Distance

[rickk]

Currently looking to buy first kayak. I'm new to this and have only fished from kayak a couple of times, but am hooked. Have done alot of research and will be going to demo several kayaks soon. I was wondering about speed and distance. I understand that longer kayaks equate to speed and longer distances. So here are my questions: Question: What is the average distance that everyone typically travels on a trip? Question 2: What is the longest distance anyone has traveled for a day trip? Question 3: About how far can I cover in a Kayak? I hope to incorporate this into my decision making. Is this too many questions for a first post? Thx.

[theoldcaster]

There are no bad questions, just bad answers, welcome to the party! I peddle so I will let the paddle guys answer your questions

[Coomz]

the longest distance? ask gnatless. He told me about a 16 mile trip or something this weekend.

[rickk]

At least considering a peddle vs. paddle. Does anyone have feel for difference. Will peddle allow me to get further, faster?

[swamppro]

A hair over 16 miles for me. As speed and distance that is why I favor the hurricane phoenix 160 as my kayak.

sent from my iPhone killing Droid

[Musicdoc]

I'll take a stab at answering some of your questions. 1. I think I typically average 4-5 miles when I fish. To be perfectly honest though, and maybe some of the others on here might agree, my best trips have been when I've logged in the shortest distance. I can think about a few trips I took this past winter. I caught a limit of trout on a fly from my kayak and probably didn't even paddle a mile and a half. Another trip to PAC and I caught a limit of redfish...maybe 2 miles roundtrip? I think the furthest I've paddled was Outcast I and Minimalist Challenge. I like to fish, so I like to launch in spots that put me in "fishy" waters as soon as possible. (2) The longest I've paddled was probably close to 8 miles. Now I did a lot of fishing in between so it didn't feel like I had paddled that far. I did, however get cramps on the paddle back, mostly because I was trying to beat a thunderstorm back to my car. Which brings me to question (3). See answer (2). It's not such a good idea to try to cover a lot of distance without an escape route in case the weather gets bad. I think most of us can paddle/peddle around 3 miles an hour. Simply put, if I'm three miles away from my car (or a safe spot to wait out a typical south Louisiana summer thunderstorm), then I'm an hour's paddle away. Never try a long trip without having a buddy. It's always good to practice safety first.

[Speckled_Tiger]

I'm more of a redfish fisherman than trout so I'm not usually covering more than 5 miles in a day and that's not at a fast pass. So I went for a short, wide kayak.

[rickk]

Thx guys. This is very helpful. [Musicdoc] Thanks for advice, hadn't really thought about some of those things. I am out of Lafayette, so will be looking to hook up with some of the guys in this area to find good locations for kayak fishing, as well as having someone around for any longer trips.

[snake doctor]

I will largely "echo" what the others have said.

What is the average distance that everyone typically travels on a trip?

My "average" trips usually cover 4-6 miles. Obviously it is easier to drive close to where you want to put in than to park further away and paddle to the spot. You can often find fish near where you launch, so there is usually no need to go too far. Picking a good place to fish and good technique are usually more important than distance covering ability.

What is the longest distance anyone has traveled for a day trip?

I've done about 12 miles in a day (with lots of fishing along the way). As it gets hotter, it gets harder to go long distances. You have to have good hydration and really watch the wind and weather, etc., when you run further from the launch site.

About how far can I cover in a Kayak?

People claim the Hobie Revolution (a skinnier and longer yak, being simultaneously pedaled and paddled) can hit about 6 mph. How long can this be maintained will depend on your physical conditioning along with wind (the biggest enemy), current, heat, humidity, etc.

[papawd]

I usually run 2-3 miles a trip. I will say try and demo as many yaks as possible.

[Mung]

An average trip for me is 4-5 miles. On tournament days I will go 9-10 miles, and have gone up to 15 miles. That is a tough day paddling. I have a Manta Ray 14 which is perfect for the long hauls. I bought a used Native Magic 14.5 thinking it would be better, but at 30" wide(MR14 is 28") it is too slow for a tournament trip, plus I need the MR footwell to drop and measure my fish in. I really lucked out in getting the MR as my first boat, as it was perfect for everything i need. If you don't have alot of paddling experience, you probably should go with a more stable, wider boat, like a WS Ride 135 or a OK Prowler 15. It will be slower, but speed isn't everything.

[Glwlsu]

Go by Pack and Paddle in Lafayette and talk with John's people (skip and whomever) They will help you figure out what you need. They have demo days off and on and will actually talk out any yak you like (that they sell) and demo it just for you. Like all our sponsors they will really treat you right. Demo Demo and do your research.

[rickk]

Lots of great info. I plan to demo several models in the coming week. I'm leaning towards a SOT kayak over 12 feet long. I would like something that is stable and has good storage. Will be looking hard at the Wilderness Systems tarpon and ride, as well as the redfish and manta ray. I think this question about distance arose from my thoughts about going with a wider kayak and really how much of a difference that makes in speed and ease of paddling. The Ride 135 intriques me and will certainly demo that model.

