Question for you Kayak anglers

[ditz1]

I put tie downs on all 4 corners of my S-10 truck bed. I put one strap up and over the nose and then I put another over the back of the yak so that it can not bounce up or down and to keep it from sliding from side to side. I also put a red flag on the rear of the yak. It looks funky from the side because of lots of hang over but it rode just fine from Huntsville AL when I brought it home. I haven't had it wet yet but I expect no problems hauling it and it is quite easy to load in this manner. If, for some reason this doesn't work out a trailer will be next. I am too old to be putting it up on the top of a vehicle. The specs say it weighs 80# but it sure feels heavier than that to me. One end is really more than I like to pick up.

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by ditz1

I put tie downs on all 4 corners of my S-10 truck bed. I put one strap up and over the nose and then I put another over the back of the yak so that it can not bounce up or down and to keep it from sliding from side to side. I also put a red flag on the rear of the yak. It looks funky from the side because of lots of hang over but it rode just fine from Huntsville AL when I brought it home. I haven't had it wet yet but I expect no problems hauling it and it is quite easy to load in this manner. If, for some reason this doesn't work out a trailer will be next. I am too old to be putting it up on the top of a vehicle. The specs say it weighs 80# but it sure feels heavier than that to me. One end is really more than I like to pick up.

IMHO a pickup truck is the easiest way to haul a kayak....and you can tie it down quicker also. That car topping is for younger guys...LOL.

Regards

[Rover1966]

I haul my ride 115 in my ram truck bed

[TomD]

The problem I had with the Canoe as I grew older was not being able to stand up and move around. It was very comfortable only if I sat with my legs over the side sitting on the stern seat. Fine in the hot summer days.

How do you Kayakers manage to sit like that and not stand at all. I could stand in the canoe, even take a leak but wasn't stable but I had my wading shoes on so it didn't matter.

I didn't realize kayaks were in the 70# and up catagory. I can attest that a roof rig ond a truck, then having to carry all the stuff to the water, bow weight 70#, battery 60#, trolling motor not counting fishing gear cooler, camping gear, paddles, back packs without a trailer doesnt fly at all. Maybe a few times until I learned better.

Mine was a square stern Grumman 18' (see pics below) vintage 1953. The trailer made so much difference in what you could leave on board and not spend an hour getting in the water. Out side of Alaska (I was a kid then when my dad bought the canoe ($75.00) We hunted with it on occasion and it would be maxed out at times but we also ported with it and a lot less gear.

Interestingly I remember the Eskimo hunters and their kayaks those folks hunted bare bones (no pun intended).

I sold the canoe a while back and bought an older again Grumman deep V 14' Aluminum with a 25 Evinrude and its easy to fish from. So I can stand up walk around and with the trailer again I can take everything I don't always need. I'd like to carry a small kayak very small to pull behind me.

In short I'd slide it into the bed of the truck. Use it for my camping gear.

[Alphahawk]

A lot of folks stand and fish in their kayaks...I don't...cant. When I need to stretch I just pull over and get out. The kayaks now are very stable and getting in and out of a sit on top kayak is easy...even for an old fat man like me.



Regards

[Reel Tune]

I started truck topping one Pro Angler 130lbs, and putting the other in the bed. Getting a 130lb kayak on top of a 6'8" cab is a difficult task. The weight of the Pro Anglers were too muck for the car's roof. Our first trailer was a Magenta, then we bought lighter weight kayaks 70lbs each and then were able to car top with Yakima Racks. We sold our Magenta trailer and picked up a Yakima Trailer and just got back from our 1st long trip with it. It pulled just fine down to the Keys and back traveling at 80 mph. I still car top on the Accord, if it's just me for a weekend trip, but for the most part we have turned the Outback and the Yakima Rack and Roll into the main fishing vessell.

Jeremy

[bfish]

Originally Posted by TomD

...

How do you Kayakers manage to sit like that and not stand at all.....

I stand up in my kayak (Jackson Coosa) but having multiple seating positions (seat low with legs out, seat low and legs bent, seat high with legs out, seat high with legs bent, seat high and feet flat on floor) it is not necessary to stand and still stay comfortable on 8+ hr floats.