Is it a kayak? Or a boat?

[Choporoz]

I'm not sure, but I am sure that the yak as a fishing platform is undergoing an incredible change pace.  Standing, peddling, motoring....the changes are sort of dizzying....but I thought I'd gotten accustomed to that.  Then, something else comes along to sort of blow my mind.  Here's another potential game changer.  Under a grand; motor-ready...in fact designed from hull up for a motor....and I heard that KBF already on board with it, though I've been unable to confirm that. 

 

 

[kjfishman]

Looks interesting. Web site said 77 lbs base lighter than I thought it would be.

[Allen Der]

It's 100% a solo plastic jon boat, even the name says so.  it just happens to be made by a kayak company (feel free) and is legal by KBF standards as long as they are sponsored by Torqueedo and allow motors.

[flyfisher]

KBF no longer supports kayaking like they used to.  back in the day motors were only allowed for those who were disabled.  Fast forward to torqueedo being a sponsor and lo and behold they are now innovative and pushing the envelope and totally allowed.  That being said, that thing looks pretty d**n cool and i would get one.

[Tizi]

super cool

[Harold Scoggins]

I don't do tournaments, but I can see where having an electric motor on a kayak would be a game changer for those who do. That being said, I remember the heated debates when KBF started allowing trolling motors on kayaks and I myself thought that they were opening a can of worms for future debates on what defines a kayak. I remember thinking myself that it would only be a matter of time before manufactures started pushing the threshold when it came to design. It may get interesting in the very near future. Now, where did I put that paddle?

[Brad Reid]

At least here in Texas, a fair number of kayak tournaments are won by paddlers, not pedalers. Power over pedals over paddling isn't nearly as "stacked" in that order as we thought. "We" includes me in the past.

 

Winning stats notwithstanding, I do think there will be limits as more "boats" like this one qualify for tournaments. If I were in charge, I'd want a manual category and another for "under power."

 

Brad

[WRB]

Kayak by definition is a boat and has evolved from it's seal skin Eskimo heritage to a plastic boat. Where do you draw the line? To me it looks like a elecrtic powered duck boat I made over 60 years ago.

You kayaker's need to set some rules.

Tom

[Allen Der]

1 hour ago, Brad Reid said:

At least here in Texas, a fair number of kayak tournaments are won by paddlers, not pedalers. Power over pedals over paddling isn't nearly as "stacked" in that order as we thought. "We" includes me in the past.

 

Winning stats notwithstanding, I do think there will be limits as more "boats" like this one qualify for tournaments. If I were in charge, I'd want a manual category and another for "under power."

 

Brad

The guy who finished second in the kbf national championship fished from this

[CenCal fisher]

5 hours ago, WRB said:

Kayak by definition is a boat and has evolved from it's seal skin Eskimo heritage to a plastic boat. Where do you draw the line? To me it looks like a elecrtic powered duck boat I made over 60 years ago.

You kayaker's need to set some rules.

Tom

You could draw the line at human powered only, set a thrust limit on motors or make two divisions. 

[GeekOutdoors]

6 hours ago, CenCal fisher said:

You could draw the line at human powered only, set a thrust limit on motors or make two divisions. 

Our club is human-propelled vessels only so canoes and even a rowboat would be allowed...

 

Pelican just released their Catch 100 PWR which is very similar to the OP... They also released a Catch 110HD which I might fall for next Spring...

 

[TOXIC]

Any watercraft with a propulsion device in VA is required to be titled and registered and that includes a trolling motor.  On the example above I can't see him getting too shallow with that motor on the back, doesn't look like it adjusts up in any way and I thought that was one of the advantages of a yak?  

[Choporoz]

41 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

Any watercraft with a propulsion device in VA is required to be titled and registered and that includes a trolling motor.  On the example above I can't see him getting too shallow with that motor on the back, doesn't look like it adjusts up in any way and I thought that was one of the advantages of a yak?  

Don't for a second doubt the ingenuity of the yakkers.  They WILL find a way to mount both motors in such a way as to get that thing into any water

I'm not much of a modder, but I am blown away by some of the adaptations every time I go out with a group

[jaimeastin]

I lovey kayak fishing.  Started before it got so dang popular.  Modding it was some fun times.  I have have had 5, currently 4, and they are all paddle.  One of the very best things about it is that I get a decent workout in while fishing.  It's the same with float tubing, my legs get a workout.

