need boat

make?
model?
size?   (i weigh 200lbs)

I'm also in the market for a new kayak this year and I'm a big guy at 6'3" and 230.After trying a bunch of yaks and doing some research,my two top choices were the Cobra Marauder and the Malibu Kayaks X-Factor.They both are stable and have enough room for a big man while still being acceptably fast.There are faster boats (the Tarpon 160 and OK Prowler come to mind), but I'd sacrifice a bit of speed for increased flotation,stability and storage space.

If you are buying used, make sure there are no holes or leaks (especially below the waterline) in the kayak and don't settle for a "good deal" over getting what you really want.As you get more time on the water you will realize you should have paid a little extra for a boat that fits your needs.

If you are buying new, talk to Sean at Great White Kayaks.He knows his stuff and his boats come in fishing packages so you don't have to do a lot of rigging by yourself to begin with.

If you can, try before you buy! Good luck and welcome to the forum.

don't settle for a "good deal" over getting what you really want.

Amen to that !!! I've seen this happen too many times 

golfsucker,
First, I want to echo what was advised above, "don't settle for a "good deal" over getting what you really want."  You asked for advice and you are probably going to get a lot of it, which is fine, but "try before you buy".  Different yaks have their strengths and weaknesses so it really depends and what kind of fishing you want to do most.  A kayak for long distances on the ocean isn't necessarily what you want for small lakes.  What is important to you?  Is it speed, storage, ease of rigging, stability, etc.?  Listen to what everyone has to say, narrow down some choices, then demo them before you decide.  Good luck and welcome to the sport!!

thank you very much for the advice so far.
i am pretty stoked about being on the water.

sounds like both of you guys are wiling to sacrifice some speed for the stability and storage factors.

I have a couple big game prowlers available for demo/loan  if you want to try it.

super stable, tons of room, and, yes, a bit slow.

Allen

how much do you want for one of your boats?
thanks for the resonse.

I think you should buy the best boat possible...if you have the money to buy new, then you should buy a sweet new kayak.
But...if you're just lookin to get out on the water...buy the first good deal that comes along; there is nothing wrong with that. Test it out, see how you like it---if so, then sweet you just got a good deal. If you don't like it, then just sell it for the same price you paid (it was a good deal, right? Maybe even sell it for more than you paid!)

I got mine on here for 300 bucks w/rod holders. Then went to MBK's annual sale and got a seat, paddle, PFD, and wetsuit for $100 even.

You should be scouring craigslist (check all of the different regions---SF Bay, Monterey, Fresno, etc etc). Also contact local shops/retailers to see if they have an annual sale in which they sell used or demo kayaks. Most shops have a demo day or a deal where you can try out multiple kayaks so you will have a better idea of which kayak you like best.

Good luck dude,
PK

(the Tarpon 160 and OK Prowler come to mind), but I'd sacrifice a bit of speed for increased flotation,stability and storage space

I think it really depends on the kind of fishing you'll be doing and what type of fisherman you are.  Are you a minimalist or do you like to take along everything including the kitchen sink.

Speed:

People consistently believe that top end speed is important.  I like to look at it a different way.  Speed, to me, means "ease of paddling through the water".  Rarely am I concerned about how fast my boat is (though it's pretty damn fast).  What's more important to me is how easy it is to keep at a nice trolling speed, or how much effort I have to expend to get the yak up to speed after stopping.  These are the two situations you will find yourself in 95% of the time... and these are the two situations that will tire you out the most quickly (starting after a stop being the worst).  The long and short, "speed" IS important.  Wider boats are slower and will require more paddling effort for the same amount of "work" meaning you're going to get tired faster than JTF and his rocketship.

Flotation and Stability:

All kayaks float... some float higher than others.  A high floating boat raises your center of gravity and is not nearly as "stable" as a boat with a CG closer to the water.  Granted a higher boat might keep you dryer, but high and dry comes with some POTENTIAL safety trade-offs... it's just physics.  Besides, we're always out in waders or wetsuits anyway, unless you're lake fishing... and then it's probably so hot you WANT to get wet.  The stability issues have been beaten to death in other threads.

Storage:

I assume by "storage space" you mean weight capacity.  I weigh 250... my Tarpon's supposed to carry 375.  There is no way in hell I'm going to carry another 125 pounds of gear and fish.  Fo-get-a-bout-it.  I might have 10-25 pounds of gear max, depending on the species.  That leaves about a hundred pounds for everything else.  I catch a big fish (here sturgy, sturgy) I'm dragging it in.  Now, six hundred pounds of capacity sure sounds nice, and I'm sure there are people out there who use it, but it's going to be on VERY rare occasions.

Just my $0.02.

Backslider

Let me try this again,
I'm also looking for a new yak (3rd) but I need to sell off my Drifter angler first, no extra storage space. It has what started out to be a small leak but got larger as time went on. I went back to where I purchased it and after a non- visual description of the defect, they told me they where not sure it would be warranty work. They also told me it would take awhile to get to since they were in the middle of Ski season (they also rent ski gear during the winter). I tried one more time to get them to take the yak in under warranty or not with no luck. I just seen the good folks over at Kayak connection in Santa Cruz Saturday and I dropped off my yak for repair, demo'ed the big game which I love, went fishing off Capitola pier and returned to pick up my repaired yak for less than $30 in the same day. The moral to my story is; there is a lot to be said for smaller kayak only dealers verses large sporting good chains or even smaller multi purpose outfits.

If you are looking for a used yak, like I said earlier, I need to sell mine before I can get a new one. It is penty stable for a guy my size (I'm being kind at 230 Lbs) and cruises along pretty well. It is pretty light so you can carry it around very well on your own. If your interested, drop me a line and you can also talk with Golden at Kayak connection in Santa Cruz, they did my repair and can describe my yak. It is the dark green drifter angler I had repaired Saturday. It will be going on Craigslist tonight for $550, but to the NCKA members $400 including rod holder and seat.