I’m hoping to buy a kayak next week. I’m on the MS Coast and have looked at I think every place down here. I want it mainly for fishing bayous but also want to take it out in the ocean, no crazy waves. I didn’t start out looking at pedal drives but I’m sold on them now, trying not to go above $1500. One huge question on the pedal drive is fin vs propeller? Propeller looks common sense to me but I am a complete beginner so I have no idea. Appreciate any help.
OT: Kayak experts needed
- Thread starter TimberBeast
- Start date
I’ve never owned a pedal before, but I’d think twice about it. I say that because you may end up not really being into it and you’ll be out a lot of damn money. My advice no matter what type of kayak it is, buy your first one second hand. You can find anything you want on Facebook marketplace and talk the people down to next to nothing. Especially during holidays - everybody is wanting that extra money
This is good advice. Really want to try some before you buy if possible also. Doesn't sound like you are going to have this problem with your budget, but if you try to ease into with a cheap one, it makes it much more likely that you won't like it and won't use it as much. Only other advice I would give is think about how you're going to be launching it. I had a nice kayak that I didn't use as much because it was 17ing heavy and hard to get on top of the SUV, but I didn't want a kayak trailer taking up a bunch of space.
Just like Uncle Ruckus said don't drop a ton on your first kayak but not a Walmart special either. I used to do a lot of kayak fishing and enjoyed it. A change in location and with age I would much rather be in a boat. It will be difficult to find a kayak that will fish the surf and the bayou well or it will suck at both. For the bayou you will need a kayak that is around 10'-12' and a wide bottom for stability but isn't very fast. The surf you need about 12'-14' with a narrower hull that will track better and paddle faster. I can expand on these further if you like.
Go second hand for a bayou boat first, fish out of it for a year or so then upgrade to a peddle drive for the surf if you still enjoy it. If not put your money towards a jon boat. I have a Jackson Kayak Coosa (2012 model second gen) and a Current Design Kestrel 120 HV hanging in the garage if you are ever around Olive Branch I could be temped to sell.
We live on a bayou so that would be where I use it mostly but yes I do have concerns about getting on top of the car and off and launching elsewhere. There is a great place on the beach to launch but have to get it there.
I have a Hobie outback and absolutely love it. I agree with Ruckus look at second hand. I don’t know is Free has moved to a propeller or not. They have gotten better. I just can tell you that being out all day, it’s really nice to be able to peddle back when your tired.
I fish marshes and occasionally will out front in the Bay - you’re from here so you know where I’m talking about. I have a Jackson Cuda and it’s a great rig. It fits your price range brand new, but you could find a practical new one second hand that some guy bought and quickly realized it’s too much work. I don’t know how big you are, but if you’re 250 or bigger it may be too narrow for you. If you get one that requires a paddle, spend the money for a really nice one that is plenty long. Mine is a few inches longer than recommended for my height and carbon fiber and makes a huge difference
I'm going to get a pair of sit on top tandems to for me and Mrs Socks to haul the little guys (75 and 50lbs) around the lakes and rivers at out vacation property. We'll use them the rest of the summer and spring ourselves and when we turn the place into a rental next summer, we may leave them for guest use if insurance/waivers can protect us.
Either way, pickings are slim around here in the new or used market. Lifetime has a a store with some inventory. I don't think they are great, but I am leaning towards the Kokonee sit on top tandems they have on sale for $549. I figured they are good enough to see if we will actually enjoy kayaking. A little heavy for Mrs Socks to Cary, but there are tons of little kayak ramps around all the lakes.
When the kids get bigger I want to spend a little more on inflatable kayaks that we can pack into the remote mountain lakes for fishing.
Am I going to sink or regret the move on going Lifetime?
Either way, pickings are slim around here in the new or used market. Lifetime has a a store with some inventory. I don't think they are great, but I am leaning towards the Kokonee sit on top tandems they have on sale for $549. I figured they are good enough to see if we will actually enjoy kayaking. A little heavy for Mrs Socks to Cary, but there are tons of little kayak ramps around all the lakes.
When the kids get bigger I want to spend a little more on inflatable kayaks that we can pack into the remote mountain lakes for fishing.
