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#1 Jul-21-21 4:37AM

backtofuturetoyota
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Stafford
Registered: Jan-12-12
Posts: 826

Lightweight Kayak Option

So, I've been noticing my struggles with my FeelFree Lure 11.5 this past year.  It's pretty heavy and awkward.  It's a great fishing kayak and completely stable, but there is that offset.  I was also looking at the pedal drive system and that costs another 1k; however, the weight issue is still present.

So, I've been contemplating turning over to a whole new kayak system.  something lighter, pedal drive. 

Anyone have thoughts or options they like?

Let's not factor in price.  Just go for it!

Last edited by backtofuturetoyota (Jul-21-21 4:38AM)

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#2 Jul-21-21 9:23AM

hookup
Patagonian Toothfish
Registered: Jan-31-12
Posts: 2301

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

I'm buying one today ...

sold out

Last edited by hookup (Jul-21-21 11:28AM)

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#3 Jul-21-21 11:30AM

backtofuturetoyota
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Stafford
Registered: Jan-12-12
Posts: 826

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

I'm usually fishing a basin or long streams without much flow, so it's a lot more paddling (I don't mind, but my shoulder doesn't like it).  so, I'm trying for the lesser injury (the knees!).  lol  Trying to strike that balance of quality of life and reality of being somewhat disabled.

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#4 Jul-21-21 1:22PM

hookup
Patagonian Toothfish
Registered: Jan-31-12
Posts: 2301

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

I saw perception has a 10' peddle kayak - 86# - nor sure if that's dry weight (kayak only) or total weight (seat, peddle thing, hatches)?

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#5 Jul-22-21 4:30AM

backtofuturetoyota
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Stafford
Registered: Jan-12-12
Posts: 826

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

I'll look into that!  Someone mentioned to me Hobie has a new yak out too that is around 45#.  Maybe wait until the end of season when things become available again.

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#6 Jul-22-21 5:08AM

Junger
Northern Snakehead
From: Potomac, MD
Registered: Aug-14-17
Posts: 720

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

$11,000 - 40lb carbon fiber fishing kayak with a swivel raised seat.

https://apexwatercraft.com/product/tyr-fishing-kayak/

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#7 Jul-22-21 7:17AM

hookup
Patagonian Toothfish
Registered: Jan-31-12
Posts: 2301

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

Junger wrote:

$11,000 - 40lb carbon fiber fishing kayak with a swivel raised seat.

https://apexwatercraft.com/product/tyr-fishing-kayak/

That yak wouldn't last a week on the rivers I float

One of the hybrid kayak/canoe manufacturers made one from graphite years ago.  I think they only sold like 5 or 6.  Build to order.  $5,000.  I wanted to buy one as art and hang it in my house, but my wife said "NO!"

I'll look into that!

https://www.perceptionkayaks.com/us/kayaks/crank-100

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#8 Jul-22-21 7:34AM

backtofuturetoyota
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Stafford
Registered: Jan-12-12
Posts: 826

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

That apex sounds and looks like a gov't project without true practical use.  Just throw money at it and see if it can do the same thing a $100 yak can do. lol

I appreciate the effort on it, but the cost is another ridiculous space trip.

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#9 Jul-22-21 7:51AM

hookup
Patagonian Toothfish
Registered: Jan-31-12
Posts: 2301

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

backtofuturetoyota wrote:

the cost is another ridiculous space trip.

LoL

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#10 Jul-22-21 10:03AM

Junger
Northern Snakehead
From: Potomac, MD
Registered: Aug-14-17
Posts: 720

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

backtofuturetoyota wrote:

That apex sounds and looks like a gov't project without true practical use.  Just throw money at it and see if it can do the same thing a $100 yak can do. lol

I appreciate the effort on it, but the cost is another ridiculous space trip.

I know it’s ridiculous but you did say not to factor in price!

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#11 Jul-22-21 10:13AM

backtofuturetoyota
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Stafford
Registered: Jan-12-12
Posts: 826

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

Absolutely true!!  It does help give me an idea of how much I can spend on the high side (or at least how high it can go). 

