Kayak Info please [Archive] - World Sea Fishing Forums

Orcadian

22-02-2008, 16:07

soakingwet

22-02-2008, 17:28

Most sit-on-tops are extremely stable. You would be advised to go to a large retailer, and look at all the options. Legroom is important, but remember that your legs won't be 'out straight', but bent to a certain degree to help with paddling and balance in waves.
We only have Bic Bilbao's, but my lad is 6ft 2 and manages well in this kayak.
Perhaps a Prowler would be suitable, they seem popular.
Have a search on the net to start with.
Ill have a poke around and post a link if I find the one I'm thinking of.

http://www.roho.co.uk/acatalog/Robin_Hood_WS_Fishing_Kayaks_1190.html

http://www.sit-on-tops.co.uk/

http://www.kayaksandpaddles.co.uk/canoe/kayak/uk/shop/sit-on-tops.htm

http://www.canoe-shops.co.uk/products/sit-on-tops.htm

http://www.bournemouthcanoes.co.uk/fishing-sit-on-tops.htm

http://www.cheltenham-canoes.co.uk/fishing-sit-on-top-kayaks.htm

smudgertoo

25-02-2008, 23:41

I am looking to buy a Sea Fishing Kayak and want to know just how stable they are. I am 6'5" tall and want as much leg room as possible so don't know which one to go for.

Can anyone offer any advice as to the best package to buy and the must have accessories.

Cheers Gregor..

hiya, I'm 6ft6 and the prowler 13 suits me fine :yeah:

would of thought your most important bit of kit would be a good dry suit and some thermal undies up there.....brrrr

iseaall

25-02-2008, 23:53

Hi Gregor
I'm 6ft2 and cuddly says the wife and the prowler 13 suits me :clap3:
with a good dealer you will get the whole package
the only thing i'am going to change on mine after 12 months is the seat would like a solid back for the comfort :idea:
wet suit works for me but depends on the weather you get and when you want to go out :fishing1:
go for it its great fun and real good fishing they take some landing get a good landing net :clap2:

lagachette

12-03-2008, 20:35

Malibu X Factor were made for big guys. although they are slightly heavier than most kayak, they can easily handle tall and big. build quality is far superior to ocean prowlers. I think there's a difference between fitting in a kayk and being confortable :wiggle:

pure

13-03-2008, 17:42

I have just been to Brighton Canoes to look at a Prowler 13 Its big, are you transporting these on roof racks

digit

13-03-2008, 19:28

yes we do, not too bad once you get the hang of it. the p13 has a longer cockpit than the p15, I'm only a short ar5e so doesn't bother me but it has got the leg room for someone 6ft+
Cheers,
Chaz

mike02380

13-03-2008, 19:33

i got a prowler trident, i;m 6'1 and my feet don't reach the end of the cockpit, plus i'm 16 stone and i have no probs. may be a bit heavier darent go near the scales

Steinbeisser

14-03-2008, 00:05

I have sat in a Prowler Trident 15 and also an Prowler Elite 4.5. Both of these have sufficient leg room for me. I am, 6'4" and about 96-98kg. I think the Prowler 13 has a similar sized cockpit, but as stated, the Prowler 15 has less legroom.

Steinbeisser

piscamaniac

14-03-2008, 00:36

lagachette

14-03-2008, 06:47

good idea mate but, where do you put all your gear and how do you access them. this sit in is a Great kayak but not really geared up for fishing is it?
Esquimo roll, I'd love to see you doing it and see how gear you left after that :fishing:

Steinbeisser

14-03-2008, 09:52

Hate to go against the flow, but sometimes its necessary -I'm never happy going out to sea on a sit on top. And as your waters are a bit colder than ours, perhaps you'd be better off being more enclosed.
-just learn how to Eskimo roll baby and everything will be wicked!

I looked into this recently and had seen a Necky Zoar Sport, which is a conventional kayak but equipped with a rod rest or two.

Obviously if you are talking of Sit Inside Kayaks then you must use a spray deck to have any advantage and then you really cannot use any of the space inside the kayak for fishing gear storage that you will need whilst afloat.

I used to be able to Eskimo Roll a normal white water slalom kayak and could even hand roll a 'bathmat type' kayak in the swimming pool, but I am not at all sure I could guarantee 100% success in the sea, with waves and a whole heap of clutter on the deck from fishing tackle crates plus fishing rods and lines.

