12' or 14' Yak

[Mark]

Wow, it's been a long time since I've been called young!

Thank you and congratulations to you for staying so active.

I hope I can write a post like yours in 8 years.

And you're correct -- every kayak is a product of tradeoffs.

[BassMoore]

[QUOTE=ronaultmtd;75506]Ain't no human powered fishing kayak faster on the water than a Hobie mirage drive-


i almost beg the differ lol

my kilroy can keep up with any hobie at a very brisk paddle for me. ive sat next to a hobie at 5.4 mph

now i cant do it for very long.. but just busting your chops saying it cant be done haha

but im eventually getting a hobbie again .. but keeping the kilroy for smaller waters

[Memory Maker]

Yep ........ there's alot of improvements Hobie can make ....... but ....... All I can say is that there must be a reason why Hobie is the most expensive Yak and out sells all others ......... especially the foot powered ones. Can't wait to see the comparison between the Propel and the Hobies real time among you guys ......... who knows ...... John might be right ....... or not.

[DOGFISH]

All I know, is that the eVolve works very hard while I am having a beer. It must be a young guy.

[monocacykayak]

The propel drive in native kayaks has been around for a few years ,I think they can give the hobies a run for for it.More people are getting them.As John says we will see more of them they have some features hobies do not. However pedal kayaks are not for everyone.
I was hot on getting a pro angler,after I tried one for one hour I could feel it in my knees and lower back for the rest of the day ,so not for me. They have their place with the right person .
As for me I will live with the weight and slower speed for comfort. I need to stretch my legs and stand under the right conditions if I am going to spend a day in a kayak. Everyone can not be happy in one type of kayak.

Rich
Valley Mill Boats,Fishing Team,Jackson Kayaks
Big Tuna, Cuda12

[zimm]

this thread reminds me of the story of the 2 bulls standing on a hillside admiring a herd of fine cows in the valley.


stop me if you've heard this one!

[jsnyd86]

So if I could re-route this thread back on track, I would just like to know why everyone chose the length of their kayak. 14 is generally better for open water while 12 can be a good all around and 10 for river ponds, small lakes. yadda yadda yadda. Most of the water around here is good for a 14 but then you start getting away from smaller rivers (or no?). Having a 12' is nice but when you start talking about a couple miles I start thinking if it's worth it.

[monocacykayak]

Kevin my fishing buddy has a cuda 12 and has used it at PLO the bay bridge and upper Potomac.he likes it very much. He thinks it is good all around boat.

[Mark]

Usually the longer the boat the more weight capacity it has. That's why I chose a Revo 13 over the 11.

[Birddog]

I have 3 (2 SIK , 1 SOT) 12's because cause my son and I do all sorts of fishing from small pond LMB, stripers at the Harry Nice bridge, flounder at Rudee inlet, Indian river inlet in DE and anything in between. The weight capacity is better than the smaller boats and the shorter length is more maneuverable than the bigger boats plus they are much easier to load and transport in the back of my truck.

Versatility was key for me. Hope that helps some.

[kevinfry]

Kevin my fishing buddy has a cuda 12 and has used it at PLO the bay bridge and upper Potomac.he likes it very much. He thinks it is good all around boat.

Oh they are nice boats, so are the Malibus. I'd kill for either. My comments were strictly addressing paddling speed. As a fishing boat both have many more features than Tarpons, but I don't think there is any doubt which is faster. Speed is certainly not the only factor to consider for sure.

For me personally the boat that I am the most intrigued by right now is the Moken 14......just a dream of course. I like paddling as much as fishing so I am not as intrigued by the pedal powered boats......but they certainly make fishing easier!

[zimm]

Let's take 3 boats with identical hulls and play with some of the variables
10' l by 30" w:
paddles like a pig-
spins on a dime
energy required to get it on plane from a standing start
requires more finesse paddling to maintain a straight line
12' l by 30" w:
less energy expended to get it moving
more likely to track straight without a lot of correcting
longer glide after you stop paddling
steering considerably slower than the 10' yet remember the glide factor
14'l by 30" wide:
fastest of the 3 straight line- slowest to turn
most stable of the 3 longest glide
less energy to expend at moderate speeds for longer distances

Now lets throw the variables in
river drifting/fishing : I'd go 10 or 12 here
the 10's going to allow quicker corrections downriver
the 12's gonna be easier to get back upriver.
Flatwater -pond's lakes: 12 or 14
you'd probably cover more water and be less fatigued in the 14
Ocean/ Bay: the 14 would get my vote although lots use 12's
to feed the sickness manufacturers have conspired that no ONE boat be perfect for ALL situations.
maybe that's why I'm building plastic Armada with a cedar strip canoe as the mothership

[JKay]

Personally I will not consider any kayak less then 13' long or more than 29" wide. Often times I'm doing a lot of paddling to get into and out of an area. I want to get there fast and with little effort. The short/fat boats simply cannot do that. The glide and/or tracking suffers. I have a bunch of different kayaks and here's how I use the most frequently paddled boats:

Hobie Revo - Excels for slow trolling (tube & worm) and working bridge pilings or heavy current. Use in mainly salt water.
OK Prowler 13 - My fresh water kayak. Great for both open water lakes and rivers. Good compromise boat if someone is looking for one boat for fresh & salt.
Kaskazi Dorado II - Open ocean and large bays. Superb distance boat (fast and stable). Large fishbox lets you stow 7' rods to get in/out of the surf. My favorite paddle boat.

If I had to look at a good all around kayak right now, I'd check out the Caribbean 14. I know a few friends that own them and really like them. I've never paddled one, but it gets good reviews from trusted paddlers.

A number of the domestic kayak manufacturers are starting to trend towards "aircraft carrier" style platforms and making boats that paddle like barges. If that is what the market is looking for...fine. I just don't like the trend. If I wanted to stand up and fly fish from my kayak, I'd feel differently. I'd still probably stay away from the barges and get a Revo or quick paddle kayak with the Stand-N-Fish system. I have a buddy with this and it's a sweet setup.

[monocacykayak]

Good points, no kayak suits everyone or for every purpose. It would be a good idea to demo a few before someone buys. As far as big water boats that can launch from the surf , handle heavy seas and really move along....Jackson plans to release a boat next year called the 'Kraken'designed with the input of Jim Sammons ,it plans on being about 15 foot and about 29 inches wide. Still in early prototype stage but should be interesting.

Rich
Valley Mill Boats kayak fishing team
Jackson big tuna ,cuda12

[jsnyd86]

Definitely some good points and something to think about. I like the idea of a versatile kayak that is made for someone who fishes all type of water and can only choose one. Mostly because that's me in a nutshell. With that being said I can't argue with the thought that an all around kayak is somewhat gimmicky since it's not excellent and one thing, just good all around. My two biggest fears conflict with one another. 1) I'm afraid that the Cuda 12 is too similar to my Malibu Stealth 12 (though I believe the Cuda is a higher quality kayak). They're both 12', they're both good for standing and "Maybe" they have similar speed because of that. If anyone has paddled both and can give me a comparison you would seal the deal for me. 2) Buying a 14 and then not being able to enjoy a river float on something like the Shenandoah or putting myself in a dangerous situation. I'm a pretty strong paddler but I've never paddled a 14 in one (river). I have been up to fletchers on the shad run but that's pretty straight forward as long as you don't get too close to Chain Bridge. *If any river yakkers with a 14 could give me some insight you may also be able to seal the deal for me.