Need advice: Why you picked a kayak

[Metalli445]

Hello,
I'm in a bind. I REALLY want a kayak but living in the city I have no place to keep it. My godfather wants a canoe for the space and option to have two people plus supplies but wants me to go in half since he knows I want to do some fishing. He has just enough room for a canoe so getting a canoe and a kayak is out of the question. Basically if I want to do some fishing this is the opportunity I need to jump on. Since all of you have already been out on the water how safe would you feel in a canoe compared to in your kayak? One of the spots I wanted to fish was the bay bridge for rockfish but I wouldn't try it with a canoe. I guess I'd mainly be fishing parts of the patapsco river and susquehanna river. Would you feel safe in a canoe on the patapsco river and susquehanna river? Any advice is appreciated!

Pat

[ronaultmtd]

Pat- Nucanoe makes a compromise that may appeal to you- I would go with a sit on top over a canoe, but that is just me- you can get a two person sit on top kayak from just about every major kayak manufacturer.

If it is a canoe, no matter what, I would definitely have outriggers installed on the canoe for stability.

[jffoley]

Pat- Nucanoe makes a compromise that may appeal to you- I would go with a sit on top over a canoe, but that is just me- you can get a two person sit on top kayak from just about every major kayak manufacturer.

If it is a canoe, no matter what, I would definitely have outriggers installed on the canoe for stability.

+1

Much better stability and less effect from wind. My experience with a canoe on a small lake in windy conditions is not fun. Would not go near the bay in one.

A tandem sit on top kayak would be easier to handle should either of you go solo as well.

[J.A. Veil]

In addition to the suggestions made above, Native Watercraft makes a model called the Ultimate that is a cross between a canoe and kayak. If comes in several lengths. It can easily be rigged for fishing, and has the option for a foot drive unit too. The seat is very comfortable.

Lack of storage space often presents a challenge -- I have dealt with that in my selection of power boats. I now own the largest power boat that will fit in my garage (community architectural control guidelines prohibit boats sitting outside). Consider all your options before making an impulse buy.

[DOGFISH]

You could also try a Malibu Two, by Ocean Kayak. The Malibu will seat two or just one. It is very utilitarian. There is a guy on here who fishes one. It depends on whether your grand father will feel comfortable on a sit-on-top kayak. The Malibu Two is wide and stable. The sit-on-top will have more of a flat bottom than the canoe and tend feel less like to roll. I would rather be on a kayak than in a canoe at the bay bridge. The other suggestions are good also.

If you must get a canoe, take a look at the Gheenoe. You could mount an electric motor on one of those. However, I am biased towards a kayak.

Good luck.

[Yak Fish]

Another user on this board, MOC seems to run a canoe with a trolling motor. he could give you advice.

Personally, I wouldn't take a canoe on the bay unless it's nice and protected. When I'm in a canoe I feel like a tank. When in my kayak...like a sports car.

[kevinfry]

I have fished both a canoe and Malibu two extensively on the Chesapeake. I'll get you my feed back tonight (just looking in on my break).

[jsnyd86]

I have the mentioned Native Ultimate 14.5 Tandem. I love it. Seat is very comfortable. Its stable enough to stand and fish if you go out by yourself. Speaking of that, if you do go out by yourself, you can remove seats and slide the rear seat up towards the center. The newer models already have systems in place for rigging. Adapt-A-Track is a nice feature. Plus a bunch of neat accessories made specifically for your kayak. Its definitely worth a look to go on their website.

[MDFishin]

As several had said let me reiterate Canoes are GREATLY effected by the wind. Being on the Eastern Shore where it seems to always be windy, I wouldnt be caught dead in a canoe. Let me also say DONT BUY ANYTHING YOU DIDNT TRY ON THE WATER. Sure some things look cool on land but that has no bearing once you spash your new boat in the water. Test ride Test ride Test ride, oh and research but your obviously on top of that.

[ronaultmtd]

Any of the hybrid kayaks have some real advantages as far as seating, storage, etc. The main disadvantage with any sit inside kayak, including hybrids, is the lack of scupper drains- in the Chesapeake Bay when the weather conditions get the ocean rough and you take water over, self bailing hulls makes it a lot safer to out in sea conditions less than ideal- rivers and lakes are more suited for hybrids and canoes-

Salt water, big open expanses of water in big lakes where wind and weather conditions build seas in excess of three feet are more suited for sit on top, self-draining hulled kayaks...

