New boat!

I was sold at "10 lbs". And I'm glad!

This boat just came up on UsedVictoria last night, and I went to see it this morning. I couldn't resist. I thought, "well, at least I can use it for little trips now and then." It didn't cost an arm and a leg.

This is the photo from the ad:

It's a Sweet Pea Mark 2 Geodesic Airolite by Platt Monford. It's 8' 3" long by 30" wide.

Here's the photo of it from their page:

I would hesitate to take a kid or a dog along, just because of the tippyness factor.

Here it is on top of my car:

Definitely a few sizes smaller than the Golightly!

 

I took it out for a paddle this afternoon and I'm very impressed. First of all, I can lift it! All by my self! With one hand! Amaaaaazing!

Secondly, it's a great little boat, believe it or not! It's like a little cork. I love the way it bounces over the waves. It paddles very easily because it's so light. And it even tracks well. I used the seat I made for the kayak, and a piece of foam at my back against the cross-brace. (The back still hurts after an hour, but I'm resigned to that.)

I'm now planning some additions: a foot brace, and some foam flotation inside the gunnels. Shouldn't add too much weight (he said, hopefully). And I'm thinking that I'll be able to take it car camping. I haven't done that since the kids were small; I've been stuck on boat camping. But that's not happening, and this looks like it's more easily done and just as much fun with less work, which is what old fogeys require.