Why is it so hard to find a decnt sit on top for general paddling. They all seem to be so wide, short, and heavy! So far the one I like best is my WS Tarpon 160, but it is about four feet wide and weighs a thousands pounds.
I hear that cobra makes an 18 footer that is not to wide and nicely light, but 18 feet is too long for my local rivers.
Where is the everymans Sit on top.
Ideally it would be 15 or 16 feet long, 22 to 25 inches wide, weigh 65 pounds or less on a scale (55 or less would be better). I say this last part because in some theories my Tarpon is supposed to weigh a mere 62 pounds but I dare you to wieght one without breaking the scale. I think the scales at WS are off by about 15 pounds or more.
depends on weight
I’ve got a Cobra Eliminator that’s fun. Depends alot of your weight on how fast it’ll be. If you’re under say 190 lbs. it’ll be fairly fast, over that up to it’s weight limit it’ll be only fairly quick. Right now I’m too heavy for mine and too much of the “wings” are in the water, does make it more stable though.
It’s about 16 1/2’ long and pretty skinny in the water, the “wings” are above the water and add secondary stability but don’t do much at rest, so it can be pretty tippy when you first paddle it. Fun boat.
Bill H.
Check out the Hurricane Phoenix.
Hurricane pheonix
Hurricane no longer makes the 16 footer. The weight is great, but it is too wide and the 14 foot model is very slow.
I think the CD design is great and I’d love to see it in river ready plastic. I already have a CD Solstice GTS in kevlar and I can assure you that composite boats are not ideal for river travel.
In fact a lot of members of our club will not paddle the rivers because they only have composite ot SOF boats.
I like the RTM Tempo made in France but I can’t find them in North Carolina to test paddle. Anyone have one nearby?
Scupper pro
We’ve had our ocean kayak scupper pros for 8 years and still love them. They tend to turn into the wind on a breezy day, but at just over 14’ they have enough storage for a multiday camping trip.
HopOnTop AKA Hertiage
I have an HopOnTop 18, AKA Heritage Shearwater, that is 18’4" long with a beam at the design waterline of 20". It honestly only weighs 44# in Kevlar. I think its still the fastest, lightest, SOT that is really an SOT, so I hang on to it. Its also a very nice looking boat.
I had the HopOnTop 16 AKA Heritage Nomad. It was 16’ by 24" and really like 65# in fiberglass.
I also had a Seda Revenge. It was 16’ by 24" and really about 65# in fiberglass.
In my case, all of the above gathered dust while I was out paddling my 13’ plastic Ocean Kayak Mars off the beach at Santa Cruz, the sea Caves up in Mendocino, or the rock gardens at Lake Tahoe. Don’t know what I would do if I have to replace it. Maybe a Cobra Revision
The only other boats that get any play at all are the Ocean Kayak Scrambler, and the RTM Disco. The Scrambler goes on my once a year surf trip, and the Disco for family trips when I hitting the scales at less than 190#
The only other boat out there I find interesting is the RTM Midway. Supposedly like a Disco with more capacity.
RTM Midway and Disco
I’d like to test paddle them. Does anyone have one or sell them on the east coast?
Action WaterSports In Auburndale Florida
– Last Updated: Dec-01-09 5:50 PM EST –
Action Watersports in Auburndale Florida 863-967-4148.
Ask for Dave. He really helped me out when I bought the Disco and he had it shipped to the West Coast via Fed Ex.
RTM Kayaks are made in France and shipped to Miami in containers, so Florida is the source. Sing bought a Disco in New England, but I do not know if the Midway has made it to American Shores, yet. Very reasonable, unless prices have gone up.
List of dealers:
http://www.rtmkayaks.com/dealers
Ask if they have the Midway. They didn't last time I asked. If they have one in stock, I might buy one this spring. It sure looks interesting:
http://www.rtmkayaks.com/products/sit-on-top/midway
Here are the specs on the Disco, which is an excellent boat for paddlers under 175#
http://www.rtmkayaks.com/products/sit-on-top/disco
BTW,I love my Tarpon in the water.
