Are there any kayaks for a larger person? Someone who weighs 290 lbs. and doesn’t want to flip over easily when a boat goes by. I think kayaking will be a good way to loose weight but, I need something for now. Thanks!
Old Town Loon 138 is a very stable
kayak. The Old Town Dirigo is another to also look at, also very stable. Both are sit inside kayaks. I weigh about 240 this year and my Loon does very well, along with the additional 50 lbs of stuff I take with me when fishing for catfish. I’ve had me and 100 lbs or gear for river trips and there was no sign the kayak even knew it was there.
OLD TOWN
Thank you! I will certainly look at the old town products.
pamlico135t/pungo140
pamlico 135t.
take the back seat out off there and you get a real stabile fun kayak.
i was in that area off weight now a bit leas this year and had no prob at all.
plus the capacity off the kayak is well over that.
do a search and you will see mine.
its one kayak that you get.
a pungo 10 is a good choice to.
the best thing…try the most kayak that you can and get the one you like and comfortable in.
because if you dont like it or your not comfy in it you wont use as mutch.
joco
The Pamlico tandem will work
So will the Old Town Twin Otter and Loon tandem. The Loon is 15 ft, the Twin Otter 14. I’ve paddled the old Loon tandem on a river trip. It was the 138 with a larger cockpit. Great kayak and I noticed little difference from my solo 138. Unfortunately, the Dirigo tandem is not set up to conveniently paddle solo.
new boat
Weight isn’t your primary issue. You will find a good selection of sit-inside and sit-on-top kayaks in the 12-foot or longer range that can carry you.
Think about the sort of paddling that you want to do…is it lakes and lazy rivers? is it open water? is it a small, steep creek? Your boat choice may change depending on the answer.
How much cockpit room do you need to enter and exit comfortably/safely? You will need to actually try some boats, even on the showroom floor, to find out. I can already tell you to look for a large cockpit or a sit-on-top.
Then, how much boat can you handle on land? Folks are already recommending 80 pound, 14 foot tandems. You will find that 20 pounds and 2 feet less boat makes a big difference.
I am paddling a 12 foot Perception Sundance. You may find one on the used market. There’s a good selection of new boats on the market with a 350-400 pound capacity and a large cockpit. Spend a little time looking before you jump.
Perception Sundance
That looks like a very nice kayak. I too, was thinking to be sure and get a larger cockpit or open sit on top type. I will be using it for fishing in relitively calm lakes. Ones that don’t allow outboard gas powered motors.
I saw a nice one at Dick’s sporting goods that was less than $500. It is the Pelican Castaway Fishing Kayak. Any info on this one?
The Pelican isn’t that great
It will get you on the water, but it tracks poorly. Almost everyone I’ve known who has one sold it and bought something else within a year. For sit on tops, you may want to look at the Heritage Redfish 12 or 14, the Native Watercraft 12 or 14.5, Ocean Kayak Drifter, or maybe the Wilderness System Ride.
Another option-
for a SOT would be the Mad River Synergy 12’or 14’ I have the 12’ and really enjoy it.
hi guy
hi GUY you say…
hi Folks are already recommending 80 pound, 14 foot tandems. You will find that 20 pounds and 2 feet less boat makes a big difference.
not sher its the one i did recomend…but mine is no more then 62 pound aprox.and around 13.4 not bad i would think for what you get.tons off space.and very comfortable and stabile.
and yes the weigh is an isue for some kayak,.,i no because i did try some and i am that weight…it those make a deference in the water…to no you have to try and be that weight .
some kayak will work better then oters etc.
again the best thing is to go try them.
you will no it wen you find your yak for you ,you will feel it.
good luck in your purchase.
joco
Cobra fish and dive
I have sold kayaks to dozens of people over 300 lbs a few in the 400 lb range. Ive done demos with them and taught them how to paddlke. You do not want to buy a cockpit boat as some have suggested above. You want a sit on top. The best seller with big dudes is the cobra fish and dive at 36 inches wide. Find a dealer and do a demo before you buy.
Why not a sit inside? The FnD isn’t
a very quick boat. Big and wide, it paddles OK, but it won’t go like the Loon or the other sit insides mentioned here. Its not the beast river boat around and, like all SOT’s, water in the boat in cold weather is a fact of life. A sit inside is much better in cold weather, drier. The FnD is a great boat for punching through the surf and fishing for big redfish and sharks, a very stable fishing platform, but there is a price. The WS Ride will do just as well for a big man and paddles beter insofar as SOT’s go. The Redfish and Manta Rays do well. Then, there’s the big Ocean Kayak boats if you want a big kayak.
hey barrell.you wrong bud.
