Is a 8.5' sit-on-top kayak good enough for near shore ocean?

There are always a bunch of tandems around - they are such a pain to store and transport, haha. 

I wouldn't take my Lifetime in the ocean - I don't think that is the right boat for that environment.  It is super stable in calm water.  The only kayak I've ever been able to stand and cast from, and it is super roomy for the paddlers, but doesn't have much storage.  But it is wide and slow, doesn't track very well, and I've never tested the secondary stability, so it might capsize easily once tipped a little ways.  Plus, the center hatch doesn't seem super watertight; the lid is more of a splashguard, and it opens right into the hull. 

The Perception is a great compromise in size and capability.  It is pretty roomy for a kayak with regular foamy strap seats, tracks straight, paddles easily, and it is pretty fast.  Solo, I can paddle the Tribe faster than I can pedal my fishing kayak.  With my and my oldest son (14, about 120lbs) we can really move in that thing. 

I forgot to mention earlier, my fishing kayak is only 10.5ft.  I go in the ocean occasionally, and usually feel a little under gunned.  Sometimes the currents in the bay give me a good run for my money - it pays to stay fit, haha.  I've learned to work my plan around the tide.  It is PERFECT for striper trolling upriver, as well as any lake fishing.  When I don't want to carry a bunch of stuff, and won't be fighting a significant current or headwind, it works very well.  My normal pedal cadence is about 2kts, which is just right for a rattle trap or umbrella rig for stripers or Rapala J5 for trout. 

 

There are also multiple tandems listed.

There is a perception 13.5 tandem in Portola district. Looks a little sun faded. One to check out in person for condition. 300.00 bucks

Thanks I will check out CL and FB Marketplace too.  The thing with buying used kayaks is I can't test if there is any leaks or other issues, or if a scratch is about to become an opening.  How do people go about evaluating used kayaks?  And any fair value guideline?

There seems to be two kinds of used kayaks out there - ones that sat in a garage, and ones that sat in the back yard.  Not many that got used regularly, haha.  Garaged ones are easy to spot because they are usually super clean.  Nice and bright plastic, bungees in good shape still, hatches nice and tight. 

I think the big things to look for are deep scratches on the bottom and cracks (especially around scupper holes).  Sun faded areas can get brittle, so look for cracks there too.  Push in on those areas - that can help show cracks.  If it seems solid, and doesn't have any give or create any cracks, it is probably fine.  Bungees get sun-rot too, as well as the plastic hooks and pad-eyes.  Mostly cosmetic.  Sometimes a grab handle gets cracked or the nylon frays and fails - for me always when 300 yards from the car still, haha.  Hatches can either get loose or get seized, good idea to pop open any hatches just to see if it opens easily and seals properly.  Seats get weathered too, check for fraying/bunching/foam degradation and broken snaps and buckles. 

Just some stuff that I've seen on used plastic kayaks, I am sure others will have more to mention also. 

When I started kayaking I took classes, California Canoe and Kayak, they have a school in Redwood City.

I was able to try different kayaks.  They may offer rentals.

I used a 10.5’ kayak for a couple of years when I first started. I mostly fished in Capitola and New Brighton (before the sharks took over). The kelp there is close to shore, and as long as you don’t have far to go, almost anything will work.

      

I had a drive over while freediving down 50-60’ at pigeon and came up and paddled quietly to shore. Shortly after a guy was eaten there in front of his partner. Look a little to the south and you can see Ano Nuevo which explains that.

https://www.sharkattackfile.net/spreadsheets/pdf_directory/1984.09.15-Conger_Collier.pdf

Omar Conger - I committed his name to memory many years ago when I was diving often at Pigeon Point, Franklin Point and once at Ano Nuevo in the early 90's.  Pulled some nice abs around there.

I agree with the advice you've received here.  Pigeon and Bean Hollow aren't places to be at all cavalier with your entry into offshore fishing on kayaks.  The shark issue isn't as much of a potential threat as the wind, currents and possibly having to land in surf even if you launched when it was nice.

I miss abalone diving a lot, but I don't miss diving in open water around those locations much!

Find a place to rent a tandem, like Moss Landing or Monterey from  Monterey Bay Kayak Co and take them out and see how they like it.  If they cant wait to do it again, buy something.  If not, plan on renting again when they are wanting to go 

First kayak I bought was a used one from HMB kayaks.  Paid something like $400.  It was a the Brusurf tandem (https://brusurf.com/collections/kayaks/products/tandem-kayak), which worked equally well as a tandem and as a single (actually has 3 seat positions).  I only used it for one season, as I pretty quickly started to have pedal-kayak envy, but it was super useful to take one boy out at a time and as a single.

I think HMB kayak still has some of them and you could check if they are selling any.

First kayak I bought was a used one from HMB kayaks.  Paid something like $400.  It was a the Brusurf tandem (https://brusurf.com/collections/kayaks/products/tandem-kayak), which worked equally well as a tandem and as a single (actually has 3 seat positions).  I only used it for one season, as I pretty quickly started to have pedal-kayak envy, but it was super useful to take one boy out at a time and as a single.

I think HMB kayak still has some of them and you could check if they are selling any.

Very similar to my story too.  I fished the Perception Tribe tandem solo for about 18 months before finally buying a pedal kayak. 

First kayak I bought was a used one from HMB kayaks.  Paid something like $400.  It was a the Brusurf tandem (https://brusurf.com/collections/kayaks/products/tandem-kayak), which worked equally well as a tandem and as a single (actually has 3 seat positions).  I only used it for one season, as I pretty quickly started to have pedal-kayak envy, but it was super useful to take one boy out at a time and as a single.

I think HMB kayak still has some of them and you could check if they are selling any.

I'm fairly certain HMB Kayak also sells pedal kayaks now.  He got his hands on some Hobie-style knock-offs that are pretty inexpensive.

Is there any minimum size for going into ocean to fish?

 

no

Adam helm is a member here and the guy to speak with about possibly purchasing a kayak from Monterey bay kayaks.

Is there any minimum size for going into ocean to fish?

 

no

 No minimum size on the gray matter either

Good one!

Is there any minimum size for going into ocean to fish?

 

no

 No minimum size on the gray matter either

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