Calling all Kayakers...

[Mr Peat]

So I am looking at getting a Kayak since I will be around 35 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Whats cool is I will be pretty close to the Matagorda Bay and one of the rivers that feed into it. Since I am a bigger guy, I am looking for information about a good kayak that I can use close to shore in the Gulf, lakes and rivers. I may even take trips for like a week with it. No idea what would be good so looking for pointers and information about which companies are good and ones to avoid that make them. I've been looking at them for some time but I won't pull the trigger till later in the year since I won't have to worry about snow any more. :laugh:

Any websites and whatever else one can think of in my search is appreciated and thanks in advance.

 

[Nimrod]

Gulf/Lake - Long Kayak, at least 15ft.
River - shorter kayak so you can turn easier. There is no 'one size fits all'. The River is a different animal that a Lake.

Longer kayaks will track better and make paddling easier. You will end up spending less energy going a distance than you would a shorter kayak.

Option are

Ocean Kayak 15ft Prowler or Trident
Wilderness System Tarpons 140 or 160(I own this).
Hobies are cool if you want to pay the price.

Stay away from Malibu Kayak, and Cobras. Quality suck and design suck.

There are about 100 different kayak forums out there. I suggest going on there and ask.
If they tell you to buy a Malibu Kayak, it is because they are paid to. No one in their right mind would own one.

 

[klipsch]

Loren,

Check out some of the information you'll find on paddling.net. The site was very useful when I took up paddling 10 years ago. If some dirtbag hadn't stolen my boat last year, I'd still be on the water every chance I got.

 

[Smokyballs]

So I am looking at getting a Kayak since I will be around 35 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Whats cool is I will be pretty close to the Matagorda Bay and one of the rivers that feed into it. Since I am a bigger guy, I am looking for information about a good kayak that I can use close to shore in the Gulf, lakes and rivers. I may even take trips for like a week with it. No idea what would be good so looking for pointers and information about which companies are good and ones to avoid that make them. I've been looking at them for some time but I won't pull the trigger till later in the year since I won't have to worry about snow any more. :laugh:

Any websites and whatever else one can think of in my search is appreciated and thanks in advance.

I love you and with all due respect Loren, how the fuck are you going to get into or out of a kayak? You have enough medical problems as it is and you want to beat the crap out of yourself in a little boat?

 

[Kingantz]

One of my best friends who's right at 7' tall is into kayaking pretty good, he's got a bad knee as well. He's in a kayak club (forget the name of it). I was actually looking to get a kayak myself about a year ago so I could go out paddling with him, however we kinda lost touch for a while. We've been hanging out again here lately, and he's got two kayaks so hopefully I'll get to go try one out with him sometime this summer, sure looks like a lot of fun.

 

[beastinem]

I wouldn't call myself a kayaker, but my wife and I have been doing this a lot lately. But we just go down to the local kayak rental place and they give us one, lol.

Will this be your first time? I thought I would hate it, but I had the time of my life.

 

[CulturedHick]

I do not own a kayak, yet , but it is on my list. I have learned alot from this site LINK. I hope to have one soon.

Hope this helps.

 

[Mr Peat]

So I am looking at getting a Kayak since I will be around 35 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Whats cool is I will be pretty close to the Matagorda Bay and one of the rivers that feed into it. Since I am a bigger guy, I am looking for information about a good kayak that I can use close to shore in the Gulf, lakes and rivers. I may even take trips for like a week with it. No idea what would be good so looking for pointers and information about which companies are good and ones to avoid that make them. I've been looking at them for some time but I won't pull the trigger till later in the year since I won't have to worry about snow any more. :laugh:

Any websites and whatever else one can think of in my search is appreciated and thanks in advance.

I love you and with all due respect Loren, how the fuck are you going to get into or out of a kayak? You have enough medical problems as it is and you want to beat the crap out of yourself in a little boat?

I've talked for years about going from Omaha, Nebraska down the Missouri River to the Gulf. After it connects with the Mississippi outside St Louis, Missouri. I called the Corp of Engineers who referred me to the US Coast Guard. Both conversations they thought I was completely insane for wanting to do this. This has been something I have talked about doing since around 2006-2007.

I blame it on my late best friend, Slummy. He came down the one year with his kayak and we went to the Nodaway Lake just outside Maryville, Missouri where I got my first try at using a kayak. I loved it. We was smoking some Partagas Culebras while kayaking the lake. Its not a big lake naturally but it was definitely a good start with trying kayaking out.

The one I am looking at is one you sit on so there is no climbing in and out of one. But it also carries a hefty price tag. With the FDA trying to ban my pain medicine, I need to do something that will hopefully help tone some fat down. Whats fun is there is a river not far from where my mom lives and it ends up in Matagorda Bay. Long as I can get someone to drive the CR-V down there I can do that. If not, I will just drive down to the bay and paddle around while smoking cigars.

This is better than my other idea of purchasing a Ultra-Lite and flying it about 50 feet above the ocean aka the Gulf of Mexico. Ask Tony about that one Brad.
:0 :laugh:

 

[beastinem]

I personally prefer the kayaks that you sit ON instead of IN. Just my preference.

