10ft vs 12ft kayak

[RealtreeByGod]

Is there much difference between the two? I'm leaning towards getting a 10 foot because its smaller size would make it easier to load and offload, plus they're a bit cheaper. Does that extra 2 feet help in stability, tracking, speed, etc enough to justify the extra hassle and cost? 

 

I'd be mostly fishing relatively small and uncrowded reservoirs. Biggest water I'd ever take it on would be the rural end of Chickamauga a few times a year, where the only thing that'd really worry me is getting swamped by a barge. 

[Brad in Texas]

I own several kayaks, a super canoe, too. Of my kayaks, the one I use more than any other is my Native Propel 10. It is just so easy to load on the back of my truck, so much less effort to get on and off the water. It is 34" wide (10 feet long) so an inch wider than its big brother, the Native Propel 13. It has a super reputation as a great kayak fishing vessel.

 

So, a few things. In general, a longer, sleek kayak will pedal/paddle faster. There is some math behind this.  And, again, generally speaking, a longer kayak tracks better and the bow doesn't wander as much to starboard and port if you are paddling. Finally, stability is proportional to the area of the kayak at its water line, this and owing also to its shape. Some kayaks are better "shaped" for stability, others configured for speed.

 

I can stand in my Propel 10 but not as easily and casually as my Jackson Big Rig. But, the Jackson Big Rig isn't even close to the stability of my Meyers Sportspal S-15 canoe. If you think you plan to stand a lot, go a little longer.

 

Finally, even though the top end speed varies a few MPH between various makes and models of kayaks, we all tend to "fish" at the same speed, move from one spot to another at basically a casual walking speed. So, don't over-emphasize speed too much in your buying process. You won't be sprinting around all that often, if ever.

 

Hope this helps!  Brad

[kenmitch]

It's really hard to make logical decisions without knowing the kayaks in question. It's probably better in the end if you narrow down your choices then seek advice on what would be better. Of the things you listed the 12ft could be better or worse in some or even all. 

 

 

[Jim Mac]

I agree it depends on the kayak. Before I bought my Frontier 12', I demoed the Frontier 10' and it tipped completely over, with me with it, of course. And at that point, I had been kayaking for about 5 years. It is the most tippy kayak I ever tried. 

[Brad in Texas]

6 hours ago, Jim Mac said:

I agree it depends on the kayak. Before I bought my Frontier 12', I demoed the Frontier 10' and it tipped completely over, with me with it, of course. And at that point, I had been kayaking for about 5 years. It is the most tippy kayak I ever tried. 

And, there are really very few 10 footers in true fishing kayaks to begin with. It is not an over-populated space. The Propel 10 I mention, then Native has a Titan that is labeled 10.5 but 10' 9" as I recall. Old Town is releasing a shorter kayak this year at ICAST, I think, Bonafide finally brought out its smaller paddler. There's a short Diablo, a few others.

 

Slim pickings.  And, what Jim Mac said . . . some kayaks are just tippy by design, really poor design issues for angling, and if it happens to be one in the 10 ft. range, you'll likely spend a lot of time in the water. I recall seeing one rather large, inexperienced dude try to get in a short kayak off the bank and he looked like he was trying to balance on a beam the whole time. He had enough sense to pop back out instead of flipping out deep.

 

Brad

[B-Dozer]

your size and weight should be considered also. 

[kenmitch]

5 hours ago, B-Dozer said:

your size and weight should be considered also. 

Along with budget, and I guess if your a top heavy female (lol) it could also shift the weigh ratio to a higher point in which a lower seat position would be of some benefit. 

[J Francho]

I've never really found a 10' that I enjoyed.  There was just no room for anything, and they seemed like a toy.  There's a TON of options once you step into that 12' realm.  And not all are heavy, so keep an eye on that spec.  My Compass (12') is 68 lbs. without the seat and drive.  My Commander 140 (14') is 65 lbs.  Contrast that with other boats I've had, like a 13' Prowler Big Game that was over 80 lbs. 

 

Bottom line, we can tell you OUR favorite boat, but you won't really know until you get some seat time.  Test drives are a must if your shelling out for a purpose built fishing kayak.

[B-Dozer]

44 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I've never really found a 10' that I enjoyed.  There was just no room for anything, and they seemed like a toy.  There's a TON of options once you step into that 12' realm.  And not all are heavy, so keep an eye on that spec.  My Compass (12') is 68 lbs. without the seat and drive.  My Commander 140 (14') is 65 lbs.  Contrast that with other boats I've had, like a 13' Prowler Big Game that was over 80 lbs. 

 

Bottom line, we can tell you OUR favorite boat, but you won't really know until you get some seat time.  Test drives are a must if your shelling out for a purpose built fishing kayak.

