# Question about Kayak



## obxrules (Sep 26, 2009)

I am looking at a used Ocean Kayak brand Big Yak is the model. Wants 300 for the yak and paddle. Is anyone familiar with this brand if so what are your thoughts on price? This would be used in the sounds and ocean. Also I am a beginner.


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## pier_man0909 (Feb 28, 2006)

it depends on what you are gonna use it for. if you are looking for a kayak to fish with I would look elsewhere. I dont think it would be bad for playing in the surf or anything but it just does not strike me as a good fishing kayak. it looks like it is very limited in storage and in the rigging you can do with it and it probably wont paddle all that great being 34" wide and less than 10' long. not to mention the low weight capacity. of course thats all relative to your needs and desires. just my opinion.


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## bbcroaker (Jan 6, 2005)

Hey Pier man you still got them Malibu kyaks.
Saw some at the Richmond Fisin Expo .They looked good.


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## pier_man0909 (Feb 28, 2006)

yup, still a distributor. dont have any in stock at the moment but am trying to get an order together to place sometime soon.


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## ComeOnFish (Apr 8, 2009)

*Specify your physique and fitness level*



obxrules said:


> I am looking at a used Ocean Kayak brand Big Yak is the model. Wants 300 for the yak and paddle. Is anyone familiar with this brand if so what are your thoughts on price? This would be used in the sounds and ocean. Also I am a beginner.


OBXRules,

Kayaking especially kayak-fishing in the sounds and ocean (I assume that you will fish OBX area) is depending each kayaker’s fitness level and physique. It is hard to recommend any kayaks if we don’t know the person. For example If you are well fit, under 175 lb and 6’ tall than you can go with any long hull and narrow beam kayaks.

Well Fit means for kayaker to me regardless the age is that - A kayaker can do at least 10 chin ups and run 3 miles at 10 minutes/mile speed.

I knew some people who did not have endurance. They got completely (I emphasize) exhausted after 5 minutes of failed reentries to the kayaks.

So let us know about you.

Joe


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## pier_man0909 (Feb 28, 2006)

there are no physical requirements to kayak fish. we cant be spreading around made up information that excludes people. pretty much anyone and everyone can kayak fish if they want to and dont need to go through boot camp to do it.


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## ComeOnFish (Apr 8, 2009)

pier_man0909 said:


> there are no physical requirements to kayak fish. we cant be spreading around made up information that excludes people. pretty much anyone and everyone can kayak fish if they want to and dont need to go through boot camp to do it.


Pier man0909,

I respectfully disagree. There are self-imposed physical requirements to any sports (especially kayak fishing or any other water sports). There are no laws but there are self-impose rules. For examples, when I had a boat, I did not allow people with known health problems such as heart-attack. My friend died by heart-attack on a boat while fishing. He left wife and two kids. My friends were upset because he knew he had health problem, but he ignored. 
The help can not be available immediately when you are in the water. There were few times, I was so worried about some of my friends (with known health problem) on my boat. I explained them why they are not supposed to fish on a boat nicely. If something happens while on a kayak, help is not readily available. 

I remember one particular victim last year. We all probably heard the accident. The witness said, if I remember correctly, the victim came up to the surface twice and swam a bit. What upsets me is that none could not help the victim.

Every year we heard about drowned kayakers. I did not think the waves were high for all cases. But obviously they could not perform self-rescue (re-entry). I always suggest a new person try the reentry to the kayak he wants to purchase first. I said, if you can’t make the reentry, you shouldn’t buy the model. Try other models. Buy the kayak you can do the reentry. Usually the kayaks are too small for the kayakers. But few times kayakers are too big.

OBXRules wants fish in the Sounds and Ocean, not in the small lake. I am an extreme kayaker. And there are extreme kayakers here and there. So I considered him as a possible extreme kayaker when I saw the word “ocean”. How many kayakers can swim fast enough (with PFD on) and long enough (10-15 minutes) to catch the fleeing kayak by wind and waves (when not tethered)? Only very few. A kayaker in small water may abandon the kayak, and simply swim to the shore. But in the open water, it is different story. you can abandon kayak if you are 3-5 miles off the shore. I kayak-fished in the open ocean many times. Kayak-Fishing in the ocean requires more physical ability because of the current, churning water at the sand bar (especially when you are overboard), stronger wind, higher waves and there are usually no clear visible references (measuring distance). Kayakers in the ocean usually paddle extra miles (hours) to come back to the launch spot. Responsible kayakers in the ocean must have adequate self-rescue techniques. I have seen many times clueless kayakers could not help each other in the ocean only a few hundred yards from the shore. I eventually gathered their kayaks and paddles and put them on the kayaks. Usually kayaks were too small for kayakers for re-entries.

I think I was not politically correct by asking OBXRules physique and fitness level. However without knowing the person, it is hard to suggest a kayak, especially for ocean use.

I voluntarily helped self-rescue practices for new kayakers in winter in cold water a few times. I sincerely care about a new kayaker. Unfortunately, some new kayakers gave up kayaking after failing the reentries to their new kayaks. 

