Get me in a kayak- Big boy kayak?

[dgkasper58]

I hear that I may be able to fit in one @ 6'4'' and 300 lbs.

 

I have no experience with kayaking but with trailer fees skyrocketing and maintenance going up I feel its less and less likely that I get a boat until I save up for my dream boat.  Until then I wouldn't mind being able to run around and have some more freedom with the yaks as I don't have a boat locally. 

 

I've heard big rig/vibe sea ghost and looking for more options

 

Any big guys have experience with any makes/models?

 

TIA

[SuperDuty]

Paddle kayak or peddle? What are ya gonna fish mostly, ocean, lakes, rivers? If it's a paddle kayak, are you going to mostly paddle or plan to put a trolling motor on it? Will you paddle long distances or mainly in one general area where you launched at? Do you want to stand and fish too?

Lots of variables to decide before you can narrow it down. 

[dgkasper58]

Don't care- if it is paddle or peddle. Prefer peddle just to keep my hands fishing.

Lakes and rivers

No trolling motor.

I would be fine paddling/peddling wherever I go.

I would love to stand especially flipping/pitching- Concerned with stability on setting hook

 

 

[SuperDuty]

For me choosing a peddle yak, it'd be a hard choice between the slayer propel max and the Hobie Outback.

 

But if extreme stability is a major concern, the Native Titan ,feel free Durado, or Hobie PRo Angler. Or the new Kaku Zulu would be a contender as well.

[Dens228]

There's a huge price range too, so it depends on what you want to spend.

[dgkasper58]

56 minutes ago, Dens228 said:

There's a huge price range too, so it depends on what you want to spend.

Well, I am open for whatever.  As always I would be most interested in best bang for my buck.  As I would not want to put a large deposit on that glass boat I am interested in, into a yak that I may not get back.

[Hook2Jaw]

I know a guy about your size who fishes a Hobie Outback, for what that's worth.  I believe it's a bit small for a man of that stature.  I'm a little over 6', so moving into my new boat wasn't an issue, but for a big man these are the boats at come to mind for me.

 

You'll note I only suggest boats capable of being pedaled if they're in your budget, you said they were.

 

Hobie PA12 if you're looking for roomy, open decks with a large weight capacity, and excellent stability.

Hobie PA14 if you're looking for what the PA12 has to offer but require more speed.

Native Titan Propel 12 if you're looking for roomy, open decks with that same weight capacity and stability.  The Titan is, from all reports I've ever read, slower than the PA series.  Do not underestimate how much a boon instantaneously going into reverse is, however.

Native Titan Propel 13.5 if you're looking for the above with more speed.

 

If you've got decent balance, the Native Slayer Max 12.5 Propel is also a viable option and if you've got good balance and don't mind the idea of maybe rolling one day, the Old Town Predator PDL(my boat) is a speedy, speedy pedal kayak.

 

I haven't read about the Nucanoe drives enough to suggest those, but the base boats are excellent, stable, open, and incredibly customizable.  They're one of the few kayak brands that offer a hull prepared to handle a bow mount trolling motor or an outboard on the rear.

[Bluebasser86]

You can absolutely get into one. I (was), 240lbs and took my 70lb golden retriever in my kayak with me, plus my gear, and felt I could have taken quite a bit more. I've got an Ocean Kayak Big Game Prowler II. It is not a kayak that I'd recommend for standing and fishing though. It can be done, but it's not one of the more stable yaks for standing.

[Deeare]

Lots of great feedback above.   I have an old town predator (I’m 6’2”.  210) and it’s great.   I can stand in it if I’d like with no problem

 

Be aware of the weight of the kayak.  Not sure how you plan on getting it to the lake but putting a heavy kayak on the roof of a car can be a pain and then dragging it 100 or so yards to launch are things to think about.  
 

good luck!!

[SuperDuty]

If you aren't in a hurry, I'd seriously wait until the kaku zulu is released in March and check it out. The stability and comfort will be 2nd to none. It is a brand new peddle system but with the owners prior professional history in bikes, I would imagine that peddle system will be top notch. And its a sub 2k boat so very affordable.

Kaku is well known for quality and customer service. It's a very sharp boat, too. 

[J Francho]

Peddling pedal paddlers is no joke.  Another vote for the OK PBG II.  I had an OG PBG, and it was stable and had a ridiculous capacity.  Invest in the rudder kit, for sure.

[Hawkeye21]

NuCanoe Frontier 12

Hobie PA

Native Titan

Jackson Big Rig

Bonafide SS127 

 

[HookInMouth]

Can't help with the pedal yaks. My son is a big dude though (6-2" and 300lb) and can stand and fish from the Kaku Voodoo. I think you would be fine on a lot of larger yaks from Bonafide, Nucanoe, Hobie, Old Town, Jackson, Native, etc. Find one with a capacity of 425 or more and you should be good.  

[CountryboyinDC]

21 hours ago, dgkasper58 said:

As I would not want to put a large deposit on that glass boat I am interested in, into a yak that I may not get back.

