# Part time kayak suggestions?



## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Im tossing around the idea of buying a kayak to keep in Florida, and wondering what are my best options. Particularly, what is the least I can get one for that will still fulfill my needs. I cant justify a high end kayak, especially one thatll only be uses three weeks out of the year. But I do like to rent them down there, so I can justify something, Im just not sure what. One of the main duties will be to row out shark baits from the beach, through the surf, so I assume right off the bat that the inflatables are out of the question. The rest of the time Ill be fishing early mornings in the backwaters, waters 6-4 deep, no waves but heavy tidal currents in places. Ill be transporting it on rental cars, either a smaller SUV or mini van, so length must be kept to a minimum. I rented a SOT last time, a Perception. First thing I noticed were the drain holes, that promptly soaked all my gear. Do all SOTs have these? It seems like it would be a nice feature for rowing through the surf, but Id like to keep things dry on my morning trips. Id love to keep the cost <$400, but is that feasible? Ill need to either buy locally down there, or have one shipped, so that could add to the cost. As you can see, Im not sure what I need, but I have another month and a half to decide.


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

Yeah, an inflatable is out of the question: http://www.news4jax.com/news/Woman-...boat/-/475880/20774656/-/9ms80dz/-/index.html

Get a used Tarpon 120 or something like that to stay in your budget. You can get plugs for the scupper holes on your calm morning trips.

Check this out: http://columbus.craigslist.org/boa/3948737839.html


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

For the surf you would need a sot. I don't think you'll find a good one new for $400. Maybe 600-800 if you're lucky. Don't buy used because I did, and I regret it. You could maybe do Wilderness Systems Tarpon 100 if you're not a big guy. That would get the job done for running out bait, fishing the backwaters and loading on a small or rental vehicle. They retail new for approx $600.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

I would keep renting until I found one I like then buy it. Sounds like the Perception had "scupper holes". You can find plugs for those if you need them


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

The field & stream eagle talon is a decent SOT, that can be found for around $400 when they're on sale. It's not bad for the money, but it's not a Jackson, Native or a Wilderness either. I own one and have no real complaints other than the seat kinda sucks.


Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

I'll do some looking and decide what to do. I don't mind the used idea, but I'm not sure if time will make that feasible since I'll have to find and buy it while on vacation. If I were just using it to take baits out I'd just buy a cheapo from Walmart since I'd only be on it a few minutes at a time. But I know that's not what I want for normal fishing. I think the place I rent from might sell used also, so that may be something to look into. Thanks for the suggestions.


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## lotaluck (Dec 17, 2009)

Hey Magis, i wont coment on the surf part because i have zero experience but as far as the back waters go i would recomend a sot. I recently took a trip to some gulf backwater and fished out of my sit in and had a blast. That red fishin is addictive. Anyways i think I was the only one I saw using a sit in. There are so many to choose from even in the 600 range and below that it makes it tough to decide. Im in the market myself for a sot and can not decide. You may get a little wet with the scupper holes on a sot but I would think they would be a hugh advantage in the environment you are looking at.


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## Northern1 (May 9, 2012)

Hey Magis, I LimaEyeCatcher here on OGF is my neighbor and he's looking to sell his perception. I think he wants to upgrade to a hobie. He takes the perception on Erie without issues. Might not hurt to throw him a PM. I'll let him know you might.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

I would love to be able to buy one around here. Unfortunately, flying it to Florida is a bit of a pain. Once I buy our next round of tickets today, I&#8217;ll check out the airlines&#8217; website. Some of them aren&#8217;t too expensive to take a kayak, but some cost much more than practical. It just depends on the airline we end up with. 
I think a SOT is going to be a necessity with the surf, from what I&#8217;ve seen. I think a sit in would fill up with water. I also think the scupper holes would be very useful in the surf, so if I can get plugs that I can take in and out, that would be great. Thanks for all the advice.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

So much for taking one on the airline. Ended up with Delta, which won&#8217;t even accept kayaks. 
I assume shipping one down would be cost prohibitive, but haven&#8217;t looked into it too far yet.
What would be the downside to buying something like this, with an added seat of course? 
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...6&subdeptNum=50620&classNum=50621#showReviews

I don&#8217;t expect it to be a pleasure to paddle around, but would it serve its purpose? If this was something I&#8217;d be using more often, I&#8217;d get something much better. But for something I&#8217;ll only use a handful of times a year, there&#8217;s no way I can justify the cost of what most here would considerable &#8220;acceptable&#8221;.


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

M.Magis said:


> So much for taking one on the airline. Ended up with Delta, which wont even accept kayaks.
> I assume shipping one down would be cost prohibitive, but havent looked into it too far yet.
> What would be the downside to buying something like this, with an added seat of course?
> http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...6&subdeptNum=50620&classNum=50621#showReviews
> ...


Very small, and pretty low weight capacity. That will be a wet-butt kayak. I'd check the local stores online and the Craig's List down there the day before you go. You'll find something.


