school me on sit-on-top kayaks

VortecJeep

VortecJeep

Powered by Uranium-235
Joined
Aug 24, 2005
Location
Concord, NC
Interested in getting some sit-on-top kayaks for the family. We wouldn't be carrying any camping gear or anything like that, just paddling on lakes and the intercoastal waterway. What should we look for? Do they make a kid's size?
 
I'm a sit inside kayak kinda guy, but my kind of floating is a little different than yours.

If its something you're not 100% sure you'll stick with, stay cheap. Dicks sporting goods and academy outdoors and sports have cheaper models that still have decent quality, but you will want to upgrade at some point if you decide to keep it up.

If its going to be a sure thing that you're gonna like it, go ahead and get some nice ones. Old Town is my personal favorite, not crazy expensive, still a little high, bit the quality is top notch and you can beat the hell out of em. I prefer the way they handle as well, compared to the cheaper models that is.
 
I prefer a sit in kayak myself, however that changes when i end up flipping it haha. I will say though, dont cheap out on paddles, you dont have to get some $100 paddles but the cheap ones from places like walmart will flex and bend like crazy. Also, yes they do make them in kid sizes but dont know if dicks carries many of them or not.
 
Should I go with one that has a molded in seat back or a seat back that is simply held with straps? We rented some Perception Tribe SOT kayaks last year at the beach and had a great time, but if you really lean back hard, the soft seat back just folds under you.
 
I'm a avid kayak fisherman and I prefer a SOT, I have a sit in as well. The SOT's can be remounted in the water if you turtle, a sit in will have to drug to shore, dumped out and then you can get back in. I run rivers with class 2 as well as lakes with my Perception Caster 12.5(a cheap but well built SOT) with no issues. There are three different manufacturing processes for SOT's. Best=Roll Molded, Good=Blow Molded, Not so good=Two piece (top and bottom molded separately then glued together)

If you paddle in flat windy water, get a rudder installed, you will thank yourself. You need a yak with a soft seat in it that you can replace/upgrade. I'm in my perception for as long as 12 hours on some float trips and its very comfortable. Paddle length is another consideration to make. Your height, how high you sit in the yak, how wide the yak is are all important in paddle selection.

I suggest buying a good quality "used" kayak. Top brands IMHO in this order; Jackson, Moken, Wilderness System, Native, Perception. If you buy new, go to a kayak/canoe shop and not Dicks or the like. They will match you up for what you want to do, most price match and they will let you try out some demo's. I have shopped at Hook-Line-Paddle in Willmington and they are very knowledgeable and they will let you try out their yaks. They sell off their rental yaks at the end of every season so you may want too look into that as well.

If you have any more questions feel free to PM me here
 
for a good cheap seat upgrade, in my sit in i took a stadium seat from gander mountain for like $30 and strapped it down to the original seat....i can sit in it all day and stay confortable
 
Back
Top