: With my weight (275) and the desire for carring some camping gear, looks like
: I'll be in the 12' range.... at least that is what I infer from going
: through the Specs that Dagger has on their kayaks. . .

As I read the specs sheet, I'd say that is way too small a boat for you. It is 12 feet long and 28.5 inches wide, and holds a MAXIMUM load of 350 pounds. this means you plus 75 pounds of gear -- if you are totally dry. Get 2 quarts of drinking water in there, and some sloshing from the river, and you'll soon be carrying an extra 20 pounds, so you had better not have more than 50 of gear.

Even if you are a fanatic backpacker who can go out for a week with a 30 pound pack, you are still to close to the limit for comfort. What if you have to carry out some of your son's gear for some reason? You would have no room.

Look instead at the next model on the list, the Bayou 2. It is 13.5 feet long and 30 inches wide. Thats a foot and a half longer, and an inch and a half wider. It also carries a MAXIMUM load of 450 pounds. Now we can talk about some margin for safety. Also, you will be floating a little higher, so you'll be less likely to run aground in shallow areas.

PGJ