Kayak Reccomendations?

My fiance and I are looking to buy two single kayaks and a roof rack kayak carrier (for an escape).
What would be a good choice for a kayak? We are looking for two that would accomodate 200 pounds and 5'10 comftrabley. We would use them this year for kayaking on Lake Tahoe (choppy) and Pyramid Lake (smooth). Next year we are moving back to CA, relativley close to Morro Bay, thus we are looking for something that would stand-up well in the ocean.
Lightness is important to me as I will likely be ocean kayaking alone when he is gone...so I need to be able to carry one and unload it.
We do not need rudders at this time, but would like the option of having the factory add them at a later date.
We were looking at the Necky Sky kayaks and they seemed to have good reviews. Does anyone have any experience with these? They look great and like I said have good reviews, but at only 500 a kayak I am skeptical.
Any suggestions?

 

Also, roof rack carriers. Any reccomendations? Do you know of any that would hold two kayaks?

 

Why looking for new ones?!? Used doesn't mean shit, in many case people don't use a lot their gears.

 

Well, i am very particular about the seat. The older Necky's seem to not have the adjustable seat. I have very large breasts for my size, thus having the right back support is a huge issue.

With that being said, we are willing to buy used kayaks if we can try them out first. So we may just go to lake Tahoe and look in the Kayak shops in there

 

Lyns, if you're moving back to the coast I'd recommend ocean kayaks and wetsuits. I remember yak-boarding on Monterey Bay about 20 years ago without a wetsuit. I did it once. And only ONCE. We may have sharks in the Atlantic but at least it's warm.

These guys have a nice selection www.austinkayak.com

But I'd recommend craigslist.

 

I'm sure you can find something for your needs in the useds. In my area, the outdoor shop "La Cordée" make some huge used sale once a year you can put your hand on some very great deal.

 

I don’t have much experience with lake or ocean kayaks I have mostly done river and creek kayaking. But one thing that might be good before you buy one is to rent the same model for a day and try it out especially if you have 2 people you can rent 2 different kinds and both try them out. It is also fun to test drive different kayaks, with river kayaks I really noticed a difference in brands just the way they are shaped and the way they handle. A cheap way to try them out might be to buy your, life jackets, paddles and roof rack and then you would only have to rent the kayaks.

I agree with the above posters about used ones, kayaks last for almost ever and you can buy a $600 kayak used for about $200 and no taxes, a lot of people buy new ones and only use them 2 or 3 times and then sell them next year so they are pretty much in new shape for a 3rd of the price.

 

excellent advice.

 

Thanks! I hate ocean kayaks. I should have been more specific and instead of ocean noted salt water bays.

For the sit in kayaks I just use a deck skirt and then don't get wet...but then it's a pain if your roll.
Thanks for the link!!!
How did you like monterey? I lived there for about a year.

 

That's what i argued to Andy is that we get the roof rack and equip and can thenrent them on base really cheap. The thing is that he asked his gradnparents for kayaks as a wedding present...so they are giving 1,200 to us to specifically get kayaks...

My family's giving us 1,600, but we are using it to pay for the wedding.
Personaly, if I weren't asleep when they called and Andy had discussed it with me I would have asked for high end pans since we cook a lot and some more traditional wedding gifts. But he thought I would prefer kayaks, was suprised they were getting us a gift (because we are eloping) and i am okay with that. It's something we can do together.

 

I loved it, lived in Pacific Grove and went to school at the Presidio. Biked from Asilomar to Ft Ord and back three times a week to stay in shape, yak-boarded, etc. It was the healthiest year of my life I think. But sitting in a classroom 8 hours a day was slow death...

 

No one can deny it was Hobie that revolutionized the sport several years ago with the release of its Mirage Drive, a propulsion system that harnessed leg power instead of arm power for paddling.