 

[T2P]

I personally prefer the kayaks that you sit ON instead of IN. Just my preference.

If it is nice enough weather that either style works well. The ones you sit in that have a splash protector are pretty fantastic for cooler weather and wavy conditions. If you are going river kayaking with any kind of rapid action good luck staying on one of those solid bananas

 

[Mr Peat]

If it is nice enough weather that either style works well. The ones you sit in that have a splash protector are pretty fantastic for cooler weather and wavy conditions. If you are going river kayaking with any kind of rapid action good luck staying on one of those solid bananas

I will be getting one you sit on. I've been in one that you sit in and its a PITA for me to get in and out. As Smokyballs so elegantly put it. I won't be doing any river rapids. I will mainly be doing Lakes, Rivers and the Gulf of Mexico along the Texas border. I definitely do not plan to do the Gulf till I am comfortable handling the kayak since I haven't used the sit on top ones just yet. I will have to see if there is a local place near where I will be living and hopefully there will be a rental place that has them.

Since I am also a PADI certified scuba diver, I will be getting back into this as well. There is a 5 star dive shop about 35 miles from where I will be living. I am looking forward to getting back into some outdoor hobbies. I'm on borrowed time due to the spinal disease so I want to do some crazy stuff while I can still half ass walk. After I lose the battle with the spinal disease, I won't be able to do much of outdoor activities so the plan is to do all I can, while I still can. :thumbs:

But thanks to those that have pointed out a couple of websites.

 

[DesertRat]

I have a Sea Eagle 380X which is a 13ft inflatable kayak. I've taken it on lakes and rivers both, including whitewater up to Class IV. It is touted as a three person kayak but me being a big guy it is limited realistically to either me alone or me and one lighter weight person. The capacity is listed at 750 lbs but that kind of weight would be limited to a calm water expedition type of a setting.

I chose the inflatable because the entire package fits in the trunk of a Honda Civic and they are very rugged.
Click the link to see more --> Sea Eagle


Edited to add: I submitted a photo of my son and nephew in my kayak to Sea Eagle as part of a photo contest and it won. they still use it in their marketing even though I took the photo almost eight years ago .
Photo

 

[OpusXKC]

So I am looking at getting a Kayak since I will be around 35 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Whats cool is I will be pretty close to the Matagorda Bay and one of the rivers that feed into it. Since I am a bigger guy, I am looking for information about a good kayak that I can use close to shore in the Gulf, lakes and rivers. I may even take trips for like a week with it. No idea what would be good so looking for pointers and information about which companies are good and ones to avoid that make them. I've been looking at them for some time but I won't pull the trigger till later in the year since I won't have to worry about snow any more. :laugh:

Any websites and whatever else one can think of in my search is appreciated and thanks in advance.

I love you and with all due respect Loren, how the fuck are you going to get into or out of a kayak? You have enough medical problems as it is and you want to beat the crap out of yourself in a little boat?

Fat guy in a little boat.... :laugh: . Sorry I had to do it.

 

[Mr Peat]

So I am looking at getting a Kayak since I will be around 35 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Whats cool is I will be pretty close to the Matagorda Bay and one of the rivers that feed into it. Since I am a bigger guy, I am looking for information about a good kayak that I can use close to shore in the Gulf, lakes and rivers. I may even take trips for like a week with it. No idea what would be good so looking for pointers and information about which companies are good and ones to avoid that make them. I've been looking at them for some time but I won't pull the trigger till later in the year since I won't have to worry about snow any more. :laugh:

Any websites and whatever else one can think of in my search is appreciated and thanks in advance.

I love you and with all due respect Loren, how the fuck are you going to get into or out of a kayak? You have enough medical problems as it is and you want to beat the crap out of yourself in a little boat?

Fat guy in a little boat.... :laugh: . Sorry I had to do it.

Laugh all you want. When you have a foot of snow and its hitting -20 degrees, I will be outside in 45+ degree weather enjoying a good cigar outdoors LMFAO.

 

[Bsneed51]

I'm assuming either Brad or Tony is in charge of the death pass? :laugh:

 

[insight]

FWIW I think you will also be less than 30 miles from a gym if interested in increasing health absent the liability of drowning and getting eaten by crabs. I'm just sayin....

 

[Mr Peat]

I'm assuming either Brad or Tony is in charge of the death pass? :laugh:

If I die, no one will know unless you read the obituaries for every city in Texas. From here on out.

FWIW I think you will also be less than 30 miles from a gym if interested in increasing health absent the liability of drowning and getting eaten by crabs. I'm just sayin....

There isn't a gym. Second of all they make these things called a Life Jacket. I do not go out in a body of water like a lake, river or even the ocean without one on. Thirdly I am a certified Scuba Diver so I will have some snorkeling gear as well. And lastly,,,who cares about death? I sure don't. It just means no more pain, ever. FWIW. :laugh:

 

[bfreebern]

Yeah, but no more cigars.........think about it, LOL.

 

[souldog]

I say you mount a sweet Battle Stag to the front of your kayak and stick an Opus xXx in his mouth.

Just saying. :whistling: