i want a kayak for hunting in the delta here in mobile, al. i was leaning toward something like a old town predator but some on here have said its not the quickest thing on the water. heres my problem i would be using the kayak to island hop through the delta. i need speed and easy paddling as some of these islands are miles from the jeep.(boat landing) i weigh 195 and need a boat that can carry me plus maybe 90 to 100lbs or so. a local shop has a pamlico 145 i think and it looks pretty nice. sleek lines, dark green color i started getting all warm and fuzzy just looking at it. sorry wheres my manners. Names Ben i live on a boat (165ft crewboat)2/3 of the year. and if the coast guard will ever get my paperwork together i just completed my 100ton masters school. so just waiting on the lic. so i can move from the engine room to the wheelhouse. and triple my pay. so anyway great site and thanx in advance for any help. Ben
Hunting what? Hauling what?
Easier to recommend a vessel is we know what’s going aboard (besides you).
Why not just go old school and get a pirogue?
http://www.pirogue.com/lahome1.htm
http://www.pirogue.com/lahome2.htm
Many other sites and places to get plans - or boats.
oh no
no no i did paddle one of those in louisiana awhile back. too slow. like a barge with a sea anchor. and my main victim.uh hum i mean quarry will be wild hogs. the islands in the delta are filled with them. i also forgot to mention i would like a fairly short boat to help get into some to the shallow/narrow creeks and sloughs. there will be no shooting from the kayak one because its ilegal and two because i dont consider that very sporting. so the yak is more like covert transportation. thanx Bently
Short = slow…
… and short with capacity for you and 100bs = REALLY slow.
Think longer. It’s the only way (short of an outboard) to keep capacity and go narrower/faster.
As far as maneuvering tight spots goes - kayaks have reverse! I’ve had 16’ and 18’ kayaks in twisting mangrove channels 2-3 feet wide. No big deal (but a short paddle/pole comes in handy).
Depending on you open water needs, a canoe may serve you better, unless you plan to tow them Inuit style (I assume you plan to haul those hogs out). Longer rec boats like the Pamlico/Pungo and the like come to mind (an more canoe-like to my eye), but no speed demons.
We’re not talking race speeds, but something 16’ + would help.
I’d recommend a WS Tarpon 160 or OK Prowler as another way to go but don’t know if I’d want to try to keep firearms dry or haul game on those. Otherwise very versatile.
Vermont Canoe Tupper
Not decked but then again the Pamlico isn’t either.
Good rocker for manuverability. Fast for a 12’ boat and with a load capacity of 500lbs. at just 25 lb. carrying weight.
I got to paddle one of these for a bit up in the Adirondacks and it was a hoot! Feels more like a kayak in it’s performance than a canoe.
Not quite a kayak but it might just do the trick.
See you on the water,
Marshall
www.the-river-connection.com
hogs
a field dressed wild hog wont weigh much well under 100 lbs more like 50 with the lower legs removed. i like what you said about length i had wondered about that myself. and im steering clear of canoes simply because like i stated above some of these islands are pretty far out and the current in the rivers can move pretty fast. i could get worn out in no time in a slower kayak or canoe. im a minimalist when i hunt basically gun, good knife, compass,plenty of water (camelbak)a little food, ect. i weighed all my gear yesterday buy putting everything on me and stepping on the scale and it was right at 17 lbs. so figure 20lbs or gear plus me 190 that puts us 210 give or take then throw in porky field dressed lets say 70lbs thats still under 300 and most of the sleeker rec yaks in the 14ft. range will carry that plus some. im thinkin i may go rent a couple and get a feel for them. how does the pamlico compare to the pungo. what are the biggest diff.? Ben
pungo
I paddled a Pungo 140 and i thought it’s “quick for a rec kayak”. not any slower than something like a Tsunami 140 or most of the rec/touring kayaks. However at 28 inches or so the pungo is hideously wide to someone used to paddling a 23 inch or narrower kayak. So if you want a relatively quick barge for mostly flat water, the pungo 140 is probably okay. I’d have a look at the Dagger echo 14.0, it looks similar but narrower and may(or may not) be quicker.
Now you should know if your post include
a pamlico in it, I'm gonna spaz about it. That was probally obvious to all of us. I'm the pamlico fanatic, I love them!! I can say that the Gen 2 polyethylene is wonderful, and WS makes one of the best seats around. Someday I should get a phase 3 put in mine.
