Stable kayaks

[biggin]

I have a Pelican blitz 100 and took it out today for the first time AFTER l modified it. After awhile l started to think about if l didn’t like it? Seeing it in the rack standing up stern to bow it looked big. Sat in it on the floor, it was appealing. It was in my price range and l couldn’t justify over $1K. 
 

It was a little windy today on a small lake and was loaded with vegetation being gathered on my paddles. I had to barely put them in the water to go forward. Surprisingly it didn’t take much effort at all to move through the water. If too much effort was used it turned. The water was at the top of the drain holes with out a load save me, need to insert foam practice golf balls. It was sensitive rocking side to side tipping if l paddled to hard leaning forward. Just firm strokes had to be use, just my arms. 
 

Guess l’ll have to get used to it considering it’s my first one. 
 

 

[flyfisher]

10' is really short for a kayak on a lake or anywhere really.  As far as the tracking, I have no idea if that kayak tracks well or not but my guess is no as it is only 10' and the shorter the kayak the more it wants to react to a paddle stroke combined with the hull design.  Then there is paddling technique which is as important as anything.  You do not want to use your arms to paddle but your torso.  Do a search for Jeff Little on YouTube as he is an incredbile river angler and prior to joining torqeedo he was all paddle power.  He has some great videos on paddling technique and maximizing efficiency.  

Bottom line is that kayak is probably gonna be ok for a little while but you will most likely upgrade to get a more fishing oriented kayak.  I have been kayak fishing for 20+ years and the advancements in fishing kayaks is fantastic.  There are quite a few kayak fishermen on here so feel free to post up some questions..

[biggin]

Wilderness Tarpon 120 seems nice

[VolFan]

I’ve fished from several kayaks from a Dagger Delta (small sit inside) up to a Nucanoe Frontier (absolute battleship). Go get some time in it paddling in water shallow enough to stand in. Do things to tip it just to see where that point is. If it’s your first trip in your first kayak, give it some time to learn the boat and learn what you’re doing. 

[biggin]

1 hour ago, VolFan said:

I’ve fished from several kayaks from a Dagger Delta (small sit inside) up to a Nucanoe Frontier (absolute battleship). Go get some time in it paddling in water shallow enough to stand in. Do things to tip it just to see where that point is. If it’s your first trip in your first kayak, give it some time to learn the boat and learn what you’re doing. 

I like how wide it is stability is 5 star and the fact of standing up with ease, but now I would need a trailer. My Tacoma won't hold it. Money Money Money ! LOL

 

I like the Wilderness Radar 115's and Recon 120's deep hull as well as how wide it is. Should of did my homework and not jumped on this one I have. My wife was cringing on $475 for The Blitz fishing yak. I really thought I was set with it. Anyone reading this who hasn't bought one yet...DO NOT jump on one or for that matter if someone says they have a couple of yaks and the cheaper one they like better than the more expensive one. Having no clue would be talking to people who have experience first. The person I talked to at first really wasn't interested in giving details. This place is best as far as I'm concerned. Thanks guys !

 

[Darth-Baiter]

4 hours ago, biggin said:

I like how wide it is stability is 5 star and the fact of standing up with ease, but now I would need a trailer. My Tacoma won't hold it. Money Money Money ! LOL

 

I like the Wilderness Radar 115's and Recon 120's deep hull as well as how wide it is. Should of did my homework and not jumped on this one I have. My wife was cringing on $475 for The Blitz fishing yak. I really thought I was set with it. Anyone reading this who hasn't bought one yet...DO NOT jump on one or for that matter if someone says they have a couple of yaks and the cheaper one they like better than the more expensive one. Having no clue would be talking to people who have experience first. The person I talked to at first really wasn't interested in giving details. This place is best as far as I'm concerned. Thanks guys !

