Kayaks

I am in the market for a kayak and been looking around but since I live in the desert there aren't many places that sell them. hmmm wonder why? But I do have a handful of places to use one. Looking for a tandem so I can take the dog and/or wife and gear- considered the Wilderness Systems Tarpin 135T but then found the Jackson Big Tuna I like better. I have not found a place that actually has them so I can look at one and touch it. haha It will mostly be used for day trips and occasional overnight camp trip. I have a few small lakes along with 4 large lakes(Mead, Havasu, Mojave and Powell) and the Colorado river below Hoover dam. Might even pick up a little fishing. Anybody have tandem Kayak they love or hate?

 

My cousin swears by Hobie, he uses it for deep sea fishing out here in Santa Barbara and Ventura..

 

But have you seen the price of the Hobie's? lol The place in Havasu sells Hobie and i might take a trip and look at them but feel they are over priced.

 

I have and it's a totally different breed of kayak, I've been searching myself,lol, ive tried it and its awesome!

 

I have a Cobra I use to fish off and I like it. Buddy has the tandem and we used that until I got my own. Good kayaks.

 

I have a Necky and I really like it. There is a place called Headwaters Kayak here locally that has a great selection: https://headwaterskayak.com

 

I picked up a used Jackson Big Tuna this summer. It is awesome. I've paddled it solo, and with my gf and dog. I have a friend that has a couple Hobies. They are definitely nice, too, and the peddle drive would be sweet if you're fishing. We've only taken the Tuna out on reservoirs. I don't know if I would take it out on anything with rapids, but I'll be taking it out on some of the flatter sections of the Green River this fall. I would love to take it out on Lake Powell for an overnight trip some time. It is definitely a beast, but I am able to load it by myself on top of my toppers roof rack. I'm short, so it's not easy, but I can manage with some strategy. Let me know if you have any questions. I think mine is a 2014, but it hasn't changed all that much since then. I think I paid 1200 or 1300, and it was almost like new condition.

 

Thanks - I like the seats in the Big Tuna in that they can be removed or turned around. Great if I camp with it. Also the fact of it being stable enough to stand up and fish then the dog would feel more comfortable. The two things I am really looking for is comfy seats and plenty of storage.

 

@UTTundra how does it paddle solo? If I were to just take my dog with me? I will mostly be on smaller reservoirs in Southern Utah and no fast rivers.

 

They've since updated the seats since my model year, but even mine are really nice. I bought the Thermarest lumbar support that Jackson sells, and it helps a ton. The newer models might actually come with one. I also bought the cooler for the Tuna tank. It's pretty sweet. The rear dry storage is pretty big. You can easily fit tents, smaller sleeping bags, food, life jackets in there in there. You could also put fishing rods in there because the compartment goes all the way towards the front of the boat. The front dry storage is for smaller things like phones, wallets, etc. I've only tried standing on mine once. A little tippy, but probably just need some practice.

 

Not gonna lie, it's definitely slower than a smaller kayak. My paddling form probably sucks, though. Unless you're trying to cover a ton of water going into a current/headwind, it's not that big of a deal. The pros of all the space and stability outweigh the lack of speed. I also have the rudder system. It seems to work well.

 

This thing is so stable, I could take a nap on it! I'm also using a 250 cm paddle since this yak is so wide.

 

95% of my kayak fleet is Wilderness Systems, so yeah, I like the brand. 2ea 140 Tarpons, 175 Tsunami, 145 Tsunami, 2ea 135 Pamlico tandems. Old Town Loon, and a 11.5 Feel Free Lure (love this one but heavy for what it is).