Buying A Kayak

[Doc Dave]

Went and looked for a kayak I can fish out of and also just paddle around the lakes. I looked at the Pelican Castaway 116 DLX today, seems ok, but I don't really know. Is a sit on top good or not. I tried fishing out of a tandem kayak and did not care for that experience. I also looked at the Pelican Getaway 100, a sit in kayak, a foot shorter that the castaway. The only three differences I see are the foot shorter, a sit in style, and the dry storage on the castaway is at the front and the getaway at the back. Any suggestions.

[rps]

I have been looking too. I have focused on the Native Watercraft Ultimate 12. Anyone know anything about them?

http://www.nativewatercraft.com/ult_12.cfm

[RSBreth]

I would pull the trigger on a Native Ultimate, mostly because it's really a solo Canoe and not a Kayak at all.

Brilliant marketing over there at Native. They see the "Kayak Craze", and market a canoe as a Kayak. The people who buy one are doing better than those who buy a regular Kayak for fishing, in my opinion.

[Flysmallie]

Yeah I thought they looked more like a canoe than kayak. No matter what you call them though, it looks like a sweet boat.

[esox niger]

Ive got a sit on ocean kayak...id say a sit in kayak is out of the question, a canoe is easier to fish from sitting down...who wants to do that? maybe. I like to stand and fish, i made two outriggers for my kayak...from pvc. all in all its a bit of work to get out and fish from the yak but it would be about the same for the canoe although they are usualy heavier and therefore more difficult to transport, load etc. my kayak is about 50 pounds and i would dread it to be any heavier. loading unloading dragging or carrying would become more difficult. my set up is not perfect....I end up having to stand with my feet in the bottom of a curved depresion (seat) that can become uncomfortable....with an anchor, rod, paddle, and gear things are slightly crowded, it can be hard on the knees...I use a gandening pad so i can neel and paddle, i can also sit up on the rear of the seat indian style for comfort on distance paddles. moving from one position to another is hard on the knees and your feet over time. id much prefer the yak to my float tube. when i can stand im in the game....sitting to fish kinda sucks..i fly fish so maybe you wouldnt mind sitting? especialy if you fish bait. if you get a sit in kayak how you gunna have an anchor? gunna put it on your lap? or balance it on the shell? have fun. where u gunna keep drinks or bug repelant? can you grab that while your sitting down? things to think about.

[Greg]

I'm looking too. Have been for some time. Any idea what that Native Ultimate 12 costs? I've been looking at this one:

http://www.ems.com/1/1/28822-old-town-vapor-10-xt-kayak.html

It's a kayak obviously but it looks to have more of an open cockpit. I recently took a float in a sit in kayak. I enjoyed it but it was a bit small for me (9ft). I didn't fish out of it much that day though.

Greg

[rps]

Over the last ten days I have looked at (actually touched and sat in) the Old Town Otter, Vapor, and the Dirigo, as well as some other boats. I was even in a Cabelas and in a LL Bean outlet while I was driving the wife cross country.

The Otter is a pure recreation boat and will be the wife's new boat. She does not fish and wants a light, inexpensive boat so we can do easy, simple paddles on the Kings, Buffalo, and upper White. She could carry a small bag with sunscreen and a lunch cooler (six pack size).

I will use the kayak I buy to join her and also to fish by myself. Because of the gear I want to carry, a 10 foot would not suit me. A tackle bag, a cooler, two rods, a dog, and a boat bag (sunscreen, camera, pliers, boga, GPS, bandaids, toilet paper in baggie, etc.) persuade me to look at 12's.

The Vapor 12 is advertised at Bass Pro at $499. It weighs 54 pounds. The $679 (BP price) angler version comes with an anchor and trolley system and rod holders.

The Dirigo 12 weighs less, 48, and is made of a three layer poly. It has a MSRP of $859. BP advertises $749. The angler version, with rod holders and anchor, has a MSRP of $939. BP does not list them for sale. I was more impressed with it than the Vapor.

The Old Town Pack has a MSRP of $799. If you buy the Angler version (lower, contoured seat; anchor system; nylon "work deck") the MSRP is $1019. Both the regular and angler versions weigh 33 pounds.

To make an apples to apples comparison I had to factor in shipping. If BP or someone local doesn't carry what I want, the shipping on small canoes and kayaks runs around $100.

From his posts, I can tell RSBreth loves his Pack. I was in one once and found it tippy. Of course, it was a regular version with the web seat at gunwale height. And, of course, I was in it very briefly and I am clumsy and uncoordinated. If I owned one and practiced with it my initial impression might disappear. Especially if I sat below the gunwale.

I will be going to look at the Native Watercraft Ultimate 12 at a dealer in Fayetteville this week. The MSRP for the regular version is $969. The angler version MSRP is around $1100. I do not yet know the dealer prices, but assume they will be lower. What has me interested is the apparent high initial stability the boat derives from the tunnel hull. Basic catamaran principle at work. Video on the net shows people standing to fly fish and doing so with ease. The same video seems to show secondary stability is also good. The seating on the boat is lower, like a kayak, but not on the floor and with the feet lower than the butt. That strikes me as stable but more comfortable than most kayak set ups. After I learn more, I will report.

Hope the information is useful to those looking.

[grizwilson]

Call Bill at: 417-538-4848

http://www.ozarkcanoe.com/

He has moved the paddle shop to a building in Gainsville to liquidate his inventory, much cheaper than bass pro and the Bryant and North Fork are close by for a test run. for example old town camper 15 for $900 (1400 list) has many old town and ocean kayaks plus canones, I bought the last pack angler.

g

[Wayne SW/MO]

I've always been fond of the Wilderness systems kayaks. The differences between a SOT and a SIT comes down to weight, the Sot is heavier, and fishing friendly. When it comes to fishing the SOT clearly has the advantage. You can swing your legs out of the SOT and have access to tackle or a cooler behind you without leaving deep water. Many say that its easier to get out of a SOT, but in my experience that's minimal at best.

Don't forget that the longer the yak, the better it tracks and it will be faster.

I've used a Tarpon for several years now, I have 2 others, and its my favorite of the yaks. A 9-10' SIT at around 40# is a clear winner on small waters, but not beyond that.

My overall choice however is my 13' solo canoe, it can out maneuver the Yaks while carrying a bigger load. It doesn't track as well, but that's the price of more maneuverability.

[RSBreth]

From his posts, I can tell RSBreth loves his Pack. I was in one once and found it tippy. Of course, it was a regular version with the web seat at gunwale height. And, of course, I was in it very briefly and I am clumsy and uncoordinated. If I owned one and practiced with it my initial impression might disappear. Especially if I sat below the gunwale.

Yeah, it's hard to hide the fact I like my Pack, but it does feel "tippy" at first. It's initial stability isn't very good, but it's actually hard to tip over, just feels "squirrely"

You get used to it.

Some people lower the seat, but I like to sit up higher for several reasons. I would never paddle something for a little while and be able to make a judgment from that, I'd have to get in one for a little while, say, maybe half a day. I wasn't sure about the Pack at first, but it's a great compromise between stability and light weight. Not very many solo craft that are widely available AND weigh less than 40-pounds.

Griz, have you paddled the Pack Angler enough to do a report on it? I haven't seen more than a comment on here about it, so I'm curious how you like it.