A new boat for my little girl | SouthernPaddler.com

A new boat for my little girl

WestCoastPaddler

Well-Known Member
I'm so excited about this that I have to share it with you guys. A couple of days ago, my daughter's Christmas present arrived at the store where I work.

First, a little background -- all three of my kids have been paddling since they were a very young age -- mainly in the front of our Pygmy Double. As they've gotten older they've progressed to single boats. Earlier this year, my youngest daughter, who is nine years old, started paddling on her own. I brought home a kid's kayak called the Acadia Scout, from Perception Kayaks -- and she took to it incredibly well. The Scout is not a bad boat, but it's not fast, and it doesn't track extremely well. On the grand scale of things, it's more of a rec boat than a touring boat. Regardless of it's shortcomings, it's one of the only boats designed specifically for pint-sized paddlers and my daughter absolutely loves paddling it. A few months ago I made up my mind that I was going to get her a Scout for Christmas. Everything was going fine until we received the new catalog from Current Designs. In this catalog is a new boat for this year -- a kid's sized boat called the Raven.

The Raven is a fiberglass/kevlar fully capable touring kayak designed to fit kids. It's 12 feet long by 20 inches wide and weighs 26 pounds, and is a "real" sea kayak in every detail from the hatches and bulkheads to the deck rigging and seat. My little girl needs this boat.

How could I not get one for her?

raven-001.jpg


I've posted more pictures of the boat on my website.

I can hardly wait for Christmas morning to see my daughters face when she sees this waiting for her. :D
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
Dan

If your daughter does not like the kayak ..... I will trade places with her and that way you would not have a teenager, later, to raise. Just an old fart to keep supplied in boats.

Thanks for sharing this information with us, it does an ole paddlers heart good to know there are some folks out there with young paddlers, they are our future.
I will get a lot of enjoyment out of Christmas , knowing what she has under the tree.

She will not get the smile off her face for a long time, that is guaranteed, she is going to have one grand Christmas. (I think Dad is already having a lot of fun .) :D

Chuck
 

bearridge

Well-Known Member
Mar 9, 2005
3,092
4
way down yonder
WestCoastPaddler said:
The Raven is a fiberglass/kevlar fully capable touring kayak designed to fit kids.
Friend Dan,

Why put fiberglass on fine plastic? I hate it when they spoil natural materials.
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I hope her christmas iz happy. That iz a mitey purty boat.

regards
bearridge
bodine plastic society

I have no more pleasure in hearing a man attempting wit and failing, than in seeing a man trying to leap over a ditch and tumbling into it. Dr. Samuel Johnson
 

hairymick

Well-Known Member
Dec 8, 2005
2,107
2
Queensland, Australia
Heya Dan,

Even though Jack beat me to it, bloody good on ya mate. That is one very lucky little girl indeed. Oustanding. :D

What a beautiful little boat. It is about time the big manufacturers started catering for our littluns.

I hope you and yours have a very happy and safe Christmas. :D
 

WestCoastPaddler

Well-Known Member
Thanks guys. I am pretty excited about this (who wouldn't be?) and can hardly wait to see her face when she first sees it.

But in actuallity, I really think that I'm the lucky one here -- my little girl gets straight A's in school, does well in all of her other activities (well, with the exception of keeping her room tidy), has good manners and is thoughtful towards others, and she actually likes paddling with her Dad. She's gotten less than her older brother and sister for a long time -- so she really does deserve something like this.

Her older sister and her brother and I are planning a trip to the Deer Group (on the west coast of Vancouver Island, near the famous Broken Group) next summer -- I'll have to wait and see how she progresses, but if her skills are developed enough, she may join us on that trip.

Chuck, you're not the first to offer to take her place if she doesn't like the boat (in fact, a few of my buddies have asked that I adopt them as my kids have better gear than they do) -- but you're the first to bring up the absence of the teenage years -- if my daughter doesn't like the boat, it's yours. :wink:
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
WestCoastPaddler said:
Chuck, you're not the first to offer to take her place if she doesn't like the boat (in fact, a few of my buddies have asked that I adopt them as my kids have better gear than they do) -- but you're the first to bring up the absence of the teenage years -- if my daughter doesn't like the boat, it's yours. :wink:

:lol: OK... I will go and make another one to put in the place I had reserved for that shinny red one.

Chuck
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
I had to post it here , I sure hope you do not mind me doing that........ But it makes my Christmas for me .

Knowing all of these old farts on here I am sure it will bring some Holiday Spirit to them also .... Even they would not say anything like that. :roll:

Just call me an old sentimental fool that loves to see someone younger enjoy the holidays and then use that enjoyment in the rest of there life.

Then ... Later it is given back to there parents when they do not expect something as nice but get it in a hundred fold. Our kids , give us more then we will ever give them.....

They give us our future and our grandkids there future..........:D

Chuck.

xmas06-03.jpg


xmas06-02.jpg


xmas06-01.jpg


HAPPY PADDLING , May the wind always be at your back and the water just right. :D
Southernpaddler.com........ :wink:
 

bearridge

Well-Known Member
Mar 9, 2005
3,092
4
way down yonder
Friend Dan,

Those pichurs gave me a big smile. Have fun tomorrow.

regards
bearridge

Knowledge is never a substitute for experience. Greg Henry Quinn
 

WestCoastPaddler

Well-Known Member
No problem with the pictures Chuck.

It was a really fun day -- and I'm sure there are many more fun days to come over the next while with my daughter in her new kayak.

It's funny, she's been sitting in that boat every waking moment since we brought it into the house yesterday morning. We watched a movie together last night and there she was with pillow and blanket watching the movie from her kayak -- she even fell asleep in it.

Can't wait to go paddling with her tomorrow.

*****
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
WestCoastPaddler said:
Can't wait to go paddling with her tomorrow.

*****

I wish I can say in all faith ........ The rest of her life , not just tomorrow.
Hell , I fell safe in saying that........:D

Boats beat drugs any day....... Keep her in the boats.

Chuck.
PS... It might be hard to do but paddle at her speed and if you really have to ........ tell her to slow down :lol:
 

oldyaker

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
1,949
31
What a cute lil Gal Dan!.........Her smile says it all. Ya dun good WCP!
Grandaughter is only 21 months. We stand on shore and look at boats on the water. I'm breaking her in to be my paddl'n partner. Right now she points to the Potomac and calls it "waddie."