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the burn is a great boat, but it is not really for women who are on the lighter side of life. If you look at the small version it is 63 gal and is for paddlers 99-209lbs. That is a pretty big range. Mid is 150lbs. The trigger is 53 gal I believe and that seems a little more reasonable for a lighter paddler (under 150lbs) to push around, not that 63 is huge but that is ten more gallons.
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"Gangstas make the world go round" - Ice Cube
Personally, I would advocate learning in a hybrid or riverrunning-playboat. I agree that a person can get a little too relaxed in a big river runner or a creek boat as a beginner. Then when they get their next boat, they wonder why they are spending so much time upside down. I learned in a Method and I loved that thing! It was small but stable, great running rivers, and it did not allow me to be lazy about edge control. I learned about edges right away, and I think it helped define my boating style as a beginner.
I guess I would put the Fun series in the same category as the EZ/EZG. And maybe even consider a Juice? It's still a little slicey, but not too big and really stable through rapids. I haven't paddled a Trigger, but I do have a pretty reliable roll and I feel like the LiquidLogic boats are the hardest boats I've ever tried to roll. I'm not a big fan, at least of the smaller LL boats.
And speaking of size...it does matter here. Animasgirl, I would really recommend that whatever you choose, you make sure it is the right size for you. Too small or too big can really mess with your learning curve, so be careful of buying something because it is a bargain and not because it is suited for you. Get out there and demo boats on the river before you decide, because the way it feels in a pool or pond is not a great gauge for what it will feel like on the river. I think an experienced boater can get a good feel for a boat in flat water, but I think an on-river demo is wise for a beginner.
Last thing...outfitting. Get some help with your outfitting, and if possible get help from a gal pal. I think we tend to outfit our boats a bit differently than the guys. Our hips are different so hip pad thickness and placement can be different; and we often sit lower in the boats than they do, so a thin layer of foam under the seat can be helpful. Often, the right outfitting can make all the difference with boat control.
Hope you find what you like and have some fun out there!
I'd suggest the EZG rather than the older EZ. There is enough difference to make a difference and if you are smaller, you'll probably get a better fit in an EZG 42. I'm 5'5", 115, and the old EZ felt a bit big, but the EZG 42 is just right.
Holly, great advice! It was fun to see the Method mentioned. It wasn't my first boat, but it was my "step-up" boat and the first boat I every really loved. In lots of ways my EZG feels a lot like the Method, which is probably why I like it so much.
Has anyone suggested the Inazone yet? Great intro boat similar to the EZ and Method. Pretty stable, easy to roll, playable, good in big water. I loved mine.
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"The world would be a better place if everyone kayaked."-Brad Ludden (Valhalla)
"You only get one chance to run a drop blind."-DD
I would also suggest the EZ/EZG. I own an EZ because I got a screaming deal on it the year the EZG came out--but the EZG would be a better fit given my size (small). Most of the women I paddle with have an EZ or EZG or there are a few in the playboat in this series (ZG I believe). The Jackson boats--either the fun series or the star series are what I'm looking at for my next boat. Jackson seems to be one of the only companies really paying attention to the needs of the smaller boater. The EZ took alot of work to outfit to scale it down for my 5'2"--I have foam blocks inserted under the seat to lift it up so that my knees actually reach the knee pads and a fair bit of extra foam in the hip pads. Beware of the cracking issue found in early models of the EZG.
I'm not so far removed from what it's like to be a beginner boater and I'd cast my vote for a more stable "scary water" boat as my friend Lisa would say, rather than a playboat design.
When I started out I asked the same question as you and got similiar advice. In the end, after demo-ing many boats, I ended up with a Trigger. It was a great boat. It punched through things (read: when I ended up going where I didn't want or mean to, into holes etc. I could often punch my way through), which helped build my confidence and allowed me to get down the river without swimming all the time. I was also able to try things out, like paddling over little pour overs, or hitting big waves or going for scary looking eddy lines, that I might have avoided in a less stable boat. This fit with my style of how I (key word there, versus others ideas) wanted to learn. Was this boat so bomb proof that I never had to learn any skills? No. I doubt it's possible as a beginner to get on the river, in any boat, without learning some new skils, even a creek boat.
When I started out and was told to get a "river running playboat", so that I'd have a better learning curve, I took this advice and demoed a 2 Fun for a Girls at Play clinic (I had paddled the end of the previous season, could roll in the pool, lake, and sometimes the river, but that was it). All the other girls were in river runners or creek boats. After the clinic, when I turned the kayak back into the shop, I told the guys there I'd renamed it the, "2 Fun My ASS", because while everyone else, for the most part, was making it down the river, I had a hard time staying upright in the rapids. One of the instuctors pointed out that a river running play boat is built to play and so, by design, it will want to stay in the feature and "play". As a begginer, unless your goal is to just learn to playboat, you probably want to be able to move through and/or around things rather than get stuck in them until you are savvy enough to want to stick in features.
Again, it depends what you want to do. Playboating can teach you a lot of skills, but so can knowing how to read and run a river. I've been fortunate to have great kayaking mentors and most of them agree with having a more stable beginner boat that allows you to try different things while learning river running skills. If you get out there and get after it, you'll have plenty of chances to practice rolling and to bump up your learning curve the way you want to, without your boat doing it for you!
Have fun out there!
Last edited by WisegirlII : 06-20-2007 at 07:01 PM.
I would agree with those pushing the general river runner design. I have had a couple friends get into the sport this year. Those that chose something like the Trigger, Mamba (or for a better deal the Inazone 222 would be awesome) have honestly had more fun. The first year or two unless you are quite agressive is really about feeling comfortable and learning how to read the river and get from point A to B safely. My friends who have picked more playful boats have felt scared not as excited to get in the river. Plus, if you decide later that you want a more playful boat you can always hold onto your river runner for when you want to step up to more challenging water later on.
I have an EZG 42 and love it as well, but it wasn't my first boat. I just think for a true beginner something less squirty and stable will make you have more fun which will keep you on the river! Good luck and have fun!
I don't know where you are located, but I have a trigger on the swap. I'm in Aurora and I paddle every weekend. If you would like to try it out, get in touch with me and if we're going to be in the same area you can take it for a spin.
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