 

i pretty much vowed to ignore kayak advice threads.  we are collectively all over the place, and any non-hobie person is WRONG anyways.  just kidding.  hahah

 

but the Tacoma comment above brings me to the conversation.  i have a Tacoma.  two actually, (long story).  my old one is a an access cab with the 6 foot bed.  no problems with my 12'-9" kayak.  i use a BoonDox bedextender ($179ish) just in case, but i dont have to.  close neighborhood lakes, i just forgo the extender.  did it like this for 3 years, ZERO issues.  my other tacoma, the new one is the double cab, short bed.  finding a new access cab was giving me headaches, so i went with the four door.  before i bought it, i pushed my kayak into my old tacoma, and pulled it out 1-foot short to simulate the 5-foot bed of the new truck.  with the same BoonDox, i get 100% stability.  i HAVE to use it now with the new truck.  i put a red flag on the boat and drive down, everywhere with zero issuse.  

 

dont let the Tacoma stop you.  it is a sick kayak mover.  

 

flipping over with me and my gear is the last thing i want.  i wear a PFD 100% so i wont die, but losing my gear would break my heart.  

[biggin]

yeah I saw the trail hitch extension earlier, yeah. Good thing ! 

 

Nice truck ! Same as mine ! 

[Darth-Baiter]

you can see "trusty crusty" (the old one) in the background.    your tacoma is a legit kayak mover.  a 12 footer is no problem.   

[MediumMouthBass]

Fishing out of a kayak, well kayaking in general takes a little bit to get used too, putting scupper plugs in should make it even more stable (just a little, but in kayak stability a little goes a long way). 

Before you start modifying it even more and start adding gear to it, make sure your kayaks weight capacity can handle it. The more budget oriented kayaks arent as wide/long as the more expensive ones and usually have much less weight capacity. I would recommend taking the kayak out a few times without any gear or rods and find out how far you can push your kayak and learn where its limits are. Theres many good paddling tutorials and information on youtube, but learn as much as you can about kayaking safely.

Depending on how tall you are or how much you want to get into kayak fishing, this kayak might be good for you for a decade, or you might want to upgrade after awhile.

My first kayak was a Crescent Lite Tackle, it was a very nice kayak, good stability, speed, and handling. But a month or 2 after purchasing it i got very bored fishing out of it, it was a very basic kayak. I then bought the Crescent Shoalie, this is this companys first all fishing kayak, (its not as great as a Hobie, but also not $4000). It had everything i needed, and wanted. Its setup 100% for fishing and is what i shouldve bought the first time.

If you ever do want to upgrade and want alot of stability but dont want to pay over $1000, try to get an Old Town Topwater/Sportsman 120, you can get them used around $600. We picked one up awhile ago and wow is this kayak built like a tank, the stability this kayak has is amazing.

[biggin]

1 hour ago, Darth-Baiter said:

you can see "trusty crusty" (the old one) in the background.    your tacoma is a legit kayak mover.  a 12 footer is no problem.   

the width even for the widest yak has to be minimum 42 between my wheel wells.

[Darth-Baiter]

I dont understand plugging scupper holes.  water drains out of mine.  constantly.  

1 minute ago, biggin said:

the width even for the widest yak has to be minimum 42 between my wheel wells.

a Hobie ProAngler fits in a tacoma. that is a FAT kayak.  

 

 

[biggin]

8 hours ago, MediumMouthBass said:

putting scupper plugs in should make it even more stable 

really? I have foam practice golf balls.... that really makes a difference ?

 

8 hours ago, MediumMouthBass said:

modifying it even more

done other than some pvc and noodles for a stabilizer

 

8 hours ago, MediumMouthBass said:

Old Town Topwater/Sportsman 120, you can get them used around $600. We picked one up awhile ago and wow is this kayak built like a tank, the stability this kayak has is amazing.

good to know thanks

 

8 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

I dont understand plugging scupper holes.  water drains out of mine.  constantly

mine didn't. The keel to the top of the deck isn't that high to drain. Unless vegetation a few inches below the surface caused the water be level at the top of the holes.

 

Looks like wilderness recon radar and atak are the widest ones.

 

Thinking back to the Navy days.... ballast was a more stable ship. After refueling it didn't rock as much. Depending on sea conditions on a cruise ship I remember a crew member telling me that they deballast and ballast for maintain stability and handling. My yak capacity is 275.

