What's your pedal kayak cruising speed?

[Koz]

I'm curious what kind of cruising speed everyone else is obtaining with their pedal kayaks. I'm not talking about an all out sprint speed, just the speed you get from a normal pace when you have to cover some distance across the lake.

 

In my Seastream Angler 120 PD, my Lowrance shows my typical cruising speed of 3.2 mph with a steady pedal. I can usually keep this up for a few miles before I start to get gassed unless I'm fighting wind and current. I had a two mile run to fish a new spot today and that got me thinking about this. I like my kayak a lot, but I wish it was a few mph faster. That got me thinking about other brands, and also got me thinking that somebody needs to come up with taller gear options for pedal kayaks, like shifting gears on a bicycle.

 

There has to be a way for someone to come up with something like this for chain drive pedal kayaks. But they would have to include some sort of cover plate so you could put the chain back on if it came off the sprocket.

 

So, if you have a pedal kayak, go ahead and add to this thread with the make and model of your kayak and your typical cruising speed. Again, not your sprint speed - just the speed from an easy pedal when you are covering a long distance of a mile or more.

[Jmilburn76]

I get right at 3.5 mph on my Native Slayer Propel 10. Im pretty sure even a Hobie isn't too much faster.

[michaelb]

I don’t have pedals i move my kayak the old fashioned way, but i think boat speed is determined by length and width. So its not a matter of gearing to go faster your boat needs to be longer and more narrow. I can paddle my fishing kayak to cruise around 3.5 but not for more than a mile or 2. 

[Darth-Baiter]

3.2 mph all day long.  Same effort as walking. 
 

if I’m keeping up with my buddy with his Motorguide powered PA12, I can stay neck in neck at 4.4mph.  If I want to race his ass for a 1/4 mile, I can top 5 mph, but that’s a lot of effort I can’t stay long with.   

[TnRiver46]

Anything over 3 is pretty good! I’ve seen people paddle up to 10 maybe 11 the old fashioned way but it was a tiny long boat 

[CrashVector]

About 3mph in my pelican Catch 110 hydryve 2.  If I adjust the pedals for a shorter stroke, it's about 2.5mph, but almost zero effort.

 

If I adjust em closer to me, I can draw a wake with moderate effort, and if I go all out, it's pretty darn quick.

 

However, I didn't buy it for speed.  I bought it bc it's less than half the price of a Hobie, about 20lb lighter, and has deeper sides.  I stand and fish in it all day.

[Bluebasser86]

3.2-3.5 in my Sportsman 120 PDL. If I'm fighting wind it'll be more around 2.8-3.0. That's an easy speed to maintain that I can cruise for a very long time. 

[dgkasper58]

1 minute ago, Bluebasser86 said:

3.2-3.5 in my Sportsman 120 PDL. If I'm fighting wind it'll be more around 2.8-3.0. That's an easy speed to maintain that I can cruise for a very long time. 

I just picked one of these up.  Mind chatting about it via pm?  I've bought a few "must haves" but looking to get a head start if possible.

 

Thanks

[Bluebasser86]

1 minute ago, dgkasper58 said:

I just picked one of these up.  Mind chatting about it via pm?  I've bought a few "must haves" but looking to get a head start if possible.

 

Thanks

Sure

[flyfisher]

I don't own one but have fished with numerous Hobie and native pedal drive owners and both are around that 3mph range with ease and with a lot of effort can get up to 4mph.  

I prefer my NK180s which i can cruise at 5mph

[J Francho]

A little over 3 in my Compass. 

[Choporoz]

3 and change most days...Compass , also...under 1 yesterday straight into the teeth of 18 mph wind....if not for the incoming tidal current, it might have been negative

[Koz]

It's interesting that with all of the different makes, models, price points, and propulsion methods that we're all at the same cruising speed.

 

With pedal kayaks becoming more popular by the day, I foresee some company out there coming up with a more efficient human powered propulsion system to set themselves apart from the rest of the pack.

