Jump to content

lightweight kayak fishing


Recommended Posts

Looking at the various options for kayaks under 50 lbs  for day trips that are still usable under a variety of conditions.

 

Looking for something that can handle any fresh water and some salt

 

 

Could  use a surf ski but can't carry much gear.  Stability is an issue. Length is an issue for smaller bodies of water. The shortest are still 14 feet, but they can be under 30 lbs. That would be awesome to carry.

 

There are open cockpit boats  but that comes with natural limitations on ocean use

 

Not much in plastic in the lower weight ranges

 

Anyone looking at weight as factor in their kayak purchases?

Edited by Santiago II
Laus Deo

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 mins ago, buddha162 said:

 

That's drive + chair + rudder system, but the kayak itself is under 50lbs. Are you portaging? The itrek 11 is 44lbs fully rigged, but it's a blowup. 

Just checked it out. Wasn't thinking about paddleboards, but they can be really light. Not great for rough conditions but could work in a lot of situations

Laus Deo

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

32 mins ago, Santiago II said:

Hoping to carry it into a few hard to reach ponds

When you say hard to reach, how far is the portage?  can you use a cart? 

 

I own a lynx, it is great but realistically it is awkward to carry and you would need multiple trips to carry all the gear.  if it is significant surf or ocean, i would rather be in a legit kayak. The lynx is a peddle boat, not a kayak.

 

The lynx is a wonderful platform.

 

If it is a long portage might look into the stellar dragonfly.  27 lbs paddle canoe/kayak.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, puppet said:

 

When you say hard to reach, how far is the portage?  can you use a cart? 

 

I own a lynx, it is great but realistically it is awkward to carry and you would need multiple trips to carry all the gear.  if it is significant surf or ocean, i would rather be in a legit kayak. The lynx is a peddle boat, not a kayak.

 

The lynx is a wonderful platform.

 

If it is a long portage might look into the stellar dragonfly.  27 lbs paddle canoe/kayak.

 

I'm looking at portages up to 1/4 mile, with the occasional longer trail, but the terrain wouldn't be amenable to a cart. Would like to stay with a traditional kayak design so it could be used in other places, but we all know there's no boat that perfect for every situation.

 

Stellar, like Epic, has a 14 foot sit on top that runs from 34 lbs to 26 lbs but the prices are pretty steep

Edited by Santiago II
Laus Deo

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Santiago II said:

I'm looking at portages up to 1/4 mile, with the occasional longer trail, but the terrain wouldn't be amenable to a cart. Would like to stay with a traditional kayak design so it could be used in other places, but we all know there's no boat that perfect for every situation.

 

Stellar, like Epic, has a 14 foot sit on top that runs from 34 lbs to 26 lbs but the prices are pretty steep

That seems like an uncomfortable portage length to me for anything I have ever seen or used.

 

Your criteria are in conflict.

1. light

2. inexpensive

3. Ocean/Sea worthy

4. Fishing platform

     a. stable

     b. durable

 

You may need different kayaks for different purposes.  Buy a used kayak that you can cart into places.  Buy a lightweight canoe or kayak for longer portage.  I would opt for something like a canoe for longer portage....because you can yolk it and use a backpack to haul your gear at the same time.  Pakboats has foldable canoes and kayaks, but personally I would go for the Stellar dragonfly because it is not fabric and roughly the same weight.

Edited by puppet
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think your specs put you in composite territory, are you willing to open the wallet that far? Personally I'd get a 12' 25lb composite canoe for the portage job and leave the salt to one of your other boats. Other than that, it looks like Tim Niemier's Onwaterdesigns is kaput, so no 40lb composite Scupper. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to register here in order to participate.

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


×
×
  • Create New...