>>192577I wouldn't recommend either of those boats. The dancer is an OLD school whitewater boat. I personally think they are awesome, but definitely not for a beginner. The Flex is a cheap POS, you will be better served taking that money and renting a few boats. I would recommend a sit on top for your first boat. Get a 12'+ model and you can go downriver, on a lake, or in the ocean. Very versatile and easy to use, watch out for too hard of a chine or you'll be flipping over on rivers every time you get cross current.
My advice to you is not to buy a WW boat for your first, I made this mistake years ago myself. A good used boat can be had for $350-$500. Don't skimp on this. Look for a Scupper pro or Wilderness Systems, find your local paddling website, there is probably a gear swap/sale area. After you paddle for a while you'll decide what you want to do, and you can buy a specialized boat for that. I have three canoes, three WW boats, a rec boat, and a SOT. They all do different things and some get used more often than others. My aluminum canoe sees more use than any of my other boats. Have you thought about a canoe, I know that this is going to raise a shit storm but under most circumstances a canoe is better than a kayak.