 

I was working on putting a trolling motor on one of my kayak at one point. Hacked a trolling motor up, got to cables to run the steering... Then I stopped.  It took away something I liked. 

 

Seriously, for me, it is the worse part about fishing put of a boat.  I feel like I get no workout and kinda lazy.  I was kayak fishing or float tubing 3-5 days/nights a week.

 

That was before my back surgery at 32 due to a distracted driver...  I am getting better, but float tubing hurts and I cannot kayak fish too long.  I had an incident last month where my back went out and I couldn't walk... Thankfully I was home cleaning by boat out rather than fishing by myself on the boat.

 

With all that said...  I truly believe the best part of kayak fishing is manual/propulsion.  But reality is if you aren't taking care of your body or you get injured, that method of phishing is limited. Not only that we're all getting older, and if we are not taking care of our bodies... We're not going to be to do what we love.

 

Have a budget set aside just for fishing big purchases like this... I showed my wife last night and I think I'm going to buy it. I might go to Lodi this evening to see it. I think it would be good content for my other media. I really don't want it in California to compete with my kayaks and boat and would rather have it back in Arkansas... But it's so new I would not have the time to spend with it and make the content that I would like if I left it in Arkansas.

 

Is it kayak or a boat... I think it's something that gets a person on the water to fish. And that's the bottom line. I've seen people fish out of contraptions that they made floating with a lawn chair on top.  It was no laughing matter. I don't look at anyone and start to judged him by what their fishing out of or how expensive it is... The bottom line is a person's fishing.

[Brad Reid]

11 hours ago, Allen Der said:

The guy who finished second in the kbf national championship fished from this

For sure. Having power doesn't preclude one from doing well in comps. I actually own one of these BSB 360s and it'd be rather worthless in comps without a power option. Too slow covering water. But, powered up, or for small lakes, or for fly fishing and other things, it's a great platform!

[Choporoz]

17 hours ago, flyfisher said:

KBF no longer supports kayaking like they used to.  back in the day motors were only allowed for those who were disabled.  Fast forward to torqueedo being a sponsor and lo and behold they are now innovative and pushing the envelope and totally allowed.  That being said, that thing looks pretty d**n cool and i would get one.

Yep....every event, no matter if national, regional, or local, that is associated with kbf has torqueedo all over it.

First couple events I fished where it was advertised that torqueedo was an addded prize, I was pretty impressed.   The small print not obvious was that the torqueedo prizes were coupons knocking maybe a couple hundred off the two grand prices....I felt a little duped...torqueedo has inserted itself well into every possible add/sponsor space

[WRB]

2 hours ago, TOXIC said:

Any watercraft with a propulsion device in VA is required to be titled and registered and that includes a trolling motor.  On the example above I can't see him getting too shallow with that motor on the back, doesn't look like it adjusts up in any way and I thought that was one of the advantages of a yak?  

Hydraulic jack plate option coming soon! 

[Allen Der]

5 hours ago, Brad Reid said:

For sure. Having power doesn't preclude one from doing well in comps. I actually own one of these BSB 360s and it'd be rather worthless in comps without a power option. Too slow covering water. But, powered up, or for small lakes, or for fly fishing and other things, it's a great platform!

Yeah he has a minnkota bow mount with spot lock on it.  To me that's too far and more than just propulsion.  PS I have a Lund with spot lock but I also kayak fish

[flyfisher]

It is all about the dollars really.  I also have to laugh whenever someone says it isn't that much of an advantage because XY paddler won so and so tournament.  If that were the case then why get one if the only advantage is lightening your wallet?

Total crap to think that pedals or motors aren't an advantage in the vast majority of circumstances over a paddle.  They need to just have three divisions, paddle, pedal and powered and be done with it.  

The thought of competing against those with motors on a larger lake has definitely influenced my decision to tournament fish or not.  I mean the next KBF national championship is on lake guntersville.  I am pretty sure that's a pretty large lake and I would guess that having propulsion other than paddle would be a distinct advantage.

No matter what, I may get one of these boats and sell my ATAK and get a river only boat so I can have a lake and a river boat.

[Brad Reid]

1 hour ago, flyfisher said:

It is all about the dollars really.  I also have to laugh whenever someone says it isn't that much of an advantage because XY paddler won so and so tournament.  If that were the case then why get one if the only advantage is lightening your wallet?

