I weigh 360lbs...

Not that much but still too damn heavy
I can tell you honestly and from experience, you will be happier on the water in a kayak designed to hold your weight. Then you will exercise more and have fun doing it. I had a Wilderness Pungo 140 which was great, now I have a Wilderness Ride 135 which is amazingly stable. Malibu makes a very good kayak for heavier people also.



Some of the posters on this board are very mean about folks who weigh too much. Its not as if we choose this life for ourselves. Sometimes in my past, I used to get very angry with people such as some of the posters on here, because they have no clue what obese people may have to contend with. For example a drug like Prednisone often causes much weight gain. Folks who were on it, barely ever lose the weight even if they do live to get off of that drug.



It also doesn’t work to come off with an attitude that weight loss is simple. It isn’t even a matter of overeating in some cases.



I’ve known fat people who eat very little and thin people who can consume thousands of calories and never gain a pound.



What works best is to get into a happy routine and keep the body moving. Get a kayak you can enjoy and paddle as often as you can. I find I eat less when I’m on vacation and on the water or in the water swimming.



However you do need to pay attention to the weight capacity listings on the kayaks. I learned that the hard way ten years ago. You want to have fun on the water so a couple more hundred bucks is worth it.

bouyancy test
Go to a deep pool and see how bouyant your body actually is.



When I was a bit heavier and less muscular I floated with my shoulders up and out of the water (in a standing position). Now I float with just my head out of the water (standing position).



Sometimes FAT FLOATS but muscle weight doesn’t.



I wear my life jacket because I’m supposed to, its the law. Regardless of the law, I’d always have a PDF device with me because its wise to be prepared. Also I tether my casio waterproof phone to it.



It is important to know how your body will react if you get dumped. The more you swim and play around in deep pools the more you will know how you are in deep water.

Big guys
I’m 6’4 and 300lbs also and the first thing I thought when I read the original post of this thread is that this guy could be built like Shaq and fitting Shaq into a kayak would be difficult. I’ve had a both a SOT and a sea kayak that worked very well for me and there are many more now than when I bought mine. My SOT was the original Ocean Kayaks Prowler. It was crazy stable. I’d be a mile out in the Gulf of Mexico with my legs hanging over the side examining little tropical colored looking fish under seaweed clumps. As for full sea kayaks, I had a Nimbus Telkwa HV whose cockpit was too big. I’ve been looking into it again lately and there are a lot of possibilities. A lot of HV boats are being built these days from many companies. The Telkwa HV along with the CD Solstice Titan and Isle are the largest kayaks I know of at 470 ltrs. The normal sized Telkwa has a volume of 400ltrs and is probably large enough for most xxxls. The Fat Paddler had an poly Aquanaut HV. I’m curious about the Tiderace Xplore-X but the boat that I’m most curious about is the Sterling Grand Illusion.



Someday when I live near water again…

Cobra makes great kayaks for big people
At Ocean State Adventures, we did a lot of rental business and found that Cobra sit-on-tops accomodated the widest range of paddler sizes & weights. They are also much lighter than Ocean Kayak due to good design and an advanced rotomolding process.



Navigator, Capacity 450 lbs: http://www.shopatron.com/products/productdetail/Navigator/part_number=1130V-12/10084.0.1.1.25071.35378.0.0.0?pp=12&



Marauder, capacity 475 lbs: http://www.shopatron.com/products/productdetail/Marauder/part_number=1020-12/10084.0.1.1.25071.0.0.0.0?pp=12&



Fish & Dive, capacity 600 lbs: http://www.shopatron.com/products/productdetail/Fish-n-Dive/part_number=1030V-12/10084.0.1.1.25071.9206.0.0.0?pp=12&



Tandem, capacity 600 lbs: http://www.shopatron.com/products/productdetail/Tandem/part_number=1040V-12/10084.0.1.1.25071.35378.0.0.0?pp=12&