Sounds like an average trip is between 3-5 miles, although there are instances where people have gone 10+ in a day. I guess it all depends on point of departure and target. It sounds like everyone fishes along the way, so there are probably not many marathon sprints, except for trying to get in quickly should the weather turn bad.

I've fished alot from bayboats in my life, which I think limits you to where you can fish. I will probably have to explore different areas where you can launch and get into an area in a short distance.

Will also be using this in freshwater on Toledo Bend and places like Henderson.

[Coon]

I would also take a look at the Diablo Adios (P&P has them as well). I was in the same boat as you (pun intended) when it comes to strictly fishing from bay boats. The #1 most important thing is to demo. I probably demo'd 10-15 boats before the Diablo and I instantly knew I wanted it.

The Diablo is super stable (you can stand up, turn around, easily access the entire boat front to back) for stand up fishing (not jus tstable enought to stand up, look around, and sit back down as some boats are). Thankfully there isn't that much of a trade off when it comes to speed. I've kept up with Tarpons and Outbacks so it shouldn't be an issue for you.

Just don't rule out or sell yourself on any boats until you're had some ass in seat time.

[teknickcull]

Besides the long & skinny vs short & wide trade-off, the other big thing to consider is comfort. My first kayak was a sleek, lightweight sit-inside that was pretty fast & easy to paddle. The longest trip I ever did in it was this year's Minimalist Challenge when I paddled about 10mi round-trip. I was flying on the way out, but on the way back in my back started killing me & my legs were going numb from the crappy seat. It was truly miserable and that day I decided I was getting a nice new comfy yak before the next tourney. Now I have a Malibu Stealth 14, which is super heavy, not nearly as fast or easy to paddle, BUT I can paddle it all day because I'm comfy - plus I can stand up & stretch out my legs when I need to. I used that boat at Paddle Palooza and did the same 10mi roundtrip as MC except in way worse conditions: high winds, heavy seas and my hull was full of water. Still wayyyy more comfortable paddle than my light, fast boat with the bad seat.

moral of the story: for me, having a boat that I can stand to sit in for a full day affords me better range than one that is 1-2mph faster, but less comfortable.

[Coon]

moral of the story: for me, having a boat that I can stand to sit in for a full day affords me better range than one that is 1-2mph faster, but less comfortable.

Key point. When i bought mine, I thought to myself "what's the point of getting somewhere super fast then not enjoying the fishing because I couldn't comfortably stand and fish? i might as well take my time getting there and get the most from the actual fishing experience..."

[yak-aholic]

I will probably have to explore different areas where you can launch and get into an area in a short distance.

Join the club, we have a maps section that will greatly reduce the guesswork in that.

[Glwlsu]

Great website for info

http://www.paddling.net/Reviews/showKayaks.html?manf=176

[Yak-a-Lou]

I used to drive a Tarpon 140 with a rudder. My wife drove a Tarpon 120 without a rudder.
In retrospect, I think I would have liked a T-120 (with a rudder) better.


It was heavier to load/unload.
It's speed advantage seemed negligible while the lack of maneuverability in skinny ditches was notable.

Notes:
*Our typical trips range between 2-5 miles.
*On some of my best trips I never covered more than 2 miles and some were even less than one mile.
*I chase reds in skinny ponds more than I chase trout. If you're a trout-man first, your mileage and desires may vary.
*I usually weigh in somewhere between 175-180 lbs. I believe the T-140 handles a bit more weight than the T-120 if that might be an issue for you.
*I've never seen anyone who had a rudder take it off. I've seen lots of people add them.

[Gnatless]

That 16 or so mile trip was totally wind driven don't try that unless your sure the wind and tide are in your favor. I like to go 4 to 6 miles on a fun trip.

[Choupique]

wheww; thats far. I’m a 5-8 kinda guy.

[ChasingWallHangers]

That 16 or so mile trip was totally wind driven don't try that unless your sure the wind and tide are in your favor. I like to go 4 to 6 miles on a fun trip.
+1
Ive fished a couple 12-14 mile trips before but planned them to where the wind would be blowing me back to the launch, recently I did a 8 mile trip to lena lagoon and didnt watch the winds and got killed coming back down the MRGO with waves breaking over my bow. To echo what many of the guys have said, demo as much as you can. I found a perception search 15.0 fits me, because its a long fast boat that handles the wind and waves good and allows me to make long runs but the tradeoff is I cant stand up in for more than a min or two, but the seat is also crucial. On long trips your hamstrings and lower back will be aching from a poor quality seat with no back support (I actually where a back brace due to my crappy seat for lumbar support). The bottom line is there is no one kayak that fits every fishing situation, but try and find one that works for where you fish.