dpittman Posted August 29, 2015 Posted August 29, 2015 Anyone with a lot of kayak experience. What is the most stable kayak out there. Paddled a jackson big rig today and although nice I thought it would be more stable than it was. Was my first time in a kayak. It rocked pretty good when shifting weight around. I am 5'10" and around 210. Quote
Super User Scott F Posted August 29, 2015 Super User Posted August 29, 2015 If you didn't think the Jackson was stable enough, maybe kayaks are not for you. For maximum stability, look into a personal pontoon like the Outcast pontoons. Unless you are going through class 3 rapids sideways, you cannot flip a pontoon. 2 Quote
Super User Darren. Posted August 29, 2015 Super User Posted August 29, 2015 Anyone with a lot of kayak experience. What is the most stable kayak out there. Paddled a jackson big rig today and although nice I thought it would be more stable than it was. Was my first time in a kayak. It rocked pretty good when shifting weight around. I am 5'10" and around 210. There are more now than ever! In addition to what you mentioned, You have Hobie Pro Anglers, Native Watercraft Ultimates and Slayers, Wilderness Systems ATAK, Ride, Commanders... And a number of others... Quote
Super User Montanaro Posted August 29, 2015 Super User Posted August 29, 2015 There are two levels of stability in kayaks. I call it initial stability and secondary. First one can make you feel shakey but when you really lean into it the outside edge of the kayak stablizes you. You just have to rock the kayak in shallow water to get a feel for it. My feel free lure rocks some when I stand, but I can lean and take a leak off the side and the kayak is rock solid. Quote
Fin Stalker Posted August 29, 2015 Posted August 29, 2015 It was your first time in a kayak, of course it's not going to feel a solid as what you expected. Most kayaks you can stand in range from 29"-34" wide, that's not much surface to stand on when you're talking about being on the water. There are several kayaks out there that are more than stable enough to stand and fish from. A lot of what you experienced was lack of time on the water on a kayak that's all. Don't get discouraged right away take as many as you can for a test drive before you decide on one particular brand/model. A couple to look at to go along with what has already been mentioned are the Ocean Kayak Big Game II and the Old Town Predator 13. 1 Quote
stk44 Posted August 29, 2015 Posted August 29, 2015 I would recommend the predator. It's like 1300 bucks though. I want one, I tested one out.... Awesome and stable. 1 Quote
Big C Posted August 29, 2015 Posted August 29, 2015 I have the Ascend D10T It's about the cheapest most stable kayak you can buy. It's 10 feet long and 32" wide (I think). I stand in it 90% of the time and never flipped. Now that I said that I'll probably flip it next time out, but so far so dry. Quote
OperationEagle Posted August 29, 2015 Posted August 29, 2015 dpittman, your comfort level depends some on the kayak design but also your sense of balance. Some people are going to be more comfortable in a kayak than others.  If you choose the widest most stable platform, you will most likely have to trade something else off such as hull speed, maneuverability, and also weight.  Try as many yaks to get a feel for each boat's characteristics. Think about what you are willing to trade off...then jump in and enjoy it. I am confident you will find fishing from a kayak a blast.  As an example...I hooked into a 45 inch tiger muskie today. I was amazed that I was able to control and LAND the beast by dragging it into my kayak (just by chance a Jackson kayak similar to what you tested (Cuda12)). What a thrill.  No steel leader(as I was fishing for LMB), no net, no pliers, caught from a kayak. I paddled with one arm to the nearest bass boat for a pic. They were impressed and jealous of everything about my adventure; esp catching it from a kayak. A memory I will have forever...truly awesome!  Good luck w your search!  2 Quote
