TexasKayakFisherman.com est. 2000

[safarigene]

Anyone have any experience with paddling the Feelfree Lure II solo? I am looking into getting one so my 5 year old has a seat up front, but would also use it solo about 50% of the time. I feel bad that when I take the kiddo, he has to sit on the front area of my Sea Ghost.

[Neumie]

Anyone have any experience with paddling the Feelfree Lure II solo? I am looking into getting one so my 5 year old has a seat up front, but would also use it solo about 50% of the time. I feel bad that when I take the kiddo, he has to sit on the front area of my Sea Ghost.

I don't have experience with the Lure tandem, but if you want to paddle in solo you'll have to add weight to the front of the kayak. The negative with the Lure Tandem is there's no option to move the back seat more central to the kayak. If you're looking for a dual purpose kayak I'd look at finding a Jackson Big Tuna, Native Watercraft Ultimate 15, or a used older Wilderness Tarpon 135 (also called a Perception Rambler 13.5).

[Ron Mc]

Josh is onto it, but more so with wind, you have a sail problem by sitting far off the center of the keel. Too far back and boat always noses upwind. Too far forward, and you have a tough time paddling upwind.
I can see why you want your 5-y-o sitting in front of you.
I first bought my T160, so I could set up a cockpit for my 9-y-o daughter in the long sternwell. It worked great for a year, and she learned to paddle without me saying a word, and then she must had a boat of her own.
The good news, she's off to college and I'm still paddling my T160.

[mwatson71]

If not too late to make a recommendation, I'd do what RonMc did. in fact, I did what RonMc did, just not intentionally. My first kayak was a T160 but only because my buddy had one and it paddled like a dream. The side benefit was it was long enough to haul my son around in it and later my daughter around in it. My son is now 12 with a yak of his own.

Find a good used T160. IMHO, the best all purpose kayak around.

[Blue65]

I am in the same boat (get it) as OP. I have a 9 year old daughter, that is interested in fishing and going out with me. However, I do not want her on her own yak at this point. I have been researching some, and alot of places I read they say do not get a tandem yak. I think most of these are people that have fixed seat yaks, so that when the 2nd person, mostly the kiddo is not with you the main seat is too far to the rear.

My 9 year old will only be fishing with me about 10% of the time. The other time I will be solo. I am curious about the T160 idea, but I do not understand how you would get a kiddo into this solo kayak even though it is super long. If someone would be so kind to explain that would be excellent.

Also recommendations on should I be searching for a larger solo yak or a true tandem with movable seats? Thanks for the help

[safarigene]

I ended up getting a Kaku Voodoo. The open front deck is perfect for the kiddo. Not sure how it would work for a 9 year old, but it is perfect for what I needed.

[Neumie]

I ended up getting a Kaku Voodoo. The open front deck is perfect for the kiddo. Not sure how it would work for a 9 year old, but it is perfect for what I needed.

Awesome. Hope you're able to get it wet soon. Don't forget to post reports when you do.

[impulse]

My 9 year old will only be fishing with me about 10% of the time. The other time I will be solo. I am curious about the T160 idea, but I do not understand how you would get a kiddo into this solo kayak even though it is super long. If someone would be so kind to explain that would be excellent.

Here's my neighbors in my T160. She's about 10 or 11. I blanked the faces because I don't have permission to publish their photo...

She's sitting in the big well behind the paddler. You can see that the added weight doesn't really affect the trim too much.