S.O.T. Kayaks

[rizeye]

[sent you a pm

[Gigmaster]

I have a SIK. I wear a wet suit in inclimate weather. I am scared to wear waders, because if I dump, I am afraid they would fill with water, efen though they are neoprene.

My Farmer John type wetsuit is comfortable and I can put layers of clothes over the top if need be. For footwear, I use my Flats Booties.

Semper Fi!

[billknepp]

Just a few thoughts and info to ponder....

I've gone through a few craft over the past 15 or so years. For many of the reasons that you've I'm sure noted...

From a 14' Jon boat,16' OT Canoe, Nice shoulda kept that one, Hobie Floatcat 75 Catamaran Poontoon boat, Still have that...(Have not used it since buying the Yak). And I think the cat and a Hobie Outback Kayak,Are what I'll be keeping from here on out...Try any kayak you might be interested in before the purchase.....Thats a given...
I went with the Outback for several reasons..It does paddle very easily upstream, And where the depth allows It can also be powered by Peddleing...Much easier and allows hands free for rod handling if working water while on the move...The peddling system can be stored on deck if the depths your encountering are not quite enough...Very Impressed with the stability of the yak,and the ease of which I can hop off and on it if I wish to wade a section of stream or just use the yak to mainly cover water between spots....In lakes I find I hardly need to use the paddle at all...Kayaks are very much worth looking into.
And there are many,Many out there...Price is and was the main factor for me...Glad I spent while I had the cash to spend...Hope you do some searching and testing and find the boat for you!!! or anyone else who's been giving Yak's a thought. As I said..Just a few things I've encountered and do not regret..

,Bill

[Thwack]

I haven't had to pull the pedals out of my Hobie Outback while on the water yet. Pushing either pedal all the way forward folds the fins up against the bottom of the hull. The only way I'd pull the pedals while on the water is if I expected to scrape the bottom of the hull...the only time I've gone that shallow, the bow dug in before the fins could hit so still didn't have to remove them.

If I'm missing a risk situation, please advise.

[BigFlatBrook]

I have a Tarpon 120. At 215 lbs, I put a little water through the scuppers into the footwell. The T120 paddles very well in good conditions, and I've had no trouble keeping up with a Prowler 15 at all. When the water gets rough, the T120 doesn't do quite as well, and I've had a couple of tough paddles in choppy water. The same Prowler 15 cut through that choppy water no problem. Still the T120 is a terrific kayak. This was all on salt water trips.

The peddlers are really attractive to me. The main reason is that I'd like to be able to kayak 3-5 miles to fish, and not worry a whole lot about making it back if the weather turns. The Hobie Mirage Drive kayaks are strong and you can cruise at higher speeds and they'll cut through the tough conditions.

It is well known that Wilderness Systems has had some quality problems in recent years. I hope they work them out because I really like their kayaks.

I personally think the biggest advantage of an SOT is that if you have an accident, it's much easier to re-enter the kayak. I can re-enter my T120 easily. I know that because I've practiced. But I really don't think I could do that in a SIk. It requires more strength and flexibility then I think I have.

[billknepp]

Yes they surely do fold tight to the hull...But certian waters I fish require a good bit of crossing submerged ridges and such and stump feilds that can be very tricky, and I'd just rather not risk folding a mast under those conditions
I've hit a few submerged stumps and logs and consider myself lucky to have not had it happen yet...but the odd's are that In water where I know there is a good chance I will not always be as lucky...and it was just food for thought for anyone who might want to know that the system can be pulled and replaced on the move.
If encountering such conditions...cloudy, muddy, stained..or whatever keeps one from seeing clearly whats just a foot below the surface while using the peddles at the speeds one can very easily atain and hold it can be near impossible to avoid a hit...a hit solid enough to stop you dead..as I've done once..as I said..no damage...but I sure was amazed there was not! The outbacks are a tough boat!

[Old Pa]

After fishing for years out of a Grumman 17' canoe, I moved to a SOT Wilderness Systems Tarpon T140 a couple of years ago. Some wise advice I was given at the time was that it was better to know how to fish and how to kayak first before trying them together. If truer words were ever spoken, I haven't heard them. I think it's probably even more valid for trying to fly fish out of a kayak. Kayaking is way different from canoeing in terms of balance and manuever. Both kayaking and fly casting require experience to internalize the counterintuitive and a quiet confident mind to execute. Multitasking the two during their respective learning curves is an invitation to frustration if not disaster.