dpittman Posted August 29, 2015 Author Posted August 29, 2015 Thanks for the feedback guys. I did feel the big rig was stable. I just thought there would be less side to side rocking. I guess it is the nature of the beast. I think I could be quiote happy with the big rig. I was just looking for alternatives since there is no way I can paddle all of them. i figured the big rig was as stable as possible considering the width and reputation. As far as I know the only kayak that might be more stable would be a Hobie PA but they are out of my price range. Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted August 29, 2015 Super User Posted August 29, 2015 dpittman, your comfort level depends some on the kayak design but also your sense of balance. Some people are going to be more comfortable in a kayak than others.  If you choose the widest most stable platform, you will most likely have to trade something else off such as hull speed, maneuverability, and also weight.  Try as many yaks to get a feel for each boat's characteristics. Think about what you are willing to trade off...then jump in and enjoy it. I am confident you will find fishing from a kayak a blast.  As an example...I hooked into a 45 inch tiger muskie today. I was amazed that I was able to control and LAND the beast by dragging it into my kayak (just by chance a Jackson kayak similar to what you tested (Cuda12)). What a thrill.  No steel leader(as I was fishing for LMB), no net, no pliers, caught from a kayak. I paddled with one arm to the nearest bass boat for a pic. They were impressed and jealous of everything about my adventure; esp catching it from a kayak. A memory I will have forever...truly awesome!  Good luck w your search!  Congrats ~ Post up that PIC !  A-Jay Quote
NotnatsSamoht Posted August 30, 2015 Posted August 30, 2015 A hybrid kayak like Nucanoe Frontier 12 has a width of 41. 1 Quote
HeavyDluxe Posted August 30, 2015 Posted August 30, 2015 Thanks for the feedback guys. I did feel the big rig was stable. I just thought there would be less side to side rocking. I guess it is the nature of the beast. I think I could be quiote happy with the big rig. I was just looking for alternatives since there is no way I can paddle all of them  A couple years ago, I was in the same boat as you... (Ha!)  As a angler-of-girth, I wanted a dead-stable platform that would allow me to get into skinny water and fish while not worrying that I'd turtle the boat leaning over to lip a fish or while trying to get to my rods/tackle in the back.  I found what Montanaro outlined earlier.  Most kayaks rock a fair bit, but the chines on the hull will 'lock' in place before you can lean too far over.  For example, I bought a Ride 115.  I can throw that boat over so far to the side that I'll slide into the water but the boat won't tip.  I can stand on one rail, and the boat holds.  Not all boats are the same, though... I flipped a Coosa (twice) when I was demo'ing.  Still embarrassed about that one.  For my part, I think that the Ride was where I found the most security in stability... I never feel/felt like I was worried about the way the boat was moving/rocking. It felt controlled and, once up on a rail, dead steady.  The downside is that the same boat is pretty flabby when paddling (I chased my son today and really had to work to keep up with his paddling of a pretty generic SINK).   If you have other questions, please feel free to message me... I'd be glad to help if I could. Quote
Super User DogBone_384 Posted August 30, 2015 Super User Posted August 30, 2015 I fish from Ascend's 128T and FeelFree's Lure 11.5. Both are very stable. The 128T is looks like an aircraft carrier, and acts like one. The Lure sits lower in the water and is 36" wide. I fished standing for roughly 6 hours on the Lure at Horseshoe Pond, ME, without a hitch. Like other members already said: it takes practice to get comfortable standing. It did for me.My two cents.Best of luck picking your kayak. 1 Quote
Hogsticker Posted August 30, 2015 Posted August 30, 2015 You can always add outriggers / stabilizers as well. Quote
Racerx Posted August 30, 2015 Posted August 30, 2015 As someone who's new to kayak fishing, I thought my new Field And Stream Eagle Talon would be more stable than it feels to me. So, I created, essentially, training wheels. I bought two boat fenders and attached one to each side, as sponsons, to further stabilize things. It DOES create additional water drag, which is a bit annoying, but once I feel I have my "sea legs" a bit more, I'll detach them. I already have a pair of outriggers that I made, for my canoe, to allow me to stand while fishing. They make things REAL stabile, so, if I choose, I can always add them to the kayak, for standing up. 1 Quote
VolFan Posted August 30, 2015 Posted August 30, 2015 IMO the best thing you can do is take a few boats out and try to flip them. Fall in. Do everything you can to make the boat dump you in the water. Do that and you'll get better feel for what you can and can't do in some of these boats, especially fishing moves. They're very stable, but they're not like fishing from a dock. But, falling out of one is a far sight from flipping one. Quote
