KIds day-touring kayak suggestions?

My youngest is ready to start solo paddling more often and I believe
that he'll want to follow his older brother to the dark side. So I'm
looking for suggestions for a kids day-touring kayak.

Not a tiny boat like an Epi-tyke, but something that he'll fit in for
a few years (he's 12 and about to hit a growth spurt) or more. We had
a Piccolo for a while and that was nearly perfect (although my oldest
outgrew it last year and now paddles an old Hydra Horizon).

Criteria would be something with a hatch that can haul at least
daytripping stuff (lunch & drinks and such), relatively light and fast
enough that a small one can keep up with mom and dad in solo canoes,
and something that is capable on flats and easy moving water (say,
class 1). Recommendations or suggestions appreciated.

I'm thinking a plastic boat is the way to go, since a lot of our local
paddling is shallow and rocky bottomed. What's currently being made
that fits this bill?

in article b8fe2f84.0308070338.2d48140a.RemoveThis@posting.google.com, Mike McCrea at
mccrea.RemoveThis@umbi.umd.edu wrote on 8/7/03 6:38 AM:

 > My youngest is ready to start solo paddling more often and I believe
 > that he'll want to follow his older brother to the dark side. So I'm
 > looking for suggestions for a kids day-touring kayak.
 >
 > Not a tiny boat like an Epi-tyke, but something that he'll fit in for
 > a few years (he's 12 and about to hit a growth spurt) or more.

Rather than his age, you might want to supply his current height and weight.
At 12 there can be as much variation in size as with adults.

 > We had
 > a Piccolo for a while and that was nearly perfect (although my oldest
 > outgrew it last year and now paddles an old Hydra Horizon).
 >
 > Criteria would be something with a hatch that can haul at least
 > daytripping stuff (lunch & drinks and such), relatively light and fast
 > enough that a small one can keep up with mom and dad in solo canoes,
 > and something that is capable on flats and easy moving water (say,
 > class 1). Recommendations or suggestions appreciated.
 >
 > I'm thinking a plastic boat is the way to go, since a lot of our local
 > paddling is shallow and rocky bottomed. What's currently being made
 > that fits this bill?<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->