Pole: Creekin' or Playin' what's your pleasure? Why?

I'm trying to decide whether to buy a creek boat or a play boat, give me some comments on why you think one is better than the other? Yes, I know they have thier own pros and cons, but for a "novice-beginner" what would an experienced yakker reccomend? Thanks.

--"Everytime I learn something new, something old gets pushed out!"

[Lord of the Mank]

For the beginner I would reccomend the playboat. Playboating allows you to improve your skill and do challenging moves without risking your life. Plus there is a longer playboating season than creeking season. Once you've got a solid base and are comfortable running easy Class IV, then get the creek boat. When you get really sick you can look back at playboating as glorified roll practice.

-Brian

[cosurfgod]

If you are just starting out you will definitly take less punishment learning to playboat than creeking. Creeking is something you work up to.

[§teve-o]

play boating, because i am am a beginner at paddling

i have found that beginners learn much easier in a longer boat, such as an RPM or GT. these boats have a more forgiving edge and will not catch current as easily. you will spend more time in your boat and less time swimming if you start out in a longer boat. playboats have aggressive edges and it is easy to catch an edge and flip. this can be frustrating for a beginner. if you are really motivated and athletic and don't care about getting sandbagged for the first few river runs, start in a playboat. once you get used to the edges your skill level will increase more rapidly. if you do get a play boat , get a larger one like the wavesport big EZ or the Dagger centrifuge. stay away from the really small new age rodeo boats. these are for experienced playboaters.
think about surfers. they start on a long board because it is easier to learn and then work their way up to a shorter more aggressive board.
i have been teaching kayaking for 3 years and i definitely recommend starting in a longer more forgiving (river running boat.)

River running is way more fun than playboating, I think. And it is one step down from creeking. It gets you out in the wild, where cars can't go, where the only sounds are birds and rapids. I know lots of people like playboating, but I think you should get yourself a solid roll and call yourself a calss III boater. After a year of so, you'll be ready for class IV, and that's where the creeking starts.

[davidj]

I learned in a creek boat, Java. Creek boats are a good beginner boat, because you can run anything in them, they handle well, are comfortable and easy to roll. Pyranha has a couple of hybrid boats out that lean either way. One the H:3 is a river runner / creeker; the I:3 is a river runner / play boat. Either one you will have a long time. I just bought the I:3 and love it. Talk to the guys at CKS or Confluence. Either shop is real good.

[gh]

Playboating. Everything you learn playboating will translate into making you a better boater. You are however doing what most people seem to do when buying their first boat. Overthinking it. Unless you are ultra-aggressive and can paddle almost everyday buy something stable and cheap and then move up from that.