Super User buzzed bait Posted August 31, 2015 Super User Posted August 31, 2015 my ride 135 is ridiculously stable. Â I will fall out 99/100 times before the kayak flips over... Â It also takes a good deal of practice to understand how to stand in a way that leaves you stable and comfortable. Quote
Rhino68W Posted September 4, 2015 Posted September 4, 2015 One way to test the stability is to sit in the seat, turn around at the waist like you are getting something from a crate, look up at the sky, and lean backwards(so you back is going towards the water). Your balance will be shot, so if the kayak can handle you doing that you'll be good. As for standing, I think that comes with experience and agility. 2 Quote
lectricbassman Posted September 5, 2015 Posted September 5, 2015 If you didn't think the Jackson was stable enough, maybe kayaks are not for you. For maximum stability, look into a personal pontoon like the Outcast pontoons. Unless you are going through class 3 rapids sideways, you cannot flip a pontoon. X2!!! The big rig is the most stable kayak i have ever fished from! Quote
WPCfishing Posted September 18, 2015 Posted September 18, 2015 I know you guys are kayak fans and that's great. About 15 years ago I rigged a kayak for bass fishing. I enjoyed the heck out of it.. Now I do all my fishing out of a wide14' canoe I rigged. I can get into the same places.. I have a lot more space and a lot more stability. I'm using a 55# thrust Minn Kota for power and a 30# thrust Minn Kota up front. It's set up like a bass boat. I built an outrigger for it that keeps it planted. I can move around any time I chose to. It's totally stable. 2 Quote
Dye99 Posted September 18, 2015 Posted September 18, 2015 I fish out a few different Yaks, and started with canoes way back in the day. Â I personally didn't like the jackson, but it was a solid boat, I agree with the above poster that mentioned if the big rig was too unstable, possibly kayaks are not your thing. Â Ive got a Native slayer for ponds, A ocean kayak trident 13 for big water, but my main boat is a the Wilderness atak. Â Â The atak is the most stable but still being functional of all the kayaks Ive fished or demo'd... Â I use it for local tourneys and everything from big water, the delta, or even local ponds... I can stand in it all day with no issues... Â But remember, standing in a yak comes with experience. Demo'ing someone else's boat, and standing up in it the first ten minutes is not going to give you an accurate feel for it, like owning one and fishing out of it for months and months... Â Â I would suggest just picking a boat that you know you can stand in, and just learn to use it. Quote
T-Rick Posted September 19, 2015 Posted September 19, 2015 I really like my Hobie Pro Angler 14. Â This was my first season with it and I was able to stand very easy and never felt like I was going to flip. Quote
Dye99 Posted September 19, 2015 Posted September 19, 2015 I really like my Hobie Pro Angler 14. Â This was my first season with it and I was able to stand very easy and never felt like I was going to flip. Hobie makes nice boats. I demo'd the pro 14...I liked it but there were some flaws that just stuck in my craw...No rod storage, crazy weight of 150 pounds, the fact it has to be taken apart to haul in a truck, and all this is not even mentioning the fact it is easily twice the cost of other top of the line fishing yaks... Â It just seemed too much overkill to fish for bass in local lakes. Granted if I was an ocean guy it might be different. Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted September 19, 2015 Super User Posted September 19, 2015 I know you guys are kayak fans and that's great. About 15 years ago I rigged a kayak for bass fishing. I enjoyed the heck out of it.. Now I do all my fishing out of a wide14' canoe I rigged. I can get into the same places.. I have a lot more space and a lot more stability. I'm using a 55# thrust Minn Kota for power and a 30# thrust Minn Kota up front. It's set up like a bass boat. I built an outrigger for it that keeps it planted. I can move around any time I chose to. It's totally stable.   Me Too  A-Jay  Quote
ClackerBuzz Posted September 22, 2015 Posted September 22, 2015 Ive got a Native slayer for ponds, A ocean kayak trident 13 for big water, but my main boat is a the Wilderness atak. lol this has been my experience.  I've gone thru 4 kayaks and 3 canoes.  it takes awhile to dial in what you like and don't.  i just buy off craigslist for a price i can easily re-sell w/o losing money. now i own 1 yak, 1 canoe and 1 jon boat   just depends on where i'm going to fish. Quote
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