Screw it I'm buying a kayak.

[Flysmallie]

What do you guys like? What do you not like?

And before everybody starts saying Jackson please stop. I'm sure they are great but I'm not spending that kind of money on one.

I'm a big guy but on a mission to lose a bunch of weight. I have no need to stand. I can fish just fine sitting on my butt. But I would like it stable and preferably one with the adjustable seat. 

I fished out of an Ascend FS128T last year. It was an older model and I know they have made some upgrades. I liked it pretty well but it's also pretty heavy. I don't mind heavy necessarily but if I wanted to do that all the time I'll just take my canoe. Just looking for something easier to handle that I can throw on top of my car and run out to Springfield Lake. 

[jtram]

I have to say Jackson, There is truly no comparison. That said wilderness systems are really good boats for a few hundred less. I had an ascend fs128t  and couldn't sell it fast enough ( before I had ever even sat in a jackson) it was slow, heavy, turned like a train on straight tracks, and was terribly put together. I truly believe you get what you pay for in a yak. Check out natives they seem to be Really nice. Good luck. 

[jtram]

Check out the w.s. tarpon 100, perfect for small water. Dunno how big you are but my dad is 6 ft 220 lbs and loves mine.....

[Ham]

The Perception Pescador is from the mold of a classic Wilderness System Tarpon. Available from a bunch of retailers, but I know that Academy carries them. Great boat at a great price. < $600 if I remember correctly.

If you are a little larger and if you want to fly fish from your boat, I STRONGLY recommend you get the 120. A little more money and little more weight, but it will fish / float better and you can store flyrods fully rigged out inside the boat and they will be bombproof.

Good Luck and Welcome to the dark side.

[jpb2187]

Heres my $.02.

Here's what I was looking for in a kayak.

1. Lightweight - Have a 2 canoes that I love, but loading and hauling them by myself was doable but annoying due to weight. 

2. Fast - I would like to cover water, or at least paddle for a while to get a good distance under my belt, then take my time fishing back. Didn't want something that was going to be a barge to paddle. (Had to sacrifice some standing stability for this)

3. Lots of storage/ or accessory space if wanted. Don't plan on using too many accessories or add ons at the moment, but wanted the option to in the future.

I ended up buying an Ocean Kayak Prowler 13. 

At 56lbs its a cinch to throw on top of the van. 

Its a long kayak, at 13' 4", and only 28' wide.So it's got pretty good speed. I have stood up while fishing on it, it is doable, but for me right now only in calm water. 

Comes with a seat, ropes along the sides, bungees, etc. I can fit a cooler and a Plano Ammo box behind me very easiy, 2 rod holders if you like the angled ones. (I think i'm going to mount 3 pvcs to the ammo box for vertical storage.) Also has lots of U-bolts and areas you can add your own caribeeners, clips, accs, etc. onto. 

I bought a factory 2nd for around $600 from austin kayak, but it looks like Academy has them new online for $699. Comapred to a lot of the other "fishing" kayaks out there I thought it had the most bang for your buck. 

Paddle-drive would be nice, but I thought the added price and weight wasn't worth it. Wider more stable kayaks might be nice for standing, but I'd rather get an easier paddler.The Ocean Kayak Prowler was the right length, weight, and price for me. 

I made a pvc cart with wheels from Harbor Freight that I just pop into the scupper holes when transporting, makes it a breeze if you have to walk a ways to portage. 

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_1411540_-1?cm_mmc=pla-_-Boating+Marine+Paddle+Sports+Kayaks+Sit-on-top+Kayaks-_-Google-_-Ocean+Kayak+Prowler+13+13+4+Angler+Kayak&sku=103980021&gclid=CPv6vfLBuc0CFQ6GaQodJK0OzQ&kwid=productads-adid^69707526798-device^c-plaid^18283950120-sku^103980021-adType^PLA

BTW, I'm tall, but skinny - 6'2" - 165, very comfortable to me.

[ness]

I'm not really in the market, but that Ocean Kayak at 56 pounds is pretty light. And weight, plus overall ability to throw it on top of a vehicle, would be big deals to me -- one of the reasons I'm not really in the market for a kayak.

[Smalliebigs]

Hahahahahahaha......I would have never thunk it!!!!!!!  hahahahahaha

 

     These are $799 new and pretty good but, much better than the ascend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r0lhVn2jLM..... these are closer to your price range stated above but, I personally prefer the Moken Lure and its seat but, then you step up to about $1000 and with tax more like $1100. 

    I own two Jackson Coosa HD's and like them very much but, since you said that is not an option I won't even go into them but they are very nice and very comfortable to paddle for extended periods.......that's why I bought them and don't give a crap about standing in them.....that is overated in a yak IMO.....I stand on the deck of my boats but sit in my yaks

Others that are decent in your above stated price range are the Ocean Pescador 12http://www.austinkayak.com/products/19287/Perception-Pescador-Pro-120-Kayak.html

these are not bad but still just about a$1000

Perception has a boat that is stripped down for $500 and you would have to buy a seat for it but, I have paddled one and it was a pretty good hull for rivershttp://www.austinkayak.com/products/15722/Perception-Striker-115-Kayak.html

Then you are down to the Ascends and a few others .......the only thing I haven't liked about the Ascend's is the hull is very thin and my dad bought two and we wore holes in them in two seasons.....that's BS if you ask me but, it's BPS and they suck. I mean the Ascend looks great on paper but the ones we bought did not hold up to someone who actually used it on a river with gravel bottoms http://www.basspro.com/Ascend-FS12T-SitonTop-Kayak-Desert-Storm/product/1512140822/  if you do go with BPS DO NOT get the sit in version 

[Flysmallie]

Great info so far. Most of these I have looked at. The Moken was new to me.

Its not that I'm totally opposed to Jackson. I know they make great boats. I know it's probably the best option. I also know that the price is a little tough to justify to my wife. To her a Jackson is no different than the ones they have at Walmart. I'm also probably in the market for a couple of yaks. My 17 year old daughter is going to want one if I get one. I'll probably end up in a Jackson at some point but I have to start this adventure out a little smaller at the moment. 

1 hour ago, Smalliebigs said:

if you do go with BPS DO NOT get the sit in version 

The guy across the street just got one of those. I'm not a fan of that at all. Don't think he really is either after a couple of trips. 

[Ham]

Y

23 minutes ago, Flysmallie said:

 

Its not that I'm totally opposed to Jackson. I know they make great boats. I know it's probably the best option.   

My wife and I own 5 kayaks. We have 2 x Tarpon 120, 1 x Tarpon 100, a Jackson Coosa, and a Jackson Cuda. A Perception Pescador 120 at $550 dollars new is your best option. Just sayin.

[ollie]

Wish I had known this last year.  I would have sold you my Pam 100 for dirt cheap.  It was a great yak, but now that I have the solo canoe I'm not sure I will go back to the dark side.