Took the Guide out the other day and I think I have decided to sell it and go back to a kayak. I got the 14’ Guide cause I thought my wife a little girl would want to go out in it but they dont have any intrest in it.
I was going to register it for a trolling motor but that is just more stuff to lug around. So I am pretty sure I am just going to sell it and go back to a kayak for paddling and fishing.
I have spent plenty of time in sea kayaks and white water kayaks. And some time in some little rec kayaks too. But I have never even sat in a sit on top before.
I used to paddle a lot for distance and exploring. In the last few years though, I carry a fishing rod more when I do get to go. I was thinking of a sit on top but I am not sure if I like the idea of a sit on top. I know it sounds like that is what most of you guys use for fishing and I see a lot of well rigged fishing sit on tops out there.
How does a sit on top compare to a regular kayak? How well would it work for fishing in the cooler weather? I dont want to sit in water while I am fishing.
Just looking for thoughts on the subject. First I need to sell the canoe and then see what kind of funds I have to replace it with. It wont be a ton so a used boat will more than likely be what I get.
I have a 14’ wilderness system with a rudder and I love it. Maybe go and rent one for a few half a day and get a feel for it. With mine your do stay wet but to me that is just part of it. As for a comparison to the difference between a canoe and a kayak it would be like a mini van to a sports car.
Goals achieved with little effort are seldom worthwhile or lasting.
-Coach John Wooden
You’ll be morelikely to find a good gently used sit in in your price range after selling the canoe. The difference between a SINK and a SOT is speed vs stability, at least initial stability, and in most cases ultimate stability as well. Most of the SINKs are narrower than their SOT counterparts. A 14-16 foot SINK is screaming fast, easy to paddle, and with a little creative thinking fairly easy to rig as well.
Keep your eyes open for a used Pamlico or Pungo in the Wilderness Systems brand. Both of these are good recreational SINKs that make great fishing platforms. You can go narrower than these as well and into a touring boat. You gain more speed but lose a little more stability and have a smaller keyhole type cockpit like a sea kayak orwhitewater boat. I fished through the winter a couple of years ago with a Dagger Edisto. A pair of flush mounts behind the seat, a milk crate with odds and ends bungeed to the rear deck and a Scotty up front.
I have lots of seat time in sea kayaks, white water and rec kayaks. And I know I can rig out anything for fishing if I wanted to. Just not sure about getting a sit on top. I will use the boat just as much in cool weather as I would in warm weather. I guess I am a little nervous about picking up a sit on top and wanting to use it in winter and then having wet feet and a wet butt.
I was kind of thinking about finding a little smaller sea kayak, maybe around 14’-15’ that has decent stability but will still make some decent speed too.
I guess if I am going to be sitting in water and have wet feet too, then a sit on top would not be a good choice for me. But I dont want another short and fat boat that is really slow either. Been there and done that one.
Almost sounds like a little shorter sea kayak would be a better choice for me and then I can rig it out to do some fishing as well. So what do you guys think about that for an option? Any other thoughts or boat suggestions?
Or should I just keep the canoe and go back to the idea of throwing a trolling motor on it?
I duck hunted out of my Ocean Kayak Trident 15 down here this past winter. Really cold days I would wear waders. A lot of this was smaller streams though, so not the waves I get fishing out in the ocean. I did hit the Cooper a couple types and dealt with wakes without much trouble, but I didn’t go there much because I was afraid of getting run over.
In New England I have hunted out of duck boats that are a cross between a sit-on top and a canoe with waders and have had to break through ice to get to open water. Never had a problem keeping warm.
If you have to choose just one kayak like I did, go with the one you will use the most. For me, that was a SOT since I go more often in warm weather than in cold. When the water is warm, I like to sit sideways with my feet in the water. Actually, I do that in cold water too, if I am wearing my waders. The waders and dry top are how I stay warm and dry in the winter.
I paddle a Tarpon 160 most of the time. It has an elevated seat pan and a very comfortable, very adjustable seat. Other than paddle drips it’s a pretty dry ride. I put clients in the Ride 135 for the extra stability it offers. It’s a dry ride until you exceed about 260 pounds total weight. The downside is no scuppers under the seat pad, si if you get water in it you sit in a puddle. For you the downside would most likely be that if just doesn’t have the speed and handling you’ve grown accustomed to.
Last word of advice. You’ve got to dress appropriately if you plan to fish in cool weather. Think waterproof, windproof, and warm. I wear waders with a semi dry top here. Any time I head further North I add a wading belt to the already snug neoprene waders and a dry top in place of the semi dry.
I think I am going to stick to a sit in style kayak. Unless I change my mind, again. Need to sell the canoe first and then see what kind of funds I have available. Just went back to my old house today, that is being ocupied by others, and found my nice Werner paddle is no longer in the garage. So now I will have the cost of another paddle too. I was going to try and get the best bang for the buck but now paddle cost will throw a little damper on the whole thing.
I saw this boat in Dicks the other day. http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/kayaks/huntingFishing/vapor_10_angler.html
I know it is a short and wide little boat so I know it will be a little on the slow side, but for the price, it didnt look to bad. I think it was like $450 or a little less.
I want to hit the kayak festival this year and try out some boats. Maybe I can try some sit on tops and see what I really think of them too.
Definitly go to the kayak festival and try out some SOT’s before commiting to a sit inside, and at all else a small strip of duct tape over the scupper holes on the hull or some scupper plugs makes for a dryer ride but you do lose the self bailing feature then but usually not a issue.
Russ B. www.joinrfa.org
God is great, Beer is good, People are crazy
I really do want to try a few sit on tops. That will be the best time to try them too. I thought about using some plugs too if I ended up with a boat that was a little to wet for my liking. The sit on tops just look like they would make good fishing platforms.
Thanks for advice on boats guys. Guess I need to study up on sit on tops some more.
