Question from a freshwater fisherman

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bowgarguide
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Question from a freshwater fisherman

Post by bowgarguide »

This is a legit question , why is a SOT more suitable for BTB than a SINK
I know they run the Sinks in the rapids and sea kayaks with skirts in the ocean.
Educate me here guys.
Thanks
Ron
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Post by Fla-Fish »

You could use a sink for BTB.
I have an Old Town sit-in I fish from in the winter.
I also have a Cobra Fish n Dive I prefer for BTB.
A sea kayak is not well suited for BTB cause of it's length.
You need a yak short enough to be able to pass the rod tip around the bow when fighting a Shark or Big Red.

<<<<<<--------And to do this coming back in through the surf.

They will go under, around and run into your kayak.
I have had Big Red's head butt the bottom of my FnD to try and shake the hook loose.

I like the most stable kayak possible and IMHO that is the FnD.
Don't want to be worrying about stability with a 5-6' shark on the hook.

A sit-in with a skirt would work just not as good.
Come on down to the coast in the spring and I will set you up with a Cobra and all the gear you would need.
Open invite. And bring Kim with you.
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Post by Mythman »

Ron,

Several things make a sot kayak more preferable for BTB fishing:

1.SOT's drain surf water very quickly where as SINKs would hold the water. Quite often when paddling through the surf to get out, you will take on waves head high the completely fill your cockpit with water.

2. If you flip going out, offshore or when re-entering the surf, you need to be able to separate yourself from your kayak quickly. Can you imagine being stuck in a SINK in 3-4 ft, surf wave and being upside down.......very dangerous.

3.Currently very few SINK's have the proper bow rocker to ride over the surf waves and would most probably cut through the waves which compount the above problems. When you hit a big wave in a kayak with a big rocker, the kayak rises and rides over the waves (see example below demonstrating how a good rocker lift you over the waves)

Image

Seemingly, there are a variety of kayaks/boats that fit different purposes and very few that fit all purposes.

Hope this helps!!
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Post by bowgarguide »

See I am going to be a smart old man Ya'll are teaching me already
Thanks
Ron
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Post by Fla-Fish »

Kind of like this Mike ??

Image

Drainage is a great thing. 8)

As for getting stuck up side down.
You should not go offshore in a sit-in with a skirt unless you know how to wet exit before you drown. :oops: :oops:
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Post by Mythman »

Yep, like that Steve, I had that pic in mind when I made the comment about going out through the surf and filling the cockpit.........I just didn't have the pic........that one is a classic!!!! :wink:
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Post by Fla-Fish »

It's called really BAD timing and TJ messing with me.
You paddled out a few min's before and did not even get wet.

Ron the best thing to do is sit and watch how the waves break
and count the set's of waves and the # of waves per set.
Takes practice and getting wet when you are wrong like that pic.

And going with someone with experience.

Just like you and Kim on the Brazos.
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Re: Question from a freshwater fisherman

Post by Jolly Roger »

bowgarguide wrote:This is a legit question , why is a SOT more suitable for BTB than a SINK
I know they run the Sinks in the rapids and sea kayaks with skirts in the ocean.
Educate me here guys.
Thanks
Ron
Ablity to fish from would be my reason.

A SOT kayak gives a fishermen a great deal of room on deck and in the tankwell. This storage space, that is very easy to get to is very important when fishing.

Very few SINK kayaks have tankwells, and even less so when you have to take them through waves. Since SINKS do not have large open areas for storeage, and such. The skirt and covered deck tends to limit movement, and storage area. This all hurts it's ablity to fish from.


Sinks are by far the best paddling kayaks. And the sea kayaks can handle much, muc more then any SOT kayak can.

But they just do not offer what is most important to fishing. Easy to get to space and freedom of movement.


For me I consider a SINK kayak a far supior kayak for th fishermen that is going to paddle, get out then fish. Or one that is going to do a great deal of paddling and does not have to worry about large amounts of water coming into the kayak.


But a SOT kayak works better for a fishing platform. The open deck, and tankwell allows the fishermen easy access to everything he or she needs. Once in an area like the surf or open ocean. The self bailing of the SOT really shines as it allows for us to fish in waves that are coming into the kayak all the time.
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Post by bowgarguide »

I really appreciate the answers to my question and like Mythman says a boat that is built for a specific task .
I can see the shorter length and stability and access to gear, that all makes sense as doese the self bailing. They are specialized machines that are fish able.
The wet exit is something I can do in a SINK , but if Mike are Steve noticed I don't have a small cockpit on my boats if I turtle I want to come out.
Image
and the front and back decks are sealed, I have filled the cockpit with water and then got back in and the boat will still paddle. I guess my point is I built this boat for my conditions as a river runner the same way ya'll rig for BtB
Image

Thanks for the help you have answered my questions.
ron
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Post by Mythman »

I wish I would have had a boat like yours or similar for the Greyloon Memorial paddle............if so, perhaps Tristan would have been saved one whole lot of concern!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Post by Wolfman57 »

Excellent post, I was reading this and thinking about the pros and cons of both yaks....

