Kayak
Bassyak wilderness 12 foot
Pros
Motor
Super stable can even shoot out of it.
Cons
Way too heavy.
Sent from my iPad using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app
You guys want to get a little mini-type review of your kayaks?
Here's mine:
Ocean Kayak Prowler 13
Pros:
-Durability
-Price (big store clearance $599)
-28" width for speed
Cons:
-28" width lacks stabilty
-Stock seat sucks
.
Kayak
Bassyak wilderness 12 foot
Pros
Motor
Super stable can even shoot out of it.
Cons
Way too heavy.
Sent from my iPad using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app
Schins LIKED above post
Sun Dolphin Aruba 8' 1
Pros
$175
Light and fits inside van
Cons
Cramped
Short boats are hard to paddle
I got some out riggers so I should be able to stand-up or sit on the stern to address cramped. We will see how that works out after it stops snowing.
Used a trolling motor last year which eliminated paddling and frees the hands just like an expensive foot drive.
Schins LIKED above post
Don't mean to sidetrack this post but wolfhnd - how did you attach a trolling motor to a Sun Dolphin Aruba? and I'm not sure I want to ask what you did with the battery.
Schins LIKED above post
Malibu X-Factor 14' (circa 2008)
Pros:
Durable (cracked, repaired, re-cracked, re-repaired)
Tracks great and an easy paddle
Will carry as much as a barge (400lbs I believe)
Cons:
Heavy and awkward
Hopefully soon I can post a rating on either a Nucanue Pursuit or a Kaku Voodoo Paddleboard
I took out the screws that hold the rear compartment lid in place. Removed the lid and built a plug out of 4 inch pvc pipe that fits in the rear compartment. I attached two metal arms coming off the plug I built to the rear of the cockpit lip. I then built a swinging motor mount to the plug so I could bring the trolling motor forward toward the cockpit or back toward the stern. I use two 35 amp hour batteries I sit between my legs to power a 12 lb thrust trolling motor that weighs 12 lbs.
One of the best things I did was install a foot switch which allows me to use both hands to fish while running the motor intermittently. I also have an extension for the trolling motor arm that I can make minor adjustments with while the fishing rod is in my hands.
The thing is that an 8 ft boat has a hull speed of less than 4 mph so a bigger motor does you no good. I have never used more than one of the batteries because I don't run them very long. The whole setup is so light I put it in the water near where I'm going to fish. I do use a welded steel cart to move the boat and gear to the water unless I'm just using the kayak and a paddle.
I have not tried the pontoons yet but I have reconfigured the motor to attach to the stern. I'm hoping the pontoons give me enough stability to sit on the rear deck to raise and lower the motor.
I still have the option of using the swinging motor mount if I go somewhere the pontoons will get in the way like a willow filled stream for example. On some occasions I will not use the motor at all if I'm just floating downstream or the portage is long and difficult.
The problem with my setup is that I only weigh 170 lbs and I'm still pushing the limit for that little boat. The batteries weigh 46 lbs, the motor 12 lbs, the hardware 10 lbs, my gear maybe 15 lbs for a total of 260 lbs for a boat with a 250 lb max capacity. I'm also a bit concerned with such a cheap kayak that standing may compromise the floor but we will see about that.
Schins LIKED above post
Native Ultimate 12 Tegris
Pro's:
Light weight 37 lbs with seat.
Great seat.
Tunnel hull for stability.
Plenty of space for hauling.
30.5" wide so paddles good.
Con's:
This is a sit in...so it is not self bailing
Price
Not made any more so hard to find
Schins LIKED above post
Nucanoe,frontier 12
pro's
41" wide at the beam
very stable
trolling motor friendly
single or tandom seating option
adaptable to various seats and bases
tracks well
multiple rigging opportunities
duel haul,storage capable.
cons
not cheap
not light
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