Attilio

Well that's just the thing. I have type 1 diabetes on insulin so I have to move as much as humanly possible. Short of overtraining or injury more exercise when you're on insulin is always better (said on purpose for emphasis) because it reduces your insulin needs, keeps appetite sort of down, or at least you eat for good reason instead of wanting to annihilate everything that's in the refrigerator hungry all the time because that's what insulin does. Emphasis type 1 the one that wasn't my fault, never was fat, well into my 40's I don't want to be its hard enough as it is taking the insulin. So I have gravitated to different outdoors activity as well as yes dynamic stretching, yoga like activities, and weight training as well. Agree with MTB you ride less than half the distance for twice the workout. If I don't ride any trails for a while despite being in very good shape I feel sore and I can ride road centuries with 12k climb!

I mostly enjoy all the above (weights less but important past 30yo, especially after 40 and beyond) so its a way to enjoy what I have to do and make me look forward to it instead of begrudgingly walk the neighborhood for 2+ hours a day like I did for so many years of gloom. It runs in my family unfortunately a few relatives are still doing the latter into their old age running around in circles quite literally trying to control their sugars "because they have to" without any pleasure behind the exercise like I used to out of sheer obligation and fear for what's coming if they don't. Just walking isn't that much of a burn so you still have to starve yourself and constantly cope with the never ending ravenousness from the moment you wake up until you fall asleep. Thinking how my life used to be before cycling and kayaking I feel sorry for them.

DonkeyShow

Bike in early summer/fall
standup paddleboard during summer.
Snowboard during winter/spring.
lift weights and yoga year round.

I don't think I could handle another physically active hobby.

jpescatore

I loved sea kayaking here around the Chesapeake Bay and great upper body and leg cross training - until I completely tore my rotator cuff and had after surgery my paddling is relegated to low angle, tourist style paddling. Still fun but not much training value.

Attilio

The S14 G2 is sublime. Not that tippy but very, very fast can keep up with or easily pass longer boats especially plastic ones like the P&H Virgo etc. Can get up to 6.2-6.3mph in a straight line according to Garmin or Strava and not that big or long so easy to store and carry. Any shorter you lose out, I also have an S12 that doesn't feel that fast and it actually feels a little more tippy despite being an inch wider. The S16 is faster I tried it but feels extremely tippy. As always go out of your way to try before you buy as everyone is different.

The one "bad" thing about Stellar boats is they are designed to go fast to the detriment of other things so they don't handle that great. They don't track well, require a skeg or rudder to keep you in place otherwise they squiggle this way and that are almost impossible to control. And when you use these devices you lose out on the boat's potential maneuverability no matter how you adjust the skeg. I just keep my skeg down and forget about it taking a long time to take turns. It's basically a very fast recreational boat but not for big waters. To do any better you have to pay WAY more money like Romany or P&H to have that mature handling that is both crisp and responsive when you want to (on edge) yet track well when upright. Unfortunately none of them are as light or easy to carry and if you want the lightweight versions you're looking north of $6,000.

squirtdad

check out turnpoint boat works petrel play..... Nick Shade design (you can also make one with a CLS stitch and glue kit) https://www.turningpointboatworks.com/the-petrel-play

tkamd73 

Thanks for the info, would never consider a boat over 16ft without a rudder or skeg, as I do live on big water, and rough and windy is quite common. I’ve paddled boats with neither device, and can track with them just fine, to me just less enjoyable over a 4 to five hour paddle especially with any wind over 10kts, quite common on my lake.
I paddled, and spent many hours in lessons, and it was roughly 5 years, before purchasing my first boats, tried everything I could fit in, before deciding on the QCC 700X, and Seda Ikuma. My primary goal is fitness, and covering miles, if I want maneuverability, or to play around, I’ll jump in my neighbors white water kayak.
Thanks for the info on the Stellars, still want to try one. Below is my latest acquisition.
Tim

Attilio

Looks beautiful but it appears its a little narrow for my tastes at only 23". In my experience anything under 24 which is where the G2 lies gets VERY tippy and scary. I am skinny and fit but 6'4" which isn't good for kayaking and stability so looking for that unicorn that is both fast and stable. I am so smitten by the G2 because it it that unicorn fairly stable but able to reach 6.3mph as per Garmin and Strava. I continously reach that speed so it must be the hull or top speed because in 2 1/2 years of having this boat its the consistent glass ceiling. Just took it to Somerset Reservoir in Vermont which is not a great lake by any means a la Ontario or Superior but its pretty big like 16 miles all the way around and subject to a good fetch and strong winds south of Stratton Mountain. In white caps it remained stolid as long as I did my part and paddled.

I would never build my own. I don't have the time or inclination. In every field there is the buy vs build debate. I am a very "buy" kind of guy for me time is money.

Attilio

Wow beautiful. Looks VERY fast. Yes I also have a Stellar ST-17 double for the wife and kid that is even faster and very stable. Problem w/ skeg or rudder though is moving parts are not reliable. It only took a year and a half to break the skeg on my G2 it just separated and fell out never to be found again. Once a year we have a rudder problem on that or my inlaws Wilderness Polaris double as well. Buy very helpful as the G2 wouldn't be controllable even in flat conditions without the skeg all the way down, otherwise it cavorts this way or that. You do maybe 2-3 strokes and it starts turning in whatever direction it wants no matter how much you edge it the boat almost wants to flip in that direction and there's nothing you can do. You have to stick your blade in the water, brake, then restart, only for it to get unsettled again. So its skeg fully down 100% of the time for me. My inlaws have a Tsunami plastic boat as well from Wilderness that one without skeg seems to track OK. The G2 with its skeg tracks better in wind than does the Tsunami, but with skeg up the Tsunami is still useable, the S14 is not at all it won't go straight even in flat conditions no matter what you do. It also loses a lot of stability as well without skeg. When my skeg broke last year I stopped paddling it until I could get it replaced it was that bad.

Wildwood 

I have a single and tandem - both bicycle and kayak.
The kayaks were great in flatwater conditions, Elkhorn Slough = a major highlight for many years.
Kayaking (elkhornslough.org)

Cross training mentally for another great outdoor activity.
I live on a mountain now, no kayaking for a while, just a good few hikes. .

Paul Barnard

Pedal kayaks anyone?

Calsun

Better choice would be rowing to increase strength of the torso muscles. Either a rowing machine or a boat out on the water depending on your resources. I had a rowing scull that was great but developing severe Dupuytren's later in life I needed to stop and sold the boat. Now my alternate activity is trail running which strengthens back and foot muscles.