9-10 feet kayak for beginner?

[JustJames]

What do you guy think about 10' kayak for small lake? It is narrow but pretty long lake so they separate in 3 zones.

1. No wake zone

2. 35mph zone mostly for water ski and all boaters.

3. May be no speed limit for slalom course and ski jump.

I plan to use kayak on all 3 zones but mostly 1 and 3.

The kayak in my considered is Malibu kayak Mini X 9'3. The reason, it is easier to carry around in my truck bed and easy to store when not in use.

if anyone wanna recommend other kayak please feel free to crime in.

[Darren.]

James-

 

I started out with a 10' kayak, and we still have it.

I think it is fine for a starter, and even a permanent

if it is what you like.

 

Eventually, I wanted standing stability and decided 

to upgrade to a Native Ultimate 12. Now there are 

10' kayaks you can stand in, there weren't when I

bought mine.

 

Also found the 10 got cramped with gear, but that's

a matter of whether I took too much with me. And 

that answer is "yes". Use a crate and you'll have 

a maneuverable fishing system.

 

Upgrade later if you feel you need more room.

 

Oh, and have you tested this Malibu yet?

[scotty918]

You might consider a minimum of 12ft in length, a 9'3 yak may leave a little something to be desired in the tracking department.  A Jackson Cuda 12 (or better yet the 14) sounds like it'd be a fit for your application.  Have you had a chance to demo any kayaks?

[Subaqua Adinterim]

Agree with everything said by Darren above.

 

 No matter what you are sitting in, if things are a little choppy and you are going with the waves; if you get hit sideways at the same time from the wake of a boat, you're flirting with disaster.  Try to stay out of these danger zones.

 

Having warned against the rough water factor; even if you try to avoid it, conditions can change fast so make sure you always have a PFD on.  Additionally, make sure everything you bring along is secured or floats so you can retrieve it if you are dumped.  My first kayak was a WS 10' Tarpon.  It was good to start with, but I eventually sold it as it was not that stable and even worse, it was uncomfortable.  A crate on a small kayak may add to instability and I found that it was one more thing for the wind to catch and throw things off course.

[Choporoz]

I still have my WS Tarpon 100 (10') and my wife has a Perception that's 9 and change.  We have had them on Chesapeake Bay and often on the Potomac in gale force winds (not my proudest fishing moment.)  We have never worried about stability in big water.  In fact, the only time I have ever tipped, was trying to anchor in the rapids of a med/fast river. 

[JustJames]

Thanks all.

no I have not tried any kayaks whatsoever, in fact (don't laugh) at one point I had plan for a kayak on lake Perris so I bought inflatable kayak with everything ready to go but Iwasnt brave as I thought I was so end up I still have brand new inflatable kayak in my garage lol.

 

I talked to a couple guys I saw on the lake with Malibu kayak stealth9 I believe, and they all like it a lot, not fast but stable enough and they can stand on it no problem.

 

My wife's coworker said he got a kayak and he would loan me to see if I really like kayaking, the problem is his kayak is not fishing kayak and from what he said It might be a lot longer (more than 12') than what I want.

 

[Darren.]

19 minutes ago, JustJames said:

Thanks all.

no I have not tried any kayaks whatsoever, in fact (don't laugh) at one point I had plan for a kayak on lake Perris so I bought inflatable kayak with everything ready to go but Iwasnt brave as I thought I was so end up I still have brand new inflatable kayak in my garage lol.

 

I talked to a couple guys I saw on the lake with Malibu kayak stealth9 I believe, and they all like it a lot, not fast but stable enough and they can stand on it no problem.

 

My wife's coworker said he got a kayak and he would loan me to see if I really like kayaking, the problem is his kayak is not fishing kayak and from what he said It might be a lot longer (more than 12') than what I want.

 

 

Nothing to be ashamed of with an inflatable!  

As for length, there's a reason 10' yaks are still being

sold!! They sell!

 

Even Native made a 10' version of the Slayer Propel

because people want a smaller version! No big deal.

 

As they say, different strokes for different folks....

 

But as for the Malibu, you could ask one of those 

guys on the lake next time if you could take their

yak for a short spin - and do so within 50 feet unless

he says have at it. Just get a feel for it, and when 

you test standing, do it right near shore.

[Dorado]

3 hours ago, Darren. said:

James-

 

I started out with a 10' kayak, and we still have it.

I think it is fine for a starter, and even a permanent

if it is what you like.

