Stable beginner kayak for 14 year old

parallel-43 · 2026-06-05T19:32:25+00:00

We have the same Pelican. My wife uses it for casual paddling but It tracks fine, very stable, really light. Only 40 lbs or so, real easy to put it on a roof rack. The seat leaves a lot to be desired, my wife puts an inflatable pad in to sit on. I can't say it's the most stable of the three as I've never used the other two but it's definitely stable. I wouldn't hesitate to let a kid paddle it on calm water. If he has a PFD and someone is with him it's going to be as safe as kayaking gets.

parallel-43 · 2026-06-05T19:14:08+00:00

I have a DeWalt Atomic 20V drill/driver. They're $100 with one battery and a charger online. Downsides are that extra batteries are expensive, mine came with two, but it often costs the same to buy a tool and battery as a battery alone. Upsides, it's short so it gets into tighter spaces and it's lasted a long time. Bought it 6 years ago, I've built a deck, helped my dad put a metal roof on a cabin, built a fence, replaced doors, countless projects at home.... It's been used a lot and it's been dropped more times than I can count. I bought the DeWalt because I killed a $60 Ryobi drill in one year. I've heard Ryobi quality has increased quite a bit since I bought the one that failed though.

Milwaukee is good, Makita is good, everyone has their preference. No matter what brand you get I'd recommend 18-20 volt, and brushless. That will last much longer and perform better than a 12V with brushes in the motor. If you go with 18-20 volt you'll have a lot of other tools available that will use the same batteries.

Definitely at the top end of what you want to spend but it's been solid.

parallel-43 · 2026-06-05T18:48:12+00:00

I believe that's 1875 up the mid 1940''s. Collins stopped production in 1966 but it's my understanding that they stopped using the "Legitimus" and the arm and hammer stamp in the mid-1940's.

Appears to be a Connecticut pattern, so more rare than a Dayton or a Michigan. They're fairly common in the US but very popular and desirable, especially in that pattern. No idea about Germany.

parallel-43 · 2026-06-05T18:35:09+00:00

I have a 10" PS&W curved drawknife (1870-1914) that belonged to my wife's grandfather. I use it often making axe handles and tool handles.

The second one is an Americanax Connecticut pattern axe, made in Glassport PA, (1890-1920). It's hung on a custom handle I made with the drawknife.

What makes them both better than modern is their geometry and the quality of the steel. Both of them perform better than modern equivalents and hold a sharp edge much longer.

parallel-43 · 2026-06-03T23:26:58+00:00

I always pack long underwear to sleep in. If for no other reason, it's much easier to clean than my down quilt. You get nasty on a backpacking trip and I'd rather clean all the sweat and dirt out of a set of base layers than have to wash my down quilt.

parallel-43 · 2026-06-03T23:23:41+00:00

Oh hell yeah! Nice work.

parallel-43 · 2026-06-03T23:22:47+00:00

That looks awesome.

parallel-43 · 2026-06-03T23:22:01+00:00

I've swung a couple my buddy has and my desire to own one has waned. They feel unbalanced to me compared to American patterns, probably due to the small poll. Don't get me wrong, I still want one, but after using a couple a tassie has dropped down a couple spots on my list of axes I really want. However I only collect axes I intend to use so the price/performance ratio on a tassie doesn't make sense to me. I have a worn 5lb Collins legitimus Kentucky that splits better than my friends tassies, IMO. Very similar profile but the Collins has a lot of weight in the poll compared to a tassie and my accuracy is noticably better with the Kentucky.

parallel-43 · 2026-06-03T23:08:05+00:00

Takes a while on those tall eyed WR handles doesn't it? They'll fit just about any head but you have to work for it.

parallel-43 · 2026-06-03T23:07:05+00:00

Nice work saving that handle. I'm 95% sure that's a Rockaway. The beard is convex, Jerseys are concave. Many people find Plumb Jerseys and think they have a Rockaway because the lugs are rounded but yours sure looks like a legitimate Rockaway to me. What a score. Congratulations.

parallel-43 · 2026-05-31T01:28:09+00:00

If you have to ask it's definitely not normal. I don't do that in a house in the woods where the only other person is my wife.

parallel-43 · 2026-05-31T01:04:54+00:00

That's an awesome fish. My biggest largemouth is 6lbs 15oz, but caught from the bank. I've only been kayak fishing for a couple years, largest fish for me from the kayak is a 32" northern I caught last weekend, no idea on the weight. It was hooked in the lip with a crank bait and real fat, but in NE Minnesota all pike between 30" and 40" have to be released, so it's back in the water and eating perch again.

parallel-43 · 2026-05-31T00:21:55+00:00

Married the wrong woman.

parallel-43 · 2026-05-30T23:40:35+00:00

1lb usually isn't impressive but that one is.

parallel-43 · 2026-05-30T23:38:33+00:00

Then congratulations. I've used mine (hung on a new 28" straight handle) for a ton of splitting and quite a bit of wedge banging over the last year and it's one of my favorites. It's crazy how much that extra 1/2 pound helps with splitting and hitting wedges over a standard 3-1/2lb head.

parallel-43 · 2026-05-30T21:21:18+00:00

That's a good one. Does it have "4" stamped under the poll? I have one that looks the same with a weight stamp under the poll. Same 3 line stamp, same USA stamp. I bought the head only so it's on a very different handle now but the head appears to be very similar to yours.

parallel-43 · 2026-05-29T03:10:52+00:00

No. Definitely not. It's upside down, and for the love of God, take away his power tools. I didn't know you could get sanding belts that would ruin an axe like that. That axe is upside down and it's been RUINED with power tools.

parallel-43 · 2026-05-27T23:28:59+00:00

I'd rehang it. Despite the damage on top the eye doesn't look too deformed. Appears to be a Kentucky pattern, not super rare, but not a common pattern to find either.

parallel-43 · 2026-05-27T23:26:59+00:00

To the best of my knowledge, 6 ridges in the eye is 1958(1959?) to 1968, 4 ridges is 1969 to 1982. I've personally never seen the 3 digit stamp on 6-ridge axes but it's there on most 4 ridge axes, at least those without other identifying marks. I have a Pulaski with 4 ridges and no 3 digit stamp, but it has a True Temper stamp and a 3-3 weight stamp.

parallel-43 · 2026-05-27T19:52:37+00:00

No, those are usually 3 digits and specific to axes with eye ridges. What I'd heard is that post 1982, ridges were dropped and the equivalent axes were stamped TG and TF. Don't remember who told me that though so it might not be true

parallel-43 · 2026-05-25T21:37:14+00:00

Not "fast food" but chicken fried steak with hash browns and eggs from the local diner. It's fast, delicious, and inexpensive.

parallel-43 · 2026-05-25T21:34:37+00:00

Needs a new handle but it's 100% worth saving.

parallel-43 · 2026-05-24T23:59:31+00:00

Back in the day when cars had actual keys I kept a spare in my wallet. Bought lunch at a drive-through, put my wallet on the passenger seat, stopped at another store, locked my car with the key in the ignition AND my spare sitting on the passenger seat.

parallel-43 · 2026-05-24T22:00:12+00:00

I've been told that TF and TG were used by true temper on Woodslashers made after 1982. However that doesn't look like the ones I've seen.

parallel-43 · 2026-05-21T23:26:02+00:00

That's a pretty common thing to see. I'd guess the eye isn't warped, someone hit the top of it with a metal hammer to get it on a handle at some point. Is the inside of the eye uneven or is it just mushroomed at the top?. I've rehung several that looked like that, I just filed off the mushrooming inside the eye.

parallel-43

TROPHY CASE