# Yak of the Year 2006



## PoddyMullet (Aug 29, 2005)

Any takers to nominate a floater for 2006 Yak of the Year? Doesn't have to be a new model this year...just what you believe is the best fishing yak about in 06. After a week of nominations...a poll will run another week. Ya can even try and win a few votes with ya nomination by stating a case...or just a name will do. One nomination per member. What'll take home the biscuits :?: :wink:


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Great idea Poddy!

Tough choice though...

The Espri is cheap and cheerful, but suffers from equipment mounting challenges.
The prowler Elite holds a lot of promise, but seems to have a few niggling first-run issues. The venerable P15 is sadly out of production, so I'll tentatively drop it off my list of possibilities.
The new predator is a mean machine, particularly for the price.
The swing continues to be a spectacularly versatile platform..
I don't know enough about the WS boats (like the tarpons) to really consider them..
And HairyMick's and Flump's beasties would be in the running I reckon, if they weren't single-run secret fish-seeking weapons. 

Hmm.. no matter what other options I come up with, I keep coming back to the Adventure. It's hideously expensive in comparison to some yaks, a little unwieldy on land, but with the hull redesign to better suit paddlers as well as peddlers, coupled with the storage options and accessories, it makes a pretty versatile yak. The only significant complaints I've heard from owners so far was about the hobie water bottle! 

For me, I reckon the swing comes in a close second, with the predator hitting the budget sweetspot. I'm tempted to swap the adventure top-spot for the Revolution, but need a bit more info on that beastie.

So for me: Hobie Adventure.

Red.


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## JB (Jul 5, 2006)

I'd liked to noimate the elite, only 1 reason steming from the weekend

short verison of story
- caught offshore (say 1.5ks)
- westerly wind (and fishing east coast NZ)
- 1.5 metre Northeast swell
- 10knot - gustin 15knot (no real issues here)
- westerly (off shore) chop - not really a biggy but wind generated
- squall hits - kicks up to 25knot- white caps hitting foredeck, drouge out and paddling to keep station while battering down hatches (figeratively), punch into head wind (20 gusting 25) and large chop with opposite swell.

she gets me home safe and sound  (was with 3 other paddlers- 1 very top end of experience and a couple others reasonably experienced).

lession for the day, off shore requires off shore yak - maybe we should call for best off shore yak, best lake/river yak and best inshore one as my experiences show that I have not found a yak that meets all 3 ideal.


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## PoddyMullet (Aug 29, 2005)

Yeah I hear what ya saying JB about the categories...no one size fits all. This thread is also tough on the yaks that are just coming out, 07 maybe the year for them. But I'm thinking if you only bought (or built) one yak this year...what'd it be? Whats the cream of the available crop? :?:


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## hairymick (Oct 18, 2005)

Hi Guys,

Great Post. 

My humble thoughts.

All things kayaking, in partiucular kayak fishing are a compromise. There is no one best ever, all purpose kayak, like Gatesey has said - apples and oranges.

I think what we might be looking for here is a boat that might best suit most of the needs of most of the paddlers - most of the time and at the same time, be available at realistic prices. Not everyone can afford the top echelon boats like the lovely adventures & dorados etc. Both of these would fit into a superyak category of their own, I think

So here are a couple of suggestions.

Boat for Buck - Viking Espri & Predator

Versatility - Espre, predator & Swing

Popularity - By owner numbers alone would have to be swing.

So here is my suggestion - Swing


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## Phoenix (Jan 12, 2006)

The swing does it for me every time.


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## dooyor (Jun 26, 2006)

the espri for me at the moment been out with guys in swings and p13 did keep up with them and have the price.


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## Fishing Man (Oct 4, 2006)

go the swing, for allround use, quality and fitout options
great boat


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## aleg75 (Dec 20, 2005)

For what it's worth, Q-Kayak Escapade :lol: seems we are all voting for our own.....I also seem to be the only one with a q-kayak?


