Stand up kayaks

[Dabalone]

Anyone have experience with these type kayaks? The outrigger concept looks great, only 49 lbs and the ability to stand up and cast 360 degrees looks good to me for some of the hard to access small waters I fish. Should be easier to carry than a pontoon boat.

A kayak gives you much more mobility than a toon or tube, would allow you to cover much more water, gets rid of the fins and allows you to stand up. Seems like a win win for a portable boat. Any feedback appreciated.

http://freedomhawkkayaks.com/videos.php

[Scott V]

Grandpaspey has a write up somewhere on this board about the Freedom hawks.

[DFrink]

I hate fly fishing from a kayak. Once you get your line out it's hard to keep the boat in position while you retrieve (or try and keep a good dead drift). You could set an anchor, but it's just to much work for me.

Dan

[Dabalone]

I misread the weight of these boats, the 49 lb weight apparently is the main body of the boat with outriggers detached, with the outriggers attached the weight is more like 60 to 80 lbs depending on model. Not quite as portable as I first thought.

[ptychocheilus]

Last summer my SUP-crazed wife got me to try a rotomolded whitewater SUP, the Imagine Rapidfire (http://www.imaginesurf.com/). We tested them on class II/III whitewater, and the next day I had it out fishing on one of my local rivers. It provides a stable platform -- 36" wide and just under 10' long -- yet despite having serious volume has a low vertical cross-section, so it doesn't catch much wind. Even a very energetic double haul doesn't rock this thing much. At 47 lbs it's somewhat heavy but not unwieldy. It's also much cheaper than most of the fishing-marketed kayaks out there, and offers a clean deck (nothing to get fly line caught on, so you can strip and shoot right off the deck) and small storage compartment. I've added a couple lash/clip points on the rear deck of mine. It's slow to paddle from a standing position, but normally if I'm standing I'm fishing. If you carry a standard kayak paddle and sit down it tracks well and moves surprisingly fast given it's hull shape. It's amazing the fish that I see while standing up that I would have otherwise drifted over. So far I've caught stripers up to 15 lbs off of it, and redfish to about the same size down in the Gulf; it's a real blast and most certainly not a gimmick! These things handle really well and provide a completely different option for folks thinking about new boats...

[jbird]

Last summer my SUP-crazed wife got me to try a rotomolded whitewater SUP, the Imagine Rapidfire (http://www.imaginesurf.com/). We tested them on class II/III whitewater, and the next day I had it out fishing on one of my local rivers. It provides a stable platform -- 36" wide and just under 10' long -- yet despite having serious volume has a low vertical cross-section, so it doesn't catch much wind. Even a very energetic double haul doesn't rock this thing much. At 47 lbs it's somewhat heavy but not unwieldy. It's also much cheaper than most of the fishing-marketed kayaks out there, and offers a clean deck (nothing to get fly line caught on, so you can strip and shoot right off the deck) and small storage compartment. I've added a couple lash/clip points on the rear deck of mine. It's slow to paddle from a standing position, but normally if I'm standing I'm fishing. If you carry a standard kayak paddle and sit down it tracks well and moves surprisingly fast given it's hull shape. It's amazing the fish that I see while standing up that I would have otherwise drifted over. So far I've caught stripers up to 15 lbs off of it, and redfish to about the same size down in the Gulf; it's a real blast and most certainly not a gimmick! These things handle really well and provide a completely different option for folks thinking about new boats...

Vrey interesting product! Thanks for the post and link!

http://www.imaginesurf.com/?post_typ..._product&p=820

[Scott Thornley]

There's a review over on the Northern California Kayak Angers site for the Speeder (the Wizards leaner brother), including some shots of it in moving water. Looks like it would make for a nice platform for stand up fishing.

Scott

[Grampa Spey]

Quick dry land comparisons of Freedom Hawk 12 and the new Pathfinder.

The PF is a longer yak at 14' and designed to handle bigger water, winds and other situations that might put the FH12 into bad situations. The Freedom Hawk 12 in wind sheltered waters and not having to battle tides is very easy to use. I would not use it in windy and rapid changing tidal situations.

