stability of kayak

[Glasgowdan]

hi guys,

ive never tried this kayak game but im wondering how stable they are when fishing, anchoring etc. surely with a rod over the side playing a good fish or pulling a snag might risk tipping. can anyone talk me through it etc..

[Hungry Fisherman]

its stable enuff otherwise i wouldnt be doing it lol kayak fishing has been going on for millenia well centurys lol its easy enuff to fall asleep on one without risk of falling in and as for a fish its takes a fair bit of pull to rol a kayak without some one on it already using there balance to keep it up right the more experienced yakers here will give you the lowdown and the techy info

[Simon Everett]

Glasgow Dan,

you get a feel for it - just like riding a bicycle - the y fall over with nobody sat on them, but you don't say one of those is too unstable to ride over bumps - look at what the BMX and mountain racers get up to on one - when you see a bicycle stood against a wall you would never say it was possible!

 

A kayak is very stable, especially the better paddling ones. The Prowlers are given a little extra height out of the water (freeboard) to make them more comfortable, not to make them more seaworthy! They are "drier" in as much you are not sat in water. On the more stable kayaks the seat is lower and therefor more prone to you getting a wet bum - this is not a bad thing, this is kayaking.

The Scupper Pro prototype has its seat BELOW the waterline - that makes it exceptionally stable. The Dorado has its seat an inch or so lower again so you really are sat below the water - yes you get wet, but this is kayaking. It is the very fact that the centre of gravity is so low that gives the stability - raise that weight up a few inches and the tipping point changes dramatically - the Scupper is so stable they catch billfish out of them - sailfish off Miami regularly up to 80lbs or so. We have had tope already out of them over here - we all caught tope, the five who went. The kayak pulls around under the strain, but doesn't become unstable.

 

You really need to get on the water in one before you will understand. When you first try a kayak do not judge the stability by the INITIAL feeling when you get in. A good kayak moves easily to start with and then becomes more stable as it gets over - this allows you to body steer the kayak, just like leaning a bicycle round a corner - it doesn't fall over does it?

 

Once you have been out in the same kayak for a bit you get a "feel" for it, you get the feedback from the movement, try drifting over waves with your eyes shut for a bit, that teaches you to feel the kayak and understand the feedback. Just like swinging in a hammock.

 

Have a look at the Dorado tested thread to see what these kayaks will stand up to - and a lot more!

[darnsarf]

Hi GD

 

As a complete novice I was taken out by starvinmarvin in reasonable chop. Tried both the Caper and Prowler and both were unbelievably stable. To the point where as a complete novice I felt totaly confident fishing sidesadlle in about a force 4.

 

Didnt catch any fish mind

 

But had a graet time.

[Jaffa]

Hi Dan,

 

They are very stable and easily up to fishing off. Think i'm into my third or fourth year, and have never yet fallen in while fishing; landing in surf can be a bit of a thrap sometimes though, and i have come off in the surf zone...

 

Once your beyond the surf, I think you would really have to try to tip them. Been stuck on the bottom many times but still no big deal; though i find you do tend to fish lighter and lighter; breaking out snags in 30lb line is no fun at all - the 30lb line wont tip you, but acts as a damn good anchor

 

Chris

[spanner]

Doing a re-entry drill in calm water was a real eye opener for me...it was amazing just how much deliberate effort it took to tip it. If you have seen white water kayakers flipping all over the place....well it is nothing like that!

 

I have been out in some quite significant swells and the only time it became an issue was when the waves were actually breaking.....I had to keep bow on to the waves as I wasn't comfortable with getting one beam on. There was enough time between swells to make turns and get out of there so no problem really, but I couldn't fish untill the swell died down.

 

Don't worry about stability for fishing, they are up to it

[richsurfer]

Sit on tops are very stable, especially if you've tried sit in kayaks, and I've found my malibu 2 takes a real effort to turn over in calm conditions.

 

Add in some breaking waves or an incompetent crew-member (my brother) and we capsized twice last week .

 

Once was while fishing just outside (or so we thought) the surf zone. Turned round to see a rather larger wave breaking outside - no chance to do anything and took a full broadside .

 

Luckily the water is warm at the moment and all my gear was leashed.

 

Second capsize was heading in through a nasty little shore-dump - my brother volunteered to get out and swim us in. He didn't realise we were still out of his depth and plunged over the side pulling the kayak and me over with him :mad: . We washed in - me impaled on one of my own hooks (I didn't find it funny as it was happening).

[Starvinmarvin]

Richsurfer, lesson to everyone, always remove hooks before paddling back in, regardless of whether there are any waves, and especially when the beach is busy with holidaymakers who act like magnets when you get to the beach, I just nip the hooks off and place in the cupholder until I get back to the car.

 

Am I sounding like an old woman :eek

 

SM