Yakers what kayak do you run?

[NYWayfarer]

Pelican Tracker 100 Angler (DSG exclusive) sit-in kayak.

 

Pros:

CHEAP ($229 on sale)

LIGHT (38 lbs)

fast

stable

 

Cons:

 

Only 2 flush mount rod holders

Very little storage capacity (Front and rear storage hatches are basically bowls with a plastic cover. I put my anchor in the rear one, front is empty.)

2 piece hull (would prefer roto-molded)

Hull scratches easy and being made of multiple thin layers I feel it will wear out quickly.

 

 

 

[Fishingmickey]

I run a Hobie PA14, still have a Diablo Amigo, looking at the Hobie Compass hard.

 

Pro's: Storage!!! I can take everything and the kitchen sink with me and do. It is very comfortable. Best seat in the business bar none. Pedal at 3 mph all day long. Very dry, super stable. Handles wind well. More fish-able water when it is breezy then a paddle yak.  

Con's: Try to go fast for long periods it will flat wear you out. Turns like a 53' semi trailer. Rudder doesn't respond until you get some speed up. I use a paddle for pointing the boat in the right direction or when moving very slowly. If your stopped wind will push you around. You almost have to have a trailer or a long bed pick up to haul. Just about have to use a boat ramp for launching. unless you have a gradual firm bank.  It is flat heavy.

[FLSTYak]

Lure 13.5, super stable for all the flippin' we do here in FL. 

[IgotWood]

I have a Hobie Outback, and a NuCanoe Flint.

 

I love the Hobie. It's a solid boat. The 180 drive is nice, and of course pedaling is a nice way to fish while underway. It's fast. I can stand up on it just fine, even in some chop, but the deck is small and you cant really move while standing. The seat is SUPER comfortable, and adjustable. The front hatch is big, and offers plenty of storage, and it stays pretty dry in there too. I fish flats a lot, which is why I bought the NuCanoe. I always get stuck in the mud with the Hobie.

 

The NuCanoe Flint is great!!! $999...It's light (63lbs), the seat is very comfortable. The deck is flat and wide open, and absolutely no water pools on the deck. It handles chop very well, paddles as good as any other quality kayak, and it tracks like a laser beam. The stability is fantastic. First time out I stood right up on it. The deck is spacious which allows you to move around while standing to adjust your position. Plenty of storage on the deck, but none inside. I bought the Flint specifically for fishing the flats and a couple of tight bass spots. 

 

Since I've bought Flint, I haven't used my Hobie once. 

[Dranrab]

I have a Hobie Revolution 13.  The hands free fishing that pedal kayaks allow just can't be beat. Mine is an older model with the old style seat and no reverse.  My butt gets sore after a few hours, and that's my biggest complaint.  Not having reverse is easy to manage.  The kayak is stable enough for standing, but the floor shape makes it awkward.  This boat is fast!  I have had it over 7MPH according to my GPS.  It's hard to maintain that speed, but it'll cruise 3.5 effortlessly all day.  I have a bum right shoulder, so I can accomplish with the pedal yak what I could never do with a paddle yak.  

[haggard]

Sundolphin Journey 10 SS ("Last Resort")

 

Pros

- sit on top

- small (10 ft) and light weight (44 lb) so it's ridiculously easy to get on the water

- cheap ($185)

- light & cheap enough to throw in the truck and have it ready at all times

 

Cons

- doesn't track well from what I hear (haven't tried it out yet)

- seating looks not comfy

- no access to the inside of the hull (for mounting stuff)

 

2018 Hobie PA12 ("(no name yet...)")

 

Pros

- sit on top

- pedal drive

- fin drive system allows more natural sitting position (sit higher with legs lower than propeller drive systems)

- quality materials

- stability

- attention to detail (ex: molded-in threaded brass fittings for anchor trolley; pull cord to hold fins up against hull if you're in shallows and need to paddle)

- through-hull plugs for fish finder cables

- extras included (ex: recessed transducer area at bottom of hull, with cover plate)

- integrated rudder

- integrated skeg

- paddle included

- dry seal for front hatch

- comfortable and highly adjustable seat (height, lumbar) with great back support upper & lower

- light weight, easily removable drive system (I think it's around 8 lb)

- rail system for mounting things

- spacious mid & rear decks

- 12-sided rails offer resistance to slippage (compared to round/tubes), yet offer 12 mounting angles

- short enough for good turning radius and maneuvering, yet long enough for reasonable speed and stability (I hope... haven't actually be on the water with it yet)

 

Cons

- expen$ive

- proprietary rail/mounting system

- heavy. It's a bit of a beast. 105 lb empty; 128 lb fully rigged.