Yeah I didn't want to knock those with 10', but I never was comfortable in one either. Wilderness Pungo weighs 49 lb. there's a fishing model being made still (I think) rod holder, anchor system. pretty roomy too. 

Might be worth looking into a place that rents them, so you can try one out to see how you like it

[Tizi]

I really like my Jackson Cruise Angler 10, light weight (53 pounds), paddles and tracks well.  Easy to move around and launch.  I like mine a lot. 

[Fishingmickey]

10 hours ago, B-Dozer said:

your size and weight should be considered also. 

This ^^^^^ is seriously the key. Unless it is one of the higher end wide beam kayaks like the Slayer Propel 10 or the Wildy Titan which is closer to 11'. My sweetheart has a Wilderness systems Tarpon 100 I tried it and flipped very easy. She's 5'8" 145 and I'm 6'1" 250. 

[Djohn]

I have a Tarpon 100 and a Preception Precador Pro 10 and I love them both. I fish mostly rivers and small lakes (electricc motors only allowed). In ten years I've never flipped one and the weight you mention is a plus for me with knee issues. Just a FYI I don't care about standing up in the kayak I do just as well setting.

[RealtreeByGod]

On 7/9/2018 at 9:26 PM, kenmitch said:

It's really hard to make logical decisions without knowing the kayaks in question. It's probably better in the end if you narrow down your choices then seek advice on what would be better. Of the things you listed the 12ft could be better or worse in some or even all. 

 

 

I haven't narrowed down much of anything, but I've mostly looking mid-level ones. Something like a T or H series Ascend or a Pescador Pro. Not wanting to spend anything more than 800 bucks. 

 

On 7/10/2018 at 6:49 AM, B-Dozer said:

your size and weight should be considered also. 

6'2 170ish 

[kenmitch]

3 hours ago, RealtreeByGod said:

I haven't narrowed down much of anything, but I've mostly looking mid-level ones. Something like a T or H series Ascend or a Pescador Pro. Not wanting to spend anything more than 800 bucks. 

 

6'2 170ish 

I'd search your local craigslist and other sources for your area and see what's available on the used market. I'd imagine you could get a better kayak in the end doing so.

 

A really comfortable seat is more important than all the other bells and whistles that go beyond what you need. I wouldn't sacrifice stability to get a better seat in the end. The seat could be a deciding factor between choices in the end.

 

Most kayaks have videos on youtube these days. There are a lot of videos on what it takes to flip a kayak and a lot of the more popular choices will have one.

 

I was a kayak virgin til I bought my Slayer 10 Propel so I've never fished another. I do know that a comfortable seat is really a must if you plan on fishing for extended periods of time.

 

I guess you could take a look at the new Old Town Topwater 106. It's msrp is $899 but does have a mail in rebate for a Hummingbird Pirahnamax 4 fish finder if you planned on adding one anyways.

 

 

[haggard]

Assuming you're looking at the exact same boat in 10 vs 12, the main difference will be the 10 may be slightly more nimble/agile but will require more input from you, while the 12 will be slightly faster and more controllable (better tracking). 

 

While yes overall length is a factor when thinking about toting the boat in the pickup bed, there are factors (IMHO) more important than length: Sit on top vs. Sit in; pedal drive vs paddle; stability; weight of boat; weight capacity; how much fishing you intend to do. Length is an obvious and easy measure for yaks, but like megapixels in digital cameras, there are measures that make a bigger practical difference.

 

Good place to start is let us know what you are likely to do with this yak. Not what you want to do, but what you are actually likely to do, based on your location, your abilities and the species in your most often fished areas.

 

Let that dictate your yak choice.

 

 

[jreach]

Well said @dink  I was going back and forth on the Ascend 10T and 12T and am SOO glad I went with the 12T.  A hitch extender made travel with my short bed truck that much easier as well as making it a breeze to load up and unload.

 

Knowing what you plan on doing makes a difference for sure.

[Waterford]

I would encourage you to try the kayaks you're interested in. I bought a cheap 10' Emotion sot kayak. I have learned over repeated use what my limits are so I don't flip it. For right now it works for me. I can load it easily, I don't mind dragging it to a launch and if it were to get stolen for some reason I know I didn't spend alot on it. 

[JustJames]

If youe budget around (consider accessories like wheel cart and extensions/roof rack), including your health to be able to lift, and your storage, I would go for 12' or bigger. It is more stable and of course more storage.

Me, I'm happy with my 10' pescador Pro 100. My lake is pretty small and I don't have to walk a mile to the lake. I op. for something light weight that I can lift up and down from truck to lake and from truck to garage without wheel cart. It is not as stable but if I don't plan to stand up on it, I should be fine. I only fish a few hours each trip so I don't need a whole bunch of room, a backpack, a few boxes, one plastic binder, 3 rods and I'm good to go.