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## Magicrik (Jul 12, 2006)

Got to be the predator fo me.


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## knot-too-fast (May 21, 2006)

There all good as long as they get you out on the water and back safely.


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

knot-too-fast said:


> There all good as long as they get you out on the water and back safely.


too right....


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## knot-too-fast (May 21, 2006)

Gee I can be so deep and meaningless at times........ :lol:


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

for me at the moment has to be the espri , stable , tracks well ,reasonable speed and comfortable , aswell as being happy on the pocket, other than that would buy a swing and may do so one day


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## evarn (Jul 10, 2006)

I've only ever had one yak, but i gotta say the Hobie Revolution.... 2 months ago I woulda said the Adventure, but the Revolution is a bit more convenient size-wise (4.08 instead of 4.8 metres), and the front hatch is so much easier to operate, which is a consideration on the water..

It also handles really well and inspires confidence for the pilot! (Pilot coz it's so quick... quicker if i had turbo fins) Go test one out.. you can absolutely hammer and flick the rudder hard and do circle work all day and night...

Anyway... that's what i think...

Ivan


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## yaksta (Oct 27, 2005)

Pedal a Hobie and everything is a distant second...

Don't knock it until you've tried it!!!

Wayne


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## spooled1 (Sep 16, 2005)

My vote goes to the Scupper Pro.

Today I rode a 3 foot wave over 150 metres all the way back into shore. Up until the wave broke in the last 30 metres I was going straight as a pin without a rudder.

This is now the 5th trip in a row where I haven't blown a surf re-entry.
Downside is a bit of water thru the hatch in a spill - who cares!

Scupper rocks!!!


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## YakAtak (Mar 13, 2006)

the one I get to paddle on the day, I just love yakking, would be just as happy on the espri as on the scupper or any yak, what a great sport, bring on the next 40 years of paddle fishing.


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## Sunhobie (Jun 22, 2006)

Occy,
Pardon the pl*g but "H*bie" doesn't necessarily mean death to paddling. Sure the "M*rage system is great for fishing but we cater for dedicated paddling enthusiasts with the Qu*st too. 
Some H*bies are good for piddling AND puddling.(not at the one time)


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## Scott (Aug 29, 2005)

Sunhobie, maybe you can explain to me how you can paddle one of the larger hobie models when you need to use your hands to control the rudder?

Catch ya Scott


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## Sunhobie (Jun 22, 2006)

You can centre the rudder, or raise it and paddle without rudder.
True a pedal operated rudder is preferable but not essential. Both the Adv and Rev paddle well


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

occy said:


> Viking would be up there too, with their range of solid (literally in some cases) Aussie built yaks.
> 
> The old Swing (no offence but it is getting on a bit)


occy your comments on Viking are well founded I feel, and they are proving great for after sales support, last weekend Hagar told me of supply of a pair of carry handles after one cracked, so they sent 2 just in case, and he said dealing with them is a pleasure as has been said before on the forum.

Swing is certainly long on the tooth but handling the job nicely as is another favorite of mine Scupper Pro, having had the opportunity to see Gunston's and YakAtak's SPros on the water in windy conditions, and would be in my mix of potential star yaks


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## ms (Oct 16, 2006)

so much talk about the hobie and they are a good kayak but for the price i think a tiny with motor is better valuer back to yaks my p13 is just as good i think and a lot less $ if i did not want to paddle i would say viking tampo fisherman with e motor and still costs less then the hobie . mark


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## Guest (Nov 21, 2006)

Hmmm 

Everyone should just go with the generic "My Yak of course" :lol:

Only natural of course, as everyone has chosen the yak they considered the best for their needs.


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## Scott (Aug 29, 2005)

Sunhobie, having to not use a rudder while paddling when a rudder exists is not even an option in my opinion. This is why I say that hobies with the hand controlled rudder are a long way from being ideal for paddling. I see Hobies as a compromise yak personally.

