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kellercl
Posts: 13,487 AG
Kayak: Trying to Decide on my first
kellercl
Posts: 13,487 AG
So I was eye balling either the Moken 10 Lite or Lure 10. I have never owned a kayak and I am not really sure what would be best. I will be fishing mostly brackish water type situations, meaning fairly calm waters. Best that I can tell the Moken would be easier to paddle. But the Lure (given the width) would be more stable. I even got the impression with Lure it would be possible to stand when need be, given how wide it is. But again, I hear it would be tough to paddle and getting it on/off the car would be more difficult. In terms of safety when transporting, what is more likely to have issues with tie downs? A heavy wide kayak or a lighter narrow kayak? I can talk myself into either situations. I like the concept of the seat/chair on the Lure, but I've also read sitting up high really kills stability.
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
#Lead beakerhead specialist
"Soul of the mind, key to life's ether. Soul of the lost, withdrawn from its vessel. Let strength be granted, so the world might be mended. So the world might be mended."
"Soul of the mind, key to life's ether. Soul of the lost, withdrawn from its vessel. Let strength be granted, so the world might be mended. So the world might be mended."
Replies
Excuse my ignorance, I am really new to this, but I will be putting the kayak up on a thule roof rack that is on a Mazda 5. The Mazda 5 is roughly 15 feet long. I was aiming towards 10 ft, because it seemed safer for transportation compared to a 12 foot. Is that not really true?
Edit
Another way of asking is what percent of the kayak needs to be over the roof/rack and how much can overhang the hood?
"Soul of the mind, key to life's ether. Soul of the lost, withdrawn from its vessel. Let strength be granted, so the world might be mended. So the world might be mended."
"Soul of the mind, key to life's ether. Soul of the lost, withdrawn from its vessel. Let strength be granted, so the world might be mended. So the world might be mended."
That said get a 12, or 14 if you can stand the weight. Extra 10lbs is usually worth it, especially if your already thinking about standing up.
I've run my cuda14 on top of an Element, racks are only a couple feet apart, no issues on trip from NwArkansas to Tampa. Never saw point in bowline/streamlines.
Just crosstied the yak in the Honda cradles.
Jeff Cooper
Fireman Bill
"Soul of the mind, key to life's ether. Soul of the lost, withdrawn from its vessel. Let strength be granted, so the world might be mended. So the world might be mended."
He got his at 20% off (sale) and it came with a free paddle and vest ($580 total) from ****'s Sporting Goods (I think). Anyways, hope this helps!
I carry a 15'4", a 14'4" canoe, or 12'6" paddleboard on the top of my Honda 2dr Civic, 3rd Civic all 2dr's for 2001 -2012.. I've alos been through a 15' ScupperPro and a couple Mohawk and Indian River canoes over the past 16 years of paddle fishing... never had a problem carrying them on the roof, just make sure you use not only cross straps/lines and Bow and Stern lines to secure the kayak when in transport... I tarvel generally anywhere fomr 45 minutes to 3 hours to get to the water at hi-way+ speeds.
Fished from almost everything including a 9.5' cheapie to an expensive 14' all decked out and various canoes. Did not feel comfortable in the 14 footer - for a 5' nothing grandmother it felt very tippy. The guy who owned it is about your size, in his mid-30's and loves it.
I ended up with - https://www.perceptionkayaks.com/us/products?family%5B%5D=204&activity%5B%5D=24&type%5B%5D=28 and it's great! Not too heavy, @ 65 lbs I can get it into the back of a p/up without help, carefully. Very stable, two level seating, beamy and we've had bass boats with a lower freeboard, lol. (makes it a little more susceptible to wind tho') I wanted molded footrests as opposed to the adjustable pedals (which break) and the anchor system is great - use it all the time. Though it doesn't track as well as a sleeker boat would, it handles a light chop easily.
On sale at ****'s for less than $500 - and I think that includes the anchor and trolley - a must and a big + for me. Read the reviews (on ****'s website), I pretty much agree with most of them. Not a perfect boat by any means but I absolutely love mine, especially for the price.
Doesn't come with a clip on padded seat - but I haven't needed one yet. I like being able to scoot from the low seat to the high seat without encumbrance.
Good luck!
(1) Longer is better.
(2) Three years ago everybody on here told me not to get a kayak less than 12'.
I got a 9'7" Hobie Sport with mirage drive and a rudder. I got the shorter one because I could easily lift, transport, and store it.
Yes, the few times I've been in 13" of water and had to pull up my rudder and use a paddle, the thing tracked like a berserk tank.
I will never take it offshore, but have been out about a mile in the Gulf, Atlantic, and Lake Michigan.
All said, you are better off with a 12-14 footer, but not as bad off as some would think with only a 10 footer. Go to a demo day and decide for yourself.
I had the Hobie Sport like DCR had and I did inshore and offshore with it. However, the only reason that the 9.5 foot Hobie works (and probably the only reason a 10ft Native Slayer Propel as well) is because it has propulsion and a rudder. When you have to pull up the drive and rudder in those short kayaks, you get a sense of how horrible it is to PADDLE them. Now, that's not to say they are worthless, in fact I still wish I had the Hobie Sport for short trout trips or for when my nephews/nieces come to visit; no what you realize is that a 10 ft kayak is just not going to give you the options [or confidence] that a larger kayak would.
If you are worried about transportation, do not worry too much; I carried my Revo11 on my Toyota Matrix before I upgraded to a Revo13 and a bigger car (Mazda CX5). Worry more about where/how you will store the kayak at home. Measure out your garage, or patio, or storage area so that you can determine the largest size kayak that will fit. Then think of the weight (which is why I never went with the heavy Pro Angler). Go to a Demo-Day and try out whatever kayaks you have then narrowed it down to. Good luck.