When I had my Marauder, It had a tendency to plow though the waves. I would tend to stab right through the face of the wave. They then re-worked the cockpit moving it back 6" or so. That made all the difference in the world. The new model now rides right over the waves.

I just picked up the FND and I am very anxious to see how it takes some big waves. I guess that will be next season.

One of the plus items for SOT is the use of deck space. JR mentioned gear, but with certain fish we use that as a place to lay them to get the hook out. Usually with SINKs you do not have a flat deck space to place fish on....Picture is worth a thousand words....see below.
<a href="http://s206.photobucket.com/albums/bb55 ... -08028.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb55 ... -08028.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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Post by Fla-Fish »

Good point there WM.
I have had a big red get loose in the FnD.
He jumped out of my hands 2-3 time and busted the mount for my Cuda unit. Ended up in the "Front Seat" of the FnD.
I would not want one flopping around under the deck of a sit-in.
It would be a real pain to get him out and talk about slime everywhere :roll: :roll:
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Post by Strider »

In my opinion, the flatwater river boats we paddle on the Brazos up here would be the wrong tool to use for a BTB mission. If I was looking for a homebuilt wood composite boat for BTB use I would use something like what has been being used for centuries in Europe and the Americas - a dory. The extra power created by the use of oars makes breaking the surf more do-able. These craft are stable, roomy, dry, durable and have withstood the test of time. A boat like this, properly maintained would last generations. Granted, you probably wouldn't be able to cartop it but it would sure do the job.

Kim
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Post by Jolly Roger »

Strider wrote:In my opinion, the flatwater river boats we paddle on the Brazos up here would be the wrong tool to use for a BTB mission. If I was looking for a homebuilt wood composite boat for BTB use I would use something like what has been being used for centuries in Europe and the Americas - a dory. The extra power created by the use of oars makes breaking the surf more do-able. These craft are stable, dry, durable and have withstood the test of time. A boat like this, properly maintained would last generations. Granted, you probably wouldn't be able to cartop it or launch it by yourself, but it would sure do the job.

Kim

Is that the same as a drift boat???

I agree thoose would work good for fishing near shore.
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Post by Strider »

Jolly Roger wrote:
Strider wrote:In my opinion, the flatwater river boats we paddle on the Brazos up here would be the wrong tool to use for a BTB mission. If I was looking for a homebuilt wood composite boat for BTB use I would use something like what has been being used for centuries in Europe and the Americas - a dory. The extra power created by the use of oars makes breaking the surf more do-able. These craft are stable, dry, durable and have withstood the test of time. A boat like this, properly maintained would last generations. Granted, you probably wouldn't be able to cartop it or launch it by yourself, but it would sure do the job.

Kim

Is that the same as a drift boat???

I agree thoose would work good for fishing near shore.
The hull design resembles drift boats but I think the dories are traditionally smaller craft.

Kim
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Post by Jolly Roger »

Strider wrote:
The hull design resembles drift boats but I think the dories are traditionally smaller craft.

Kim
There was a guy a few years ago that used a drift boat to fish BTB. He only went out on the best days.

Only downside to thoose types of crafts is they catch a LOT of wind. This was one of the major down sides I saw to them. They get blown all over the place in the near shore. But do work.
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Post by Strider »

Jolly Roger wrote:Only downside to thoose types of crafts is they catch a LOT of wind. This was one of the major down sides I saw to them. They get blown all over the place in the near shore. But do work.
Yes I'm sure wind is a factor with those high bows. But the high bow and stern is what keeps them so dry. Probably on the East coast, where these boats have been so popular for so long they don't mind getting blown around a bit so long as they don't get sea in their lap :lol:

Kim
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Post by northpaw »

Mythman wrote:Ron,

Several things make a sot kayak more preferable for BTB fishing:

1.SOT's drain surf water very quickly where as SINKs would hold the water. Quite often when paddling through the surf to get out, you will take on waves head high the completely fill your cockpit with water.

2. If you flip going out, offshore or when re-entering the surf, you need to be able to separate yourself from your kayak quickly. Can you imagine being stuck in a SINK in 3-4 ft, surf wave and being upside down.......very dangerous.

3.Currently very few SINK's have the proper bow rocker to ride over the surf waves and would most probably cut through the waves which compount the above problems. When you hit a big wave in a kayak with a big rocker, the kayak rises and rides over the waves (see example below demonstrating how a good rocker lift you over the waves)

Image

Seemingly, there are a variety of kayaks/boats that fit different purposes and very few that fit all purposes.

Hope this helps!!
...truth be told this pic isnt even in a surf zone. Mike just has so much gear in the stern of his X Factor that it continuously rides in this fashion :wink: :lol:
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Post by bowgarguide »

Northpaw at least hes not STUCK.
Myth going to hit me next time he sees me.
Ron
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Post by bowgarguide »

Mythman
Is your yak a pretty dry ride at your weight and what is the length on it.Ron
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