- Papaya Orange is going to hurt my eyes in bright sunlight

- need to pull a cable to go between forward and reverse; propeller systems are more instant

 

Miller High Life 12' promotional yak ("Banana Boat")

 

Pros

- cheap ($30 used at yard sale)

- bright banana yellow

- Miller High Life promotional decals

 

Cons

- cheap ($30 used at yard sale)

- bright banana yellow

- Miller High Life promotional decals

 

 

 

[kjfishman]

Old Town Loon 126. Didn't by the angler version rigged it myself.  Loons are made from Polylink 3 and will last forever. Super comfortable adjustable seat. Weight capacity 450 lbs so even a big person can safety use.The 126 tracks really well and is fast. They aren't inexpensive but will last a lifetime.

[charliepff]

My wife and I both run Jackson Coosa HD's. We bought them for a few reasons. We can stand and fish off them easy. They had large compartments to store everything in including fishing rods.The one big item that sold me was the fact the center console was removable. Our lab goes with us on every trip for the most part. With the center console removed he can sit in front of me all day long and watch the ducks. Also, on a plus side. Now that we are use to them we can do pretty well in the white water around us also. 

[fishwizzard]

On 4/13/2018 at 10:34 AM, YoTone said:

Slayer propel 10.

 

 

Pros:

Propel drive. ease of pedaling vs paddling is  very nice especially in windy conditions or in current.  in shallow waters i can just pull up the propel drive and paddle.

 

Wide  enough to be a very stable platform to stand on. 

 

Tracks to mount extra stuff like paddle holder and extra rod holders, ect.

 

Light enough to car mount with ease. this was one of the main selling points.  I can strap it on and be ready to go in 5 minutes.

 

Cons

 

Expensive. I kind of dont like telling people what i paid for it when they ask.

 

Can be tricky to steer and fish at the same time. it can get tricky to use a right hand retrieve while steering with my left. its doable but can be annoying. i wish i could mount the steering on the right  so i can hold the rod with my left and steer. thinking of actually buying a left hand retrieve baitcaster to see if i could adjust to it.

 

 

 

 

I also have a Slayer 10 and agree with all of this, esp the part about the Left hand rudder.  I use RH retrieve reels as well and have to keep a little tethered hand paddle on my right side if I need to maneuver while fighting a fish.  My only other beef with it is how much it spins in wind/current, but it's a 10' long by 35" wide boat, so it is to be expected.  

 

I bought it like 2 years ago and I don't know if I would buy it again today, the market has blown up so much that there are a ton more options now.  I didn't use it as much as I wanted to this past season, but I am going to use it hard this year and see how I feel about it in the winter.  

[Subaqua Adinterim]

For the last 4 years I have been fishing out of a 12' Hornbeck, which is a canoe/kayak hybrid.  Prior to that, I had a 10' WS Tarpon, which I sold after using for several years.

Pros:

Very light - made out of Kevlar - 18 pounds - which is beneficial for carrying, transporting and storing 

Wide open layout - I like this so I can put stuff in the open space in front of me

Stable for sitting - 29" wide so as long as I keep my butt on the seat it's good

Comfortable - I use a thin closed cell foam seat with a high back on top of the foam seat, so fairly comfortable; could be better

Fast and maneuverable 

Cons:

Fragile -  should never be dragged across rocks or gravel; Kevlar is tough but scratches on rough surfaces

Stability - can't stand up

Comfort - I would like to be more comfortable and sit higher 

Cost - was $1400 a few years ago, I think about $1700 now

Has rope at front and back for carrying - doesn't happen often, but this rope is a magnet for a hook

I duct tape the exposed rope inside the boat to avoid this since I don't use the rope for carrying

 

Looking to get a Nucanoe Frontier or Flint to supplement my Hornbeck. There is no perfect kayak; however, they are coming out with more and better options every year.

 

 

 

[nighthawk25]

I have a Native Titan 10.5 that I got a couple months ago.

