kayak tarpon 140

[Simon Everett]

SV - now you can begin to see where the terminology used around kayaks gets confusing. It is a kind of kayak slang if you like that you get to know what is meant. Maybe an idea creeping in here....

 

but here are a few misnamed terms if you like - in that they actually mean something else!

 

Tracking: term used to describe how straight a kayak paddles - but also indicates the kayaks lack of willingness to turn. Likewise, paddling straight is a skill that is easily learned with just time on the water.

 

Speed: used to describe how easy it is to make progress - an easy to paddle kayak covers the ground for less energy burned, is less affected by head currents but not necessarily better in wind (but most are).

 

High Volume: used to describe a kayak that has a high carrying capacity (should be high displacement)

 

Low Volume: like above, but less capacity - again, should be low displacement. Because Archimedes Principle states: "A body wholly or partially immersed in a fluid experiences an upthrust equal to the mass of fluid displaced." It is the amount of water displaced that is equal to the weight of the kayak and its contents that keeps the thing afloat.

 

Manoevrable: all kayaks are manoevrable if you use the right paddle strokes - some move more for each input than others - this si what is meant - a kayak that moves easily to paddle inputs is a manoevrable kayak. Other people might call that flighty and it will almost certainly indicate a kayak that flies in the wind because it has little grip on the water. A difficult to manoevre kayak might be longer or have more grip on the water - but again by using paddle strokes and body lean all kayaks can be turned in their own length.

 

So you see, kayaking has a language all of its own which I am sure, like every other keen paddler, you will enjoy becoming familiar with! It is all part of the kayaking thang.

Edited September 4, 2006 by Simon Everett

[darnsarf]

Agree with Speciman. Sometimes the argument that a yak is faster is rubbished because we are not racing. That is a valid argument. However, the real benefit to the paddler is that you can cruise with less effort there by either going further on the same amount of effort or having more energy available when yoy get to your mark. The faster yak normally has something left in the safety bag when the weather turns nasty.

 

People are now expecting me to rant and rave about the Scupperpro TW. Yes I think they are fantastic.......................for me. They are like all yaks a compromise. In the ideal world fishing yaks should be composite pencil thin hulls that turn on a sixpence with enough storage space to satify the most demanding tackle tart and self load on the car roof and have enough stability to make the QEII green with envy...............impossible!

 

Best thing is to sit down and write down where you intend to paddle not just now but in the future if you take to it and you will. Identify the worst conditions you may find yourself in. Your type of fishing and those limitations imposed on you by nature (size etc.). Add in storage ability and budget and you should be half way to finding you kayak. Once you have a short list meet up with some of us and go for a test drive.

 

Dont worry about stability, they are all stable. Otherwise they wouldn't be on sale. Think back to learning how to ride a bike only this is much easier. With all the yaks once you have got used to their characters they are all stable.

 

Come along to one of the meets and give some a go.

[s2vto]

That sounds like a lot of info to take in at one go!

 

The more i read the harder it becomes to choose.

 

I like all the kayaks but not been on any of them so do not know which to choose.

 

seems i cant go far wrong with a scupper pro as my first kayak!

[richi]

That sounds like a lot of info to take in at one go!

 

The more i read the harder it becomes to choose.

 

I like all the kayaks but not been on any of them so do not know which to choose.

 

seems i cant go far wrong with a scupper pro as my first kayak!

 

 

how far is carmarthen from Tywyn?

[Martin Hurst]

2.5hrs approx , about 110 miles at a guess.

[s2vto]

2.5hrs approx , about 110 miles at a guess.

 

83.5 miles

 

2hrs 19m

 

who else from my area is going up?

[Martin Hurst]

me . llandod. Nifty Knighton

[s2vto]

me . llandod. Nifty Knighton

 

where do you live?

 

what are your plans for the weekend?

[Martin Hurst]

travelling up after work sometime after 4pm friday . camping fri/sat .

[Moonyaker]

Sorry s2vto, you still have an outstanding question that needs answering.

 

Which Polyethelene Kayak?

 

I spent weeks making up my mind on which Kayak to buy first time around and changed my mind at the last moment on the basis of a post on this forum which made some negative comment about my then first choice (The Scupper Pro).

 

I love my P13, it is/was my first Yak and it does most things well and nothing badly and that is why it is currently the most popular fishing kayak.

 

The Scupper Pro is a bit of a babe and closer in performance terms to a traditional sea kayak and gives you a bit more flexibility in terms of the conditions and the distances that you can readily cover; as Speciman and Darnsarf have said.

 

The Scupper is not perfect at all and the P13 offers a bigger tank well and cockpit area allowing you to more readily accommodate gear or children.

 

I have no experience of it but the P4.5, which has a cockpit the size of the P13 and Tankwell the size of the P13 but length of the P15, does sound like a very good compromise

 

Best Advice is as suggested earlier, get along to a meet and try the various Yaks out.

 

Personally, I favour the Scupper Pro TW above all others. In my opinion it offers the best compromise on price and the sort of performance and flexibility you need to fish the UK coastline.

 

Whatever your choice, unless you buy half a dozen Kayaks, it's going to be a compromise and why you and all of us struggle is that it is difficult to know where to compromise until you have just gone out there and done it .

 

Good luck with your deliberations

 

Moonyaker

 

Me; I still want a Dorado; 'for posh' of course (no more!) but once you have one; could you leave it at home????