My 9 year old son and I purchased a 9ft Dagger Zydeco from Will at Get Outdoors in 2009. This has been a great boat for him to start with. He had only paddled once before so I wanted it to be a positive experience while being able to man his own boat. It's light enough he can handle it on his own (even with gear) but big enough for his gear to fit comfortably. He likes to practice maneuvers in it and the size allows him to do that easily. I like the bright mango color so he can be seen when on larger bodies of water. We paddle lakes as well as black water and rivers and this size has really been versatile in all situations. I think a larger boat would have been harder for him to handle, I always appreciate the expert advice that the staff at Get Outdoors provides.

(Posted on 5/19/11)