 

Pros-

Stable

Has lots of gear tracks

Super comfortable seat

Propel drive is a big plus

Plenty of space in the back

Storage under the seat and on the sides

 

Cons-

Kinda expensive (not like a Hobie though)

Heavy (I use the landing gear, couldn't do without it)

The vertical rod storage is only usuable with the landing gear if you get a clip of some kind that mounts on the landing gear

 

Overall its a solid boat and seems well made.

[BassnChris]

I have never fished from a kayak and have only been on one once before. We just picked up 3 Vibe Sea Ghosts for my wife, son and I.

 

Have not been able to get them out on the water yet......hopefully I will this weekend and I will get back to this thread with the pros and cons.

 

[InFishingWeTrust]

17 minutes ago, BassnChris said:

I have never fished from a kayak and have only been on one once before. We just picked up 3 Vibe Sea Ghosts for my wife, son and I.

 

Have not been able to get them out on the water yet......hopefully I will this weekend and I will get back to this thread with the pros and cons.

 

Cant beat them for their price point.  Buddy has one he likes it a lot. 

[Hawghead]

I have a Perception Sport Striker. 

 

Pro's

Two seating positions, both are molded, very little back support(con)

High weight capacity

Good stability, not good enough for me at 6'5" to stand and fish.

 

Cons

Fairly heavy

Basically a barge

Poor Tracking

Hatches aren't the best, but I dont use the dry storage a whole lot.

 

Just upgraded to a Jackson Big Rig

 

Pros:

Gear Track abound

Lots of useful fishing features

Great seat- will allow for all day fishing without needing a chiropractor(very important to me)

Great stand ability (very important)

Got it used for a really good price ?

Will be able to use the ample storage and great hatches, now that I can fish for longer periods of time thanks to the great seat.  

 

 

Cons:

Its massive, gotta rig up a ceiling storage solution to get it to fit in my garage

Heavy

 

[Jim Mac]

Nucanoe Frontier 12 footer. 

 

Very stable and versatile. 

[kenmitch]

On 4/13/2018 at 7:34 AM, YoTone said:

Slayer propel 10.

 

 

Pros:

Propel drive. ease of pedaling vs paddling is  very nice especially in windy conditions or in current.  in shallow waters i can just pull up the propel drive and paddle.

 

Wide  enough to be a very stable platform to stand on. 

 

Tracks to mount extra stuff like paddle holder and extra rod holders, ect.

 

Light enough to car mount with ease. this was one of the main selling points.  I can strap it on and be ready to go in 5 minutes.

 

Cons

 

Expensive. I kind of dont like telling people what i paid for it when they ask.

 

Can be tricky to steer and fish at the same time. it can get tricky to use a right hand retrieve while steering with my left. its doable but can be annoying. i wish i could mount the steering on the right  so i can hold the rod with my left and steer. thinking of actually buying a left hand retrieve baitcaster to see if i could adjust to it.

 

 

 

 

 

On 4/16/2018 at 5:02 AM, fishwizzard said:

I also have a Slayer 10 and agree with all of this, esp the part about the Left hand rudder.  I use RH retrieve reels as well and have to keep a little tethered hand paddle on my right side if I need to maneuver while fighting a fish.  My only other beef with it is how much it spins in wind/current, but it's a 10' long by 35" wide boat, so it is to be expected.  

 

I bought it like 2 years ago and I don't know if I would buy it again today, the market has blown up so much that there are a ton more options now.  I didn't use it as much as I wanted to this past season, but I am going to use it hard this year and see how I feel about it in the winter.  

 

I also have the Slayer 10. I have a 2pc paddle and carry 1 part with me all the time. I also hold rod with left and real with the right hand. I use the paddle if needed to maneuver with my right hand. Works great if I just want to pivot and not move forward or back or make really sharp turns while underway. Calm water and a overly feisty bass make for some really fun fights. I caught a super feisty 4.5lb LMB that literally pulled me in circles for a couple minutes. The Slayer is kind of pricey but so are all the other similar options. The seat is a little noisy at times but it's really comfortable. Been out close to 30 times so far this year as the weather has been nice in SoCal so far. 

[Skew12]

This is a great thread 

[LadiMopar]

On 4/13/2018 at 3:17 PM, FLSTYak said:

Lure 13.5, super stable for all the flippin' we do here in FL. 