They allow hands free operation but also offer as many limitations such as the rudder issue and also the mirage drive issue in shallow or weedy water and also as an underwater obstruction for a fast running fish. For someone like me nullifies the singular advantage they have and as such I would even consider them personally for the yak of the year.

Catch ya Scott


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## Sunhobie (Jun 22, 2006)

Scott, many so-called fishing yaks do not even have rudders. 
The hand operated rudder system is fine when fighting a fish. Remember that you have other advantages with hands-free operation, not the least of which, is the ability to resist the fish's ability to take charge of the fight.
I also, prefer a pedal rudder when I paddle, or fish from a paddle kayak, no argument there. Not all the mirage models are ideal for paddling but some models do paddle very well.
Shallow operation is no problem
Weeds are not a huge problem
The fins are no disadvantage when fighting a fish.
Thats enough from me. I'll let the other happy users explain why they would have nothing else.


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## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

> if i did not want to paddle i would say viking tampo fisherman with e motor and still costs less then the hobie . mark
> 
> 
> > I wouldnt be so sure of that Mark. They cost around the same as an Adventure and more than the rest of our single range.
> ...


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## Scott (Aug 29, 2005)

Sunhobie, you comment re the ability to resist the charge of a fish is only really relevant in structure fishing. For blue water sports fishing you want to be able to utilise the sleigh ride as a way to apply pressure to a fish and vary your angles using your rudder which you can't do with a hand control rudder.

As far as the mirage drive goes, in shallow water it is unusable. My yak floats and I am able to paddle in 6 inches of water, How is this possible with a mirage drive? I regularly bash through raids when fishing for trout, how is this possible using a mirage drive? A far as the fins being an issue when fighting a fish, I know a guy down here how got rid of his Hobie because of this and Gatesy has already lost a good fish when his line got caught around the mirage drive.

As mentioned, PERSONALLY I would consider a Hobie unless I was targeting slow running structure orientated fish such as beaming or bassing ect exclusively. For those tasks that I admit they are without peer but this forms a small part of my yak fishing and as such I would not limit the fishablility of my other elements of yak fishing in order to offer increased fishablility utilising the mirage drive while breaming.

Catch ya Scott


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## Sunhobie (Jun 22, 2006)

Scott, at the risk of hogging this thread, I will reply.
When fishing with an overhead reel or baitcaster, you can still operate a hand lever rudder. I do it all the time. Admittedly I do not fish for marlin.
The mirage fins will operate in the horizontal position when negotiating shallows. They can be set in this position when bringing a fish up close. I personally find a rudder more of an obstacle than the mirage fins (down OR up)
fair enough Scott, I understand your needs. Nothing is perfect for all purposes
Cheers
Mal


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## evarn (Jul 10, 2006)

Well... So as mentioned earlier, there is no one yak that is going to suit every single person...

Perhaps we should start a new thread to discuss the Hobie versus the rest! hehehe

Ok Ok, enough stirring...

I will say though that the mirage drive shouldn't get in the way too much. So long as u have it "hard up" when in shallow water and/or fighting a fish. Nor is it useless in shallow water, you just can;t use the full range of it's movement... Like climbing stairs, sometimes u can go up 3 at a time, other times u gotta shuffle up one by one, taking small steps.

Cheers

Ivan

P.S. I saw a guy on a Wavedance Calypso whilst out on sunday and thought to myself "One of those would be nice to take up to the river"...


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## justcrusin (Oct 1, 2006)

Well being pretty new to all this my P13 is handling pretty well as an allround boat. Great stablilty but very easy to paddle good storage and easy stable access to all areas sitting side saddle. a very nice size well in the rear. Easy manoveralbilty with or without rudder and tracks very well. I haven't had her in the surf yet but looks like she will handle it with style 8) 
Don't know if the 25ltr kool esky was planned for it but fits in nicely. The addition of a molded in tackle box and drink holders (that fit a stubby cooler in them :twisted: ). and i'm as happy as larry in one. Plus the nutserts for the scotty or sounders and anchor systems a very well thought out design.

