# kayak vs canoe



## john warren

let me start by saying i am 62 and come with all the aches pains stiffness and such that includes.
i have a lot of experiance with canoes, none with kayaks.

we travel a lot pulling a camper trailer with my pick up and i would like to be able to take something along to go fishing in the mornings. as i generaly get up about 4 a.m. and my wife sleeps in till 8 or 9.

now i believe i can fish nicely out of a kayak, but wonder about comfort.
i picture it to be about like sitting on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. thats fine for a little while,,, but i'm thinking an hour or two into it and i would need the jaws of life to get me out of the darn thing.

so my main question here is , which is more comfortable to be sitting in for a couple hours. the canoe, (at least you can move around and adjust your legs a bit) , or a kayak?

the kayak of course would be easier to carry in the back of the truck. the canoe would be a bit more of an issue. but not much.
i am leaning heavily towards the canoe, just because its a known thing to me.


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## BushwhackDave

Love my canoe. I'm only 32 , but it's easy for me to throw on my back and put on my SUV. Plenty of room for my gear, my 2 boys, cooler, whatever. I've been in a kayak only once and didn't like it. I felt too confined. I vote canoe.

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## john warren

thanks dave, sort of the way i was looking at it, having my legs trapped under a deck while being upside down fighting a muskie on ultralight tackle,, sort of frightens me.:yikes:


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## Itchin2fish

I'm with you. A canoe makes me stiff and sore after a half day float but thats to be expected. I stand so I can fish. Cant' really do that in a kayak, even if its for a little bit. Can carry way more gear in a canoe, and I feel very safe in a canoe. The few times I have been in a kayak, it seemes really tippy to me.

Kayak portages easier with two, but that means two trips across the portage. 

I've ported a canoe myself wearing a backpack full of gear. No fun but much faster that double tripping. Canoe makes a better shelter if you have to crawl into it, and tough out a storm.

Good luck, I think you need to recruit a support crew memeber and let them carry the boat.


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## old professor

Check out a sit-on-top fishing kayak. Wal-Mart is selling one for $450 that I am considering buying. I have owned a kayak that my legs were inside-under the deck- and I had difficulty getting out of it. Got rid of it for that reason. Also check out outriggers for stability. Outriggers are available for both canoes and kayaks. I had them for a square stern canoe and would not be without them, considering my age and disabilities.


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## spy1o1

If you have at least $700- $1000 to spend I would go with a kayak. Cheap kayaks suck for comfort. 

I have a Wilderness Systems Ride and love it for fishing. Has a comfortable seat that you can adjust. It is more stable than a canoe and it is self bailing if you take a big wave. I only sit down when trolling or moving spots. Other than that I stand up to fish.

There's a lot of other kayaks on the market too that are great for fishing. Jackson, Hobie, ocean kayak etc... most of them have really comfortable seats. Native have some canoe/kayak hybrids that awesome.


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## sgc

John Warren, I'm exactly in the same situation as you, including the age. I like sitting up & that's why I prefer the canoe, however, the wind effects the canoe more and it is harder to travel with than a kayak. I need to try a sit-on kayak rather than a sit-in to see if I like it better. For now, though, I think I have to stick with a canoe.


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## john warren

sgc said:


> John Warren, I'm exactly in the same situation as you, including the age. I like sitting up & that's why I prefer the canoe, however, the wind effects the canoe more and it is harder to travel with than a kayak. I need to try a sit-on kayak rather than a sit-in to see if I like it better. For now, though, I think I have to stick with a canoe.


 i imagine you know to turn the canoe around and paddle it backwards to move your center of gravity forward so its not up in the wind as much.
but yes thats always a concern , though i am prety good at dealing with it.
my concern with the sit on top is mostly that its virtualy the same thing as a canoe, but not as comfortable of a sitting position. i could be wrong there as i never sat on one. also looks like you will get wetter, which in cool weather isn't very pleasant.
as to cost, well i'm seeing several canoe's on craigslist for 2 -3 hundred which would work fine.and a new ramx can be had for under 5.
but cost isn't critical.
interesting thoughts and i appreciate it


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## john warren

spy1o1 said:


