Which Kayak?

[wayneo75]

Fellow raiders,

I am considering purchasing a kayak but am unsure as to which style to go for, the "sit on top" style or the more traditional style like an "Australis Bass".

I plan to fish for Bass and Bream mostly in flat water, I want to keep away from the busy boating areas to reduce both noise/traffic and the risk fo falling in to often!

Any help would be great!

[abitfishy]

The Australis Bass are very popular, however after testing a couple, the Bass does not track well (meaning it won't stay straight after you stop paddling). If you are buying new, go for the Barra, its a Bass with a keel which improves the tracking. Secondhand the Barras haven't been around long enough for there to be many on the second hand market.

HOWEVER, having said that, a sit on top is the choice for most kayak fishermen, due to being so much easier to add fishing crate, live well, rod holders, finder etc. I love mine!

Martin

[arpie]

Hi there

I have both an Australis Bass kayak & a Perception Minnow - I keep the Bass for visitors!!! It does not track at all well! If you are in tidal waters, it is very difficult to maintain a course and is more affected by wind and tide than the Minnow, as the whole keel is rounded. The front of the craft really needs to go to a point and actually have a keel to track well.

Where abouts are you? There are numerous outlets in Sydney that should have a good selection. There is one at Mona Vale, the Spit & others. The best thing to do would be to go to a reputable dealer in kayaks who are on the water & actually try all the different sorts out! Each has an advantage over the other. You just have to decide which has more advantages & go with that! Don't buy one that you haven't personally tested!

The Perception craft (they have sit on and sit in) are excellent. They are very stable & should not sink, even if full of water. However, any craft will capsise if put in a bad enough situation! So care needs to be taken, especially when getting in & gettting out. You can capsize in 6" of water! I always have the back of the boat still on the sand & step in carefully, making sure my whole weight is on the one foot and touching the 'sand' below the boat before putting the other foot in! Then I just do a couple of 'pelvic thrusts' to shoot your kayak out into the water!

I think you get wetter in a 'sit on' as the water actually comes up thru the drainage holes under your seat! Personally, I prefer a 'sit in' kayak & if I was getting another one, I would go for the Acadia 280 - a 'sleeker' craft than the minnow, but similar weight & length (less than 20kg.) The longer the boat, the better it cuts through rougher water (even on 'flat water' you still will encounter choppy waves that enter the kayak. It is not a matter of 'if' but 'when'.) You can also get a 'skirt' that prevents water from getting into the kayak when 'touring'. The next size up is the Acadia 370 which is a few kgs heavier again, but has a sealed hatch for storage & rubber bungy cords in front to stuff bits into. You can also have a retractable rudder, to assist with tracking (a real advantage.)

They are great fun to get out & have a paddle - if you catch a fish it is a bonus. Just be aware of inconsiderate boaties that zoom past whether you are moored or not. If this happens, turn your kayak to face the waves head on. Don't ever let the waves hit you broadside, or you can be swamped. With care, that shouldn't happen.

I have 3 rod holders in mine - 2 'inset' ones at the rear & one Berkley removable one in the front that swivels. I also have an anchoring system that I can adjust from the front to the rear (even in the middle of the kayak) depending on tide & wind. I prefer a 'collapsible' anchor - you only need to lock it open when in strong tide or wind - otherwise the collapsed version works fine & doesn't take up too much room in the kayak. I have attached a spring loaded 'dog leash' to the anchor setup so that I can have up to 50ft of line in the water - covering most anchoring situations that I have encountered to date! I usually only need about 25ft (sometimes only 10ft or less when in really shallow bits.) My portable fishfinder sits on velcro strips on the front deck. I always have an old towell (folded in half) on the floor of the kayak - it absorbs any drips that come off the paddle & also makes it much quieter when stowing the anchor & gear. Don't forget to have a leash attached to your paddle! You only have about 2 secs to grab a wayward paddle before it is gone forever! Tie it on! My paddle fits on with velcro straps I fitted to the sides - I initially fitted the clips, but found I was hitting them when paddling & they got annoying! I have a fresh/saltwater fisheries sticker on the side, to check the size of any fish I catch before even touching them! My fishing licence is laminated & stuck onto the boat (just behind me so least likely to get wet.) I have made an 'eviro'shopping bag into my fishkeeper, which I have added an old wetsuit zipper to the opening, so the fish can't get out. It sits around my front rodholder. When empty it sits under the anchor rope and just sits in the water when I have fish in it - to both keep alive and/or cool. I even have a lipgrip on clips, in case I catch a monster!