Cheers Dave
ps I'm not biased, I hate all other yaks equally :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Crayman (Oct 10, 2006)

Hi everyone
Well i love the thought that these mass produced yaks get a vote but over my brief exposure to the sport of Yak fishing i have been lucky enough to watch some awesome home made job's come of age. Thier design are mostly tested design's that have been altered to suit the maker/user. So if there was a catagory for versatility comfort and good old fashioned glass over wood the "Kadichi" :twisted: by Hairymick would have my vote it has evrything a yakker would want River or Bay including a personality.
But as for mass produced yaks the swing or espri with their fit out options and allround usage would have my vote(and thats from an owner of an Osprey by natureline).
Tight lines people and really aslong as it floats and you can hang a line of it, it should be enough. 8)


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## troppo (Feb 1, 2006)

I have had an awesome idea after reading the posts where Scott and Sunhobie were expressing their opinions: There is a way so ya can have foot pedal steering for the rudder but still have the mirage drive. Move the mirage drive pedals back so ya can turn it with ya hands then get rudder pedals installed so ya can use ya feet to steer! Brilliant!! That gives the advantages of the mirage drive and ya can still steer with ya feet . . . Wait.

. . . . I think I have missed something. My logic does not quite seem right . . . .

Perhaps on our bodies we could get a few more arms or legs grafted on. That might help.


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## Guest (Nov 23, 2006)

I own a Hobie Sport, but I think the Revo and Adventure's are the cream of the crop. As far as fishing goes, Hobies have too many advantages to be ignored. They're easier to push, they go further and in most cases faster. Hands free fishing... that says it all. Once you've tried a slow troll with one rod in one hand and another in the other (so you can feel every touch) you'll have a hard time going back.

And calling a hobie no better than a tinny with a mirage system is like called a stinkboat with no motor and oars is like a yak.

I do also paddle my hobie when so inclined. Sometimes I even operate the drive system by hand. You'll get just as good a workout in a hobie, although it is a different kind of workout. I fished several paddle yaks for years and loved every minute of it. But I love every minute of peddle-yakking even more.


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## Guest (Nov 23, 2006)

Have to agree re: the notion that a workout on the Hobies being comparable to a paddle yak.

While its true you are not probably as knackered or sore at the end of the day, the leg muscles are the largest muscle group in the body, bigger muscles need more fuel, more fuel means more energy (kilojoules) burned, but the larger muscle groups are much better equipped to handle the task and therefore you dont feel as buggered or sore at the end of the day.

Bit like a motor.....higher hp motor operating at the same RPM as a lower hp motor certainly doesnt burn less fuel.....

The amount of calories actually burned I think you would find would be similar......or if you peddled hard all day you might find you burned more calories in the Hobie, and covered more distance.

The other factor is wear and tear......I notice I have more back problems when I fish frequently on the paddle yak.......some long term Hobie owners might be having a laugh at our expense while we are on our way to the chriopractor. :lol:


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## Billybob (Aug 29, 2005)

Dallas, my expeience with paddling is the opposite.

Paddling is excellent exercise for your back, if you have the right paddle technique and posture, as it strengthens the abdominal muscles.

After a couple of years, in fact, you'll find you don't have need of a back rest as your stomach and back muscles are strong enough to hold you erect without much apparent effort.

If I want to exercise my leg muscles I go for a power walk or a jog along the Noosa National Park trails.

I'm quietly confident that the Hobie guys will one day gain enlightenment...


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## Sunhobie (Jun 22, 2006)

BillyBob, I agree with *nearly* every thing you said :wink: 
(well the first bit anyway)


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## Billybob (Aug 29, 2005)

So it begins....


