# Kayak or marsh boat



## MrOcean (Nov 5, 2012)

After Xmas I am going to have some extra cheese and I want to buy a boat that I can get around the marsh in. I've looked into some really nice fishing/hunting kayaks as well as some nice marsh/sneak boats and I dont know what to get. I'm looking at the old town vapor 12 xt kayak with extra large cockpit or a beavertail final attack. I'm torn on what to get. I want something that I can hunt out of in marshy areas as well as get thru the marshes with ease. I also want to use it during the summer time to fish and I don't know if the beavertail is the best craft for that. I need some input. Much thanks for your help.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

I'm not familiar with the beavertail. But I can vouch for my Carsten's Puddler. Perfect boat for one person, some dekes, a gun, etc. Paddles with ease with a kayak paddle, and is very low profile so you can lay back in it and hide in very little cover. Or use it in open water (shallower water that is) as a mini-layout boat. It's light enough for me to carry it with one arm, and it glides along so easily and quietly. In fact I used it on Monday and quietly snuck my way through the marsh in the fog, jumping birds right in my face. 

Now mind you I'm 6', 175 lbs, and it would probably be tight for a larger person. I've never fished out of it, but I can see where it would work very well for that too...you carry A LOT less gear fishing than duck hunting.


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## Branta (Feb 6, 2002)

way different boats, near opposite sides of the spectrum really in marsh craft.

you can't beat a Kayak for speed and ease of tracking through shallow cover.

stating the obvious here, but they're super tippy.


final attack is a super stable craft that doesn't track that well. the best way I can describe the differences here would be this;

a kayak would be akin to pushing a 8' plank of 12" board. pushes right along with minimal effort.

now take a sheet of plywood and try pushing that acorss the water. takes more effort. but you could probably float a dog on top of that sheet doing it.


so with a kayak paddle, you can scoot right along in the Kayak , but with the attack, you're not going anywhere fast. same if you throw a trolling motor on it (again, remember you're pushing water, not cutting)

so if I was looking for a duck boat first and something I wouldn't mind actually shooting out of... Final Attack.