– Last Updated: Apr-04-08 1:20 PM EST –
you say.....You do not want to buy a cockpit boat
and why not.?
you sher dont no mutch about kayak even if you sell some..go back to your homework and try more kayak.((sorry if its sound to arch)..but truely try more off sit in.you will be suprise
sit on top and good and sin in are as good. if not better in some condition.
must be a reason inuit people are fishng and hunting in them for the past 5000 years.
ho well...some think they no it all.
they try some off there own model or the one thay sell ,,its always the best and so on.
what i like is to have an open mind..
the best is to try them all.
in some condition an sit in is better in others its the sit on top....
i got both.
and yes the cobra is a good kayak for big size people ..as the big game oceans as the malibu as the ..there tons off great models off sit,on top. all over.
its depend if somebody want a barge..
joco.
Your missing the main point
The main point here that you have completetly ignored is the man says he is 290lbs. I have done demos with probably over a thousand people of all ages and sizes.Ive demoed nad sold dozens of yaks to guys over 300 pounds even one or two 400 ponders. A man his size will struggle getting into and out of a cockpit boat.He will never be able to acomplish a reentry in a cockpit boat and will even struggle getting back on a sit on top but at least its possible. If he said he was 175lbs I would have had a different opinion. But at 290lbs my 20 years in the kayak business tells me your the one who is wrong!!
“FAT BOY” Kayak
i’m 5’10" at 275 and just bought a used loon 138 (old model with larger cockpit opening) for the money i spent for the used boat, i couldn’t ask for a better kayak. it holds a full days gear, a soft cooler with 30 cans, and still plenty of room for fishing gear and a spare/beater paddle. the large cockpit isn’t as excessive as you may think either, you can slide the seat up to trim the boat and will have no problem turning in tighter creeks. and if you get one with the poly link 3 hull, its insulated for colder water. maybe i am partial cause its my first kayak i didn’t rent or borrow, but mucj better than the pamlico 120 or the pungo 120 i demod the day i bought it.
I agree with barrell
While, I do believe that it is possible to get in and out of a cockpit kayak if I weighed less. I do think the SOT would be easier. Not pretty but I could get in and out better. I looked at the Feelfree Moken today and I think this one will work out. I appreciate everyones input.
hey…barrel
– Last Updated: Apr-06-08 1:34 PM EST –
wen i baught my pamlico i was 290 pound...so i no what i am talking about bud.
dont have any prob gething in or out now or wen i was 290pound..no strugle at all...2 to 3 sec to get in and sit..not more then my sit on top.
sit on top are good kayak i never they were not,but some sit in are the way to go..depending where you fish and the water temp and etc etc.
and this is a very good kayak for a big man..and all my friend say the same.
and i am talking about the pamlico 135t tranforn in a single kayak not the other pamlico.
try one before say anything.......rig it one seat and you will see.
again the best is to try.
i would bring my yak to a laot off place to compare it to some sit on top and big could try both and you would be very suprise...
the cockpit size.the comfortability,,the place to rig it etc.
some time a sit on top is the way to go sometime its not.
i would not take my pamlico in oceans...nope.
or very alrges lake off shore.
but reg lakes rivers and some back bays off huge lakes..no prob.
my point is............pamlico 135t transform in a single kayak is VERY GOOD for large people.
joco
duo kayak
– Last Updated: Apr-06-08 4:07 PM EST –
ok.
just some numbers a pamlico 135t...
cockpit size is......90inch by 24 inch..this is a very large cockpit.
a old town dirigo 140.........60 by 22inch
dirigo 120.........49 by 22inch
yes some small kayak sit in are not very good for big man.
like my wife pamlico 120...i am not feeling good in it because i am a big man.
but sher some nice size sit in to fit a big an for sher.
not many people do try a doble kayak rig as a single so its hard for them to no what it feel like.
there some other doble kayak that can be rig as solo and be very comfy.
pamlico 145pro
or oldtown twin otter..nice cockpit..81 by 17inch
just try and take the one that feel right.
joco
thanks joco
I appreciate your input. I have found a local company that does a sales pitch demo type of outing in the spring. I am going to try to go to it and test out whatever they have. I called the store and they have no dates yet. I asked them to consider having some kayaks for larger people. I will ask them to include the pamlico tandem. Thanks again, I surely appreciate the input.
no prob.
i do have to say ‘’ barell’’ is right to.
because there is not that many sit inside kayak for us big guys.
but there some.
there is more sit on top kayak.
it all depend your need.
good luck in your purchase.
joco