My all-time favorite tandam/solo convertion boat is the pamlico 145t. probally not a surprise, because it resembles the pamlico 140 in looks and design so much. I get all warm and fuzzy looking at pamlico 145s too, along with 140s
Ditto on the Pungo 140…
but the Pamlico 145T just keeps pulling at me for my next “solo” fishing machine. Has anyone paddled one solo? There are 2 in the classifieds locally…good deals too! I can picture one with a removable front cockpit platform/fishing-station and still plenty of leg room!
Snal~
yes I too enjoy my Pungo 140
The stability is wonderful and it is very comfortable.
It is faster than the Classic but not fast enough when I’m with a group of experienced folks in longer narrower kayaks.
If I paddled alone more often, I’d be perfectly happy in my Pungo.
Pamlico 145T
There’s Pamlico 145T for sale on e-bay right now. There are some extras with it also.
Greg
Pamlico 145T Update
If you want to see the one I was referring to go to e-bay and type in: Two seat kayak w/paddles & life vests. Almost new. The cost now is $202.00. If you just type in Pamlico 145T you will get another one, but the price is $999.00.
Greg
A Wenonah Voyager canoe will
haul a lot of weight , 750 lbs I think, and do it quickly.It is made for what you want to do.
How Cosy?
How cosy do you want to get with your piggy?
Is he going to be in pieces small enough to fit in the hatch (quartered maybe?), or will he be in the cockpit with you?
If he is too big to fit through a hatch, you may want to go with a longer rec yak like the pamlico that doesnt have a rear bulkhead. then you just fold the seat, slide him in behind, and then pop the seat back up. Down side of that is you have no dry place to put things.
Another option would be the pungo with that large cockpit, you could just sit him on your lap, or under your legs.
If he is small enough to fit through a hatch, you may want to look at the more touring oriented recreational boats, like a tsunami, or carolina, or faster yet a real sea kayak.
good thinkin
you know i wondered about that myself. i could quarter any pigs i kill. which boat has more storage room the pungo 140 or the pamlico 140? and as far as a true touring yak i thought about that but how are they as far as getting in and out. there may be times when im in and out quite a bit.? thanx for the response. Bently
About the same
The main difference between the pamlico and the pungo besides the actual hull shape, is the bulk head. The pamlico doesnt come with one, but one can be added aftermarket. The pungo does have one from the factory. Bulkheads cut down on actual storage space, but provide flotation and dry storage.
The touring boats arent really difficult to get in and out of, they just arent as easy as the rec boats. They will be faster and more efficient though, and much safer in open or difficult weather.
One thing you may want to consider is your rifle. I dont know what is used for pigs being a northerner, but you may want to take a piece of wood of similar dimensions to the kayak store when your trying on boats to see where you would put it. Also remember that unless its in a dry hatch, a dry bag or case, it is likely to get wet to one degree or another.
Cobra Expedition
Very quick sit on top with plenty of storage. Buy it with a rudder because it tracks like a train.
Chuck
So of this cries out “Canoe!”
(That first word of my post's title is "Some", not "So")
You know, a *solo* canoe need not be a barge, and for your quick getting in and out, will outshine any kayak, especially where there are obstacles preventing a nice beached landing. I know the kayakers will say they can get in and out just fine, but how come I always spend so much time waiting for them to get in or out of their boats, and how come they won't get out at all if conditions require them to stand up first?
It takes longer to get the hang of paddling a solo canoe the "right" way (single blade) than it takes to make a kayak move reasonably well, but you can fall back on using a double-blade paddle when you aren't happy with your single-blade speed early on the learning curve. Unless you need to cross either a really wide-open area or many smaller ones where the wind is really a problem, I'd guess that a solo canoe will do the job quite well. Many solo canoes can keep up with rec kayaks and basic touring kayaks fairly well (no problem at all if you use a double-blade), they are lighter, getting in and out can be done on the fly (getting your feet under you while you are in the boat is easy), and there's no concern at all about how to pack your stuff.
How shallow?
I haven’t yet had the chance to paddle/peddle one of these, but intend to some time. From all reports they are pretty good and would do what you are asking.
http://www.hobiecat.com/kayaking/index.html
If I had the spare $…