 

 

[biggin]

23 minutes ago, MediumMouthBass said:

Depending on how tall you are or how much you want to get into kayak fishing, this kayak might be good for you

I weigh 200 and am 6 foot tall. 

[biggin]

I learned to do homework way ahead of time.... especially after I made a MISTAKE !

 

Out of these yaks which one would you pick for under $1K ? I know it's been 4 years and they are on thier web site for $849 still under $1K

 

 

And out of the ones reviewed that you would pick, and if you picked the one I did, what does it lack of importance ? I like the Bigfish 105. It has a well for battery and transducers, the rest don't. Stand up area with the most room, multistage adjustable flip back seat, the rest don't. Side pockets for gear... 

 

 

[MediumMouthBass]

@biggin do as much research as possible before buying any. I almost bought several different kayaks before i got my Shoalie, there were alot of different kayaks i thought i would like, but in person they didnt have enough room, or enough mounting areas, etc.... The one i really wanted went on sale so i went to check it out, the plastic was so flimsy that when just pressing down lightly you felt like you could push it in. So i had to do alot of research and youtube videos, reviews, forums etc....

It took a few months and alot of work to find the one that was right for me. 

And where its made means alot for fishing kayaks, atleast for me. Almost every American made kayak ive been in and checked out has been very good quality, well thought out and made, hard plastic that doesnt flex, comfortable seats with high/low positions, front and rear tankwell with storage, etc....

But the kayaks made overseas even for the same price point felt like they were only worth a quarter of the price they were selling for, uncomfortable seats, poor designs, low speed and bad kayak tracking, flimsy plastic, a set height seat or low position only, front and rear tankwell but with no storage area just tie downs, and usually bad reviews.

Are you 100% set on buying new only? And can your budget go to around slightly over 1k?

Im not saying those kayaks are bad, but there are better ones out there with more features, better quality, and higher reviews for a bit more.

And if your budget cant go past that, there are alot of very good high quality, fishing kayaks already loaded with extras, (but are used or slightly used) selling for cheaper than those new.

 

Most of us here started out with cheaper kayaks in the beginning to save money, but it only ends up with us spending more in the end. Im not saying go buy a $4,000 Autopilot or Hobie, but get a nice kayak used or new for anywhere from $500-1200 that will fit your wants and needs for several years, and make sure it fits you 100%.

 

Heres my advice from fishing out of a kayak so far and the research ive done.

Atleast 34" wide, any narrower and stability wont be very good, this width or wider offers great stability.

11'6" - 12' in length, the shorter kayaks may weigh less, but in my opinion the extra length gives better tracking and well more space for storage and for fishing out of.

375-400lbs weight capacity atleast, You might not think you need the extra capacity but after you take your weight, the kayaks weight, and your gear, the higher weight capacity will keep you and your kayak higher on the water and dryer too.

A comfortable seat is extremely important, and the high/low option is definitely needed, high position is for fishing, but low position gets more speed when paddling.

If your buying it to fish out of then, front tankwell with a storage compartment for putting water/clothes/tackle etc.... rear tankwell large enough for a fishing crate or cooler.

Several mounting areas for tie downs, as well as gear tracks on the sides for rod holders, etc....

Foam deck pads are very nice, but not needed, your choice.

If you want cup holders some have them and some dont, Yak Attack makes a scupper plug cup holder.

Again to the front tankwell/hatch if you want a fish finder then a waterproof front hatch for the battery is needed, along with transducer mounting under the kayak.

Good side or under seat storage for tackle trays and tools, etc....

 

The above is all important but whats very important is to do research on how the kayak you want

1. How does the kayak track?

2. How fast does it go, if a boats coming towards you can you get out of the way or is it too slow?

3. Stability?

4. How much does the wind blow it around, does it blow the kayak across the lake? or not?

5. Storage options?

6. How good, and how quickly does it turn?

 

Sorry for how long this is, but this is mainly all important information to know so that you dont waste alot money on a kayak.

Also to add to above,

do research on the hull design. This is very important for stability, tracking, and speed/turning.

[biggin]

here what Pelican said from Canada.....It's pretty rigid and not flimsy and doesn't push in but yeah the width is only 30 inches.