> If you have at least $700- $1000 to spend I would go with a kayak. Cheap kayaks suck for comfort.
> 
> I have a Wilderness Systems Ride and love it for fishing. Has a comfortable seat that you can adjust. It is more stable than a canoe and it is self bailing if you take a big wave. I only sit down when trolling or moving spots. Other than that I stand up to fish.
> 
> There's a lot of other kayaks on the market too that are great for fishing. Jackson, Hobie, ocean kayak etc... most of them have really comfortable seats. Native have some canoe/kayak hybrids that awesome.


it's not so much the seats as the leg position for us gentlemen of a certain age, we stiffen up if we can't move around a bit. i'll look at these and see what i think. sort of wish there was a big test tank somewhere that had all the different types to try out.
i know basspro has a pond set up for the spring fishing event they do where you can try some out. oh i saw the hobie with the peddle /paddle mechanism,,,that was interesting.


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## john warren

old professor said:


> Check out a sit-on-top fishing kayak. Wal-Mart is selling one for $450 that I am considering buying. I have owned a kayak that my legs were inside-under the deck- and I had difficulty getting out of it. Got rid of it for that reason. Also check out outriggers for stability. Outriggers are available for both canoes and kayaks. I had them for a square stern canoe and would not be without them, considering my age and disabilities.


 i am very comfortable in a canoe, though i do have a sail that would be fun if i built some outriggers.


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## 2508speed

I'm the same age as you John. I have both a kayak and a canoe. My kayak is a sit on top with a seat with adjustable backrest. You will not be able to fish out of it without getting wet. Ok for summertime, but not a good platform for the cooler months. My canoe is a 16' fiberglass and a much better boat for fishing out of. Not as tippy and you can move around better. Now to float down the Ausable I'll take the kayak hands down.


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## Hauptmann6

They do make canoes that paddle like a kayak from the center, but otherwise it's a canoe. They are smaller so they shouldn't be any different to haul or carry than a kayak.

I'm half your age, and 3 hours is all I can do in my yak.


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## Zofchak

john warren said:


> let me start by saying i am 62 and come with all the aches pains stiffness and such that includes.
> i have a lot of experiance with canoes, none with kayaks.
> 
> we travel a lot pulling a camper trailer with my pick up and i would like to be able to take something along to go fishing in the mornings. as i generaly get up about 4 a.m. and my wife sleeps in till 8 or 9.
> 
> now i believe i can fish nicely out of a kayak, but wonder about comfort.
> i picture it to be about like sitting on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. thats fine for a little while,,, but i'm thinking an hour or two into it and i would need the jaws of life to get me out of the darn thing.
> 
> so my main question here is , which is more comfortable to be sitting in for a couple hours. the canoe, (at least you can move around and adjust your legs a bit) , or a kayak?
> 
> the kayak of course would be easier to carry in the back of the truck. the canoe would be a bit more of an issue. but not much.
> i am leaning heavily towards the canoe, just because its a known thing to me.


 My suggestion would be to go try out a couple sit on top kayaks. I think you'll discover very quickly how much more comfortable and user friendly they can be compared to a canoe. With a good stable SOT your legs are not confined at all and you can freely move them just like in a canoe. Even better if you get one of the stable SOT's like WS Ride or Malibu Stealth you can sit side saddle and hang your legs over the side (Not possible in a canoe). Another HUGE advantage of a SOT if the ease of getting in and out of it. You basically just get it into the water just above knee deep and sit down (No balancing act while climbing over the gunnels like in a canoe). SOT kayaks are also safer as you can't really swamp one and with a little practice you can reenter one even while in deep water.


If you just plan on short paddles and small bodies of water I'd take a look at the Malibu Stealth 9ft model. It has a flat floor so you can move your legs around, is quite stable and light enough that one person can easily pick it up and throw it in the back of a truck. If you plan on paddling moderate distances a 12' Malibu Stealth is a good all around fishing kayak, but they are more expensive and more awkward for one person to move around on shore.


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## Zofchak

john warren said:


> sort of wish there was a big test tank somewhere that had all the different types to try out.


