Is a 10ft kayak suitable for fishing in the ocean?

Perhaps a Hobie i11s or i12s if space is that much of an issue?

Have you considered overhead storage in your garage?  As to the weight issue, by the time you put a motor with battery as well as fishing gear and your body, I seems to me that would be maxing out the weight limit on a ten footer.

It's a shared garage in an apartment building, so I can't drill any holes or anything permanent like that.

Even the larger Torqeedos are only 34lbs. That puts the load at 184 before fishing gear. That's less than many people weigh by themselves. I also like to keep my gear simple so I don't bring a ton of tackle.

I would carry more tackle before I carry pedals and a electric motor and battery...  Just my pov, but I feel like theres a lot of compromise going on here and it may not be the best move to act if you're restricted so much by this..  Having a good hull is a make or break variable to the whole rest of the equation. Is the 10 foot inflatable working for you still?  Have you looked at maybe a Revo 11 or maybe an outback? at 11 and 12 feet it might be practical to fit in your parking area.

Yeah, it's a compromise for sure, but the alternative is don't have a kayak.

I'm going to borrow a friend's 13' tandem to see if I can squeeze it in my space. It would have to lean against a metal storage cabinet, and I'd worry about the hull deforming in the long run. Maybe I can build some sort of cradle that attaches to the cabinet. I can drill into the cabinet because I own it.

I wonder how much of a difference 2-3 feet will really make of big mamma decides to come for you?

I wonder how much of a difference 2-3 feet will really make of big mamma decides to come for you?

20-30%?

Like EK said, if you were 5’ tall and 100 pounds soaking wet, a 10’ kayak might suffice.

Honestly, I believe a kayak that short lacks sufficient waterline and rocker to handle ocean conditions outside of protected bays. Over the years, I’ve done it in 9’ and 10’ yaks of three different mfrs, and it could be sketchy. I am 6’ tall and well nourished, so YMMV.

Boats of that length typically lack storage space and don’t glide well either. You can do it, make it work. Could get sketchy or worse - and you ARE going to be buying a longer boat anyway. Perhaps the key is finding somewhere else (hello, NCKA?) where you could store it since your garage situation is tenuous. Get a 13’ if at all possible.

WTTM.

What are the dimensions of your garage? Could you possibly hang it from the ceiling? Maybe diagonal? I am sure this is something you have considered. Sucks you don't have more space

Almost everything has been mentioned. In good later summer weather & close in, a 10 footer is OK for a lighter person. Do consider the width.  Big different in stability between a 28 -29 inch beam and 32 - 34 inch beam

if you have height, I once stored a 14' kayak vertically in my tiny apartment.
I strapped it upright along the stairs to the loft.
where there's a will.....

I originally bought a 10ft sit-inside kayak with the intention of enjoying it on the lakes and river and dabbling around some protected areas of the ocean. Then some friends took me out abalone diving and I fell in love with the ocean. I rigged it up for fishing and used that kayak for numerous outings in the SF bay, crabbing @ Muir, abalone diving in Van Damme, and chasing some salmon. I have recently upgraded to a Revo 13, but I have some fond memories in that 10ft. Looking back, there were times I definitely pushed things further than I should have and I gained a lot of respect for the ocean in that kayak. Space is an issue and trying to haul 4 crab nets through the break is a challenge. I was slower than everyone else out there and it took a lot more work to get from point A to point B. Being mindful of the conditions is a must and limiting your gear to the essentials is necessary. I wasn’t as successful as most other kayakers in their Hobies, but I made it work and landed some nice fish in that boat. If you stick to launching on the good days, the time on the water is a pretty golden experience by itself and catching fish becomes the bonus. If that is the only option you have, you can make it work but it’s less than ideal and limits some of your capabilities. Know your limits and stick nearby others. For reference, I’m 5’7” and 145lbs.

I wouldn't recommend anything less than an 11-foot pedal kayak.  When the wind blows or condition worsen, you will regret being out there using anything less than that.  The alternative of not having a kayak is actually pretty good compared to not being able to go back in.

There many many paddlers that are strong and well experience who can pedal kayaks, but most people are not them. 

Safety first and foremost.  Everything else is a bonus and really doesn't matter compared to safety.

Take a look at the Old Town Predator MX.  It's 11 foot super stable great OK type bow means great in chop, and paddles remarkably wel for a short wide boat.
I use for my clients alla time.

Bushy

^^^ What he said ^^^^
By the way, I had a NuCanoe F12.  Drainage could be an issue in choppy situation and I wouldn't go out with anything less than the low profile seat (and I dont recommend a tandem in salty).  But it is a wide and stable kayak with huge carry capacity.