No problem if you always have at least two other kayakers with you for self rescue, but in Germany this sport is not yet popular and I do foresee that I will go solo, at least some of the time. So, I have had to forget about sit inside kayaks.

Steinbeisser

piscamaniac

14-03-2008, 15:32

this sit in is a Great kayak but not really geared up for fishing is it?

The last time I went fishing all I needed was a rod reel line and a lure! So the perception would be fine for fishing.

I personally pack a telescopic rod for kayaking, which would fit inside the Hull. But strapping one the the outside wouldn't make too much difference.

Sure, you can stack a sit on top with loads of gear. But the higher you stack the less stable it becomes, also the heavier it gets the more difficult to right it after a capsize.

As stienbasser says you can trick out lots of kayaks with extra rod rests and stuff. You could probably even fit a fish finder to the carolina, I'm sure you could squeeze battery between your legs.

It depends on what and when your using the kayak for. Enclosed is always going to be safer in rough seas, if you get ur set up right!

Shropfisher

17-03-2008, 11:13

Hate to go against the flow, but sometimes its necessary -I'm never happy going out to sea on a sit on top. And as your waters are a bit colder than ours, perhaps you'd be better off being more enclosed. Proper kayaks don't have to cost a fortune either http://www.paddleworks.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?products_id=70
-just learn how to Eskimo roll baby and everything will be wicked!

Having just bought a Prowler big game I have looked at this question, and while you load the sit on with loads of kit ( which you will unload unused at the end of the day ) the key factors for me were :

Stability, the sit ons like the prowler are wide and shaped hulls to be stable.
Variety of use, I plan on sitting either in the seat or across it with feet in the water, giving a differrant style of fishing ( more loch style )
Safety, with a sit in, you need to do training and master all the skills. Sit on's you won't get stuck in while upside down.
Freedom, you can strap your kit etc ( as little as possible ideally ) into storage or recess areas, while keeping access to it as well.

Snapper35

19-03-2008, 08:37

you can strap your kit etc ( as little as possible ideally )

Not so. The majority of angling kayaks benefit from carrying extra weight in order to lower the boat in the water as they are naturally very buoyant. This increases stability, reduces weather cocking and on some models improves both tracking and speed (most notably the Ocean Kayak Trident).

As an example, the Trident when bare paddled in a moderate sea with a relatively light paddler is a dog. It's slow, it's unresponsive and it tracks poorly. It's designed with additional buoyancy in the bow and behind the seat as it is designed for serious anglers (abroad, principally) who carry coolboxes, loaded tackleboxes and perhaps decent hauls of fish. Mine is weighed down quite a bit with additional fixtures but needs my gear in as well to handle properly. I once flooded it about half-full messing around in heavy surf, capsizing etc, and it would still paddle and I could stay in with ease. It was a bit too loaded, granted, and was quite sluggish but it still worked.

Some however become wetter when loaded down but the stability is always improved (unless you're stupid and pile it 6 feet in the air!). Of course, it is a watersport!

Shropfisher

20-03-2008, 12:13

Interesting point about height in the water versus performance, I'm too new at this to comment on this, but I understand the logic and science of it. I confess my comment about not taking too much was based on two factors, firstly I do a lot of boat fishing, sea and Fly, and I have been guilty of tasking everything I could lay my hands on " Just in case " out in a boat, it all needs carrying down, loading and back again at the end of the trip, only to use 1% of what I took, I now try to minimise what I take, Do I really need 14 Fly lines, 32 Fly boxes, Spare rods for the Spare Rod ?? in case I break both my main and spare ??

Snapper35

20-03-2008, 20:34

Haha, yes. I always fished with the minimum i needed. now Iuse the most minimum things I need if that makes sense.

A lot of the neccesary weight comes from things like trolley, anchor (and spare) and additional rodholders, fishfinders, rigging etc. I also tend to take more weights than needed. Freshwater it's not such an issue as you're less buoyant.

One way around it is to take a sandbag or two, fill them at the beach and put one fore (inside) and one aft (tankwell). I've not done it yet myself but I would if just going for a paddle or a lightweight session.

lin

20-03-2008, 20:49

I have just been to Brighton Canoes to look at a Prowler 13 Its big, are you transporting these on roof racks

Hi

We transport 2 prowler 13s on the car roof

Lin

Guerrier

21-03-2008, 11:00

Hate to go against the flow, but sometimes its necessary -I'm never happy going out to sea on a sit on top. And as your waters are a bit colder than ours, perhaps you'd be better off being more enclosed. Proper kayaks don't have to cost a fortune either http://www.paddleworks.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?products_id=70
-just learn how to Eskimo roll baby and everything will be wicked!