Total crap to think that pedals or motors aren't an advantage in the vast majority of circumstances over a paddle.  They need to just have three divisions, paddle, pedal and powered and be done with it.  

The thought of competing against those with motors on a larger lake has definitely influenced my decision to tournament fish or not.  I mean the next KBF national championship is on lake guntersville.  I am pretty sure that's a pretty large lake and I would guess that having propulsion other than paddle would be a distinct advantage.

No matter what, I may get one of these boats and sell my ATAK and get a river only boat so I can have a lake and a river boat.

I'll see if I can get some stats for you. But, here in north and east Texas, paddlers have done really well over the past several years in tournaments. And, I'd say we have more kayak anglers, as many tournament trails as most states.

 

The first two wins this year on one trail were by paddlers. Likely, too, there are just way more pedalers than paddlers and that would have to be adjusted.

 

There can be a whole lot of reasons to want a pedal kayak, not just better fishing.

 

I do agree. I think power vs. manual (feet or arms) is the way to go.

 

Brad

[flyfisher]

21 minutes ago, Brad Reid said:

I'll see if I can get some stats for you. But, here in north and east Texas, paddlers have done really well over the past several years in tournaments. And, I'd say we have more kayak anglers, as many tournament trails as most states.

 

The first two wins this year on one trail were by paddlers. Likely, too, there are just way more pedalers than paddlers and that would have to be adjusted.

 

There can be a whole lot of reasons to want a pedal kayak, not just better fishing.

 

I do agree. I think power vs. manual (feet or arms) is the way to go.

 

Brad

no doubt that paddlers can and do well in tournaments.  I just did a quick check of the KBF national championship top 10 and every single one, except one I couldn't tell, was either pedal or motor.  

[TOXIC]

Honest question, under good conditions on big water, what is the range you can fish given the time constraints of a tournament?  Do you physically have to be back at the launch at a specific time?  Or since you picture document your fish can you still be on the water when the TX ends?  

[jaimeastin]

The issue is that all of The kayaks that are being made for fishing now for super wide and slow.  Many fisherman prefer a kayak that can carry lots of weight for themselves/ gear and is stable.  No one wants to paddle yeah alone pedal the  anymore.  I can see why people would like to have a pedal or motor.  When I look at these type of kayaks, I I like them but they do not fit my style. They look like good fishing boats, but they are so wide, heavy, and slow.  I passed them up, until now.  I am interested in a Johnny boat or another... But I do not "truely" consider them kayaks or that I am kayak fishing.

 

I personally never had an issue paddling.  

 

I will take a paddle any day and nice, faster kayak.

 

[J Francho]

28 minutes ago, jaimeastin said:

The issue is that all of The kayaks that are being made for fishing now for super wide and slow.

Not all.  The issue is that stability is a design priority, but speed is not as high on  the list, primarily due to the propulsion devices.  This why I like to find quality designs.  The Wilderness Systems Commander is on such bot.  Sill fast, and super stable.  The Hobie compass is another.  There's many times where paddling is easier than pedaling, and that boat is quick.  I look at some of these alternate propulsion hulls, and I think to myself, "I would NEVER be able to paddle that thing, let alone car top it!"  Supply and demand.  The hype is all about alternative propulsion these days.  I said it years ago that alternative propulsion will drive hull design.  Why?  Because you don't need as efficient a hull if you slap a motor on it.  The really good companies do pay attention to it.  It's why I ride what I ride.

[flyfisher]

2 hours ago, TOXIC said:

Honest question, under good conditions on big water, what is the range you can fish given the time constraints of a tournament?  Do you physically have to be back at the launch at a specific time?  Or since you picture document your fish can you still be on the water when the TX ends?  

Here are the rules from KBF as far as check in time.

B. Check-in—Tournament Competitors who have already submitted digital photos by upload to the TMS must be in the Judges’ Check-in Line at Tournament HQ by the time specified in the KBF Event Rules Addendum. Failure to be in or through the Judges’ Check-in Line by that time will result in disqualification from the Event.

C. Early Check-in—Tournament Competitors who could not or did not upload their photo submissions to the TMS must report to the Judges’ Check-in Line at an “Early Check-in Time” specified in the KBF Event Rules Addendum and turn in their digital media (i.e., memory card), camera, or camera phone with USB cable in order for judges or tournament staff to download them to a computer and then manually upload them to the TMS for subsequent evaluation and scoring.