Getting that beast in and out is the issue.
Weight and Length Make a Difference
My Shearwater is only 44#, but its still a PITA just because its so long
I too love my Tarpon on the water
It has wonderful manners in the wind and waves and paddles reasonably well up to about 5 mph. But lighter would make using it so much easier and narrower would make it a little faster and easier to lean.
I guess the weight is not so much of an issue; I just need to man-up and do more exercises to improve my strength. I hear there are 65 year old body builders these days so I guess I’ll have at least 20 years before I absolutely need a lighter boat.
I do know that the only paddlers over 80 years old i’ve seen have boats less than 50 pounds…most have boats less than 45 pounds.
Hmmmm…wonder if there is such a thing as a SOF SOT?
“Wave Ski” NM
Greyak aren’t wave skis really slow?
I thought waves skis were really short and slow, are there wave skis that are good all around kayaks?
necky dolphin
14 1/2’ x 28.5", about 65 lbs. the hull has flare so the waterline is near what you said. its a decent all-rounder. if you can build one, clcboats.com and jemwatercraft.com have interesting sot designs and kits
You and everybody else
– Last Updated: Dec-02-09 4:48 PM EST –
Too bad there isn't a much narrower and slightly longer version of the Scupper.
If you're really small and can live with a shorter boat, the OK Kea (kids' boat) might work. It's about 22" wide and 30-something lbs. I would love to demo one to make sure the seat would be comfortable after a few hours (I have sat in one so know I can fit in it).
26" beam, which many call narrow for a SOT, is still very very wide.
Hop on Top 18 for sale
I have my Hop On Top 18 / Heritage Shearwater for sale. 18’ and 24" wide, but paddles like a 22" wide boat because of the hull design. Mine has a small skeg.
The Disco is the best current production SOT I’ve tried personally. I havebn’t tried the Midway 9or the Scupper Pro)
I started on the Tarpon T160 (old style) and progressed through a Tsuanami X-15 Scram jet, Hop on Top 18 (HOT 18), Twogood surf ski and now an Epic V10S surf ski.
I consider the style of boat I paddle to be a “Performance Sit-on-Top”
RTM-SOTS:
– Last Updated: Dec-04-09 4:04 PM EST –
Ditto what Barracuda wrote:
RTM Disco, Midway or Tempo(same hull as Scupper Pro, little longer at 15'/26", better deck finish and fittings.)
All reasonably quick, tough plastic,
and
none over 55 lbs.
Check 'em out.
(And if you want to spend more money,
then get a Kazkazi Pelican or Dorado.)
Think I Recognize That - HopOnTop Nomad
– Last Updated: Dec-04-09 4:26 PM EST –
That is a HoOnTop 16 AKA Hertitage Nomad. Fiberglass, 16' by 24". The specs said 50#, but mine was heavier. Maybe 60. Fiberglass boats will vary.
I searched for that boat for over a year, and finally found one in Wisconisin. Tsunami Chuck happened to be passing that way and drove it back for me.
I think that one belongs to Redmond from Huntsville. I heard he is moving so, maybe that is why its for sale. I had exactly same model and color.
HopOn Top Owners are kind of a klick
My main problem with that boat was just that it is loud. Hull slap. I happen to be very picky about that.
And as noted above, I have too many boats that I don't use. Otherwise a really nice boat. He got a really good deal on his, too...
I would seriously check that out. Believe me, they are hard to find.
I am still looking for the elusive HopOnTop 15 Aka Heritage Seadart in Kevlar
Yep
It was Redmonds. Nice boat, but I’m a little heavy for it. It is probably over 50#. Hull slap is annoying, especially in light chop.
I’m doing a lot of easy whitewater these days and an old fiberglass boat just doesn’t work for that.
This is a steal at $600
jim