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rawprawn
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Registered: 07-2005
Location: Central Coast
Posts: 26
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Suggestions please
Hi all. I’m just about to sell my powerboat and buy myself and my family kayaks. I’m after some advice for the type of Kayak I should be getting. I’m about 5ft 10 tall and about 75kg (light weight). Used to play Kayak polo when I was younger so have some experience(mainly getting hit in the head with a paddle). I’m Relatively fit and will be using the Kayak mainly for fishing and some rec with the family.
I have a large lake system 200m from my front door and will spend 98% of my fishing time hear using soft plastics and dont carry a lot of gear. The fishing spots I will be paddling too can be as far away as 3-5km each way so I want something relatively fast. The lake system can get choppy so it will need to be able to handle chop. The other 2% of the time on days of low swell I may consider or like the option of being able to fish at a reef system which is only 100m from shore at our the local surf beach also only up the road in the other direction.
A sit in Kayak is my preference as I like to reduce my exposure to the elements and chop as there can be quiet a bit of this at times, however I know when taking a Kayak to the beach a sit on top should be the weapon of choice given the conditions and ease of access etc. I still however have a strong preference for the sit in variety
The kayak I have been looking at is the Saratoga by Aust Canoes. I don’t want to spend a fortune (i.e. over $1500) but I want to get the right yak for me the first time.
Can you please provide me with some of the benefit of your collective wisdom on what brands and models may suit me please?
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Greg
Central Coast
NSW
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25/Jul/2005, 2:51 pm
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Shads
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Re: Suggestions please
200 meters eh!, lucky you.
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25/Jul/2005, 3:06 pm
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rawprawn
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Registered: 07-2005
Location: Central Coast
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Re: Suggestions please
Yep, could live in worse places I suppose. Pointless living that close it you dont use it IMO.
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Greg
Central Coast
NSW
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25/Jul/2005, 3:12 pm
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The Mariner
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Location: Adelaide, Australia
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Re: Suggestions please
Welcome to the forum RawPrawn 
I haven't paddled a Saratoga but looking at the info on the Australis website it looks like a pretty good design for a short-ish boat. It has plenty of rocker & a nice upturned bow to help in the chop. It may not track quite as nicely due to the rocker & the bow so a rudder may be a good thing to have but if you can get a test paddle you can check for yourself. Overall though it sounds like a good choice.
Just don't get that awful purple/white/blue colour 
Others about the same size you might like to look at would be the Perception Acadia 370 (3.70m x 0.68m), Q-Kayak Tui (4.5m x 0.62m) & RTM Oceanic (4.2m x 0.63m).
The Tui is dearer than the Saratoga but the Oceanic is a bit cheaper. The Acadia is a top boat but the bow isn't as nice for choppy stuff as the Saratoga's.
At your size/weight the Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro sit-on-top would also be a good choice if you decied to move away from a sit-in.
One final thing...
Would you mind including your location (just a general one, not your full street address) into your profile so we can all see where you are from whenever you make a post. You might also like to take the time to create your signature (you can just use your username if you don't want to use your real name) & as part of your signature, tell us what kayak/s you have.
Both these things make you posts feel a lot more 'personal' & lets everyone know what you paddle. You might even find other local kayak fishermen you can meet with. Instructions on how to do all these things are in the 'help' area.
Hope this helps...
--- Regards,
Phil.
Forum Administrator.
Visit www.hookedonkayaks.com.au for kayaks and kayak fishing accessories. |
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25/Jul/2005, 4:21 pm
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rawprawn
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Location: Central Coast
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Re: Suggestions please
Thanks Phil,
I have changed my details as requested. May help my find some like-minded Kayak fisherman in my area.
I'm sort of coming around to the sit on top Kayaks as this seems to be the most popular. However I'm concerned about getting splash in chop. I go fishing in most (safe) conditions but I just don’t like getting wet especially in the colder months.
The on tops seem to have the advantages in storage and versatility i.e. getting on off or changing seating positions whist fishing. What are the main advantages of the on top vs the sit in variety?