[jsnyd86]

+1 for Ronaultmtd. I wouldnt take my Ultimate out in anything too nasty.. yet. Native has these really nice skirts that will help out if you frequent areas with a good swell. They snap into the adapt a track system so theyre not permenant.

[medicyaker]

Speaking from experience, I had a canoe out on the Bay/Severn and it scared the hell out of me. I swamped while enroute back to the launch at Jonas Green/Severn River. A canoe doesn't take waves well at any part of the canoe, Not even the bow. A Yak will take a wake MUCH EASIER. Just a thought, How long do you want your family member around... If its for an extended period of time as I hope it would be, GET A YAK!!!! There are alot of great ideas on here and none of these guys would steer you wrong. Good Luck!!!!

[kevinfry]

I have fished a canoe on the Bay plenty--solo and with a partner. I'd never want to be without a canoe but it is what it is What I have enjoyed:1)range of movement, you can fish sitting in many ways. MUCH easier to land fish 2) payload- you can carry a ton of stuff, 3) since you have range of movement, it is a much better boat for visiting with your fishing partner, 4) you CAN handle wind with two experienced paddlers
What I did not enjoy: 1) You can NOT fish enjoyably in a good wind, if solo paddling wind can run you off the water. I have had to hide my canoe in the brush and walk back to the truck more than once (including the June meet and greet) 2) I doubt you can self rescue with any dependability if you are not fishing with another boat. So, if you are far from shore, and alone, you need to be careful or "prayed up", I prayed a lot and took a lot of risks. On the trip shown below we were WAAAAYYY out and I was nervous because we had a lot of boat travel around vowed to never do that again, bu.t we were in a group so rescue was possible 3) speed and stability can't compare to a SOT Kayak.
I currently fish a malibu 2 tandem kayak ......as a solo most of the time. The boat was given to me but before i fished it solo I searched a lot about it. It seems that when the Kayak fishing craze started in California many guys used tandem kayaks solo..especially if the dived from them as many did. They carried a heavy load, handled big ocean swells and were really stable. Like all Kayaks it is not nearly as affected by wind as a canoe. The Cobra Fish and Dive kayak is very much like a tandem fished solo. The problem is the Malibu2 and Malibu 2XLl have no hatches standard, so you have to add them your self.
I can't afford another kayak....though I search for them often enough....but I have no problem fishing my malibu 2. I have fished in wind, stillness, extreme heat, cold, clear, far from shore, in shore..etc. I catch plenty of fish. I'll keep it til I get a pedal powered boat or a longer faster model. I'm safe and happy with what I have (for now), in fact i feel blessed for such a kind gift. If I was planning on buying a model for fishing from with a partner, I would use the malibu 2 XL over the shorter base model. the latter is cramped for fishing with two.
The main safety feature of a SOT is that it is, for all intents and purposes, a pontoon. A molded, highly hydrodynamic pontoon.....a sealed tube. Therefore if you turtle or take a big wave, it loses no buoyancy. You crawl back on top and paddle home. SO, this is where Ron's suggestion makes sense. The Nucanoe, while I have never paddled it so I don't know how fast it is, fishes like a canoe, but is a sealed hull (a pontoon like any SOT) and can not sink unless the hull is pierced. Some guys really like them.

Beautiful day in canoe, safety in numbers
Wife landing a big croaker about a mile off Chesapeake Beach
Me in the Gift Horse..malibu 2. caught COUNTLESS rockfish and bluefish with Ictalurus Bill this day

[kevinfry]

Also...never used outriggers. I assume they make a canoe safer, but I am also sure that they are a pain in the rear.

[Metalli445]

Thanks for all of your replies! I really appreciate it. This really confirms why I want a kayak and not a canoe since I do plan on fishing where the water can get rough. I think my God-Father has plans on fishing more around liberty and pretty boy reservoirs where a canoe would be more at home compared to the bay and such. Maybe I should show him this thread so he can see the benefits of a Kayak vs Canoe