Double +1, capacity 750 lbs: http://www.shopatron.com/products/productdetail/Double+%2B+1/part_number=1170/10084.0.1.1.25071.9206.0.0.0?pp=12&

Being 280lbs, I have been able to
fit into most sit-in kayaks,but just make sure of the cockpit size. At your current stated size and stature, sit-on top fishing kayaks, sound like a great option, ex- wilderness systems commando or ocean kayak Trident series… if you are still interested in sit-in kayaks… I have been happy with my Old Town Dirigo Tandem Plus which I paddle from the stern cockpit opening. It has a 475lbs max and it is very stable and roomy… Also I can’t speak from personal experience, but you can check out the OLD TOWN Twin Otter which I believe is 500 lbs or above max and but has one large cockpit unlike the dirigo which has 2 cockpit openings. You can sit in the back seat and slide up or remove the front seat I believe.



Anyways,I hope you find the right water craft for you and try not to take the so called HEALTHY people’s unwanted criticism to heart. A positive attitude and having a joy for God’s Creation is a very healthy thing to have and being out on the water always helps me with that. Have a nice day!

thanks for the good info
I really appreciate the good info here. I grew up paddling outrigger canoes but haven’t done it in 20 years and have gotten overweight, out of shape and very unflexible. When I read the first response I thought, “oh great, a bunch of in shape guys heckling fat guys”. Glad to see that isn’t the case. Really looking forward to getting on the water and doing some fishing and diving while losing some weight.

I now have a much better idea of where to start while shopping for a kayak. Thanks.

big people paddling
1) good for you man!

2) think about adding outriggers

A very heavy and weak woman came to me for a private lesson years back. She had to more or less roll off the kayak deck onto the shore to get off the SOT and get up. She was so determined that we put some after market canoe outriggers on to provide more stability. Took some practice but next year she was back sans outrigger and with more upper body strength taking another lesson. The following year she was 100 lbs lighter and in a new boat…

3) she told me that walking and gym work were fraught with constant injury due to the already overworked strain on her tendons from all the extra weight. She could never keep up with friends on the bike path and was always demoralized and embarrassed. But on WATER she was more equal and didn’t stress her body and the end results were astonishing and a gateway to a new life.

4) great advice by posters about getting a PFD that works and bypass the shorter kayaks and get a 14 footer in a SOT. Yes they will be very heavy to transport but there are many ways to deal with that

Excellent!!

– Last Updated: Jun-17-12 10:16 AM EST –

Glad to hear you are getting into this and that this thread was of help to you. Time takes a toll on most of us and we get out of shape, overweight and lose flexibility. The good thing is that with time and effort we can regain much of what we lost over the years as PeregrineNorths student did.

I hope rcole58 has been following this thread and has found the information useful.

WOW
maybe I missed this suggestion for all the static but here goes. You could try a sit on top tandem as a solo and make sure to find a pfd that will fit you properly and comfortably.



If you are not familiar with kayaking try taking classes with a qualified instructor.



Few things are better than getting out in the sunshine on a pleasant day no matter what your activity choice. If you’re not living you’re already dead so go for it,

Is your weight due to a medical
Condition or your lifestyle ?

Are you anticipating a change in weight?
Sorry if this was asked and I missed it, but the responses managed to get into other territory…



Anyway, I would suggest used and plastic (cheaper and more easily abused) if you are figuring that paddling is a route to your losing weight. Use a cart to move it around, and you are being advised to go long enough a nice set of rollers or a blanket will allow you to slide it up and down from the car roof without carrying all the weight. If you can find one cheap enough, you are always left with a “guest” boat that is likely to be hugely stable for occasional company paddling.

Why does it matter?
He wants to kayak and there are boats available to support his desire to kayak. The effort is to suggest boats that accomplish that task.



nufsaid…



If anyone wants to discuss an eating disorder that seeks to impose its way on everyone else but the prson themselves at every group opportunity, please discuss the obsessive habits of vegetarianveganschmeeganists.

lot of nannies here

– Last Updated: Jun-20-12 12:42 PM EST –

The guy asked for boat advice. When did this become the weight-watcher's forum? Goodness.

