12' or 14' ??

[sidified]

(I hope to be able to add something of value to this forum once I get my yak on)..
For now though, is the 12' Stealth acceptable for inshore fishing?
The 14' would be a no-brainer but then there's storage, transport, and extra cost issues..
Thanks,
Sid

[tacmik]

Yes. With the proper safety equipment and knowledge of how your yak reacts to the ocean. Recommend you take it out and practice and get to know your yak first and your limitations. I use to always take my cobra explorer out to La Jolla with no problem. It was 11'3".

[JNAST13ST]

Originally Posted by tacmik

Yes. With the proper safety equipment and knowledge of how your yak reacts to the ocean. Recommend you take it out and practice and get to know your yak first and your limitations. I use to always take my cobra explorer out to La Jolla with no problem. It was 11'3".

I agree go out at lease three times so you would know how your sitting and what's more convenient for you.

[FishRaiden]

12' should be fine for inshore. My buddy has a 9' Mini X and takes it to the newport canyons & lb breakwall with no problem.

[Yakin]

Originally Posted by KingArvil

12' should be fine for inshore. My buddy has a 9' Mini X and takes it to the newport canyons & lb breakwall with no problem.

That would be a fun mission on a mini!
I might try that sometime!

[ocurtis]

I run a Mini-X out to La jolla all the time, works great. I even buildt my own bait tank to fit the front hatch but I am in the process of upgrading to either a hobie or stealth-12.

I really wanted a stealth-12 until this whole leaking issue. My uncle bought an X-13 a couple years ago. On the first run to la jolla, we were all the way out to the kelp before we realized he had mistakenly bought a submarine (once again, leakage). I spend the next hour dragging the stupid thing back in on my mini X while he sat on the front of my brothers YAK. enough sinking experiments for me.

Now I'm considering the idea of peddling and fishing!

[jorluivil]

Originally Posted by ocurtis

Now I'm considering the idea of peddling and fishing!

Best move you'll ever make is buying a Hobie

Peddle and tie a knot
Peddle and each lunch
Peddle and bait you hook
Peddle and chat on your radio

I started off on a OK Porwler Big Game. I love that kayak and have no regrets of buying it as a first yak, but I also have absolutely no regrets of buying a Hobie. They're not cheap but worth every single penny.

[lowprofile]

Originally Posted by jorluivil

Best move you'll ever make is buying a Hobie

Peddle and tie a knot
Peddle and each lunch
Peddle and bait you hook
Peddle and chat on your radio

I started off on a OK Porwler Big Game. I love that kayak and have no regrets of buying it as a first yak, but I also have absolutely no regrets of buying a Hobie. They're not cheap but worth every single penny.

ya, i love the X factor but when my buddy is peddling and setting a line for the troll, or peddling and drinking/eating and im trying to figure out the right amount of line to let out so i dont snag bottom or the kelp while i sit there setting up, or fall back when i go to drink... when i smoked it was hell.

That PA looks better and better everytime i go out.

[wiredantz]

Originally Posted by jorluivil

Best move you'll ever make is buying a Hobie

Peddle and tie a knot
Peddle and each lunch
Peddle and bait you hook
Peddle and chat on your radio

I started off on a OK Porwler Big Game. I love that kayak and have no regrets of buying it as a first yak, but I also have absolutely no regrets of buying a Hobie. They're not cheap but worth every single penny.

Peddle and get bitten faster

vs

Paddle in Reverse

Vs

My wife asked me why everyone had pedal kayak and I have a paddle kayak. I told her the only one i want is the PA14 and that THING IS HEAVY!!!


The PA 12 if you good for 500lbs its light.


How am i suppose to carry a PA14 over the stairs. Hell no!

X-factor for me. or until Hobie makes one that can carry 600lbs and doesn't weight a ton.

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by ocurtis

I really wanted a stealth-12 until this whole leaking issue.....

Didn't mention it but I hear that. The deal is most of the leaks can be easily fixed. I wouldn't fish any stock yak without first checking for and then trouble shooting any possible leaks. You're right about the mini-x though. With hatches so high, and the way it's built structurally leaking is almost a non-issue. Things slow though, not FND slow, but in most conditions I can expect to be anywhere for a 1/2 to 3/4 of a knot slower with the same effort.

Not all that much difference in going 3.0 and 3.5 knots on paper, but when you arrive at that boil 1 minute too late it's still 1 minute too late.

Jim

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by sidified

For now though, is the 12' Stealth acceptable for inshore fishing?

I like Malibu Yaks, but haven't really found much use for the stealth. Between the two though I'd say go with the 14.

The issue isn't sea worthiness with short yaks, it's paddling. A shorter yak is simply harder to paddle then a longer one. I actually prefer my Mini-x when the surf get's big up North. It handles great in the surf, and I can lock it up in my truck shell. You can take smaller yaks almost anywhere it's just it takes more muscle and time to get them in an out especially when it get's choppy.

Look at white water kayaks, they are tiny but can almost ride through anything. But they are very very slow on flat water, and wont glide like a long touring style yak.

So the 12 will be seaworthy, maybe even better for landing in bigger surf, but's it's going to be slower then the 14, and that's every time you use it, in all conditions.

Personally I think of short yaks as specialty yaks. I've fished my mini-x at La Jolla, but only a few times when I was working down there and did not have a place to store a full size yak.

Talk to Andy and see what he says. Personally I would not recommend fishing anything shorter then a X-13 at La Jolla, there's just too many times you have to paddle a long ways to get to the fish, and for fishing there I'd say the X-13 is a better yak (faster) as malibu yaks go then either of the Stealths.

Jim