Don't sweat it
Posted by: Celia
on Dec-06-12 1:27 PM (EST)
You done good. As to the ideal kayak, as your wife gets more time on the water she'll realize that used is a nice option. Of the 11 boats under and on the porch or in our basement, only 3 were purchased new. The fourth that is new is only so because it replaced a demo model that had a much more troublesome history than we first realized, and the head of Valley did a fantastic job of remedying the mess.
The rest were acquired the way most people increase their fleet - used, demos and even one that came with a repair in it from the hole in the side it got from shipping.
Guess which ones had the most time on the water the last few years? It is the used boat with scratches from many other paddlers on the deck, and the one with the repaired hole in the side.
Heck - you may even find that over time you are a fit for the Delta and can join her on easy jaunts.