Malibu Kayaks?

[Big Jeff]

I don't take that as pi$$ taking, no offence taken.

 

I would still like to know about malibu kayaks (particularly the x factor) and have therefore e mailed malibu to see if they can help.

 

BJ

 

(and no I didn't fall asleep in a greenhouse)

[darnsarf]

Well said BJ. One of the strengths of this site is the well balanced humour. Or were you joking YD.

[gilbo]

I would wait and speak to SouthAfrican again. He may be busy at a trade show or something.

 

What I have seen of him is he is very keen and always willing to help. He often is willing to meet and let members have a trial.

 

Send him a PM or Email and he will give you his telephone number.

 

Remeber he is the Uk importer and is the only one who can give you a price. What I know is they are more expensive than the Ocean Kayaks but its one heck of a kayak. I think they also have a lifetime warranty which money cant buy.

 

[jerseytrev]

I would wait and speak to SouthAfrican again. He may be busy at a trade show or something.

 

What I have seen of him is he is very keen and always willing to help. He often is willing to meet and let members have a trial.

 

Send him a PM or Email and he will give you his telephone number.

 

Remeber he is the Uk importer and is the only one who can give you a price. What I know is they are more expensive than the Ocean Kayaks but its one heck of a kayak. I think they also have a lifetime warranty which money cant buy.

 

 

try this link

 

http://www.ukswff.co.uk/fishyak/fishyak.htm

[Somerset in Jersey]

First post in this section, hello.

 

During half term was down in Cornwall (Rame Head) and had a first time paddle in a perception kiwi 3, and absolutely loved it. The wife loved it and so did the kids.

 

Anyway i can now see huge merit in fishing from a yak and am Hooked.

 

Kiwi 3 is not ideal, and have been doing the normal surfing to bottom what I actualy want.

 

I should add at this point that at 6'8" and 23 stone I need something stable with a big comfy seat for my rather capatious buttox!!

 

I have considered the P13 and P15 and think the seat may be a little narrow, and was then heading towards the drifter - I then have on my "surf" stumbled upon the x factor that seems to press a number of important buttons - big pay load, 2 x kids seats (for in frequent use) with the gator hatch, hatchs everywhere, etc.

 

Anyway are they available in the UK? looked everywhere and Fishyak seemingly no longer do them in the UK.

 

Am I moving in the right direction or am I mad???

 

Thank you

 

Jeff

 

Hi Jeff

 

Don't know if you have actually purchased the x factor yet? but have you considered the Drifter from ocean Kayak? I am 6'4" not as well built but the drifter is perfect for me, it is wider than normal and the seating and leg area is very spacious and i find it very confortable. Some say its slower etc but i do not find this at all, very stable as my some stands up on it no problem even in a moberate swell..

 

worth considering every aspect prior to spending the hard earned readies...

[Starvinmarvin]

With regards to the X-Factor, last time I spoke to Stuart (UK Importer/Distributor) there was a container heading this way, I paddled the X-Factor a few weeks ago and it's all put together very nicely, the rudder works was a real eye opener and worked considerably well. Stuart has been out fishing from his on a few of the meets that I have been too and he copes well regardless of the weather and sea state.

 

Having said all that the new Ocean Kayak Big Game is due on our shores in the coming months and is well worth a look at given your build. Worth giving Johnson outdoors a call to see when the first shipments are due in.

 

Big Jeff,

 

If you want to see some pictures of it and with some big lads fishing them, take a look at the AnglersAfloat home page

 

www.anglersafloat.co.uk

 

or

 

www.kayakfishinguk.net

 

This is Andy's forum and he also has some shots of her in action.

 

Enjoy your search try and get a paddle before you buy or at least get to sit in move around, reach for the rod holders, the tankwell, or hatches and see how it all feels, does everything feel like it's in the right places, can you reach everything with ease, with the Malibu-X Factor is the anchor mechanism easy to operate (I found it perfect for my short height)

 

After doing all this, try and lift the kayak see how easy it is to handle out of the water, you've got to get this on a roof rack, sometimes unaided.

 

Have fun deciding any question please fire away, somebody here will be able to help

[Big Jeff]

Jersey thank you for the link, i have e-mailed for info - thank you.

 

Somerset yes I have considered the drifter and it was going to my first choice, until I have read some of the reports from over the pond on the x factor, but thank you for thinking of me, much appreciated.

 

Any way by means of an update went to Beale Park boat show today and I have had a bit of a play, firstly in an open canoe, that was a great laugh, but I feel that I would be in mortal danger were I to venture into the sea!!

 

I then had a look at the Hobie yaks (didn't have a go at £1300 plus there seemed little point) - they had a peddle paddle system - that looked like something that I would -

 

a. rip off on rocks

b. apparently to avoid this its removeable

c. when removed I would almost certainly drop it over the side

 

I then had a wonder to a to another dealer who had some of the Occean Yaks and I tried a prowler 13, the seat was all right and not as narrow as i feared it might be, I then tried it in the water.............................

.......................................

 

OOOOOOOOOps scupper holes filled at an alarming rate and I got a very wet arse, I,m not going to buy one.

 

I then did have a paddle in a rainbow orca and that was fun with lots of variable seating but again not really what I'm after.

 

I do feel that I am back to where I started from either a Drifter or the seemingly mythical X factor.

 

Any if today showed me anything it was that my net research has proved to be correct and the 2 yaks that I have fancied all along are still there at the front of the pack.

 

BJ witha a v wet arse.

[Big Jeff]

Marv thanks for that, I have seen your site anglers afloat before - very good and comprehensive. I've not seen the forum link before thank you for that.

 

I will now track down when the big game is available in the UK.

 

Once again thank you.

 

Jeff with a drier arse now!!

[Starvinmarvin]

Jeff,

 

Remember that you going to be participating in a watersport, your arse will get wet regardless of which kayak you buy, it's just the degree of dampness that is different. You can always plug the scupper holes, but the water will still come in but won't drain so easily.

 

With the three kayaks on you new list I'm sure that any one of them will suit your needs

 

SM

[Simon Everett]

Big Jeff - if you want to stay dry, take 2 kids out and need stability - bu a boat!

 

A kayak is a wet device regardless of what salesmen will tell you - even the big kayaks will get you wet. You are sitting higher out of the water- certainly. That makes them less stable, not more. So they put wider beam on to try and gain the stability back again - which they do. But now you have a much larger wetted area, which IS harder to paddle. You cannot find out what a kayak is like at a boating lake - you HAVE to take it to sea in conditions that you would actually use it in.

 

If you look at the Sardinia thread on kayakfishinguk forum you will se pictures of one in action. It dealt with the waves better than I had ever thought - but it still had water coming over the bow and it was almost impossible to turn through the wind without the rudder (they don't fit it as standard in Italy - but for the UK it is a standard item.)

 

Get a trial in some waves and then make your mind up. You don't buy a car without a test drive - and do you only go round in circles in Tesbury's car park?