kayak capable of dropping waterfalls, this kayak is worth considering if you can find it used. (I do not think they make it anymore.) If you are not a large person, then the smaller Overflow would probably be more to your liking.

This is my go to PFD for whitewater kayaking. The adjustability and fit are in line with other similar vests, but this thing really shines in clearance. It sits high on your chest and back allowing plenty of room for your spray skirt and for your kayak's cabin. The jacket is quite thick with excellent buoyancy, and the few times I've had to swim in it, it has kept me head up and allowed me plenty of motion to power stroke out of harms way.

As an added bonus to Star Wars fans, it makes me feel a little like a rebellion x-wing pilot when I suit up and get ready to 'yak!

These are the way to go, if you have the ceiling space. I have three Harken Hoisters in my garage. One holds a 16' canoe, another holds a 14' sit on top kayak, and the third holds my Jeep's hardtop during Spring through Fall.

The hoister is great in that it gives you a mechanical advantage when lifting these items overhead. The install can feel a bit daunting at first, but once you read and understand the instructions it should come easy to anyone who is more than moderately mechanically inclined.

The only way these hoists could be any easier is if they were motor driven, and that would obviously come at a higher price. For the cost of what you get, you could probably design a very similarly performing system with parts found at the hardware store and online, but what I paid for was an all-in-one kit, and (for me) the convenience was worth the extra cost.