BIG guy's kayak?

Romany Excel
Im 6’3" 255lbs with long legs. ACA L4 Instructor and paddle the Romany Excel. I find it does everything well. It holds plenty of gear for tripping, surfs great, and has decent speed. I’ve paddled 33 mile days and did an expedition on the outerbanks of NC. Like any boat, it could improve in each area, but then it becomes a different boat. It is heavy, but pretty durable as I am hard on equipment and have broken many toys.



Honorable mention:

  1. P&H Cetus HV -(use standard seat, not the connect seat)
  2. Valley Etain 177
  3. Current Designs Isle (Rolls easily, but high seat back is bad for Greenland layback rolls)
  4. Sterling Grand Illusion
  5. Tempest 180 (No Longer in production)
  6. Aries 155 (remove foot pegs and use standard seat, not the connect seat)

Pamlico 140
You will need to find a used one. May be one available in Ft Collins, CO

I’m with gobsmacked…
…Check out having Sterling put a Grand Illusion together for him. That’s a real kayak.



Jon

http://3meterswell.blogspot.com

contacted Big Matt - his response
Here is what Big Matt said in response to me asking what boats fit (reminder - Matt is 6’7" and under 200 pounds):



----start quote—



I don’t think there is a kayak greater than 17’4" that I’m not able to fit into.



I would be able to fit into a fair amount of kayaks in the 16’-17’ range IF I drilled and re-mounted the footrails/ footpegs further away from the seat.



Here is a list of kayaks, shorter than 17’, that I can fit into WITHOUT any modifications:



Current Designs Sirocco

P&H Delphin 155

NorthShore Atlantic LV

Valley Gemini SP

P&H Hammer, the big one

Dagger Alchemy (biggest)

Dagger Stratos (the biggest one)




Foot Size and Weight …
Foot size and weight are the limiting factors at these heights. The foot size, because boats get narrower and lower in the area where our feet are for us 6’+ folks. Also, someone with size 15 feet like me needs an extra couple of inches leg length than someone with a size 12, since n most kayaks there is no room to get my feet up or sideways, they have to point way forward to fit, especially with footwear.



Weight, for obvious reasons - we don’t want submarines…



Lots of boats mentioned. I’ll add Necky Chatham 18, which should fit length and foot room-wise. I just bought one and fit in it well at my 6’4", 200lb, size 15 feet, 36" waist. Storage space is a bit more limited vs. some taller decked boats, so packing for extended tours might be more challenging.



I do have nice memories from the Assateague too, but has been many years since I sat in one. I remember it being spacious, lively, and eager to turn via edging…



I fit in the Tempest 170 fine too, the 180 would be roomier.

Those Sterlings look sweet
A little pricey though, but I guess any new composite boat is going to set you back 4-5k nowadays…

thanks all!
I will look real hard for a Pamlico 140, knowing this is a real ‘sea kayak’ and great for all conditions! :wink:





My friend is looking and I’ll let him know the great wealth of information here!



steve

Pamlico
A Pamlico is a recreational kayak, not a sea kayak

He is joking.
The Pamlico 140 thing is a long running joke, for the PNET old timers.



Flatpick; in his previous life, designed kayaks for Wilderness System. The Tempest series, has his finger prints all over it.

No it is a true sea kayak
proven on the waters of Horseshoe Reservoir in Ft Collins Colorado