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## rustyfish (Apr 27, 2004)

So do you want a fishing kayak or just a kayak. Dry storage hatches, fishing add-ons, and comfortable seat are all going to add $. If you need all of them then buy one that has them. If you only need a few perks then many of them can be added to a relatively cheap kayak that is well made

If you are going to use it a few times a year, store it out of the elements, and not drag it down trails and through rocky riffles then I would not worry too much. Most of us constantly use and abuse our kayaks which most kayaks under $600 can't handle for long. But I would still get rota molded and stay away from anything with a seam along the sides.

As far as a short kayak I'm not sure if thats what you want. Short boats are usually good on small streams with lots of maneuvering and turning. Longer yaks are better on big water because they track better and more of your paddle stroke turns into forward movement. If you get a 10ft kayak I would make sure it has a strong keel. You can hull any kayak on any car (13' on a Neon like me) but the heavier the kayak the more chance you will damage the car while trying to load it, so that's up to you.

Good luck and why paddle out shark bait when you can just shark fish from a kayak, LOL.


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## rustyfish (Apr 27, 2004)

Look at some of the more populare kayak makers and check out thier bare bones kayaks. The Native Redfish 10 or 12ft come in both angler and recreational models and seems like its close to the price you want.


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## shwookie (Jun 15, 2007)

There has to be a million used kayaks in Florida. I'd also bet a used boat there is nicer than one here due to not having to drag it through rocky shallow creeks.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

shwookie said:


> There has to be a million used kayaks in Florida. I'd also bet a used boat there is nicer than one here due to not having to drag it through rocky shallow creeks.


I bet a lot sit out in the sun and can get oil canned easily. Blah, I'll never buy used again.


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## backlashed (Mar 19, 2011)

streamstalker said:


> Yeah, an inflatable is out of the question: http://www.news4jax.com/news/Woman-...boat/-/475880/20774656/-/9ms80dz/-/index.html
> 
> Get a used Tarpon 120 or something like that to stay in your budget. You can get plugs for the scupper holes on your calm morning trips.
> 
> Check this out: http://columbus.craigslist.org/boa/3948737839.html


Great choice.

You can always look for some used ones and then post them back here for suggestions.

Using scupper plugs also gives you a little more lift, meaning you can do shallower water in the creeks. My 'Cuda is supposed to get an extra 2" when I use them. The purpose of scuppers though is to allow water to drain out too, a must going through the surf and on the ocean.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

rustyfish said:


> So do you want a fishing kayak or just a kayak. Dry storage hatches, fishing add-ons, and comfortable seat are all going to add $. If you need all of them then buy one that has them. If you only need a few perks then many of them can be added to a relatively cheap kayak that is well made
> 
> If you are going to use it a few times a year, store it out of the elements, and not drag it down trails and through rocky riffles then I would not worry too much. Most of us constantly use and abuse our kayaks which most kayaks under $600 can't handle for long. But I would still get rota molded and stay away from anything with a seam along the sides.
> 
> ...


As much as I'd like a "fishing" kayak, I can do without the luxuries considering my limited use. I'll only be out a few hours at a time, at most. I will need a decent seat, with my bad back I need some support. Other than that, I just need to float.  When fishing, I'll be in flat backwaters. I won't need to drag it over anything but sand, maybe the occasional oyster. It'll stay in my aunts garage, so it won't be exposed to the FL sun. 
I've started looking for used ones online in the area, but haven't found anything yet. I'll make some phone calls to local dealers next week and see if they carry used ones. None of them list them online but I suspect most will have a few around. 
One question about the scupper plugs, are they universal or brand specific? I think I'd definitely want to plug them when fishing. Not only to keep stuff dry, but the added lift would be a great help on the flats.

As you can surely tell, I know precious little about kayaks, so I'm just learning as I go. I have two cheapos here in Ohio, but I just use them for rowing out flathead baits, an stringing barbed wire fence across the pond.


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## shwookie (Jun 15, 2007)

crittergitter said:


> I bet a lot sit out in the sun and can get oil canned easily. Blah, I'll never buy used again.


Some microcell will fix oilcanning pretty quick. Scraps and leaks are another matter. Lots of boats left outside here too.


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## Ken G (Apr 9, 2004)

*"One question about the scupper plugs, are they universal or brand specific?"*


Yes and no, or no and yes. Scupper holes are made in different sizes and apparently Ocean Kayak makes at least 3 different sizes in their kayaks. Don't tell anybody but I bought some Ocean Kayak (I think medium) plugs and used them in my Malibu kayak. They work great. I bought them in a pinch to replace some home made plugs that I had misplaced.

I had made some plugs out of foam golf balls. I drilled a hole thru them and added a knotted cord for a pull handle. I would make some more but I haven't found a local source for a 4 pack of the foam golf balls, they all seem to be in 30 packs now.

I occasionally use them in the tank well area of my kayak. They do cause a problem when the well fills with water from the surf, there is no way to drain it. The way my boat is set up the scupper plugs are underneath my milk crate, or cooler, and can't be reached from the seat.


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