 

Feelfree Lure 10, incredibly stable, moderate price; got mine at reduced fishing show price of $899.

Weight 70 lbs.

Weight capacity 375

Width 36"

Best feature the gravity seat! Can fish for 6+ hours without feeling stiff or sore which is critical for me. Have physical limitations due in large part to a serious car accident so good back support is crucial.

 

Plenty of leg room for me (5'11") and my gear. Good storage inside the hull for extra rods or gear.

 

Foot pegs are solid, well designed and easily adjustable.

 

Did I mention the amazing gravity seat? 

 

Easy to move with their ingenious "wheel in the keel", no need for a cart.

 

This is my second season with this yak and the only small draw back is the tracking can be a tad skewed in a stiff breeze.

 

[flyfisher]

Atak 140 is my current kayak

pros

stable

fast

Great rigging options to keep it simple or go overboard if you want

very shallow draft

flex pod

Open deck area

 

 

Cons

seat attachment sucks

heavy

rear rod storage is good for travel but not in use on the water

 

I have owned lots of boats from a bunch of different manufacturers and this is the first one where i haven't thought about upgrading after a year or two.  I do want to add a river boat to my arsenal though and am looking at the nu canoe flint.

[Montanaro]

Feelfree Lure 11.5

 

Pros

- Stability and padded standing platform

-Gravity Seat with pockets

-Room and storage

-Wheel

-Replaceable parts

-Dry

-Comfortable

 

Cons

-Heavy

-Seat can wear out and collapse when sitting on it

-Keel durability (have to use gator skin patches now)

-It is a barge

-Front hatch storage is fairly limited

-Wheel does not do well "off road" as it tips kayak

-useless "bait cup holders" that I awkwardly store my drinks in

 

Anyone ever not install their seat but instead use a cooler?  Would like the drink and panfish storage but afraid it wouldnt be good for generating paddling power.

 

[Dtrombly]

Pelican Catch 100. Have only used it once but these are the pros/cons gathered so far. 

 

Pros- 

-comfortable seat

-padded standing area 

-good sized tankwell for storage

-lockable front hatch 

-adjustable foot rest

-gear tracks 

-4 flush mount rod holders

-paddle holder on each side 

- lightweight and affordable 

-stand up assist strap

 

Cons- 

-not super fast 

-stand up assist strap is too short and difficult to reach from the seat

-front hatch storage is the length of the kayak

 

https

 

[kjfishman]

I have an Old Town Loon 126 sit in rigged for fishing with 3 rod holders soft side tackle bag secured behind the seat, anchor trolley, stake out pole home made and a fish finder.

Pros

 

1. The sit in kayak makes for a kayak that I can use year around. Cooler in the summer warmer in the fall winter because your legs are out of the weather.

2. Made from 3 layer Polylink 3 so it is extremely durable. My previous yak was a Loon 138 made from the same stuff bought in in 1999 was still going strong when I sold it last year and bought the 126.

3. Fast and tracks well.

4. Reasonably light 56 lbs.

5. Removable console with USB power outlet for storing keys wallet or what ever. I could even fit the battery I use for the depth finder     in the console if I wanted.

6. Lighter than most sit on yaks.

7. Great resale value. i sold my 1999 Loon 138 for close to what it cost in 99.

8. Rated for up to 450lbs .

9 Very comfortable adjustable seat.

 

Cons

 

1. Probably couldn't stand in it.

2. Not inexpensive but you tend to get what you paid for in the long run.

 

 

 

[Sabamnim]

Perception Pescador 12.5 foot. Rugged with Garmin fish finder, anchor trolley, etc. 

[Abby]

Old Town Vapor. It is the 10 foot angler model. I have duck hunted out of it with no issues. I like it but due to a knee injury I have a hard time getting in and out of it. Looking to get a sit on yak. I fished this morning in it and caught a few bass and pike.

[XF15-Loader]

Picked up a SeaGhost 110 this spring.  I don't think I'm qualified to list pros and cons since it's my first kayak.  There are some things I've noticed about it that drive me nuts but all in all, I love it.  It tracks well, is fast enough for me and was well priced for a yak with a rudder and transducer scupper.  If I ever bought another kayak, I'd probably look at a Bonafide...and a trailer...lol.