tandem or x-factor with gator seat?

Fishing
#1

Hello all. I am looking to purchase two kayaks for ocean fishing and I need some feedback on what to buy.



First off, I am 6’6", 230 lbs. I am trying to decide on the Malibu X-Factor or OK Big Game. Can anyone my size give me feedback on either one?



The second kayak will be for recreation ocean padding by my wife, 5’8", 125 lbs., and my 10 year old daughter, 5’, 90 lbs. and growing. It will also be for ocean fishing by my son, 6’2", 220 lbs. I don’t know if a tandem (OK Malibu 2 XL or Malibu Pro2 tandem?) or an X-Factor with a gator seat will work best for both uses. Has anyone used a gator seat? Is my daughter too big to sit in one? Which tandem will work best for both single fishing and two person padding?



Thanks for any feedback!

#2

Daughter will be too big for the gator
seat shortly, maybe a year at the most. She’s ready for her own kayak. Between the Big Game and the X-Factor, most surf fishermen pick the X-Factor. Better yet if you want a big platform is the Cobra Fish 'n Dive. The latter has a great resale value, those who fish for sharks and bull reds on the Gulf value it highly.

#3

tandem for two paddlers or one fisherman
my daughter is not ready for her own…yet : )



Thanks for the feedback on the gator seat…so now I need to find a tandem for them to paddle and can also be used for fishing by my son. Any experience with tandem?


#4

Its a tad slow, a bit of a barge
paddling, but the best, for the money, tandem SOT is probably the Ocean Kayak Malibu Two, or for a bit more money, the Malibu Two XL:



http://www.oceankayak.com/kayaks/tandems/



For under $600, plus seats and et cetera, its difficult to beat the plain Two. It was a popular big boy kayak before everyone started building them. It can be set up for solo paddling.



Cobra makes a nice tandem also.

#5

how about the Hobie Kona?
I have heard that the Kona sets up nicely for one or two paddlers. Have you heard if the Kona is wet or how stable it is?

#6

Not familiar with the Kona.

– Last Updated: Jun-21-07 1:13 PM EST –

Most Hobies are stable, so it should be. Don't know how it will do in the surf. With its width, it should be very stable. A friend had a Hobie Odyssey, regretted selling it and buying a Cobra Triple. The OK Malibu Two, though, has a tradition of use in going through the surf.