kayaking and teardropping

[lrrowe]

Slow, there are a ton of choices out there. Are you looking for stream use or lake use or maybe both?
How are you going to transport it? On the top of your vehicle, TD or other trailer?
Who will help you portage/carry it to the water? This has to do with your ability to lift and carry it.
My wife and I have two Wilderness Systems Tarpon, 10' and 12' and I as a retired person can lift them to a vehicle ok, but not carry them far. So I will make a cart to use for that.

I can list several good manufacturers which I know are in the East and across the country I think. If you want them, let me know. A good thing to do is to find a local dealer for the brands that are common in your area and go talk to them. Many have demo days. I would strongly recommend that you do not buy anything without at least getting into a few to make sure a given style or model is right for you.

A light unit may not be as stable as a wide one. But the wider one probably is heavier then a narrower one. Find a kayak fishing forum that is right for your area of the country and browse it for ideas and comments.

Then there are choices of "sit in", "sit on top" and canoe/kayak style hybrids. The choices are varied and long.
Prices for decent new models can run from $500 to, well you pick it ($1000-2500). Our Tarpons went at $650 and $850.

Hope this helps some.

[ipconfig]

As a avid kayaker I want to pass on 1 and the best piece of knowledge. DEMO DEMO DEMO. Go find a store that specializes in kayaks and check when they have demo days. Getting into a kayak is the best way to find one for you. There are so many varieties of kayaks that what works for me doesnt work for you. The cost can be from 500 to 5k depending on what you want to do with it. I personally have almost 2k in my kayak now with accessories.

[Mojave Bob]

We have several kayaks, and of the type that are probably more in your line, Slow. I think we paid $130, $75, and $68 for the cheap ones, and around $500 for the good one. We got them dirt cheap, by buying them at end-of-season sales at big-box stores (Dunhams, Menards). Honestly? I prefer two of the three cheap ones, and the two I prefer are the two cheaper ones. The third cheap one is horribly uncomfortable.

The $500 kayak is definitely better, and you can tell the difference. It tracks better, it is more rigid, it is better put together. It is also more fragile, and MUCH heavier. The cheap ones are virtually indestructible, and are very lightweight. I don't mind at all when I drag them across rocks, or hit a snag in the water. I can easily lift them onto the racks on our van. If I drop one, it bounces.

As mentioned, sit in one first. Seat comfort is very subjective, and the cockpit width and length need to fit you. For fishing, you will want small storage spaces that are easily accessible from the cockpit - reaching behind you to the "trunk" is awkward. A paddle strap is desirable for holding the paddle while fishing, and for holding the fishing pole while paddling. Cup holders are a real plus - water bottles can roll anywhere in a kayak.

Kayaks, on the whole, are a lot more stable than they look. And, while good kayaks tend to be more streamlined/hydrodynamic (good things, but also means narrower and less stable), cheap kayaks tend to be wider and more stable, for rookie kayakers.

[DrCrash]

As a avid kayaker I want to pass on 1 and the best piece of knowledge. DEMO DEMO DEMO. Go find a store that specializes in kayaks and check when they have demo days. Getting into a kayak is the best way to find one for you. There are so many varieties of kayaks that what works for me doesnt work for you. The cost can be from 500 to 5k depending on what you want to do with it. I personally have almost 2k in my kayak now with accessories.

You are spot on... Demo go to a outfitter or store that will let you get in it and paddle around...
One of the worst kayaks I ever owned was a top of the line [ expensive ] fishing kayak and was like sitting on a oil drum. Impossible to stay up right. The place I bought it from took it back in exchange " was I ever lucky ! "

[SeaFlea]

Hi Slow,

I would agree with 'Irroe' om the Wilderness System Tarpon 120 (12'). I owned oned years ago and it was quite stable and worked as well in fresh water in lakes & streams as it did in saltwater, in my case it was the Atlantic ocean. I loved it! I did, however, get tired of it's weight... BUT - it is a GREAT starter boat.

I would also agree with 'ipconfig' - DEMO / DEMO / DEMO. Like he siad, what works for me may not work for you...

Hope that helps.

Charlie

[ipconfig]

Hi Slow,

I would agree with 'Irroe' om the Wilderness System Tarpon 120 (12'). I owned oned years ago and it was quite stable and worked as well in fresh water in lakes & streams as it did in saltwater, in my case it was the Atlantic ocean. I loved it! I did, however, get tired of it's weight... BUT - it is a GREAT starter boat.

I would also agree with 'ipconfig' - DEMO / DEMO / DEMO. Like he siad, what works for me may not work for you...

Hope that helps.

