Which kayak for a smaller girl?

I find my prowler 13 to be quite sea worthy.

But, on the matter of width, being short I use a 240 paddle to not have to reach excessively.

Pat and Allen,

I consider things like speed, and ability to handle following seas when the paddler is tired a great part of being seaworthy. So would you do a 15 mile day for Salmon in a P13? How about it's ability to handle 4-5 foot swell and 2-3 foot chop, both coming from a rear quarter?  Don't get me wrong, I really like the P13, and it would be at the very top of my freshwater list. But I know that if I get in the salt, that I'm going to be pushing pretty hard at the P13's capabilities. YMMV.

Scott

I'll defer to those that paddle the P13 regularly.  I did have the one in a 2-3 foot windchop following sea and didn't notice any issues.  So I'm curious, what did you notice about the P13 in a following sea?  And have you noticed this in a P15?

-Allen

We often head in with greater than 6 foot seas chasing us.  I had my p13 at Elk as well.  I've never had an issue.  Randy and I only fish freshwater one time a year.  All of the rest is ocean.

I have spent many days chasing salmon in this boat.  The longest day was 8 miles plus.  I would like a tad bit more cruise for that activity, but my lack of salmon wasn't due to the boat.......at least I don't think so.

Well, thank you all for your opinions and suggestions!! You are a very helpful group of people. We are off to Paddlefest to try some out...I will let you know what she goes with in the end.

-Michael

For those of you who were at the Elk Tourney this year I think you will agree the seas were a little less than cooperative.
My girlfriend Becky paddled her P13 in thise seas with no problems at all. It is quite a seaworthy vessel.
Someone mentioned a 15 mile paddle in an earlier post. You have to be realistic when making your decision. Will the buyer really be making a 15 mile paddle?? How often will something like that occur? Get which ever kayak suits 95% of what you will be doing.

Well, after paddling a perfect glass morning on Saturday and then a choppy afternoon, she fell is love with the P13. She paddled several boats, some twice. She was so excited that we had to stop at the shop on the way home and pick it up!!! Thank you all for all the info and for a great day at Coyote. I look forward to seeing you all on the water and sharing some fun times together. I am off to pick up a Cobra Maurader XF for myself now

Awesome, Mike!  Great choice and glad she felt so comfortable and enjoyed it.  Hope you like your XF as well!

Keep an eye on hookups postings if you are heading out, and make some yourself if you wish.  NCKAers are a very welcoming and knowledgeable and fun bunch to fish and dive with!

If a girl gets to falling in love with anything besides me and herself, I think a P13 would be the next best thing!   

You are funny Craig.  I think we may head out to Del Valle this weekend to get a little more familiar with the new yaks. I am sure we will be hooking up with some people here. It seems like just my type of crowd here. I am excited to do some fishing. I would love to catch a halibut or something big like that. Abalone diving will be cool out of the yak as well....endless possibilities!

-Michael

Tote,

I don't necessarily think that Mike's girlfriend will be doing 15 miles, but the faster, more efficient boats ability to do so is one of the reasons I consider it more seaworthy than a P13. And it's not that hard to do 15 miles.  Paddle out of Moss 4 miles, troll 4-5 hours at 1.5-2 mph, paddle back in. Or do the same in the Linda Mar or Duxbury area. Outings like these are why I'd really like a more efficient boat than the P13 in my offshore arsenal.

As for Elk, it was certainly big out there, but it was also pretty easy, in that the winds were light. How would the P13 have faired with whitecaps on   top of that swell?

Lastly, there have been two shark attacks on kayaks in the Red Triangle. Both of them in shorter kayaks with the longer of the two being a 12 foot SOT. I think it a Very Good Thing to look just a bit larger than what appears regularly on the landlords menu.


Regards,
Scott

Tote,

I don't necessarily think that Mike's girlfriend will be doing 15 miles, but the faster, more efficient boats ability to do so is one of the reasons I consider it more seaworthy than a P13. And it's not that hard to do 15 miles.  Paddle out of Moss 4 miles, troll 4-5 hours at 1.5-2 mph, paddle back in. Or do the same in the Linda Mar or Duxbury area. Outings like these are why I'd really like a more efficient boat than the P13 in my offshore arsenal.

As for Elk, it was certainly big out there, but it was also pretty easy, in that the winds were light. How would the P13 have faired with whitecaps on   top of that swell?

Lastly, there have been two shark attacks on kayaks in the Red Triangle. Both of them in shorter kayaks with the longer of the two being a 12 foot SOT. I think it a Very Good Thing to look just a bit larger than what appears regularly on the landlords menu.


Regards,
Scott

So I think you've pretty much eliminated any 13' and under boat for your tastes.  Which yaks would make your list?  What do you paddle?

-Allen