I don't think you'll see too many kayaks appreciate, although the Hobies seem to increase in price about 3 times a year, so it may be feasible.  The really stable kayaks are a bear to paddle any distance.  If I were you, I'd look at a Jackson Big Rig HD/FD.  You can probably get a 2019 model for $2,700 out the door right now.  The Native Titans are another good option, and you should be likewise able to find last year's models on sale (both the 12 and 13 foot models).  If money is no object, the Hobie Pro Angler is a favorite.  They have a new 360 drive that allows propulsion in every direction, and promise to lighten your wallet by 5 grand or so.  Stability comes at a price - all of these have some heft about them, and the Hobie is pretty fast and maneuverable, but the other 2 are going to be much less so.

[Dens228]

I had a Wilderness Radar 115 that I sold to a friend just getting into kayak fishing.  I didn't believe it was big enough for him.  I'm 5-09 240 and paddled it out for him to see, I rocked side to side like crazy, sat sideways in the seat, stood on it and casted, and when I got back to shore I just stood up and walked off the bow to get onto the land. 

 

He then went out on it and did the same thing except for standing because he just wasn't confident yet, it was his first time ever in a kayak.  He bought it and loves it, he's 6-03 315 pounds. 

 

 

[SuperDuty]

I've done quite a bit of kayak fishing and one thing I've realized is bass fishing with a paddle kayak can be tough at times. You're constantly having to lay your rod down to adjust the kayak, or being pulled into something when fighting a fish. And it doesn't take a very big fish to pull ya around. If you aren't laying your rod in your lap, then you're laying your paddle there. Just constantly fidgeting back and forth which can be aggravating. The pedal kayaks just really frees you up to concentrate and enjoy the fishing. 

 

Reverse is so important on pedal kayaks. Just imagine fighting a fish and being able to just peddle backwards without a second thought. I have read enough and watched enough videos now to know that the instant reverse without having to pull any cords makes life soooooo much easier when fishing.

 

A guy really needs to decide his budget and what type of fishing he will do the most, and that would decide which yaks to look at. 

 

If I was buying a pedal kayak today for fishing, it would be the slayer propel max hands down. If it was this spring, I'd have to test ride the kaku zulu and compare it to the slayer before I bit the bullet. 

 

I watched a video just yesterday of a pro kayak bass fisherman who has fished out of a hobie for years. He could fish any kayak he wanted to and recently switched over to the slayer and gave a 14 video on why the slayer was such an amazing fishing machine. 

[JLewis134]

Hobie PA easily.....

The Mirage drive for fishing is leaps and bounds the best drive.

[SuperDuty]

It just seems like going from forward to reverse is such a pain with the hobies and I'm constantly seeing fisherman complaining about that. It's definitely not hands free reverse and if you're fighting a fish and need reverse, a hand has to come off the reel or rod to go to reverse. 

In every other aspect, I think the mirage drive wins hands down, just not for hands free fishing.  If I was fishing salt, I wouldn't pick anything but a Hobie PA

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CountryboyinDC]

The 360 drive is probably as close to hands free as there is.  With my pedal drive (Predator PDL), I often have to touch the rudder when I get a fish on too.  The old 180 Mirage Drive is the reason I have a Predator rather than an Outback (they were the same price when I bought the Predator).

[Boomstick]

I am about the same size as you and after a bunch of research I'm going to get myself a Bonafide SS127. The plus side is that it's as stable as they come, but the downside is that they are not the fastest. They also do not have a pedal drive system, although it is possible to modify them to be pedaled but I doubt that will work as well as it does on kayaks designed to pedal. The Old Town Topwater is also similar. Adding the rudder to either would probably be a solid investment. There is also a Topwater PDL version as well.

[dgkasper58]

11 hours ago, Boomstick said:

I am about the same size as you and after a bunch of research I'm going to get myself a Bonafide SS127. The plus side is that it's as stable as they come, but the downside is that they are not the fastest. They also do not have a pedal drive system, although it is possible to modify them to be pedaled but I doubt that will work as well as it does on kayaks designed to pedal. The Old Town Topwater is also similar. Adding the rudder to either would probably be a solid investment. There is also a Topwater PDL version as well.

Is there a reason you want to go non pedal drive?  I thought that would have been a necessity for fishing?

[J Francho]

1 minute ago, dgkasper58 said:

I thought that would have been a necessity for fishing?

I fished for a dozen years without a drive system.  It's a different set of challenges, but it's pretty much how many of us started. Many do not like drive systems as well.

[dgkasper58]

19 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I fished for a dozen years without a drive system.  It's a different set of challenges, but it's pretty much how many of us started. Many do not like drive systems as well.

Have you done both?

 

If so, which do you like more?

[Dens228]

1 hour ago, dgkasper58 said:

Is there a reason you want to go non pedal drive?  I thought that would have been a necessity for fishing?

I fished for four years with only a paddle.  It actually gets to be second nature, keeping the paddle across your lap and becoming the master of one handed steering and moving forward and backwards a bit while fishing, not as easy as peddle but not all that difficult after you get the hang of it.  
I have a Bixby now, I skipped the peddle part because they are just as expensive.  

I have a Shearwater on order so if I decide to go the peddle route I can add it later. 

[J Francho]

 

2 hours ago, dgkasper58 said:

Have you done both?

 

If so, which do you like more?

Paddled around 7 different models regularly (tried many more) from the early 2000s.  Two summers ago, I got a Hobie Compass.  There are times when positioning is easier with a paddle.  Getting from spot to spot is much nier using the Mirage Drive.