You indicated I made up the story. But if you read my post carefully, I did not make up the story and rules to mislead. The examples I gave were my opinions/my own rules based on my experience to share. There was no intention of misleading, but willingness to help.

Sincerely,
Joe


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## pier_man0909 (Feb 28, 2006)

maybe I just misinterpurated you post. it just sounded to me like you gave physical requirements for kayak fishing. if that is your experience then that is your experience. my experience is different. as far as pull ups, I havent done one in over 10 years and probably cant do one now. as far as running, Ill get winded running 100 yards. lucky if I can breathe after 200. yet I have paddled for 10+ miles in a day and have reentered my kayak 20+ times a day when diving. you can be super fit but be a dumbass and still lose your life out there. and you can be not very fit but be smart about it and enjoy it. if you ask me, education and safety awareness are much more important than how many pull ups you can do or how many miles you can run. maybe I am wrong.


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## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

yeah im with matt on this one.

Spend some time inshore getting use to your kayak before you hit some big $hit.

learn your limits when its warm. be careful when its cold and wear a life jacket...hell, wear a life jacket if you are new all over.


im a dumbass plain and simple. i never wear my life jacket inshore (no matter how cold), and i rare put it on when i go out in the ocean in the summer. i always have it with me off the beach, but hardly ever wear it...which is utterly useless.

ill be the guy that they find his kayak floating somewhere with a life jacket stowed behind the seat, and find me washed up on the beach with no jacket on.


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## ComeOnFish (Apr 8, 2009)

pier_man0909;568011
education and safety awareness are much more important than how many pull ups you can do or how many miles you can run.[/QUOTE said:


> Pierman,
> 
> I agree with you 100%
> 
> ...


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## pier_man0909 (Feb 28, 2006)

I have done some spearfishing on occasion. not nearly as much as I would like. didnt get any done last year which sucked. I need to make sure I do some this year.


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## surfnsam (Apr 28, 2008)

i agree with you Joe, after self rescue practice last summer and the guys that had a real hard time getting back in their kayaks, they should not go alone in cold weather or far from shore. over weight and out of shape know your limitations and practice getting out of the water fast, in 40 deg. water 4 min. and you are hypothermic.

pier man your right also, any body can kayak, but they aren't toys they can be very dangerous if not taken seriously


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## Fish_Fear_Us (Jan 20, 2010)

Guys, your killing me. Talk about hijacking a thread, the dude asked about an Ocean Kayak Big Yak, not whose is bigger.....meanwhile I concur with the comments about physical shape 100%  It's the water I respect, not the kayak I fear!


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## mezz540 (Aug 26, 2007)

holy sheep chit batman........I couldn't agree more with Fish Fear Us..The guy asked some advice about buying a freakin kayak and 99.9% of the thread covers pull-ups, running, wearing life jackets, swimming......... and freakin skin diving.......wtf

I'm sure glad the guy didn't ask for some brain surgery advice


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## ComeOnFish (Apr 8, 2009)

mezz540 said:


> holy sheep chit batman........I couldn't agree more with Fish Fear Us..The guy asked some advice about buying a freakin kayak and 99.9% of the thread covers pull-ups, running, wearing life jackets, swimming......... and freakin skin diving.......wtf
> 
> I'm sure glad the guy didn't ask for some brain surgery advice


“Big Answer for a Small Question” - That's how the government work. 

Though, actually, we gave him the answer, I think.

Joe


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## bbcroaker (Jan 6, 2005)

mezz540 said:


> holy sheep chit batman........I couldn't agree more with Fish Fear Us..The guy asked some advice about buying a freakin kayak and 99.9% of the thread covers pull-ups, running, wearing life jackets, swimming......... and freakin skin diving.......wtf
> 
> I'm sure glad the guy didn't ask for some brain surgery advice


ROFLMAO:beer::fishing::redface:


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## chris storrs (Aug 25, 2005)

Jesse Lockowitz said:


> yeah im with matt on this one.
> 
> Spend some time inshore getting use to your kayak before you hit some big $hit.
> 
> ...


ima be the smart guy in the other yak driftin along by ur body waiting for fish to pop up that think its structure


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## Sea2aeS (Jan 7, 2005)

chris storrs said:


> ima be the smart guy in the other yak driftin along by ur body waiting for fish to pop up that think its structure


:fishing: get "spot"


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## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

Sea2aeS said:


> :fishing: get "spot"


get "professional psyciatric help"


HAH


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## Sea2aeS (Jan 7, 2005)

.


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## Sea2aeS (Jan 7, 2005)

Jesse Lockowitz said:


> im a dumbass plain and simple. i never wear my life jacket inshore (no matter how cold), and i rare put it on when i go out in the ocean in the summer. i always have it with me off the beach, but hardly ever wear it...which is utterly useless.
> 
> get "professional psyciatric help"
> 
> ...


got spell check? 

a brain?



That kayak is fine for paddling baits in the surf or just playing around. If you want to fish you need a vessel in the 12-15ft range with a higher weight capacity.


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