 

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16 minutes ago, MediumMouthBass said:

Shoalie

crescent ? Looks good only hardly any room to stand up. Too many partitions to trip on ?  

[MediumMouthBass]

Yep Crescent, love the kayak, it actually has alot of room to stand in, they cut out a bit on inside of the side to make the standing area wider. Im not sure what you are referring to by that. Only thing on the deck is the deck pad kit, and small cutout grooves inbetween it to help drainage?

[biggin]

2 hours ago, MediumMouthBass said:

Yep Crescent, love the kayak, it actually has alot of room to stand in, they cut out a bit on inside of the side to make the standing area wider. I'm not sure what you are referring to by that. Only thing on the deck is the deck pad kit, and small cutout grooves in between it to help drainage?

 

with the seat flipped up, forward of the area where you stand, the orange area, there's a partition then another are to stand ? Seems it's broken up and not level, and cause you to trip?

 

[MediumMouthBass]

Are you talking about the built in measuring area? if so it wont be a problem with standing and walking on it. If thats not it can you draw over the image?

[biggin]

5 hours ago, MediumMouthBass said:

Are you talking about the built in measuring area? if so it wont be a problem with standing and walking on it. If thats not it can you draw over the image?

Ahead of what l circled seems to be plenty of room to move around.

Will the seat flip back to have the extra space behind where l circled? Is the area l circled, raised ? It appears to be.

 

where the arrows point aren’t they raised off the main deck? And the ruler sit down some?

 

This is more like it. Seat flipped back. Looks like a rubber mat.

 

[Susky River Rat]

@biggin if youre a welder or have a welder friend they can make you one of those extenders much cheaper. I made an all aluminum one for my truck when I fished from a scanoe. Takes about 20 minutes for someone knowledgeable and with the tools to do it. 

[biggin]

1 hour ago, Darnold335 said:

@biggin if youre a welder or have a welder friend they can make you one of those extenders much cheaper. I made an all aluminum one for my truck when I fished from a scanoe. Takes about 20 minutes for someone knowledgeable and with the tools to do it. 

Thinkin about PVC and a heavy pool noodle

[MediumMouthBass]

@biggin the shoalie, like most kayaks inst meant to have the seat taken off to fish, so that big fish is cool with that option, but theres more than plently of room for standing on the deck. Right in front of the seat are the low position built in seat holders, they dont get in the way if fishing on the deck. After that, all the orange-ish cork is foam deck pad kit. Towards the front is the built in fish finder holder, this is so far towards the front i doubt anyone would need to stand that far towards it (balance would be very stressed if putting all the weight in the front or rear of any kayak).

The built in measurement area is made to put a catch board in if doing a kayak tournament, but is around half inch-inch in the middle and gets deeper on the sides, it may seem to be in the way from pictures, but ive had mine since November, and that area doesnt get in the way at all.

Check out a youtube video on them to get a better idea of the floor on it.

I bought it because it fit my wants for a fishing kayak 100% of the way, excellent stability but yet still very easy and fast to maneuver/turn, excellent tracking and speed even with higher winds, plus the hull design meant for the river (im 5 minutes from Susquehanna River). Its made with Aquatuf material which is "proven to have the lowest failure rate in the industry" plus the lifetime warranty and made 100% in America.

It took me a few months of research and alot of work to know for sure this was 100% for me, but its not for everyone. Every kayaker wants/needs different options, accessories, certain brands, paddle/pedal/trolling motor. Some want more stability over speed, some want more features over both.

Id highly suggest finding a kayaking dealer near you that does demos or rentals and try a few to find what one fits you the best.

 

Edit. The area you circled right infront of the seat is raised, that whole area under and on the side of the seat was designed exactly for tackle tray storage. so if you took the seat out it would be in the way.

[Bankc]

Don't plug all of the scupper holes, if you plug them.  They're there for safety, to drain water.  Sometimes water splashes up from them, and that can be annoying, but if you ever get a big wave crashing over and your scupper holes are plugged, it can completely flood kayak.  And that will weigh down the kayak and make the scupper holes nearly ineffective, as the scupper hole will now be below the water line.  Trust me, I used to have mine plugged and it worked great for about a year until a wake boat buzzed me and almost sank me.  It was tough getting the plugs out of my scupper holes, as they were really jammed in there and slick from a year of mud and debris.  