Think a lot of SOT drivers might not agree with you there mate:uhuh: Most of us have gone to SOT's from SIS's and think SOT's are safer for the sport of kayak fishing. Getting back on a SOT that you have fallen off for some reason is really quite easy! (No roll required, no paddle float, no bailing / pumping out etc) The stability of them is legendary, just check out the kayak forums. Sit insides are superb for touring and very bad weather conditions etc. Horses for courses and all that!.

But as has been said MANY times, TRY EM OUT before purchase and get the one that feels right for YOU:clap:

p.s. The Perception Carolina in the link is the SIS that I moved from when I went to a SOT! Mine was sky blue and white marbled though! Nice touring yak, it was the business for touring and recreation kayaking!.

Guerrier :icecream:

Snapper35

21-03-2008, 11:24

Think a lot of SOT drivers might not agree with you there mate:uhuh:

Seconded.

I transport a rigged Trident and rigged Prowler 15 on my Astra Estate side by side. Roof rails, Thule feet and longer Thule bars.

Bear in mind if you look at a yak upright (resting on nose or stern) it looks monstrous. That's how I first saw a P15 and thought 'No Way!'. Saw it on the floor and it was far smalelr. Funny how perception changes things.

Guerrier

21-03-2008, 16:20

[QUOTE=Snapper35;1071705]Seconded.

I transport a rigged Trident and rigged Prowler 15 on my Astra Estate side by side. Roof rails, Thule feet and longer Thule bars.

Interesting! I use "J" bars but find it stands too high and it is always a bit hairy going on the ferry to the channel Islands, as I do a lot! Do you have pics of your yak on the car? I was wondering if I could get away without the J bars and simply tie the yak to my roofrack after adding some kind of lagging to the bars but not sure!:sad2: Don't want to do a "yarak" he he!

Cheers :clap2:

Snapper35

21-03-2008, 20:53

Guerrier

22-03-2008, 01:06

Indeed you don't David.

Only got pics of one yak on top and it was a short hop so not tied down with the hull uppermost as usual so it's not indicative of how I transport them however it shows the bars etc.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c24/609photos/2008%20Kayak%20Angling/P2082738.jpg

close up of roller

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c24/609photos/2008%20Kayak%20Angling/P2082736.jpg

That looks just like the solution I am looking for! Thanks very much for that Mark, will give it a try this weekend (determined to get out somewhere even one of the lakes!) The lift to the J bars is quite a way for an aged git like me so am seriously gonna give it a try!.

Catch plenty, and thanks again

Dave:icecream:

Snapper35

22-03-2008, 09:35

You're welcome. Note that it's noisy with the straps like that - at speed they thump on the roof. Also, put a twist in them because if they're neat and tidy and flat they'll make a noise too.

Here (I posted it elsewhere the other day) is how I do it when loading properly, with the hull of the yak facing upwards.

(Pretend example strap):

Lay your strap flat. On the top you've got writing. You put the buckle under the roof rail, writing down. Up and over the yak and under the other rail. Come up over the rail and the writing is uppermost, go over the yak and down and through the buckle. So now you have a complete loop. The strap is going to vibrate/resonate when you are driving along so...

Put a twist in the straps. I would aim ideally to put a twist in all four lengths leading to the yak - ie the two going up and the two going down on each side, in the bits that aren't alongside the plastic.

You can also put the straps through the scupper holes and I have made long journeys like that - and will be on Tuesday - but i tend to not do that now as i have a thru-hull transducer going through one of them. as i'm going to be driving best part of a 700 miles I'm going to make it as solid as poss - so straps through scuppers, over the hull and tied at the front and possibly rear. I don't do more than ten-mile journeys with it loaded like the photo above - not because it's unsafe (it isn't) but because it's not the best way.

Guerrier

23-03-2008, 03:30

[QUOTE=Snapper35;1073132]You're welcome. Note that it's noisy with the straps like that - at speed they thump on the roof. Also, put a twist in them because if they're neat and tidy and flat they'll make a noise too.

Too true about the vibration noise! The twisted straps work great Mark ta:thumbs:

WOW 700 miles! thought I had to drive far to Poole from here LOL!!

Good luck with your journey and enjoy your hols in France! Beautiful country, I envy you mate, have fun and catch plenty:clap2:

Dave