The extra length of rope shown in the full kayak photo is from handle to handle & allows you to tie up to any pole or tree/whatever when you are in tidal or windy conditions & don't want to put down the anchor. It has a plastic coated wire 'hook' on it as well, to hook back onto itself!

For safety, I have a 'hooter' that I got from a local shop for $5 - just a gently blow into it & it is louder than most foghorns - the sound will travel for up to 1k on water! Scares the hell out of anyone nearby when you blow it! Just behind the seat, you can see the blue 'dog leash' that attaches to the anchor setup. The anchor rope goes between both handles & where the double uni knot secures the ropes, is the shackle that attaches to the anchor rope.

It is important to be able to load/unload the kayak yourself. Check out the easier 'slide on' roof racks (Thule) - once you put the front bit on, it is easy to slide the rest of the kayak on, rather than having to lift the whole thing on with some of the other older model kayak racks.

Have included some pics of my setup!

Photo 1 - anchor tied to a pulley & connected to the knots that tie the sliding rope onto the boat handles (also have shackle & stainless steel pulley on them for ease of use.) I have a small metal hook that attaches near the knots so you can tie the anchor off 'shorter' but have access to the long rope at a moments notice.

Photo2 - shows 'hooter' on seat (tied on) and blue dog leash holder tied on behind the seat with plastic ties, also towell on the floor.

photo3 - envirobag with wetsuit zipper 'fish keeper' (over rod holder to keep secure), front rod holder, lip grippers, paddle secured to the side & the extra rope for tying onto poles etc

Photo4 - the whole setup showing leash to paddle. I usually put the net in the kayak rather than in the rod holder. I rarely use the rear rod holders (good for holding the anchor when in the 'locked open' position.)

Cheerio

Roberta

Edited December 31, 2006 by Roberta

[wayneo75]

Roberta,

thanks for the tips and for putting in such an effort to reply!

I have paddled only one craft before being a perception minnow and was pretty happy with it. It was based upon that 3 hour paddle that i decided i had to get a kayak. Even if that craft was as good as they get i think i will be happy. I do like the idea a testing a few more out though. I may get out over the next few weeks to try some.

[arpie]

Hi ya

No worries - it was fun thinking back to when we got ours! Just don't make the mistake we did on our first 'purchase' - we bought 2 identical yaks (fibreglass) & only 'tried them out' on the grass! In water, they only went round in circles!! We 'on sold' them pretty quickly - telling people that they needed experience to paddle them straight! Sold them for what we paid. We were happy with that! Later that year, we saw them advertised again! They must have had the same problem! Ha Ha

Also, make sure you get a decent paddle - not a $25 flat-bladed one - you don't have to spend heaps, but a slightly bigger blade with a bt of a curve on it makes a huge difference.

Forgot to mention that the Bass seats are really uncomfortable, too! Most visitors that use it for 2hr or so, complain of a really sore back! I have no problems with my minnow - & I am out up to 4hrs in it! The next size up really is better, tho. If your bum gets a bit tender, just put a bit of that compressed foam (like a strip of yoga mat) on it.

I am also toying with the idea of making a pair of outriggers for mine too - for that extra bit of stability so hopefully you can stand up in it! Shouldn't be too difficult - just a couple of capped downpipes with aluminium poles to the kayak - adjustable, so you decide how close to the kayak to set them!

An interesting concept!! Eh??

BTW - where are you based? I spoke with a bloke that got his kayak at Mona Vale & was happy with the service there? But if you are out of town, it is always bettr to deal with a local, in case of problems in the future!

Let us know how you go with the decision making!

Cheerio

Roberta