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Canak


Mike G

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I see a lot of guys itching to spend some $$$$ (4 figures) on the new fishing Kayaks and looking for some ideas on comparative models. Here is my long view on the topic.

 

I will start with a saying from a kayak review, "If you want to loose weight, weigh yourself on a scale at a kayak factory." Some reviewers are, shall we say, skeptical about the manufacturer's suggested weights. Though we think of a kayak or canoe as carrying us on the water, we have to carry it on the land. How far is it from the parking spot to the water? What if you want to portage it? That is where weight comes in and factors larger and bigger over time. Even the manufacturer's weight of most of the fishing model kayaks is around 80 pounds similar to the 80-90 pound aluminum and fiberglass canoes I used for many years. Equipped with a yoke I portaged them a mile or two on some trips. And even at that weight they are easy enough to lift to the level of racks on a car top. But then...

 

My long view says that things will change over time. First I changed, and carrying 80 pounds got to be more of a challenge though I can still do it. Then cars changed, and solo hoisting that 80 pounds up to the top of an SUV is not as easy as sliding a canoe off your shoulders to a waiting car top. There are two solutions to the problem of weight. One is buying a fancy roller rack for the SUV. The other is Kevlar. A little over ten years ago a bought a 15 ft, 35 pound (UL) solo canoe. Besides being easy to lift, the Wenonah model I bought is lightening on the water. That equates to more time fishing and less time paddling. Too bad they did not have the kayak version back then.

 

So the long view comes down to this. Over the long haul an extra 45 or 50 pounds is going to get to you and limit your range. There are Kevlar kayaks like the Canak, that cut the weight in half and can truly become a lifetime craft for you along with being something your wife and kids can manage. In the short view they are more expensive; in the long view they are a bargain.

 

Canak1343_cust.jpg

 

http://www.wenonah.com/products/template/product_detail.php?IID=245

 

PS if you gotta stand, there are always sponsons.

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