my knee’s a bit knackered, my kids are wearing me out and as a result I’m not riding very much.. So I’ve chopped in my bikes for one do-it-all superhack which has yet to see much action..

This leaves me with a small pile of cash and a big hole in what I jokingly refer to as my ‘exercise regime’

I’ve been interested in getting myself a SOTK since I had a bit of a paddle off the coast a few years back and now we’ve moved back to the seaside it seems like a good time..

So, a couple of questions..

I like a bit of fishing too so was going to incorporate this, maybe a bit of Bass fishing up the estuary, so perhaps I need to get something with a few more features than a traditional surfski type thing..?

Also, My boys are not far off being of an age when they might like to join me occasionally, so I’ve been considering a tandem kayak.. What are these like to use as a regular solo launch..?

Does any have any experience/advice on the subject..?

Some of the Tandems can be paddled from a central position – but are a bit of a compromise.

Have you considered the modular SOTs that can be split into 2/3 sections?

If you were near central Scotland you could borrow my tandem SOT or my 13 foot solo angler.

You can buy a Yak for about £300 s/h. With that you can buy all sorts of accessories like watertight compartments, seats and back rests, fishing pole securing gadgets, netting, cool boxes etc. etc. eBays your friend here.

Some of my mates have them as family play things and use them for Bass fishing in a Harbour, they are robust enough to be used in surf but not particularly quick, they’re solid, they paddle well, they hold about 400kgs or so so you can get your son on it too..

Just an idea..

I had one for a little while but I never used it and it got sold.

I had a blow moulded Poly Pippin sit in canoe,as opposed to a grp one was great at the sea and river, massive amount of storage and quite stable, sold it more than i paid for it.

I’ve got one of these, I use it for mackerel fishing and just cruising around the bay, both my boys can fit on it, they’re 9 and 5. Bought mine at brighton canoes in newhaven, get the back rests.

I used to do a lot of sea fishing on a 13ft sit on kayak. It was rigged with an anchor pulley system, Garmin fishfinder and all sorts of gubbins.

Ocean kayak do some nice ones but they are expensive, Mine was the Prowler 13. The Tandem ones are good if you want to share with yor boys however they are big and pretty heavy to lump around on your own. A kayak trolley is always a good idea.

If you are looking at fishing you will need something fairly long and something with a small keel so it tracks well (goes in a straight line)

A few of my mates fished off the smaller surf type yaks but they were no good in a bit of a tide, something you will have to battle against in an estury.

Here are the modular kayaks… http://www.point65.com/kategori/5051/tequila-solo.html

rewski – Here’s our Gemini in action

P1020280 by ScotRoutes, on Flickr

^ Rewski, I’ve got the single seater version of that, the Scooter. Very stable and predictable handling. Surprisingly light and easy to lug about, too. You can get an “angler” version of it as well I believe, with an extra storage hatch and rod holders.

I asked pretty much the same question about a week ago,and this afternoon treated myself to an Islander Calypso sport, had a couple of hours playing on the river wye after I picked it up and its very nice indeed(nothing to compare it with mind)
When I was asking about my options in the shop,cos I was thinking maybe a 2 seater,the guy said,the 2 seater will be faster paddled solo because it’s longer but the single seater is more manouverable. Also think, can you hump a 2 seater about on your own, I think it would be a pita after humping around the single seater today,and could you get it onto the roof of you’re transport. I have to get mine on top of a van,and while I managed it, I wouldn’t like to do it with a 2 seater.
I can see hours being passed away at the beach with this thing.

Edit
There’s also a couple of flat spaces on the sides,where the guy said you can attach rod holders,but they need to be bought separately.

I’ve got a Feel Free Corona (http://www.feelfreekayak.com/products/corona/) which I use with the kids and solo. It’s a bit of a beast to paddle solo, so I’m going to buy something smaller for myself too – probably a Juntos http://www.feelfreekayak.com/products/juntos/ although there are some decent looking solos setup for fishing on eBay for not much cash, which would be worth investigating. e.g. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SIT-ON-TOP-FISHING-KAYAK-CANOE-GALAXY-CRUZ-/261164219764?

We’ve got a prowler like the one below for bass fishing – not given it a real try out yet as we only got it at the end of last ‘summer’. It does paddle very well but as it has a number of quite big compartments which are not fully watertight, it is not the best for the kids.

We also now have a polyethylene stand up paddle board which should be fun. I suspect the latter is a better workout than a sit on kayak and great for the kids to use as well as adults.

ah they’re all right, but in any kind of wind they’re bloody horrible. we’ve used a double sit on, and been out with the wife and 4 yr old. they’re great for mucking about off the beach and exploring nearby coves, but I wouldn’t want to do anything to big.
I can also paddle my single sit on with my daughter sat between my legs, and that works quite well. she’s even fallen asleep a few times!
took both a single sit on and a sea kayak out to the scilly isles last month and it was great, although compared to a sea kayak, it’s probably a bit like riding a heap of crap £70 full sus from halfords vs a 2K road bike.
safety’s another thought, sit on’s are almost impossible to capize (unless in surf, then you get turn side and tipped over 😀 ) , and so you can be fairly confident in going out on your own. South Devon there’s loads of places to explore…

Having done some kayaking in the past I have to ask: don’t “proper” kayakers sneer at sit-ons? Friends of mine kayaked from Shetland to Foula and back and I don’t think they’d have done in in one of those!

don’t “proper” kayakers sneer at sit-ons?

most probably, but while they’re sneering I’m having great fun with my lads catching mackerel and getting a great views of the south downs.

It might be worth having a go (demo) with several different SOTs before you commit ‘cos some of them are hideously slow, even with two adults paddling.

They can be a bit easier than a conventional sea kayak to have a waterborne picnic upon though….

Cream Tea @ Sea # 3 by Slugwash, on Flickr

globalti – Member
Having done some kayaking in the past I have to ask: don’t “proper” kayakers sneer at sit-ons?…

The penny farthing riders used to sneer at the safety cycle riders too.

A kayak is the penny farthing of paddle boats IMO.

Here’s my old sit-on surf ski. Used to paddle out to the Barrier Reef on it with my mate in the pic on his.

thanks for all the input folks.. food for thought

You can pedal them too. Gentle action as well good for rehab.

http://static.hobiecat.com/digital_assets/adventure-studio-3-4-ivory-dune-shadowed.png

…and sail them at the same time 🙂

Those Hobies are very versatile boats.

(Pics taken in North Queensland last year)