 

While one thing that comes to mind is a taller gear, I'm thinking there may be speed limitations because of prop design and how much water the prop can push. Maybe going from a two prop to three prop system would help with that. I may have to experiment with that if I can find the time.

 

Going from 3 mph to just 5 mph would open up a lot of new waters for me. Yes, I know there are trolling motor options, but one reason I picked the pedal kayak was for exercise.

[J Francho]

Hobie has bigger fin options.

[Fishingmickey]

PA14 w/tournament load cruising speed w/turbo fins is 3.2 - 3.5 mph. With the Torqueedo 1103ac is about 5mph at half throttle. 6.2 full throttle. 

FM

[king fisher]

My Hobie Outback can go 3 MPH. with no more effort than walking.  5MPH = fast jog, 5.5 MPH = full sprint.  The Hull is the limiting factor for speed on most kayaks.  Most fishing Kayaks are built for stability, with speed being one of the trade offs with hull design.  A long narrow sleek hull will go much faster with the same drive system, but you wont be able to stand up and set the hook.  There is always trade offs in any boat design.  

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, Choporoz said:

3 and change most days...Compass , also...under 1 yesterday straight into the teeth of 18 mph wind....if not for the incoming tidal current, it might have been negative

You are brave! 

[Choporoz]

3 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

You are brave! 

Someone once said there's a fine line between bravery and stupidity 

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, Fishingmickey said:

PA14 w/tournament load cruising speed w/turbo fins is 3.2 - 3.5 mph. With the Torqueedo 1103ac is about 5mph at half throttle. 6.2 full throttle. 

FM

That’s quick!!! My 13 hp mud motor goes about 7-9 mph upstream haha 

[DogBone_384]

My legs and FeelFree Lure get me 3.2 - 3.5 overall, 4 mph with some effort.

[SWVABass]

I can average right about 4 on my PA12. I’m loaded light though and have turbo fins. My job has me hiking long distance under heavy loads so when I get on my boat that is a cake walk. 

[Darth-Baiter]

Just to be clear.  Hobie Turbo Fins are the juice.  

[schplurg]

3.4-3.5 mph maximum "cruising", though I'd have to use it a few more times with the Garmin.

 

Old Town Sportsman PDL 106. I barely got it up to 4.0 (just to do it) but I was pedaling very hard and it was a 10 second sprint. No way I could hold that speed. Was also my first time pedaling one.

 

Boat was full of gear too. I think maybe a motor could get you a small speed gain.

 

I don't think gearing the kayak pedals differently would get you any more speed because the hull is the limiting factor (hull speed?). You will never get it on a plane, you'll only push more water. A bigger prop would have the same problem but it's something you could try yourself.

 

I feel like I'm pedaling a bathtub and there is no going faster without a huge increase in power. The point of severe diminishing returns is right around 3.6 mph.

[Koz]

17 hours ago, schplurg said:

3.4-3.5 mph maximum "cruising", though I'd have to use it a few more times with the Garmin.

 

Old Town Sportsman PDL 106. I barely got it up to 4.0 (just to do it) but I was pedaling very hard and it was a 10 second sprint. No way I could hold that speed. Was also my first time pedaling one.

 

Boat was full of gear too. I think maybe a motor could get you a small speed gain.

 

I don't think gearing the kayak pedals differently would get you any more speed because the hull is the limiting factor (hull speed?). You will never get it on a plane, you'll only push more water. A bigger prop would have the same problem but it's something you could try yourself.

 

I feel like I'm pedaling a bathtub and there is no going faster without a huge increase in power. The point of severe diminishing returns is right around 3.6 mph.

 

I had my Seastream up over 5 mph trying to outrun a thunderstorm. I was motivated. And gassed.

[FishTank]

I can stay steady at around 3mph in my PA 14. If I go really hard and have perfect conditions, I've gotten it up to 6mph but there is no way I can stay at that pace. It's like a sprint and every push pull has to be perfect.