Am I going to sink or regret the move on going Lifetime?
There’s so much crap that washes up into our bayou during storms, I wouldn’t get on an inflatable anything back there especially considering the gators.
Few weeks ago south of Diamondhead I turned around a cut and came up on a gator so big I whipped around and may have planed out my yak
I have seen a gator attack a hooked redfish, swim with it towards the bank, and then let go bc it was too much trouble. It was fun to watch, but that was in a boat, not a kayak. I’m headed down to LA in the morning to try to catch a few reds the next couple of days. Hope to have a few mornings like this.
I know this isn't what the OP wanted to know about but in my younger and stronger days I had a shallow 10 ft Jon boat I could put in my S-15 pickup and take it to the backwaters and swamps to fish or hunt. I carried a battery and small trolling motor with long leads so I could put the battery towards the other end to balance. You still better carry a flotation because they will still roll and flip. I had a lot of fun and was able to pick it up with ease but you can find some kind of trailer.
Yeah that worries me for sure, there’s everything back there. I’ve heard things out there fighting at night that will make your hair stand up. The kayak being so low in the water is pretty scary but I’ve seen so many out there I’m not too bothered by it anymore. That might change when I see one of the big ones on the water.
I watch people on those things move about 20 feet per minute... Kayak guy and dog zoom by like a Corvette passing a Gremlin. I want to go places. Miles across the lake or down the river... That and I think SUP's are the rollerblades of the water, 17 that.
I have had a row machine for 4 years... Mrs Socks and I can paddle like a mofo. Standing up on an inflatable surfboard is not something I would ever enjoy.
I have had a row machine for 4 years... Mrs Socks and I can paddle like a mofo. Standing up on an inflatable surfboard is not something I would ever enjoy.
You should have a good day, I was grilling this afternoon on the deck and saw tons of movement on the water. I’ll be fishing a lot this weekend too.
I would look into the Crescent Light Tackle kayaks. American made, designed for rapids, open lakes and even oceans. They can handle it all. I bought one last year and love it. Dry storage, plenty of space in the back for fishing gear, cooler, poles. It’s easily maneuverable and the hull can take a lot of choppy water.
I actually looked at a couple crescents and they look awesome. I don’t know if they have any pedal drives though. I will say one of the crescents I saw in person was probably the best looking kayak I saw by far. I’m definitely interested.
I got three Kayaks for $500 on Facebook market place and the retail would have been $1200. I can’t tell you what to buy but these have been great learning tools and almost everyone that comes to the lake gets out there and uses em. We have really enjoyed ours. I definitely advocate buying second hand. Do your research on what you want and have a little patience.
Did you go by Everything Kayak in Gulfport? I think they used to have a test pool in their store. Would be a good place to look and then search the used market like others said. I had a 12 ft heritage that fit my fishing needs (bought it for Chandy Island trips) but I could really see the value of the pedal drive around here due to being hands free for fishing.
Not a bad travel site when looking for inexpensive air fares. **
I prefer Google Flights though.
I prefer Google Flights though.
That mask is excessive, but good to see he doesn't want the fish catching the wuhan
*
I have a Native Slayer with the propel drive. Love it but it does have positives and negatives. Biggest positives are instant reverse since it’s prop driven & the drive itself is indestructible. For what I do, mostly bass fishing & a little marsh, it’s fine. Biggest negative is grass and very shallow water. If I was mainly marsh fishing, I’d have to look very hard at the fin style drive and probably an Outback. Either way, go with pedals. Hands free fishing is where it’s at in a kayak. Whatever brand and style you go with you’ll learn the pros and cons and adjust accordingly. I’d recommend Everything Kayak if you’re on the Gulf Coast. The kayak fishing platform is a really cool way to catch fish.
This is how I grew up fishing. Back when I was about 15 the guy I fished with and I thought we we “sneaking” into this really good lake. The lake had two gates but one was right on the HWY whereas the one we “sneaked” over was much further off the road and harder to see but was also locked which meant we had to tote the boat over the gate, then tote it, battery, trolling motor, and fishing gear about 500 yards downhill to the lake then 500 yards back uphill to leave. We didn’t realize you could see both gates from his house. He was waiting for us at the gate one day and we were like oh **** the constable is probably on the way along with our dads. All the old man said to us between spits of Levi Garrett was “boys, that gate over yonder is much closer to the water and it doesn’t have a lock on it.”