Oscar Chalupsky is "large" also. And he'll paddle circles around most of you.

This is one of my biggest beefs about PNet. The guy asked for boat advice. Can we try and stick to the subject?

but he lead with it
The OP lead the thread with his weight, acknowledging that it had to be a major factor in his boat model selection. Asking if he was anticipating losing weight is a legitimate question, since it could affect his selection over the long run. And several of the people who lobbied for weight loss are individuals who have successfully done so themselves – not surprising that they would be eager to lobby for such lifestyle changes.



The OP is free to accept or reject or ignore such suggestions.

oh come on

– Last Updated: Jun-20-12 2:58 PM EST –

When asking for a boat recommendation, is fit important, or not?

Sorry, no sale. IF he led with it and asked for suggestions regarding his physical condition, then you'd have a point. Obviously there are kayak choices that may suit him (he never mentioned his height).

I suppose if he were black and asking for recommendations for golf clubs, you'd ask him whether he should consider a sport more open to minorities. Or recommend that a woman asking for recommendations for football equipment find a sport more open to women. After all, they led with it.

try hobies

– Last Updated: Jun-20-12 3:56 PM EST –

Hobie makes a lot of sit-on-top kayaks that have capacities well over 400 lbs. Their mirage-drive kayaks are great (I have the Adventure Island sailing kayak, which I love for windy days).

This fishing kayak is super-stable and good to 600 lbs:

http://www.hobiecat.com/kayaks/mirage/pro-angler/

This general purpose kayak is good to 500 lbs:
http://www.hobiecat.com/kayaks/mirage/i12s/

Must you be so dense?
Even after reading so many protests from folks large and small who were offended by your and Jack L’s assinine comments?



The OP led with his weight because it was the main reason for his post, with respect to fitting a kayak. He didn’t realize he was stepping into a swamp of judgmental people.



No one with any brains and sensitivity “lobbies” their unrequested lifestyle advice.



I am seriously tired of your verbiage and your fantasy that people are interested in your interminable posts. I’m equally tired of people who lie in wait with aggressive replies to innocent posters whose only mistake was asking for help. That would be JackL. Y’all need a big dose of manners and a gag.




Say what?

– Last Updated: Jun-22-12 11:14 AM EST –

I really don't want to get into it with you since you seem to be so highly reactive, but, as usual, you have responded with insults and personalized attacks to people who were not insulting. In fact you are rapidly becoming the worst hectoring bully on here and somebody needs to say something.

The original response that provoked your ire was just someone suggesting the OP might enjoy life better if he reduced his weight. Maybe a little presumptious but nobody so far in this thread has insulted the OP nor called him names. Most of the comments I've read were open and constructive suggestions for dealing with the size issues in boat selection. Jack even redacted his comment that irritated a few people (a small minority in the thread, hardly "many people large and small").

Yet once again you are slinging personal insults. What is your problem? Why are you so chronically enraged and indignant? You seem like a very unhappy person.

Nobody forces you to read my posts, by the way, or anyone else's. Skip 'em if they bug you so much. If you feel a genuine need to confront me personally, please do it directly to me via the email links rather than pollute the forums with your vitriol henceforth.

I apologize to others who had to see this, but Waterbird does not have a profile on here nor email access through which I could contact her directly. I guess she feels safer being anonymous.

“come on”?

– Last Updated: Jun-22-12 10:17 AM EST –

Are you serious? Nobody told the OP he should not buy a boat nor that he should choose another sport. And ethnicity and gender are immutable characteristics. Fitness is not.

It is important to understand the distinction between constructive criticism and persecution.

Check your mailbox
My address, phone number, and ATM password should be in there momentarily.