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## Guest (Nov 24, 2006)

Billybob said:


> Dallas, my expeience with paddling is the opposite.
> 
> Paddling is excellent exercise for your back, if you have the right paddle technique and posture, as it strengthens the abdominal muscles.
> 
> ...


Heya Billybob 

Hehe.....thankfully I'm still young and have no trouble (yet!) remaining 'erect' without too much effort :lol:

Everyone is built differently as well I guess......I have had a few problems with upper and lower back pain after some intense paddling sessions.

This could be a combination of things, as I am a regular gym goer and occasionally aggrevate my back lifting weights.....combined with paddling maybe I am not being as kind as I could be to my body.

I guess my main point was though, that the 'peddling isnt exercise' statement is a bit of a myth.......


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## knot-too-fast (May 21, 2006)

My Cobra FnD is a yak I am very happy with, even though not very popular on this site.

Very stable
Handles rough conditions
More than enough room for equipment
Able to take a side mount motor
Even though regarded as slow, still gets me places with ease
Easy access to storage with rectangular hatch
Not too costly to purchase

As long as we are all happy with our choice of craft lets not turn this thread into a Ford versus Holden thing, after all the kayak is just a vehicle to get us on the water and to our fishing location.


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## Polar (Sep 1, 2005)

I would give the FnD a big wrap as well ,a great boat to start off your Yakking "career" - stability being the big plus - also great for people that do more than fish from them eg: the D for diving.
As far as paddle versus peddle - I prefer paddle because I get a decent upper body workout particularly the abdo core muscle group which helps protect us folk with dodgy backs - I get my lower body workout from walking and peddling a bike - which is better for my dodgy knee because it is a circular action - bloody heck falling apart at 42


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## Waka (Nov 3, 2005)

There are so many variables with this one but I thought I should throw a vote towards the Prowler P13.

Fitted with a rudder this is a great inshore kayak and capable of doing the longer trips if thats your thang.

My last 2 trips have seen the conditions deteriorate and I've headed home into a 15 - 20knot wind, 1m wind chop, had to punch through more than the odd wave and if I didn't have sight of land would have sworn I was heading backwards. Both times the paddle was 3+ks back to the car.

Today was no exception so I got the GPS out and plotted speeds both down wind with following sea and punching into it all the way home. The P13 managed 6.8klms with the wind at my tail and averaged 4.0klms/hr on the home leg heading in to it.

The Prowlers are my vote for 2006

Waka


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## shayned (Jul 12, 2006)

For pure excitement it has to be the Exploder.


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## vertigrator (Jul 25, 2006)

From what I've seen there are two companies leading the way in kayaks designed for fishing, set up with fishing paraphenalia and options to add more. The Hobies and the Ocean Kayaks. If I could have two kayaks I'd choose a Hobie peddle yak for fishing bream and trout and an OK Elite 4.5 for the blue water stuff. The Hobies and Prowlers cover most of the the things on a yak fishermans wishlist.

But the budget doesn't allow 2 yaks so my vote went to the Prowler 13, when I bought that this year. The P13 is the ultimate all rounder. Perfect length for rivers, lakes and sea. Tracks well without rudder and brilliantly with it. Excellent storage options. With all the extra mounting points built in, it is a super design for fishing.


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## simond11 (Aug 29, 2005)

I don't know about "Yak of the Year" award, but I think the Prowler 15 is definitely up there with the big boys when it comes to blue water fishing. An extremely stable fishing platform, very fast and with good storage all-round. I think the problem here is that we try to make our kayaks all rounders. It's a bit like buying a Porsche because you like the speed and then try to take it off-road and expect it to perform. Each one of us specializes in a perticular type of fishing style (freshwater, lake, river, ocean etc) and bought their kayak accordingly. Sure, some models can be used for more than one type of fishing, but essentially they are more suited to either one or the other. All kayaks will do the job they were built for (er..float and move forward), just that some will be better at it.
Enjoyed the thread :wink: 
Cheers

Simon
Prowler 15


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