SOLO Revisited

[blazian]

Originally Posted by makobob

If you buy it at a kayak shop is it not a yak?
Solo Skiff says it is a yak on STEROIDS. Whatever you call it, fun city it is.
Tight Lines.

Bob, so what are your thoughts on the Solo now that you have gone on a Baja run with it?

[Baja_Traveler]

Originally Posted by blazian

Bob, so what are your thoughts on the Solo now that you have gone on a Baja run with it?

Bob's back in Baja all this week, but I can give you my impressions.

First, I bought this never intending to it replace my PA, but supplement it. What the Solo Skiff is going to allow me to do is explore and access locations that were simply out of reach in the PA. Now I can hit the backside of the Island at Bob's place without a 12 mile round trip paddle. I can even island hop the whole chain, which would make for a 30+ mile round trip - Bob and I are talking about camping on the islands. I also bought it with Mag Bay in mind to be able to hit mangrove channels well out of kayak day trip range.
Second, it gives me lots of options fishing San Diego bay with the ability to go anywhere in it on a whim, or head out to Point Loma kelp - easily skirting the MPA without all the paddling - or heading south to I.B. targeting the halibut grounds.

I've been kayaking since the 70's and would never give it up in favor of a skiff - the stealth of a kayak cannot be beat, which is why kayakers outperform every other private boater in our local kelp.
Bottom line, I love the boat - but I'm keeping the kayak.

[blazian]

Originally Posted by Baja_Traveler

Bob's back in Baja all this week, but I can give you my impressions.

First, I bought this never intending to it replace my PA, but supplement it. What the Solo Skiff is going to allow me to do is explore and access locations that were simply out of reach in the PA. Now I can hit the backside of the Island at Bob's place without a 12 mile round trip paddle. I can even island hop the whole chain, which would make for a 30+ mile round trip - Bob and I are talking about camping on the islands. I also bought it with Mag Bay in mind to be able to hit mangrove channels well out of kayak day trip range.
Second, it gives me lots of options fishing San Diego bay with the ability to go anywhere in it on a whim, or head out to Point Loma kelp - easily skirting the MPA without all the paddling - or heading south to I.B. targeting the halibut grounds.

I've been kayaking since the 70's and would never give it up in favor of a skiff - the stealth of a kayak cannot be beat, which is why kayakers outperform every other private boater in our local kelp.
Bottom line, I love the boat - but I'm keeping the kayak.

Thanks Kai for the reply. I'm more specifically looking at launching and landing in LJ beach conditions. Like you I have a PA14 and wanted to see if it's easier to launch at LJ. Can you drop the motor and break thru surf or do you have to paddle past surf line first? If you have top paddle is it easier than a PA14? and opposite is it easy to land? can you cruise in under power and lift the motor at the last minute?