Wide or Narrow? Long or Short?

Is a wider kayak better then a narrow one and is shorter better then longer? So what would be the advantage?  I'm looking at a Hobie Outback and Revolution? Is there any members that have those models and how do they like it?

yakman

Welcome to the MaDNeSs

A wider shorter kayak is much better for staying in one place.  A longer narrower kayak is much better for getting somewhere.  Figuring out the balance for your fishing is the fun part.

Hobie guys wanna chime in here with details on the models?

Allen

in my limited hobie time i would say they peddle great and paddle bad, this was an outback. i rum a t13 and i am a big guy 6'1" 250 and it paddles as good as my t15 and is more maneuverable.  it comes down to what you want to do i can fish mine from a river to the ocean.

If you don't mind the speed, I would recommend the Outback for its stability and
lots of deck room. Now if speed is what you are looking for, go with the Revo.
I would also recommend that you try both kayaks and see which would serve its
purpose for you. I have the Outback myself and  I am very satisfied with it. Hope
it helps a little. Good luck on your selection. If you are interested on how I went
about my modification and such, PM me and I'll be gladly share what I have done
with mine. Oh, welcome to the madness!

Jedmo

If you stick with the 2 you're thinking about then you're half way there, but there are a ton of different suitable yaks out there, try out several if you have any doubts at all about what you want. Demo Days are coming in the spring, great place to try out a variety of yaks in one place.


Welcome, you have come to the right place for info and camaraderie

Dale L

wELcomEtoThemADDness!!!!!!!!
Most of what you want to know you probably already read here, however I would also suggest that while you test peddle the two you have been looking at take some time to pull the pedals out and actually paddle them.
I have heard of a few guys damaging the drive system and having to paddle home. Also you can't peddle backwards so you should be sure you are comfortable paddling it not just peddling,
Hope you enjoy the process,

Eric

Not sure I could add too much more to the thread but the easy way to look at it is:
Longer equals fast but not as stable
Wider equals slow but is as stable as a table
It's a balance of how much of each which gets what works for you.

Since the Outback is a tough paddle while the Revo is quite a good one it gets higher points in my book. Still, some swear by the Outback. But the real way to figure it all out is to ask yourself where you'll be fishing most of the time (short hauls=short yaks, long hauls=long yaks) and then get out there and try 'em out.

Have fun!

Z
 

If you want to peddle, get a bike. If you want to kayak get an Ocean Kayak. I have a scupper proTW and its a fast boat at just under 15ft. Only 26 inches wide so its not the boat for a big guy but fast a stable enough for me in the ocean(5-11 175lbs). It was not the boat for me to be hangin' on anchor with a rippin' outgo. So I bought a trident 15 which is a very stable boat.( see fishing report 1-10-09 China Camp decoded). I am just kidding about the Hobies. I have a bad left knee and I peddled one all day at clear lake and it was at just the right angle to put the serious hurt on it, all day.The ocean kayak angler models are all decked out, wide and stable. I think if you are going to do a lot of river and ocean and you can afford two kayaks, oh shisser now your problems are doubled.

If you want to peddle, get a bike. If you want to kayak get an Ocean Kayak. I have a scupper proTW and its a fast boat at just under 15ft.

I can go faster...

Z

is shorter better then longer?

Good luck with an answer on that.

For months I've asked for a cogent speed assessment between the T13 and T15 to no avail. No one can can quantify it any further than to say the 15 is faster (Duh). Or if you're real lucky you might get the cursory "paddle them yourself" response. Very strange that this is the extent of expert opinion here.

Sorry for the confusion,
The main problem could be in the question.
To say something is BETTER would depend on the actual usage.
For me at 6'2" and 245lbs the T-15 is BETTER for traveling, yet for my son at 5'6" and 125lbs the T-11 is BETTER for him to handle,
Than again for me in the tight confines of the river the T-13 is actually BETTER and for him the caper is BETTER when at camp and using as a dive platform.
As every angler has different needs the best and most professional advise any person could give would be to paddle and see what fits your personal needs. Any other advise would be based on their own personal usage and could cause more confusion 

Sorry for the confusion,
The main problem could be in the question.
To say something is BETTER would depend on the actual usage.

Never ask which was better. The question has simply been for a speed comparison between the two in similar conditions. Yeah, obviously the 15 is faster but what are we talking about, an extra minute per mile? Does the 15 smoke a 13 with an average effort? Is a 15 noticeably faster on an average rockfish trip?

The problem is that none of the OK dealers here in the SLO area have a Trident in stock. They're small shops that sell out in Sept. and don't restock till March. Crazy as it sounds I may have to buy one online w/o a test drive as the bottom of my present fishing yak is getting downright risky.

But the real way to figure it all out is to ask yourself where you'll be fishing most of the time

To say something is BETTER would depend on the actual usage.

I'm with Zee and Yakhopper on this one.  What kind of water do you see yourself on?

And I'm a Hobie guy myself, but be careful about limiting yourself.  I'd try some other makers too.

Michael

OK,
For myself on the local lake (Pine Flat) in January with no wind
the T-15 will cruse at 3.2 mph (GPS) and the T-13 with same conditions and effort will cruse at 2.9 mph (GPS). This was with a 15 minute session per yak and 3 alternating sessions each.
This is as precise as I could be, but again remember that varying factors will result in different outcomes and it would still be best to try before you buy.
Eric

OK,
For myself on the local lake (Pine Flat) in January with no wind
the T-15 will cruse at 3.2 mph (GPS) and the T-13 with same conditions and effort will cruse at 2.9 mph (GPS). This was with a 15 minute session per yak and 3 alternating sessions each.
This is as precise as I could be, but again remember that varying factors will result in different outcomes and it would still be best to try before you buy.
Eric

AWESOME 

Exactly the objective data I was looking for.

/threadjacking