 I'm not sure where you are located, but most of the kayak shops set up open houses in the Spring where you can paddle different models. Some will even do so on appointment at other times of the year as well. It really is worth getting one of the well known brands and not skimping with something from a big box store. Although some of the models at the big box retailers are excellent, they just can't offer the support that the kayak shops can.


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## Swamp Monster

People that are claiming you can't stand and/or kayaks are uncomfortable and confining have never been in a real fishing kayak. Today's fishing specific kayaks are incredibly comfortable and stable enough to stand and fish all day. My Native Ultimate has a seat so comfortable I can sit in it 10-12 hours a day without issue. I can adjust the back and I can adjust the lumbar for support on the hips and legs. The Ultimate was designed to stand and flyfish the flats in Florida.....works just as well for Bass in Michigan. Take a look at sit on tops from Native Watercraft, Jackson, and Wilderness systems for stable, safe and comfortable fishing craft.....none of these are in the same class as the bargain big box store kayaks that come with crappy seats. And they will be more stable and safer than almost any canoe.
There is a reason the kayak fishing industry is booming and with a little research it will become apparent quickly.

I love canoes and they will always have a place....for certain situations they are tough to beat. Something elegant about paddling a nice canoe. 

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## multibeard

I bought my first canoe when I was a junior in high school as a project. It was a 17 foot wood canoe that was stripped to the cedar stripping. I got all the fiberglass components from Herters to fiberglass the hull for $29.00 delivered. I split an ash well rod to make new outer gunnels.


It ended up being awful heavy but we have hunted carp out of it with two guys standing up with no problems. I finally had to go to an aluminum canoe due to the heavy weight making it impossible to load it any more.


I have fished many hours out of my canoes with minor discomfort.


I would love to try a kayak but I doubt that I could even get in and out of one with all my physical problems. 


OH to be 30 years younger.


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## 2508speed

My take is the OP is like me. He wants something stable and user friendly. It might just be me but I'm less flexible than I used to be. Give the old men a break! Sound like he just wants to drift around and catch a fish before momma wakes up!lol No doubt kayaks will get you into more fishable waters,but I don't care. it does not matter.


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## Swamp Monster

multibeard said:


> I would love to try a kayak but I doubt that I could even get in and out of one with all my physical problems.
> 
> 
> OH to be 30 years younger.




Nothing easier than a Sit on Top Kayak with a comfortable seat... easier to get into (onto) than a canoe. Check out Hero's on the Water. It's a program to get injured vets out on the water for fishing mental/physical therapy. Guess what they use? Primarily SOT kayaks. 

Here's a pic of my Native seat....it's a mesh suspension seat that can double as a camp chair....it's lazy boy comfortable, even for this fat guy. 


















This kayak is really a Hybrid Kayak/Canoe. Not as fast as a canoe, but more stable and less affected by wind.....and a more comfortable seat! Easy in and out but not quit as easy as a true Sit On Top


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## Swamp Monster

Here's a Native Watercraft Slayer SOT with a great seat and easy to stand and fish...... Track system to mount accessories and you're are fishing in no time!
http://www.nativewatercraft.com/boat.cfm?id=48


Just in case you want to peddle instead of paddle....... Hands free fishing.....
http://www.nativewatercraft.com/boat.cfm?id=52


Wilderness Systems Ride.... built to stand and fish
http://www.wildernesssystems.com/pr..._kayaks/ride_angler_2012/ride_135_angler_2012


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## multibeard

Swamp Monster said:


> Nothing easier than a Sit on Top Kayak with a comfortable seat... easier to get into (onto) than a canoe. Check out Hero's on the Water. It's a program to get injured vets out on the water for fishing mental/physical therapy. Guess what they use? Primarily SOT kayaks.
> 
> Here's a pic of my Native seat....it's a mesh suspension seat that can double as a camp chair....it's lazy boy comfortable, even for this fat guy.
> 
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> This kayak is really a Hybrid Kayak/Canoe. Not as fast as a canoe, but more stable and less affected by wind.....and a more comfortable seat! Easy in and out but not quit as easy as a true Sit On Top


That does look inviting. Just do not know if I could get in and out with out tipping it over. I got rid of a canoe I bought because of the way the seat was I had to put two throwables on the seat to get comfortable. hell to get old and worn out.


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