Thread: Are sit ins really that bad? Or Sit ons are really that good?

Different kayaks for different uses. SOT's are pretty much self bailing, ya will eventually tip over. Practice remounting a few times in shallow water, and keep everything on a leash. Not fun to have a wind blowin and everything floating away from ya. Try a few if possible, I'd do that to see what is best for your requirements, and how ya plan to fish. In the spring, a SIK would be warmer with no wind blowin on ya, possibly dryer. A SOT has its advantages, and most fishermen use em. But to each his own, whatever works best.

Get one of each. See that was easy. Problem solved. LOL

I've had both and I prefer the SOT, it seema to be more stable and I feel you have more freedom of movement. The one I have now is very stable and I can take my wife along. They show on their web site that you can stand and cast from it but, I haven't tried that yet, I'm more prone to fall out than stay up so I'll wait till the temps rise before I make an attempt to do so. If I'm successful I'll try to post some pics. Maybe If I'm not I'll still post Pics.

Originally Posted by kellerqx

Just like everyone else starting my quest for a kayak, still trying to determine which model to get SOT or SINK

All I want to do is dock shooting in the spring/fall and thought I had narrowed it down to a sit in, but just keep seeing the posts about how good SOTs are. I dont do a lot of summer fishing in Alabama, kinda hot.

My concerns with the sit on tops is the water and temps. Just thinking sit in would be dryer and warmer. But still dont understand why everyone is so pro sit on type. Maybe my application is different, using around docks in slews off the river. Am I thinking wrong with the SINK?

I will keep reading the previous posts, but if there is anyone that can help set me straight I would appreciate it.

Just another opinion, but.........I have had both and you have heard some of the pros and cons. I sold my Sink
made of Kevlar and it was the best fishing platform I have ever experienced. Paid through the nose for it,
but the Maxi Poke Boat was the best I've fished from without exception. Weighed only 28 lbs empty, easy up
and down steep banks and toughter than nails. Started with an Ocean Kayak 2 seater, then to a Wilderness
System Ride and now into a Heritage Angler 12. Should never have let the Maxi Poke Boat get away.
At 69 the weight does matter. Sit in kayaks can be rigged with an aluminum chair or bean bag seat & is hard
to beat. Sit on top allows your legs more room to roam, hang over the side or bail out in shallow water to
fight the monsters. You just have to do a lot thinking about what kind of fishing you prefer, and work around
your likes. Whatever your decision, keep that line tight, drag loose and fill that basket/stringer. Thumbs Up

My 2 cents. You can do what you want from either type Kayak. Most fisherman given the option pick SOT. If you plan on doing a lot of paddling and strictly kayaking go with a SINK. You have to realize that you are going to be active on/in the kayak. SINK are usually made with emphasis on you being active with the kayak i.e you moving the kayak not moving around inside of the kayak. With that in mind SOts are generally more stable and are easier to re enter. They also have a lot of deck space. You can lay stuff down pretty much anywhere. You can see where you put things. If you tip over you don't have to bail out the water. As long as the scupper holes are not close to the seat your ride on a SOT is pretty dry except for paddle drip. I agree with those that reccomend you trying them both out. That is good advice for bying any kayak. You can get wet in any kayak, SINK or SOT, If you drip water into your SINK from a fish, paddle, boat wake etc it has no where to go, in a SOT it goes out the scupper holes so you are not sitting in a puddle and have to use a hand pump like a SINK. Personally I find the deck space is the #1 advantage of a SOT, there is much more usable space. Hope this helped

I have a wilderness systems Pungo and it has been a very good kayak to fish out of. Very stable paddles well for getting around the lake. If I was going to do any saltwater fishing I would lean towards a SOT. For freshwater I do not think it matters as much.