Proof that for at least one day of my life, it actually was easier to ask for permission than forgiveness.
Proof that for at least one day of my life, it actually was easier to ask for permission than forgiveness.
Shallow water is one of my concerns. Do you think the fins would not get tangled up as bad as a propeller? My thought was that the fins would hang lower in the water. I did go by Everything Kayak and I’m going to go back by there and look again in the next couple days. There’s another place called Yellowhammer n Theodore, AL that has some interesting stuff. Store name sucks obviously but very nice guy owns it.
You can “flutter” the fins. Basically you just pump them 1/5 of the way back and forth and they will propel you but the fins only go 3 or four inches up and down.
So I have been test driving kayaks this morning. As a newb here are my thoughts.
I'm kinda ****** at balance, terrible at surfing and water skiing my whole life. Much like I thought, I despised the SUP. It's like a damn balance ball and awkward to paddle. I ended up on my knees feeling like a fluffer. Not my thing. If I was looking for a little workout on small slow water, it would be more interesting.
I tried a sit on top hard shell and it was much better, but still a little squirrelly at first. I got in the groove quick and enjoyed it, but they are heavy for a tandem and clunky to load up I imagine.
Finally I tried an inflatable tandem kayak. That's the winner for me. More stable and plenty fast. Half the weight. I can leave them inflated or deflate and pack in the bag for longer trips. The big drawbacks are you would break your tailbone in whitewater if you hit a rock and you have to dry it real good before bagging, but I am not take the kids down rapids and I have space to dry them before storing.
I went with the inflatables a 10'er for Mrs Socks and a 12' for me. Fits our needs perfectly.
I didn't get to test one, but the place had plenty of fishing kayaks and the guys there recommended the Hobie Mirage Lynx for all around performance on big lakes and rivers. Not so much for heavy surf, the Hobie Outback was better there apparently. Expensive either way, but I am guessing those peddles would make a long day fishing more enjoyable.
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I'm kinda ****** at balance, terrible at surfing and water skiing my whole life. Much like I thought, I despised the SUP. It's like a damn balance ball and awkward to paddle. I ended up on my knees feeling like a fluffer. Not my thing. If I was looking for a little workout on small slow water, it would be more interesting.
I tried a sit on top hard shell and it was much better, but still a little squirrelly at first. I got in the groove quick and enjoyed it, but they are heavy for a tandem and clunky to load up I imagine.
Finally I tried an inflatable tandem kayak. That's the winner for me. More stable and plenty fast. Half the weight. I can leave them inflated or deflate and pack in the bag for longer trips. The big drawbacks are you would break your tailbone in whitewater if you hit a rock and you have to dry it real good before bagging, but I am not take the kids down rapids and I have space to dry them before storing.
I went with the inflatables a 10'er for Mrs Socks and a 12' for me. Fits our needs perfectly.
I didn't get to test one, but the place had plenty of fishing kayaks and the guys there recommended the Hobie Mirage Lynx for all around performance on big lakes and rivers. Not so much for heavy surf, the Hobie Outback was better there apparently. Expensive either way, but I am guessing those peddles would make a long day fishing more enjoyable.
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Hobie’s new fins “kick up”. They used to bend if you hit something solid but they addressed that. Real thick grass is going to get either style drive but light to medium, the fin style is a touch better. And like somebody else said, you can flutter kick. I need about 18 inches to use my drive but I’m over 2 bills and pack heavy. You may get a little better clearance. I forgot to mention Native’s wheel transport system, the sidekick. I have that and it’s a game changer from truck bed to water.
Anyone on the Coast seen a Hammerhead.brand kayak? They are made for a place near Mobile so there’s not a lot of info on them. I was hoping to see or hear some reviews on them especially with the pedal drive system but haven’t found anything yet.
It has a prop and drive that goes underneath the kayak. In water a foot or less I raise the drive and paddle.
Looks like you can put a trolling motor on the back?
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