Sorry
I wasn’t able to go to the paddlefest.You might try checking with the folks at Texas Kayak Fishing and Kayak Fishing Stuff.I know both sites have members who own or have tried all the yaks mentioned.TKF in particular is good for info on standing in yaks as they pole/fish flats a lot down there.Both are excellent sites for yak fishing info.Good luck!
Manta Ray and MiniX
I paddle a Manta Ray 14 and my wife has a Manta Ray 10. The 10 is rated at 275. In a small cove or other tight space, the 10 is a quicker turn. Performance is very similar to the 14…glides and tracks really well. You probably won’t want to stand up with either the 10 or the 14, but you might want to rethink that whole idea.
Your physical description leads me to think about the lighter and shorter 10. My 14 weighs 65 pounds. I think her 10 is well under 50 pounds.
The Malibu’s tend to be heavier for the same size. They also tend to be really stable. I want to check out the new MiniX. It is under 10 feet long and rated at over 300 pounds.
Redfish 12
Guy, I tried out a Redfish 12 fo the 1st time yesterday. It was also really my 1st time in a yak for any amount of time. It weighed 65 lbs. I think that is about all I would want to tote for any distance, but there are ways to get around that with all the carts out there. The seat was fantastic. It was fairly maneuverable, but I was in some moving water, maybe about 2 mph. I paddled if ro about 1 1/2 to 2 hours upstream and back. Now, I need to try out the Rde a35 and the Manta Ray and the Hobie Quest.