something that I need to trek a distance, then get out to hunt but lord NO... I won't shoot out of , then a Kayak.
~~~~~~~~~~

going to throw out a couple of other options for your debate

Carsten Puddler or Pintail would beat both of those options above. track well, super stable.

or the Phantom boat. very much like a open kayak, but has a catalina type bottom for added stability.

i've used one to bow fish out of , so it's infinitely more stable than a kayak , has a dry box on the back and an integrated, layout style backrest & foot pegs , so you can hunt right out of it.


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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)

I love my final attack. It's a great boat to shoot out off. I don't paddle it much anywhere. I have had a troller on it and worked great but cramped for room with a big battery. If batt is small enough you can jam in in the back out if the way. I can easily pull it around dry ground or water. I use it as a layout in shallow calm bays for divers. Mine has a removable fast grass blind with layout doors to disappear in the marsh. Give me pm or I can send number to tell u pros and cons of it to save typing. I don't use it a lot this time of year, so if you want to borrow it and test it first hand contact me.


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## jonesy16 (Sep 19, 2011)

http://nativewatercraft.com/boat.cfm?id=7

I've been eyeing one of these up.....I think it should fit me, I'm worried the puddler will be too short for my tallness.....I've got lots of leg to fold up. I am going to demo one this spring before I purchase it.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Branta said:


> way different boats, near opposite sides of the spectrum really in marsh craft.
> 
> you can't beat a Kayak for speed and ease of tracking through shallow cover.
> 
> ...


all good points. Yes, a kayak will get you a lot farther a lot quicker. But since he said "I want something that I can hunt out of in marshy areas as well as get thru the marshes with ease", I would pretty much rule out a conventional kayak due to the instability. Due to the wider cockpit and body, I love the stability of the puddler, and I'm always amazed how easily it paddles loaded down. Doesn't track quite as true as a kayak will, but heck on Monday I would paddle once or twice, then glide and prepare for a bird to jump in front of me. I probably covered at least a mile that morning...and I'm an old dude :yikes: It was really a fun hunt. I'm sure there may be a better boat out there, but I'm very satisfied with the puddler.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

jonesy16 said:


> http://nativewatercraft.com/boat.cfm?id=7
> 
> I've been eyeing one of these up.....I think it should fit me, I'm worried the puddler will be too short for my tallness.....I've got lots of leg to fold up. I am going to demo one this spring before I purchase it.


You're right Matt...you are one tall SOB! But give my puddler a try. C'mon out and sit in it in the yard, or we'll take it to sleepy hollow and screw around.


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## Branta (Feb 6, 2002)

that's a nice offer from SS there - take him up on it.

(lord, the money I could've saved over the years if I could've tested stuff first!)



Jonesy - look at the Pintail. ample cockpit, easy to shoot/lay out in and it's 14' as well. think it weighs 110# if I remember correctly.


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## Brown duck (Dec 16, 2005)

jonesy16 said:


> http://nativewatercraft.com/boat.cfm?id=7
> 
> I've been eyeing one of these up.....I think it should fit me, I'm worried the puddler will be too short for my tallness.....I've got lots of leg to fold up. I am going to demo one this spring before I purchase it.


I'm a kayaker, and I've always said that if I didn't get the deal on my boat (Mad River Canoe Synergy 12') that I did, I'd have gotten a Native. My boat is not at all tippy for a kayak, and I think the Native is even more stable.

I hunt from my kayak, well, that is, I use it to get me where I'm going in the marsh. I take my gun, 3 doz dekes, and a pail filled with my supplies with minimal problems. It's tan in color, so it blends in well with dead cattails - I don't make any special effort to hide it behind me and have never had a duck flare on it that I'm aware of. No room for a dog, and I've been eyeing up small sleds to get more dekes out, but other than that, I've been very happy with it. Not saying there's nothing better, just trying to provide some input.

This is my boat - the open areas in the front and back are definite musts!


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## Smallmouth Chaser (May 17, 2009)

I have a Carstens Pintail. I fish it all summer and hunt all fall. It is a great boat, it tracks straight and has plenty of room for what ever you want to do. 

I used mine as a layout this morning and despite the fog ended up with a few buffies & a goose.

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## john warren (Jan 25, 2005)

ok have no idea as i am just thining about getting into goose hunting, and maybe duck, does a canoe work? they seem so flexible, can do sop much.
meanwhile i have a nice little flat bottom 12 foot row boat that can tuck nicely into catails and reeds i guess,


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

john warren said:


> ok have no idea as i am just thining about getting into goose hunting, and maybe duck, does a canoe work? they seem so flexible, can do sop much.
> meanwhile i have a nice little flat bottom 12 foot row boat that can tuck nicely into catails and reeds i guess,


Canoes have their place. I have one of those as well. But if/when you really get into duck hunting, if you start expanding your horizons to the many different places you can hunt (bigger water, smaller water, ponds, marshes, rivers, etc.) you'll soon realize that there is no "one boat fits all" for duck hunting. Different situations require different gear, including different boats. Just depends on what/where you intend to hunt.


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## brookies101 (Jun 23, 2008)

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11544093

This is what I have used this year. Very sturdy, and gets me and all my gear through some pretty shallow stuff.... Great for fishing too...

But as justducky pointed out, a bigger boat seems to have its place and time as well. I plan on getting a BUNCH more decoys between now and next season, so I'm thinking its time to doctor up my 12' flatbottom. Needs some runners on the bottom and a nice paintjob. Anyone recommend a guy in my area?


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

brookies101 said:


> ....thinking its time to doctor up my 12' flatbottom. Needs some runners on the bottom and a nice paintjob. Anyone recommend a guy in my area?


PM Shiawassee Kid. He and his dad do a ton of 'em, and they're not far from you (St. Charles)


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## charcoal300zxtt (Sep 8, 2011)

I would take a look at the SPORTSPAL canoes.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

charcoal300zxtt said:


> I would take a look at the SPORTSPAL canoes.


They also have their purpose. Buddy has one that we use once in a while. But don't try to just paddle one...like pushing a barge! They work well with a little kicker motor though.


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## Hammer62 (Oct 20, 2010)

I have an Otter Outdoors Stealth that I just love. 2 men & decoys is tight but it is a great little boat and goes anywhere. I have a small trolling motor that moves it along pretty well when not using the kayak padel


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## jonesy16 (Sep 19, 2011)

It's correct....there is no one boat fits all for waterfowl.....soon your significant other will wonder why you have sooo many boats! They just don't understand!

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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

jonesy16 said:


> It's correct....there is no one boat fits all for waterfowl.....soon your significant other will wonder why you have sooo many boats! They just don't understand!
> 
> posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


ha ha. Yeah that's why my boats stay out in the pole barn...all four of them ...she doesn't go there too often.


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## Timber (Jan 1, 2009)

OK lots of great advice here, but can the cartson puddler or pintail transport a dog and all the necessities? Been thinking about getting something for hunting some beaver flooding. Would these boat be good for this purpose.

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