 

What I do now is I made some one-way valve scupper plugs.  I used PVC pipe adapters and put some little Nerf balls (ammo for one of their guns) in there and plastic welded some thin strips of PVC across the bottom to keep the balls from falling out.  Then I used either rubber tape or glued EVA foam (depending on the hole diameter) around the edges for a friction fit in the scupper hole.  When the water comes up from under, they block the hole.  Otherwise they lay low and allow water to drain.  Sometimes if the water builds up on top, they'll want to float and block the drainage, but you can easily poke them back down and they'll go back to draining.  There are some tutorials online for ideas of how to make them if you look up "DIY valve scupper plug" or something.  You can also buy them premade for some kayaks.  

 

As for your current kayak, I'd say just keep using it for now.  They all seem pretty unstable and hard to paddle at first.  But over time, you learn and get used to them.  The more you use it, the more it'll teach you about what you want and don't want in your next kayak.  Then, when you're ready for an upgrade, you'll know exactly what you want.  

[casts_by_fly]

I've typed this advice in other threads so I'll give it a summary here.  There is a lot of good info above so I might repeat some of it.

 

- When you're first starting to fish from a kayak, I recommend keeping the investment low to start with.  Good quality used is a great option.  You might find that fishing from a kayak isn't for you.  Or that the first one you buy doesn't actually fit your needs.  Low initial investment means you can recoup it later when you sell it and buy a new one.  Good quality used is great for that since you can probably sell it for what you bought it for so long as you don't overpay to start.  I don't know you're area's market but there's usually a couple decent options on marketplace.

 

- A wider boat will help with stability but also look at where it is wide.  A pointy boat at both ends with just a small wide middle will be different than a boat that is wide for 5' in the middle and only tapers a little at the ends.  The hull design also makes a difference in stability, often at the expense of maneuverability and paddling ease.  

 

- Bigger is better so long as you're able to handle and manage it.  Bigger is more stable and has more storage space.  More capacity.  etc.  You can get by with smaller.  Some people love their 10' kayaks because they are smaller and more easily handled.  That's the only think about mine that I'd change if I could (its 12' and 150lb "unloaded" which is a lot to lift into the truck).  But at the same time I'd love to have the extra 18" of the 136 model.  If I were to do it again I would get the 136.

 

- A comfy seat is important if you sit to fish.  A stadium style seat is going to be a better choice than a molded in seat.  Lots of good seats in kayaks right now so don't settle for a bad one.

 

- Since you've already got the boat, point 1 above is less relevant to you now.  In that case Just fish it.  Find out what you like and don't like about it.  Learn if kayak fishing is for you.  Then if you decide to continue into it and want to upgrade you know what you like and need.  Upgrades and add-ons can happen over time.  Just do things that are modular and movable.  Lots of track mounted options and most tracks are universal.  When you know how you like things you can drill and permanently mount things, but in the meantime there are small track (mighty mounts) that allow you do put basically anything anywhere.  

 

- i use scupper plugs (I have 10 total in my boat).  I prefer to keep it dry on the deck.  I have one-way plugs in the rear well in case it starts pouring rain before I think about it.  The 1-way valves sometimes let in a seep of water if you're standing on one side of the boat and they go fully below the water line.  In the back that's fine but in the front I don't like it so I just keep regular plugs in.  If I'm in a place where I might take a wave over the bow then I'll pull one of them.  I've taken a full 2' wave over the nose of the boat that filled my entire front well.  With one plug out and the motor hole not being totally sealed, it drained in about 8 seconds and I kept going.  

 

- If you strap it in, you probably don't need a bed extender.  a 5' bed with an 18" tailgate down is 6 1/2'.  That's 65% of a 10' boat in the bed and definitely not a problem.  A 12' boat would still be more than half.  Figure out which end of the boat is heavier and put that end in first.  if the handing end doesn't want to tip out you're fine.  Strap it in and go.