Help with picking a yak

Hi All,

I have the great chance to get a second yak.  I've got a OK P-Tri 15.  It works well but has the following drawbacks for me:
-- Too high riding and catches the wind.
-- Slow in the water compared to a touring yak
-- Need easy access to a bait well.  Opening up the rod pod and hence the entire yak seems rather, um, silly.
-- Sonar shield is too far away to really operate the depth finder.


So I am looking for a yak that is

Used only in the ocean for an average of 2-3 miles each way to fishing grounds.

Good for someone about 160 lbs

Fast and not pushed around by the wind as much as the OK P-Tri 15'

Has better access to a bait well, like a Tarpon.

Has a closer mounting zone for depth finder; (In the OK you got a be a yoga master to reach the sonar shield and stay seated!)

Buget is not an issue, at least right now.


Thanks for any suggestions.

Right now the Tarpon 14 looks a like a good choice but the other possible ones are the  Tarpon 1601i, one of the hobies, I am clueless on which and the drive system seems like a demo or three is needed.

Any Cobras or others?

Thanks in Advance,
Dean

C'mon people. Lets have some answers to this very good question. Inquiring minds wanna know.

Although one can do a search on this site and find a lot of great opinions and info, the mfgs keep coming out with new models and upgrades. What's the latest buzz?

I'm going back into the ocean to play.

I am ordering a new custom stubby longboard clone so I can ride the easy small summer waves.

I'm also interested in an ocean worthy SOT. I'll probably need to go paddle some different craft before I know which ones I like best.

Thanks!
 

If you're looking for a SOT a bit more like a touring kayak

Tarpon 160
Cobra Tourer

Also check out Nanook's OK Scupper Pro
http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,3226.0/topicseen.html

I don't think of the Tarpon 140 as very fast.

Brian's suggestions are right on.

Slow is relative.  The T15 is faster than average for a SOT (IMO).  But most SOT (all?) are slow compared to a touring SINK.

The sonar shield being far away is a feature to me.  I want it out of the way.  I rarely touch my FF, but then again I don't have a fancy integrated GPS unit so I just set it to one screen and it stays there all day.

-Allen

Overall I think what you're looking for is a long and narrow kayak that's going to be able to slice through tough conditions, whether that be wind, chop, or tide. I think the OK line does pretty well in ocean conditions but if you're not feeling it then you're not feeling it. It's time to demo others. Like the old saying goes, what works for others might not work for you.

I might also suggest trying the Hobie Adventure. It's a long and narrow yak (16' X 27.5") and handles sloppy conditions extremely well. Especially when the wind kicks up it's easy to maintain a fast pace since you're low profile pedaling. This is really cool since you can stay out fishing much longer once the wind comes up. It's relatively stable and rockfishing in it is a lot of fun.

Z

OK Scupper Pro, or a closed deck boat, like the Wilderness Systems Tsunami....multichine for stability. Still easy going and stable, but more efficient than most SOT's.

The Tarpon 160 will have more glide and a bit more efficiency than most SOT's, but that's allot of boat.You have a SOT, why not give a sit in a go?

The guys here might call you an elitist , but you can fish out of a sea kayak!

I'll probably wait until I check out the NW Sea Kayak Symposium in Port Townsend in the end of Sept. (weekend of the 25th, I think).
For $40 (kinda steep), you can hang out all day and test paddle any of the demo craft that will be there.
If I am going to try to get back into surfing this summer, I might end up in a body cast before then and won't need a new boat anyway! So I'd better wait. 

You guys are awesome.  Thanks for all the input!

I am leaning towards the Hobie AI.   Upon looking at my charts and such, it seems that a 20 mile day round trip is about what I need to have as a range.  That sounds like a lot but frankly that is where the fish are from where I launch.   

But first I need to make room and put my OK Prowler 15 up for sale and a whitehall rower.

Thanks a bunch guys!

-D

Upon looking at my charts and such, it seems that a 20 mile day round trip is about what I need to have as a range.  That sounds like a lot but frankly that is where the fish are from where I launch. 

Once you get used to the ride you should be able to make that pretty regularly. If you're in the Seattle area drop by Hobiecats Northwest and talk to Dan or Kevin.

The guys here might call you an elitist , but you can fish out of a sea kayak!

I doubt any of us would call a person an elitist purely because of the kayak they ride. IMO anyone who can regularly wrangle fish out of a sea kayak deserves a good amount of respect. No easy task.

Here's one of my heroes:


He won last year's Moutcha Bay tournament and his wife one it the year before in the same kayak.

Z

I am very much looking forward to the hands free locomotion.  I might even break out the fly rod.   

And the sailing back will be a blast!

Thanks again,-d

I have rigged up AI, if you want to play with it.  PM me the details of your Seattle trip.  I don't often go that far south, but maybe....

Upon looking at my charts and such, it seems that a 20 mile day round trip is about what I need to have as a range.  That sounds like a lot but frankly that is where the fish are from where I launch. 

Once you get used to the ride you should be able to make that pretty regularly. If you're in the Seattle area drop by Hobiecats Northwest and talk to Dan or Kevin.

The guys here might call you an elitist , but you can fish out of a sea kayak!

I doubt any of us would call a person an elitist purely because of the kayak they ride. IMO anyone who can regularly wrangle fish out of a sea kayak deserves a good amount of respect. No easy task.

Here's one of my heroes:


He won last year's Moutcha Bay tournament and his wife one it the year before in the same kayak.

Z

Nice pics! You know I was just joking about the elitist stuff. + there are plenty of SINK's that are as stable and inefficient as SOT's ....and plenty of people that fish out of SINK's...You just don't see them as much because I think they are paddling first and fishing second, as apposed to us on this forum who are more interested in the fishing rather than paddling/touring. I like both......but my fishing skills haven't caught up to my kayaking skills.....one day I too hope to have a pic with a king in a sea kayak....I haven't had one in my sea kayak since I left CA in 2005

Newbie jumping in for additional help.  I see helpful information on the Hobie Adventure. Does anyone own or have experience with the Hobie Revolution and the Hobie Outback? Any pictures of setups?  Some wondermants: is there reasonable ease of peddle/paddle? reasonable stability (for a 67 year old fart)? woncder how fly casting is with the peddles hanging out in the cabin? how is pulling a crab pot on each of these? 
Sure would want something much lighter than my 80 lbs. Nucanoe,   The safety being able to peddle or paddle seems like great idea.   With my not being a seasoned seakayker, am wondering if the  Hobie Adventure would be stable enough?
Thank you, Holt