 

Eventually, I wanted standing stability and decided 

to upgrade to a Native Ultimate 12. Now there are 

10' kayaks you can stand in, there weren't when I

bought mine.

 

Also found the 10 got cramped with gear, but that's

a matter of whether I took too much with me. And 

that answer is "yes". Use a crate and you'll have 

a maneuverable fishing system.

 

Upgrade later if you feel you need more room.

 

Oh, and have you tested this Malibu yet?

Darren - How do you like your Native Ultimate 12?

[dwh4784]

Most people won't recommend a sit inside, but if you aren't concerned about being able to stand I really like my Old Town Vapor 10 Angler. You sit low, it's very stable even in rough water I never felt in danger of tipping. I added one rod holder in front so I can take three with me. I have plenty of room for my tackle bag and whatever else I need, I even took my 4 year old out in it twice and brought a small cooler for snacks. It's light, easy to carry and store. And on sale it was only $400.

[Caliyak]

3 hours ago, JustJames said:

Thanks all.

no I have not tried any kayaks whatsoever, in fact (don't laugh) at one point I had plan for a kayak on lake Perris so I bought inflatable kayak with everything ready to go but Iwasnt brave as I thought I was so end up I still have brand new inflatable kayak in my garage lol.

 

I talked to a couple guys I saw on the lake with Malibu kayak stealth9 I believe, and they all like it a lot, not fast but stable enough and they can stand on it no problem.

 

My wife's coworker said he got a kayak and he would loan me to see if I really like kayaking, the problem is his kayak is not fishing kayak and from what he said It might be a lot longer (more than 12') than what I want.

 

James, I use a WS Tarpon 100 for the small farm ponds and small bodies of water in the the central valley. Go to REI and take a look at the WS Tarpons. Go to Dicks and go look at the 10 foot Pescador from Perception Kayaks. They are light, fit perfect in the back of my silverado and while in the water, small and compact to move in tight spaces. I am a minimalist so one small tackle box and 2 poles. I'm 6"1 and 250 and my tarpon holds me just fine. I highly recommend that 10 footers. 

[Darren.]

4 hours ago, Dorado said:

Darren - How do you like your Native Ultimate 12?

 

Love it. Been a fantastic ride. It is lighter than a

standard yak since it's a hybrid, so hull isn't doubled,

but the downside is it lacks scupper holes, so it can 

get water over sides during big swells/wind.

 

I really like the FX models. If I were in the market

today, and didn't have the $$ for a Pro Angler, I'd

strongly consider an FX or a Slayer.

[Subaqua Adinterim]

Since you have a truck and plan on using the bed to transport, as a point of reference I have a Ford Ranger truck that has a six foot bed and with the bed down has a length of over 90 inches.  I fit a 12' lightweight hybrid Kevlar canoe (Hornbeck) easily in the back for transport.  So you can go up to 12' feet easily if you need to.

 

That's just addressing the transport part to where you are going.  Once you get there, you need to get it down to the water.  If you can pull right next to the water you are all set.   If not, you may need help getting it to the water or need a cart, depending on the weight of your kayak.  Consider that as well.  My wife has a Little Swifty sit inside that is about 9' and is about 38#s, so I can easily move that down to the water carrying it like a suitcase.  When I had a 10' Tarpon, which was considerably heavier, moving that more than 20 yards was a chore, so I made a cart for it. 

 

Consider stability and comfort as well.  You can be comfortable in most set ups for a few hours, any more than that may become aggravating, particularly in many sit insides or SOTs with uncomfortable seats.  Stability in many kayaks depends on keeping your center of gravity low, i.e. keeping your butt on the seat.  There are others that are more stable and you can stand up in them.  Make sure to know the difference before you try standing up.  If you choose the former type(unstable), such as what I considered my 10' WS Tarpon to be, and are thinking of standing up  - please be in no more that a few feet of warm water with no equipment to lose, because you will most likely be going for a swim.  

 

I am looking to get a bigger more stable, more comfortable rig for this summer and am in the research mode myself.  Getting some time on the water in what you are considering will be important.

Good luck on your search.

[BrianSnat]

9 to 10 feet is pretty short. It will be slower than a herd of turtles in peanut butter and won't track well. Go longer if you can at all. 12  feet at least. An extra foot or two can make a huge difference in speed and tracking ability. Definitely stick with Sit on Top (SOT) models. A 9-10 foot sit inside kayak (SINK) usually doesn't have flotation bulkeads, so should you dump in the middle of the lake you ain't getting back inside. Depending on the temp of the water that can be life threatening.