Charlie

I am a huge fan of kayak fishing and even purchased one specifically for me to fly fish from. It is a really stable platform and has a very comfortable raised seat. The downside is it is not the straightest tracking kayak there is and it is very heavy. The best advice I ever got was demo and I am glad I did. I almost went with a 399er from Academy and glad I took the time to go to an outfitter before purchasing. I can attest to sitting and standing in my for hours upon hours and without the raised seat and extra cushion I might have hated it after the second day.

[kudzu]

You might consider a folding kayak. It's a good option for carrying in a teardrop. Though not for everyone, I adore mine. Most are a skin on frame design and pack down into 1 or 2 bags/backpacks. Mine is Folbot Aleut, I purchased used a couple years ago. Though it took some practice, I can now assemble or disassemble it in 10 minutes. (I only break it down enough to fit it back into the bags.) It weighs about 38 lbs & packs into two bags. I love the way my boat handles & slips along easily in shallow water. It is very stable and tracks beautifully. It isn't super fast but it's faster than a lot of plastic, recreational kayaks and is easier to paddle. It handles well & tracks beautifully. It is not, though, something to take on whitewater nor is it designed to be constantly scraping against rocks. It is sturdy enough for some of that, with protective metal strips at the bow & stern.

When trying to cram a bunch of gear into a limited amount of vehicle space or when storage area at home is a premium, a folding kayak is a real blessing.

[lrrowe]

And there are always inflatables.
Follow this link into and see the many options.
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=inflatable+kayak

This is my WS Tarpon 12 on the James River in VA. For me it is very easy to fish out of.

[dexstrom]

I've been kayak fishing for years and paddled several different tupperware boats. But, when we bought our tiny trailer I couldn't tow the kayak trailer anymore and hoisting 60-80# onto the SUV wasn't gonna happen. I sold all the plastic and bought an inflatable for ease of transport and storage. I really like it for paddling/fishing , http://www.airkayaks.com is where I bought on-line, couldn't demo but was confident that I knew what I wanted and it has lived up to my expectations very well.

Demo as many different types as you can to see what works best for you if possible and find a comfortable boat, they do vary widely in how they feel to each person.

[Danidog]

Slow, I can't add anything more than some of the others have already suggested. You got some good advice here. The only thing I will say is that kayak fishing (or just kayaking ) is very addictive. If this is your first yak, definitely demo if you can and you can save big by buying used. If you go the used route make sure you try it out and make sure it's in good shape. If you know someone already into kayaks, maybe they can help you look for a good used one.

Good luck with it,

[lrrowe]

I second what Danidog has just said. I bought a Jackson Kayak Cuda 14 and had to sell It. It was a great slow water kayak, but just too heavy for me to transport.

[wincrasher]

I'd echo the advice above.

My favorite kayak is the cheap one I got at walmart for $199. It came with an adjustable backrest, foot pegs and a paddle. Plus it's wide and only 30 lbs. You can get the same type of boat at Costco. Look like it's made from the same plastic as milk bottles, only thicker.

My expensive (at least to me) yak was $700. It's narrow and fast. But it's a pain to load and unload. It's easily scratched. Made of fiberglass. It hardly gets used.

So my advice is to buy a cheap, or even a used boat, to see how you like it before you spend any real money on a yak.

If you are just using this for some casual paddling around, or fishing, then you definately want a wide boat. A wide boat is more stable, but also slower, which is why most of your expensive boats are narrow and long - built for speed and true tracking. I don't think those are qualities you are looking for.

[rowerwet]

why buy? if you can build a tear, you can build a nice kayak! I just built a tandem kayak this summer, more like a double paddle canoe, http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/jim/l ... /index.htm my build https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 212&type=1 the design is a simple stretch of the single version http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/jim/toto/index.htm
We find the Larsboat to be fast and stable, paddling it solo the GPS was showing 4-5 mph. The kayak weighs 63 lbs finished, easy for me to car top, and the single would be even lighter. (as long as you don't build it like a tank , I used regular old Luan which is a bit heavier than marine plywood) the total cost is under $200
here is a whole index of kayak plans to check out if building sounds like more fun. http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/r/plansindex/kayak.htm
this plan is a plywood version that has the idea of the tarpon http://www.jemwatercraft.com/proddetail.php?prod=Sabalo

[hiker]

You must demo the boat. Look for a retailer offering a demo day. Spend the day trying out boats. Our local retailer has a Boat demo every year. Lightweight makes it easier to maneuver out of water.

[Danidog]

If you want to go the self build route check out bateau.com. If you have never built a boat those folks are more than willing to share their knowledge with a newbie. Reminds me of this site...