The PF has a heavier carry load capacity that is superb, and that extra capacity allowed me to have Steven of Bass Yaks to put in a custom fitted electric motor and a two AGM 12 Volt battery pack. I could not do that with the FH12.

Without the outriggers, the PF weighs in at about 61#'s versus 54 #'s for the FH12. The Pathfinder hull only is about a foot longer than the FH12.

Inspite of the extra 7#'s and 1 ft in length. For me in my driveway and carport the Pathfinder is better balanced and easier to get on and off the bed of my Ridgeline. I can load or off load and can get the Pathfinder into the storage space of our carport with a 28 inch wide furniture dolly, as easy or easier than with the FH12. This is very critical for me as a 73 year old and banged up guy with a torn right shoulder head and torn rotator cuff on the same side. This past Saturday, I practiced loading and off loading the PF several times and securing/mounting the motor. I got the procedure down to about 5 minutes for either action including strapping it down or unstrapping it. That will require even less time when I start to use it with a cargo net which quickly secures the main body down or removing the net to get the Yak off the truck bed.

We have seen this hard to handle phenom in Hobies and other yaks. Sometimes the longer and heavier yaks are better balanced for one person than the shorter ones. Of course some of the longer and heavier yaks like the Hobie Oasis Mirage are basically impossible for most of us to handle by our selves.

Inspite of owning several MinnKota electric motors, including 3 now, not counting the new one on the Pathfinder, Steven's conversion unit is very different re mounting, controlling, securing, using it in the water and releasing it. So I need more video/pictorial help from BassYaks before getting into my local rivers/lakes and bays and practice in my driveway.

Being a fair weather yakker, I probably will not be able to get the Yak into the water this week.

Anyone have experience with these type kayaks? The outrigger concept looks great, only 49 lbs and the ability to stand up and cast 360 degrees looks good to me for some of the hard to access small waters I fish. Should be easier to carry than a pontoon boat.

A kayak gives you much more mobility than a toon or tube, would allow you to cover much more water, gets rid of the fins and allows you to stand up. Seems like a win win for a portable boat. Any feedback appreciated.

http://freedomhawkkayaks.com/videos.php

I have the Freedom Hawk 12, and I have just received Freedom Hawk's new Pathfinder:

http://bassyaks.com/wp-content/uploa.../625111406.jpg

[coolrivertx]

...for fishing, not so much for covering a lot of H2O. They are super stable, EZ to get up and down in, etc. - if you go out with some one and they have a kayak, you will probably be stuck in the slow lane! brett

[Grampa Spey]

...for fishing, not so much for covering a lot of H2O. They are super stable, EZ to get up and down in, etc. - if you go out with some one and they have a kayak, you will probably be stuck in the slow lane! brett

http://bassyaks.com/wp-content/uploa.../625111406.jpg

It is powered by a MinnKota 40 with two batteries.

My wife and I have a yak for speed and just touring, a 2009 Hobie Mirage Oasis with tandem mirage units.

Even as 70 year old yak hackers, when we get the cadence going with the tandem Mirages, we can average 4-5 mph and hit and maintain over 6 mph for a mile or so.

However ,the Oasises up to our model year are worthless as fishing yaks. The later models have the capability of holding rods. However at 14' 6" long and only God knows how heavy as Hobie really under states the weight of its Mirage yaks, it is a beast to unload and unload on our trailer. Forget the back of my Ridgeline Pickup. I could probably handle my 15' Jon Boat easier than a Hobie Mirage Oasis by myself.

However, speed is fun, and I will be getting a smaller single person Hobie Mirage later this spring. One that I can throw in the back of my Ridgeline by myself and be yakking a few minutes later when I don't feel like fishing with my Pathfinder or my wife doesn't want to yak that day. I'm leaning to a Hobie Mirage Revo 11/ or the Sport or their inflatable 9' Mirage.