Demo Kayaks - Hassle Free - Expert Included - Free Loaner Kayak

We’ve made kayak shopping an educating, pleasurable event!!!

Expert Advice

A staff person will guide you through the process of selecting boats that suit you best. Make an appointment, and we’ll provide you with a paddlesport expert to discuss kayaks in detail and at length -- designs, materials, fit, ideal uses. We always have experts available to help you shop, but for peak times or special needs, an appointment helps.

Honest Opinions

Over the past couple of decades, one thing we have learned is that all equipment has its pluses and minuses. No item is perfect. We'll give you our honest opinion and let you know not just the pluses, but also the minuses of the item. The quality and design of items change over the years and we work hard to keep up to date on what we sell. Most other retailers only tell you half the story.

Best Brands

Ask any expert kayaker what are the best brands available and almost everyone will list Valley Kayaks, Nigel Dennis Kayaks, Necky Kayaks and P&H Kayaks as the best available. If we don't have the correct kayak for you, we will tell you so, and let you know what store has it.

On water Demos and use of boats on programs

For the price of a rental fee you can demo as many boats as you like. If you buy a new boat from us within a month, we’ll refund the cost of your test paddles up to $80. If you prefer, you can demo a boat on a full day program -- no need to limit your experience to a brief period on a small pond! Most boats that we sell can be requested for use on tours or instructional programs.

Instructional Programs

We'll help you "grow into" your boat! From beginner to expert we have programs available to fit your needs. As you move up in skills you will come to appreciate the better designed kayaks. Educated kayakers are our best customers.

Loaner Kayak until your kayak arrives

If you order a new fiberglass boat that’s not in stock, and pay for it in full, we’ll loan you a plastic kayak (Avocet RM, Aquanaut RM, Chatham 16, Capella RM 160, etc., upon availability). Order a new plastic boat and we will loan you a similar kayak until yours arrives.

So, for example, if you order a new glass Avocet we’ll loan you a Avocet RM until yours arrives. (You must pick up your boat and return the loaner within seven days of your new boat’s arrival or pay a daily rental fee).

Free Thursday Night Sessions

For kayaks under $1,100 receive two free Thursday Night Skill Sessions. For kayaks over $1,100 receive five free Thursday Night Skill Sessions or one free Sunset/Full Moon program.

Outfitting Help

We will help you outfit your kayak to fit your needs. An experienced kayaker will help you select the proper thickness of foam and help you mold it to perfection. We sell different types of foam and neoprene for different needs. Outfitting your kayak is critical to the proper performance of the kayak. As this can be a time consuming job, you will need to make an appointment so we have the right person available to help. We will supply the tools to shape the foam and will supply the proper glue for the type of boat and material. Outfitting is is normally a process of shaping the material, test paddling the boat, and reshaping until the fit is correct. Once you are happy with it, then the shaped foam gets glued into the kayak.

Free Installation of Options

When you buy from us, we install compasses, bungee, decklines and many other items for no extra fee. You will need to leave the kayak for a day or more for most installations.

Repairs

We can repair many problems. Operating a fleet of over 100 demo kayaks that get rented and used on programs, we have repaired almost anything that can break on a kayak. Most shops will not help you with anything other than minor repairs. We have fixed almost anything that can break. Just check out our Expert Center articles on gel coat repairs and adding a keel strip to see some of our repairs.

We have found that almost every kayak will need to have a repair done in the first couple of years, and even more so as the boats get older. Kayaks under warranty will be repaired free of charge. Out of warranty kayaks will be quoted a repair time and price.

As we have enough of our own repairs to do, we only do fiberglass and gel coat repair to boats that were purchased as "new full retail priced kayaks" through us. If you purchased the kayak as used, discounted or from someone else, we will look at the problem and give your our expert opinion as to how best to proceed.

For fiberglass or gel coat repairs, you need to call or e-mail with a description of the problem. If we think we can fix the damage, the kayak will need to be dropped off at the Center for delivery to our repair shop. Boats are repaired in the order they are received and during the busy season it can take a few weeks if we are backed up. If the boat is going to take more then two weeks, we will offer a rental boat at a discounted price until your boat is ready.

While we can fix the damaged that commonly happens, we can't fix major fiberglass damage. See the Expert Center for samples of damage we can fix and the quality of repair we do. We don't do fiberglass/gel coat repairs to "as new condition", as it takes too much time and is best done by spraying gel coat which we can't do. We do repairs to "good and usable condition." We mix our own color and try to match the original color, but repair will not match perfectly. It is sometimes possible to get the original color pigment from the manufacturer, but even that will not match perfectly and will delay the repair until the pigment arrives. If we think the job is too big or difficult for us we will recommend a fiberglass repair shop that can do the repair. As history shows most kayakers will be happy with the quality of repairs we do.