Kayak Advice

[Gordo]

Hi Everyone

I'm considering in investing in buying a kayak and just wanted to ask all the expert kayakers out there for some advice. I thought buying a kayak would be great for Kookaburra Park , North Pine Dam as well as other places and its good for exercise. A couple of questions,

Whats recommended for beginners?

Can you use normal kayaks for fishing?

Where can you find cheap 2nd or new kayaks from?

Kind regards Gordo

[rayke1938]

See angus for a good deal and advice on a new one.

Ray

[adventure_angler]

Hey mate,

I would highly recommend Angus, he sells Viking kayaks through this site. You will not find the same kayak elsewhere for the same price. I purchased a Tempo Fisherman from Angus a while back and was very happy with the price and service. The kayak was delivered to my door very quickly and the purchase went very smoothly. The kayak itself is just what I was after but if it is not what you are looking at he also has a large range of different kayaks suited for different situations.

Give Angus a PM as he is definately the man in the know.

I have taken my kayak to bribie canals and Nudgee so far and there are endless places I want to take it. You are not allowed to take a yak out on nth pine at the moment due to the lack of water, however, hinze, baroon pocket and ewen maddock are other dams in the area that are superb for kayaks.

-nelson-

[Angus]

Hey mate.

As the guys said i can do you a good price on a brand new viking kayak.

The Tempo and Predator are specially designed fishing kayaks.

However if you want to save some money, i can pretty much with my trusty drill convert any kayak into a fishing kayak with some rod holders and a nice comfy seat.

My Kayak in fact is an Espri. Not technically a fishing kayak, but very popular as one.

Viking Kayaks are a great product mate and tehre is an article on teh front page regarding them i would reccomend having a read of.

I dont want to come across as a cheesy salesmen so i welcome other peoples opinions of Vikings and other brands as well.

In the Kayak fishing section have a look at the post called \"Show Us You Ride\". Here you will see my converted Espri as well as several other models and brands of kayaks suitable for fishing.

Cheers.

Angus

[Alby]

Kayaks are fantastic! Great exercise, however if your techinque isn't right you'll expend a lot more energy than you need to, and you'll end up with hellish sore muscles. Paddling technique taught to me by a mate who also happens to be the current Australian masters racing ski champ.

1. Use and offset paddle 90deg is best. Hold it firm in your right hand and let it swivel in your left hand as you stroke with your right. You just tilt your right wrist slightly backwards as you stroke with your left hand. The idea is that the blade that is out of the water is cutting \"edge first\" into the wind / air.

2. Grip the paddle with your hands at a comfortable distance apart. Optimum is slightly wider than your shoulders.

3. Insert the blade as far forward as possible, with your body leaning forward. Keeping it deep in the water as you stroke, extracting the blade as far back as possible. In other words a \"full\" stroke, not pulled out of the water when it gets level with your body.

Try not to make a splash or flick water as you finish your stroke.....that's just wasted energy.

4. Keep your upper arm (the arm on the side where the blade is out of the water) as straight as possible as you stroke, punching the air in front of your eyes, don't push up in the air,.... by pushing / punching in front of your eyes you are ensuring that the blade in the water goes deep and gives you optimum power. So, you push with the top arm as you pull with the stroking arm, allowing your body to twist as you do it. The top arm should end up in the centre, right in front of your eyes when your stroke is complete.

5. Push with your stroking side foot against the footrest as you stroke. e.g. right paddle blade in the water means push with your right foot.

By doing these things you will be using the power of your whole body rather than just your arms. This may sound a bit complicated, but it's very natural and easy to do. Initially it'll take some concentration to get it right, but after a while it becomes second nature and you don't even have to think about it. This method will allow you to paddle for miles, without killing you.

Having said this....obviously you have to alter a couple of things when you're in the shallows and your blades start to hit the bottom, or you're paddling very slowly when trolling a swimming lure.

Hope this helps. If ever you're up Bribie passage way, I'd be happy to give some \"in water\" coaching.

Whether you decide you need to use this techinique is up to you of course, but there will be times when you've drifted and fished for a while and then realise that you've got a long paddle, usually against the wind, to get back to your vehicle. THAT'S when you'll be darn glad to have the knowledge.....and it's when your in the process of this \"paddle home\" that you can concentrate on your techinique without being distracted by fishing.

Alby

Post edited by: Alby, at: 2007/05/23 14:15

[rayke1938]

Karma to you Alby now I know what to do if I ever get into a kayak. All I have to do now is learn how to swim.

How do you stop falling out or rolling over?

Ray

[Angus]

Ray, quite seriously the vikings are so stable i have never even been close to tipping. They sit really high in the water as well.

My advice though for someone that cant swim would be:

* Wear a lifejacket.

* Pick you lcoations and day.

For example, baroon pocket or hinze or something like that, if you had a life jacket on youd would never ben in danger.

Going out into teh open bay however with a strong wind, probably not a good idea.

Angus

[Alby]

I haven't paddled a viking, but I've had a close look at them. I've had a lot of expereince with paddle craft over the years, and I can certainly agree with Angus, they would be VERY, VERY stable. I've sat in one in a showroom and they're very comfortable too, heaps of storage....I don't reckon you'd get a better fishing kayak.

If you're the least bit unsure though, I'd go again with Angus's suggestions plus creeks, and the smaller rivers. I guess that's the other thing about kayaks, you'll get into the shallows, and in close arouond rocks, and reef that you'd never get to in a boat.

Oh, and another important thing (for me anyway)they don't stink of two stroke fumes!

[Gordo]

Thanks for all the advice guys especially to Angus and Alby. Karma to Alby.

At the moment i'm thinking of just buying a 2nd hand kayak, cos i don't want to be spending too much on a new one just encase i don't like it. If i do like it i might upgrade to a viking. I had a look on the website and they look very decent for fisherman. The viking nemo doesn't look that bad and fairly good on price.