gheppsie
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Registered: 08-2005
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Expert required
I am buying a fishing kayak and have about 1500 to spend. I want something with rudder and as fitted out as I can get for my money. I live in Manly,Sydney and want to be able to get outside comfortably and chase snapper and the like but also want something that is good for touring as I want to be able to explore the esturies and go up to a couple km off shore. Currenly looking at the prowler 13. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.
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27/Aug/2005, 6:06 pm
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bent1
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Location: Bruny Island Tasmania
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Re: Expert required
Mate i love my P15 which was fully rigged with rod holders, paddle holders, cargo netting for the tankwell, rudder and a sweet USA made seat all for $1500. It has had a hard nine months of use with me racking up over a couple of hundred hours in it during this time and it just keeps on rocking. it has a 3 year warranty is ais USA built.
The importers canoe sports said that they are doing hot deals at the moment due to Ocean Prowler building upon its already big USA market share and the fact of the high Aussie dollar in relation to the US dollar. Take one for a paddle and see what you think. Canoe sports the ocean kayak distributor is on the Northern Beaches and i reckon they will have no hassle letting you have a paddle.
The other boast that seem to have a excellent reputation are the tarpon 160 which by all accounts are another classic bluewater yak. Phil (the mariner) has some coming, he could advise you of their costings.
catch ya Bent
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"Katana" OK Prowler XT
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27/Aug/2005, 6:26 pm
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gheppsie
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Re: Expert required
Thanks heaps for the reply bent, how do you find the stabilty and would you consider it to be a fast kayak?
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27/Aug/2005, 9:35 pm
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gheppsie
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Re: Expert required
I forgot to add that Im 6ft about 80kg
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27/Aug/2005, 10:19 pm
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bent1
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Re: Expert required
Mate my p15 is fast as far as sit on top kayaks go which offer a large degree of secondary stability as opposed to sit in kayaks which offer little or no secondary stability due to them not being designed to be used at rest, they gain their stability from their forward momention. You are well under the max weight for the Prowler.
As far as stability goes, while i have reasonable balance due to surfing using a wave ski when i was a young tacker, i have no worries standing up and fly fishing from it when in a calm estuary enviroment. My prowler is bullet proof, surviving a car accident which wrote off my commodore wagon and launched my prowler (still attached to the roof racks) around 15 feet from the car. I also use it for rock hopping and regularly drag/carry it up onto the rocks.
She is pretty scratched but keeps on rocking.
She is fast enough that when i paddle hard she planes and i get a gurgling sound underneath the hull. She takes a little bit of effort to get moving but once she is moving she glides for ages.
I find her a pleasure to fish from unlike my old sit in kayak and since getting her around nine months ago and using her 3 times a week minimum i havent used my tinny since i got her.
They are a great buy at the moment and offer a 3 year warranty. they had a design problem when they first came out, but this was quickly rectified. I had to wait for a couple of months to get mine for the new models to hit our shores but since then she has been amazing and i couldn't be happier with her.
here in Tassie it seems that any day with winds under 20 knots is a good day and i have paddled her in Storm bay with a good swell pumping and a heap of wind chop (35 knots winds and gusting stronger) and she is a big pussy cat. I haven't paddled a tarpon 160 but from what i have read they are a sweet boat also and phil (the mariner has a few coming).
My only complaint is that she is heavy but so are all of the other yaks in her class. i lift the front onto the roof racks and then slide her on before tipping her over so she is top deck down. Using a rubber bottomed cotton bath mat to prevent scratching the roof and to facilitate easy sliding she is easy to load onto the roof.
I can carry her around 50 metres before she clags me out but a kayak cart can easily and cheaply be constructed and the details are elsewhere on this site.
Regardless of what you buy, test paddle it first and go for a rudder on a big yak. You will find the rudder a bit awkward the first couple of trips but you will soon get used to it and steering with your feet becomes and unconscious thought just like breathing or walking.
catch ya bent
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"Katana" OK Prowler XT
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27/Aug/2005, 11:10 pm
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The Mariner
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Re: Expert required
Welcome to the forum Gheppsie 
My personal opinion is that Canoe Sports are buying Prowler owners with the agressive prices they are offering at the moment. Naturally, that's not a bad thing for buyers but I don't know how long they'll be able to maintain it for.
They are one of the fastest SOT's around and vey popular in the U.S.A. Your weight won't bother either a P13 or a P15 but check the legroom in the P15. The 2 foot shorter P13, believe it or not, has more legroom than the P15.
Don't just be swayed by price. Check it does everything you want it to do. For example, a huge hatch up front may be of no benefit if you cannot climb up front while on the water to get at what's inside it.
If a Prowler suits you, buy one.
Last edited by The Mariner, 29/Aug/2005, 10:03 am
--- Regards,
Phil.
Forum Administrator.
Visit www.hookedonkayaks.com.au for kayaks and kayak fishing accessories. |
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29/Aug/2005, 8:51 am
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