Looking for kayaks for sale?

Looking for your first kayak? Or perhaps your second or third fishing kayak as it often goes? We created this short list of places that have sales for kayaks, some new kayaks and some used kayaks so you can do some comparison shopping when looking for your kayak. Used kayaks can be purchased for a portion of a new kayaks, depending on popularity of the kayak model. The more popular the model of kayak, the more money it will generally bring when someone goes to sell it.

When you are serious about looking at the kayaks for sale, and buying one, I have one piece of advice for the money end of things. And that is unless the person selling it is a friend of yours, or a friend of a friend, have the cash that you expect to spend "In hand". When some one else is looking at the kayaks for sale like you are, they are also looking for the best deal they can find. When you see a kayak for sale, you should be able to contact that person with cash in hand and tell them you have the cash, and ask when you could look at the kayak in question. Out here in Southern California, within the kayak fishing community, and good deal on a kayak for sale lasts a day or two once it hits the message boards. And the saying is "Cash Talks" speaks volumes out here.

If you're fortunate to live in Southern California, visit one of the OEX Stores a complete line of new and used fishing kayaks from Malibu Kayaks, Hobie and Ocean Kayaks. OEX has been in business for 10+ years. They have kept pace with the growth of kayak fishing. OEX carries a vast selection of kayak fishing accessories and they have expert installers in each store to fully rig up your kayak to your custom requirements. They have an on-line store at www.kayakfishingsupplies.com.

The Kayak Condition

A few of the reasons kayaks are for sale are the owner is stepping up into a kayak that he/she feels fits them and their uses better, or the kayak or kayaks have seen too little use and the owners just want to sell them. Possibly it's a storage issue, because face it kayaks do take up alot of room. When we are searching for kayaks in the sales areas, we will read a description of one and the accessories they can come with, and get a fast opinion of if it is a good deal or not. There has been more than one angler I have known that heard of a killer deal on a barely used kayak, that was in poor shape when they actually looked at it. Just like all man made products, retooled kayaks have a life span or expectancy if you will. If you store your kayak indoors in a garage, or cover your kayak if you store it outside so no sunlight is on it when you are not paddling your kayak, the kayak should under favorable conditions last from 6 to 10 years or more. The fastest way to ruin a rotomolded kayak is to leave it in the direct sunlight as a means of storage. Kayaks have UV Inhibitors mixed into the plastic when they are spun, and the sunlight bakes it out. You can usually see a kayak that was not covered when stored outside because the color will be very faded, and the plastic may have a brittle feel to it when you push it in. There may also be spider web like small cracks in the top deck of the kayak, or perhaps in the kayaks hull. If you look at a kayak that has stains in the plastic that look like they have been there for years, and the color is very faded, you may want to pass on it. Kayaks that have been cared for by their owners are easy to spot.

Transportation Risks and Costs

The risks of getting a kayak transported are twofold. The first is the kayak may not be in the condition from previous use you may have though it would be in. The hull could have minor damage, the plastic may have suffered sun damage from being left outside without being covered and a few other reasons. The second risk is the kayak may be physically damaged at some point during transport. I have seen a few professionally transported kayaks have fork lift gouges in them and major dents. The point being BEFORE you sign anything that states you received your merchandise in "Good Condition", you need to completely uncrate or unwrap the kayak and closely inspect it. If you sign for it, and later you discover damage after the driver leaves, it will be much harder to make a valid damage claim. Kayaks cost anywhere from $75.00 - $150.00 for shipping within the USA, and there are just a few carriers that will transport them without charging alot.

Locating Used Kayaks

Alot of the local kayak clubs will have a classified ads section. If you are in an area with several kayak clubs, or kayak fishing web sites, you can usually find a used kayak there. You also should not discount kayak shops. Paddlers often trade in their kayaks when purchasing new ones or upgrading theirs. For online places to look you can start with :
E-bay
Craig's List
Paddling.net

Those three should help get you started. These are not the only ones online, but the larger ones that carry national ads I am most familiar with.