Greg
Central Coast NSW
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Greg
Central Coast
NSW
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25/Jul/2005, 5:00 pm
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The Mariner
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Re: Suggestions please
Hi Greg,
Thanks for updating your profile  It really helps make the forum a lot more personal.
The main advantages in a sit-on-top would be:
1).. Safety. If you flip you can just right the kayak then climb back on, rather than have to learn to eskimo roll (which you may already know if you did kayak polo when younger), or exit the boat while under water, right it, pump it out then attempt to re-enter.
2).. Mounting stuff in the deck is easy as you don't have to worry about where your body goes.
3).. Ability to move about the kayak whilst on the water to get to gear in hatches, sit sideways to fish or just to change seating position to relieve your butt.
4).. Easy mounting/dismounting.
5).. The deck of the kayak is a bit lower relative to sit-in so it doesn't get in your way while casting etc.
6).. Easier to keep clean. When boarding a sit-in you almost always bring dirt into the ****pit but in a sit-on you can wash your feet !
7).. Better storage options. Sit-ins just have hatches or bungee nets. Sit-ons almost always have a tankwell for better above deck storage options.
8).. Much easier to take a wee from while out on the water !
These are a few of he major ones but I'm sure others may come up with more.
A wetsuit (long legs, sleeveless) & bootees is a necessity to keep you warm & dry in those colder winter months & are another excellent safety item in the event you flip.
If you do re-consider a sit-on I'd suggest the Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro TW (as I have already suggested), Perception Swing, Wilderness Systems Tarpon T140 (rare, but available) & Ocean Kayak Prowler 15. The Prowler 13 paddles slower which may be a problem for 3-5km each way in tough conditions. Budget-wise for you they would all be around the mark.
Sometimes used Scuppers & Swings appear on eBay too.
--- Regards,
Phil.
Forum Administrator.
Visit www.hookedonkayaks.com.au for kayaks and kayak fishing accessories. |
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25/Jul/2005, 5:34 pm
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rawprawn
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Registered: 07-2005
Location: Central Coast
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Re: Suggestions please
Great stuff Phil thanks again. Sit ons are sounding like what I should be looking at. I'm going the Sydney boat to see what they have on display and maybe pick something up depending on what they have on offer and price.
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Greg
Central Coast
NSW
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26/Jul/2005, 8:15 am
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Cormorant
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Registered: 05-2005
Posts: 42
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Re: Suggestions please
Greg,
Definitely go for a paddle before you buy something. I was lucky enough to have a go on a couple of types of kayaks and canoes before buying mine, and having a paddle makes a world of difference in your choice.
For me, I am lucky enough to have a sit on top and a sit-in canoe, and I love the sit on top. You just dress for the conditions, and accept that you are going to get a bit wet.
I haven't had any real troubles with splash from the chop, though, and my kayak isn't even designed for choppy conditions.
Good luck with it, and as someone else said in an earlier post... 200 metres to the water, you lucky bastard!
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Cormorant
Canberra ACT
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Australis Squid
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26/Jul/2005, 10:12 am
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rawprawn
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Registered: 07-2005
Location: Central Coast
Posts: 26
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Re: Suggestions please
Thanks Cormorant. I'm going to try and do some testing this weekend. I'm very familiar with the sit in variety just need to try out some sit on tops.
I like going fishing all year round. If I’m really wet (from Chop) and uncomfortable I probably won’t fish during winter which would bother me. I have heaps of wet suits though and am sure it will be ok.
Unfortunately there are not a lot of places up hear which I can test all those I want to.
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Greg
Central Coast
NSW
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26/Jul/2005, 11:27 am
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PoddyMullet
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Registered: 12-2004
Location: Melbourne VIC
Posts: 347
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Re: Suggestions please
G day rawprawn, welcome aboard
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Perception Swing & Dagger Drifter II. Wouldn't one yak be enough?
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26/Jul/2005, 5:31 pm
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