Squirt Boating Message Board

Me: 6', ~175 lbs. naked, 32" inseam (if I'm measuring correctly; that's also my pants size), size 13B feet, a total squirt novice located in TN.

I know beggars can't be choosers, but ideally I'd want something that's a sinkable cruiser (or a cruisable sinker--not a destination boat) that I could mess around with in flatwater too. Not married to surf/spin performance since I can use my plastic spudboat for that. From a little research, it seems like ideal boats would be something like a Soft Ninja, a Sneaker, an Angst, maybe a Bigfoot or a Wisper.

Any other boats I should be thinking about? Any leads on where I might be able to find anything that could suit?

I suspect that, depending on the chop, I might be able to get into the next inseam size down in the Snyder boats that have companions (Soft Kor, Asylum, Whirld, etc.), but I'm nervous about comfort. I know "if it don't hurt, it don't squirt," but I'd still rather not get into a boat that's too small at the outset (I'm not trying to ruin my ability to run the next day). Around 2000, I tried to get into an Asylum (or maybe it was a Fish, but I think it was an Asylum--it's been 15 years), and sometime around 2004 I hopped into a Shred for a little lake time. Both boats were cut/outfitted for folks several inches shorter and 10+ lbs lighter than me, so on hurt-to-squirt spectrum, the hurt was intolerably high and I never really got to feel the squirt.

I've tried to follow watch for/follow up on possible leads here and on Boatertalk for a little while, but so far I haven't managed to connect with anything suitable.

Thanks for any help, hints, or leads!

I dont know much about the newer designs but can tell you to choose a Whisper over a Whirld based on your height. I recently got into Ryan Allens whisper and it was a much better fit for my 5'10 height compared to my whirld. Glad I didnt know this for the better part of 10 years I've had my whirld but it finally started my thinking of needing a new boat. Ryan is about your height and his feet go past the apex of the foot bumps, much like mine in my whirld.

if you wanna run some whitewater, play eddy lines, and drop bombs all in the same boat then you want a bigfoot, wisper, or a soft ninja at your size.
they maybe paddle the most similar out of the group of all commonly-paddled designs; big wings.

and i've got a shred-cut bigfoot for sale...in good shape but it's in two halves. it's located in ps's shop, waiting for someone to buy it and have paul float cut and reseam it for a custom fit. $400, then add a couple hundred for paul's work and then you have a custom cut boat for around 7 or 800.

I also have a low cut bigfoot looking for a home. Its in ocoee tn. Its in solid shape and has a mountain surf skirt.
Posted for 5oo... But im a sucker. 7zero6-six69-five55nine

i'm very happy with my soft ninja... though i would't recommend for beginner kayaker. beginner squirter- yes. jim rim II is great. Best advice is to shell out bucks for a new boat, fit it perfect and take care of it.