Newbie here and my first post here. I've done some searches and haven't found what I am looking for so decided to ask the question.
The better half and I are going to be purchasing a couple of kayaks this spring. Our plan, for now, is to paddle some local rivers/lakes/streams. We have test paddled a bunch, her more than I, and she has settled on a Perception Tribute. I'm looking for something that I can paddle along with her as well as use to waterfowl hunt with(get to and from spots and haul gear)I keep reading reviews that the MUST have for what I'm looking for is the Old Towne Predator MX. My first concern is the weight as I'm not a big guy(5'9" 150# on a fat day) Is there a comparable kayak out there that someone would recommend that may be a little lighter as well as be something that when out with the better half I am not being left behind or having to wait for her.
Any and all input is appreciated!
Waterfowl hunting, maybe a canoe
No one is ever interested in canoes anymore, but if waterfowl hunting means shooting from the boat I myself wouldn't even consider a kayak and would find any other boat to be better, and a solo canoe is a good choice if you need portability and efficient paddling. Actually, a very small Jon boat might be best of all but it wouldn't be so good for accompanying your wife on paddle trips. Plenty of people use kayaks for duck hunting but it's mainly because they are in vogue and because they are so much easier to paddle at a basic level. If you kneel in a canoe with your butt against the seat, the effective range within which you can aim and shoot will be from about 150 to 160 degrees left of center (that's well behind you, and honestly, you might be able to get close to 170 degrees if you are nimble) to about 45 degrees right of center (this all assumes you are right handed. Reverse these specs if you are left handed). When sitting in a kayak that range will be from about 130 degrees left of center to only about 20 degrees right of center, and even shooting straight ahead while seated in a kayak will be a bit of a strain, and much tougher than while kneeling in a canoe. The whole process of shooting is much more natural when kneeling than with your butt planted on a low kayak seat. Try to mimic shooting positions while sitting on the floor on a very small pillow with your legs stretched out in front of you, and then compare that to kneeling with your butt higher than your heels (as if resting against the front edge of a canoe seat). Add in the fact that many solo canoes weigh about half of what a Predator kayak does, and some aren't much more than one-third as heavy, and that's a bonus. It takes some dedication to become proficient at paddling a solo canoe with a single-blade paddle, but since you were considering a kayak anyway, it wouldn't be a sin to use a double-blade paddle in a canoe.
Oh, also consider the fact that laying a pack, a gun, and maybe decoys on the floor of a canoe is no big deal, and the gun can be reclined against a thwart so it's right there ready to grab but not laying in water or prone to getting splashed. With the Predator kayak, you have two very small flat areas of deck on which to lay your gear, and everything had better be tied down or it might simply tumble over that little lip at the edges.
You might have your heart set on a kayak for other reasons, and if you won't be shooting from the boat you eliminate the biggest disadvantage of the kayak, but I put that out there as food for thought.
When I see boats named “Predator”
and “Tribute”, I know that someone in the companies making them does not think I have half a brain cell. Same goes for the “GoPro” “Hero” cameras.
I would suggest replacing “Predator” with “Bottom Feeder” and “Tribute” with “Suck Up”.
Some of the ww and sea kayak names are silly, too, but most of the jackass monickers are in the rec kayak class.
If I were duck hunting, I would do it out of a canoe.
Have a canoe, looking for kayak
thanks for the reply and I am all too familiar with the canoe idea. I have a 16’ canoe as well as a Otter Stealth that I use for fowl hunting. The main purpose of the kayak is going to be going with my better half and also to use for a spot that I waterfowl hunt and will be used as a method of transporting myself and the dog.
Anyone have any suggestions for a lighter weight kayak to serve this purpose?
Phoenix Poke Boat
Look it up. It is the ultimate lightweight hunting boat, based on what I hear from my hunting friends. I've never hunted out of them, but I've paddled one, and for a shorter kayak it paddles very nicely, in a variety of conditions. The open cockpit can fit a LOT of decoys. And it is uber light. If you can find one used, get one. Same goes if you can afford a new one.
-rs
Fishing boats too
Once I saw that the OP has something called an Otter Stealth, and noticed that the 12' model has nearly the same external dimensions as my Jon boat but with quite a bit less usable space inside and weighing 120 pounds instead of 70, yet still costing just as much as a modern 12' aluminum Jon boat, I wanted to see if MirroCraft still makes the 70-pound, 12-foot Jon boat that I have. They don't, but they have a plethora of very fancy boats, and in the fishing category, they have names like "Aggressor". What strange times we live in when a boat has to be called something like "Aggressor" just to appear suitable for catching fish. I remember when utility boats had model numbers instead of catchy names.
I Don’t Think What You Want
is available.
IMHO, it is going to be tough to find a kayak or boat of any manufacturer that can double for everything you want "and" keep up with that kayak if she is steadily paddling.
I would suggest looking in one of two directions.
If I was going to double duty a boat, I would look at the Native Ultimate 14.5 or the WS Commander 140.
Another suggestion would of course be two boats. Dicks sells the OT Guide 119 solo canoe for about $400 and then buy a kayak for traveling alongside your wife.
Good luck with whatever you choose.