Thread: Looking At

It is a nice entry level kayak. You bottom will be wet in the seat area it is pretty quick. It is some what stable. Again in a nice in a while use kayak it is a decent investment as a regular kayak you may want to look for something a little more progressed in development

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Try and find one to test paddle. What works for someone else's back, may be heck on yours.

Most find the elevated seat models much more comfortable. I know I like way they fish better (gear storage, casting ease, getting in and out of the boat etc). Also most elevated seat models, gives one the ability to stand which is great to stretch the back and legs out. I have had several Jacksons (made in TN), but Wilderness System, NuCanoe and several other brands have elevated (camp chair) models.

I have owned 5 different kayaks. If it is uncomfortable after a 10 minute paddle imagine if you are in it for a couple of hours. I had a Wilderness Ride 115 a few years back...before they came out with the elevated seat. I had to put my Jackson Coosa seat in it to fish out of it....then all was well.....the point as bfish said....find one that sits you in comfort.

Regards

Comfort is key and the elevated seat is almost a must for us older fellers. I wouldn't change mine for anything else that didn't have
an elevated seat. Mine is my own modification and the lawn chairs at 5 bucks are worth experimenting with to get the comfort you are
looking for.

We need more information. If you want to go in rough water then I have seen a lot of sit ons turned over by small waves. I will never own a sit on but the other posters are right it is hell on your old body to be stuck in a cockpit for hours. I own two kayak and bought my first one thirty years ago to fish out of. I think I had 25 years before I saw anyone else fishing out of them.

The reason I own a kayak and not a boat is that boats look bad in the yard, they require maintenance, I don't fish often enough to justify thousands of dollars in a boat, I hang my kayak on the wall and it takes up no space in my shop, I like the quite of no motors, I like swampy areas and small bodies you can't put a boat in, I hate trailers as something always go wrong with them, other small boats catch too much wind and our noisy, kayaks are the lightest water craft and while I have hauled 100 plus pound boats on my car in my youth that is out of the question now, I can leave my kayak in the van if I decide to fish from the bank without worrying about theft, a kayak can be launched anywhere you can get within a hundred feet of the water, in theory they are the safest small water craft as testified to by their centuries of use in the open ocean in the Bering Strait, they rotate with easy, and they look cool.

Reasons not to own a kayak are you are going to get wet, if you are subject to cramps almost any other water craft is more comfortable, inexperience people can roll them and get in trouble, they need extensive fittings for fishing, other boats may not respect your space, while faster than a canoe they still require patience, they are generally made of plastic which may be a plus or a minus I just know my very old plastic kayak is still going strong, light means unstable, I could go on but you get the idea.

The first thing you need to decide is the weight. Both of my kayaks weigh around 30 pounds. The new "nice" ones are much heavier and they are hard to get on the roof of a car. If you are going to use a trolling motor you have to get one of the heavier models in my opinion for stability.

My back is in constant pain from having broke it 4 years ago and yes that is a problem with the cockpit models but I can pee in a bottle with nobody seeing me which is the second problem of old age solved. There are just too many trade offs to recommend something to anyone until they make a choice of size and style.

I was able to buy a pair of Hobie Maui's a couple years ago for $450. Didn't have to think long! I love them for my secondary boats. Fun to float smaller waters that my glass boat doesn't belong. Floating the Clinch and Caney Fork rivers while trout fishing is all kinds of fun! In the heat of summer when the lake is full of pleasure boats and jet skis, finding tight areas or small water is fun and relaxing.

Great Luck!!!!.

First, sit in it as long as you can. Maybe a foam pad for the seat and or back. See if you can sit longer.
My son found some 1/2" foam that resist water, don't know the name of it. I cut one piece for the seat. One taller piece for the back, add a double layer at the top on the back side. I'm good for 5 hours.