I think my limit will be about 3k on the high side.  Anything more and I'd want it to propel itself. lol

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#12 Jul-23-21 1:59PM

hookup
Patagonian Toothfish
Registered: Jan-31-12
Posts: 2301

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

backtofuturetoyota wrote:

I think my limit will be about 3k on the high side.  Anything more and I'd want it to propel itself. lol

Saw a Mokai on the water the other day.  Loud but does propel itself

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#13 Jul-25-21 7:55AM

pier_man0909
Member
From: Winchester, VA
Registered: Jul-16-16
Posts: 44

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

i dont know how much your feel free weighs.  a couple site i looked at gave different weights.  one of, if not the lightest peddle fishing kayak is gonna be the native slayer 10.  its listed at 62 lb boat weight.  of course it will likely leave you with some/much to be desired. 

https://nativewatercraft.com/product/slayer-propel-10/

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#14 Jul-27-21 4:52AM

backtofuturetoyota
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Stafford
Registered: Jan-12-12
Posts: 826

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

Native slayer is an interesting option!  I have a Feelfree lure 11.5 and I'm starting to get tired of hauling it around.  Maybe I'm just getting older or the injuries are seriously starting to surface.  But, I did find a Hobie Mirage Lynx at 45 lbs!  Found it as in research only.  Youtube videos show that it's very fast and nimble/stable and fully rigged up 65 lbs.

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#15 Jul-28-21 8:03AM

pier_man0909
Member
From: Winchester, VA
Registered: Jul-16-16
Posts: 44

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

personally I am not much of a fan of hobie.  im not a hater, but for me i just dont see the draw for their cult like following and their prices are extremely high.  As far as the lynx goes, its a new boat and I would personally wait for some time of real world reviews and for the bugs to come out/get fixed before i jumped on one if thats the direction you go.  it seems like new boats often have bugs or issues shortly after they get released.  I am also personally not a fan of the lynx design but thats just me.  from what i remember it is more of a stand up paddle board than it is a kayak and offers zero internal storage.  that may not mean anything to you but for me internal storage is an important feature.  ultimately it would be a decision that you have to make rather than what youtube recommends.  it may work well for your style of fishing but it wouldnt for me.  I would also demo one first so you can get a feel for it to see if you like it.

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#16 Jul-29-21 4:21AM

backtofuturetoyota
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Stafford
Registered: Jan-12-12
Posts: 826

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

You make some great points!  I never understood the following either.  My feelfree is pretty awesome and I even rigged it up with a trolling motor to assist on the long runs to get to the honey holes....it weighs about 75 to start and probably over 110 after everything is loaded.  I will wait until after the season and see if I can test it out.  I can always just keep both and switch it out as I need it...lol

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#17 Jul-29-21 6:00PM

pier_man0909
Member
From: Winchester, VA
Registered: Jul-16-16
Posts: 44

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

if it were me,  i would keep both.  the feel free you could use when you needed a bigger, more able boat or your guest could use it if they didnt have one to use if you are fishing with a friend.  I have a predator PDL and that thing is an absolute beast.  I think the hull alone is just under 100 lbs. without the drive installed.  the drive is like 20 lbs.  it is a propeller style drive where you pedal it like a bike whereas the hobies mirage are a fin type drive.  the mirage drive has some advantages and some disadvantages as well.  for one, you can go shallower with the mirage drive and still use it than you can any of the prop drives.  having said that, the PDL drive from old town floats in case it happens to fall out of the boat and is maintenance free with little issues.  if there is an issue, it is covered by a 5 year warranty and old town is very good about working with you.  the hobie mirage drive has a shorter warranty and you still have to do maintenance on it.  even doing the maintenance I have heard of a lot more hobie failures than old town failures.  those are the main reasons I went with old town predator PDL.  I know a guy that had 2 hobie hulls crack back to back and another guy i know just last week was at the obx and didnt get to fish/film as much as he was hoping for his channel because he had a failure on his hobie.  im not trying to talk bad about hobie, just putting that out there.

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#18 Jul-30-21 4:52AM

backtofuturetoyota
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Stafford
Registered: Jan-12-12
Posts: 826

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

Nope, these are legit concerns and I appreciate that.  Some things to think about as I make a decision.  I'll wait until there are some long term reviews and maybe even better options.  One thing for me is the inability to quickly go into reverse, but that may be nothing in reality.  I do tend to go shallow mostly, so I don't want anything that breaks easily.  (don't we all).

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#19 Jul-30-21 7:20PM

pier_man0909
Member
From: Winchester, VA
Registered: Jul-16-16
Posts: 44

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

with the old town pdl and the native propel drive, reverse is instant.  you just pedal backwards.  that feature is great.  with the hobie there is a cord you have to pull to go in reverse, which in turn disables forward pedaling until you pull another cord.  again with the durability, the forward/reverse pull cords is one of the main issues I have heard with the hobie drives that people seem to continue to have.  i have heard of several people that had to peddle a long ways in reverse to get back to the launch because their forward failed.  the majority of issues you hear about with old town is a broken prop or shear pin.  thats why I always carry extras while on the water.  If I hit a rock and break a prop or shear pin I can have have them replaced in about a minute.

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#20 Aug-02-21 5:22AM

backtofuturetoyota
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Stafford
Registered: Jan-12-12
Posts: 826

Re: Lightweight Kayak Option

great points!

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