Jump to content

New Tandem Kayak


Bone Daddy

Recommended Posts

Got this early Xmas gift. It's a tandem kayak. It hasn't touched water yet, but I hope to break it in sometime shortly before or after Xmas. It can be used in a solo or tandem configuration. The two 6-inch deck hatches give access to plenty of storage room inside the hull - lots of space to stuff fossils. Now I just need a break in the rain and for this holiday madness to be over with. I'd love to take it out before Xmas, but I don't know if my schedule will allow it with the upcoming holiday and family things going on. The first water it will touch will likely be the Peace River (Florida) looking for Meg teeth and Pleistocene megafauna.

 

 

 

 

wrongway.JPG

  • I found this Informative 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Was that a Secret Santa Gift??????? WOW. If you ever paddle it across the Gulf of Mexico then up the Mississippi River, stop in and we can collect fossils up here in Minnesota! Coincidentally,I just retired last week and to show my staff how appreciative I was of them, I presented each a kayak at our Christmas party last night. Hope you enjoy yours as much as they will enjoy theirs.

 

 Mike

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It weighs 75 pounds, which is a bit heavy for one person to handle. But, I have a pickup truck, so hoisting it into the bed isn't as high or difficult as getting it on top of a car or SUV. I am also going to make an improvised wheely-dolly to help transport it from the truck to the ramp. 

It's this one : https://www.lifetime.com/lifetime-90436-kokanee-126-inch-tandem-sit-on-top-kayak-green-with-backrests

 



 

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/16/2018 at 10:32 AM, Bone Daddy said:

lots of space to stuff fossils.

I've seen your trip reports--you'll need the space. ;) Looking forward to seeing photos of it in the field. Let us know how it works for you and what you like (or don't) about it once you try it out.

 

On 12/16/2018 at 11:24 AM, minnbuckeye said:

I just retired last week

It's about time, Mike! No fossil in Minnesota is safe now that you have free time--well, after the 12 feet of winter snow melt. :P Welcome to the world of the intentionally unemployed--it's a great gig if you can get it. ;)

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, digit said:

It's about time, Mike! No fossil in Minnesota is safe now that you have free time--

@ digit, Oh to the contraire. No fossil in Florida is safe, my son moved to Bradenton and I am spending more time in Florida during  my winters!!! Maybe we can meet sometime.

 

 Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Even better. Let us know when you are down. The Peace River was toying with being at a huntable level but recent rains pushed the river up over a foot and it is very slowly working through that load of water and dropping painfully slow to those who are itching to get a start to this fossil hunting season. Really need to see it nearly another 2 foot lower before I can get to one of my deeper spots. Luckily, I've got many bags of micro-matrix still waiting to be picked through for micro fossils. I could keep my self occupied for the better part of a year just sitting at my desk picking micro-matrix but the annual desire to go stand in a river is mounting. ;)

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a saying in the astronomy community : when somebody gets a new telescope, the clouds follow it.

 

Now, there should be a saying the paleontology community : when somebody gets a new boat, the rains follow it.

 

We went hunting a couple of times while the water was low last month. The minute this kayak was delivered, we've had one serious rain event and another one on the way tomorrow.

 

Looks like it will be after Xmas before this kayak goes fossil hunting.

 

Next year, my fossil-hunting partner is moving out of state. I may need a new part-time partner to fill on on those days where I want to hunt, but my wife is not up to going. This tandem kayak will make it easier for me to bring along a partner if they don't have their own boat. If I am in need of a hunting partner on future trips, I will post here.  :)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tammy and I will be busy (as usual) but even more so these days as we're trying to get a house ready for sale and are still trying to find the perfect property up in Gainesville. I want to work (volunteer) more closely with the FLMNH and it would be lot easier if I were minutes away rather than 5 hours. ;) Keep us in mind if you are scraping the bottom of the barrel for hunting partners, we just might be free. :)

 

Let's hope the rains do finally end and we don't have a repeat of 2 seasons ago when we skipped the dry season entirely.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, digit said:

Tammy and I will be busy (as usual) but even more so these days as we're trying to get a house ready for sale and are still trying to find the perfect property up in Gainesville. I want to work (volunteer) more closely with the FLMNH and it would be lot easier if I were minutes away rather than 5 hours. ;) Keep us in mind if you are scraping the bottom of the barrel for hunting partners, we just might be free. :)

 

Let's hope the rains do finally end and we don't have a repeat of 2 seasons ago when we skipped the dry season entirely.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

 

Yeah, I hope these rains dry up soon. I got the fever and it's killing me to sit and watch this rain make the river rise. Gainesville is a good location. Close to the university as you said, and close to a lot of good creeks - just watch the water quality in some of those creeks because they are very polluted. You are not at the "bottom of the barrel" - LOL. The bottom of the barrel would be some random person from Facebook or something.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I wrote a brief review of this kayak. There is nothing specific to fossil hunting in the review because it was intended for the reviews on the manufacturer's website.

 

For fossils, I would add that this kayak has a ton of cargo room on the open deck, especially when used in a solo configuration. There is also a ton of cargo room inside the hull which is accessible via two 6-inch hatches. There is plenty of space to haul a shovel, probe, sifter, and other necessary tools of the trade.

 

Review :
 

A quick review of the Lifetime “Kokanee” tandem kayak.

 

Model reviewed : 90436
Length : 10.5 feet
Width : 3 feet
Weight : 75 pounds
Material : HDPE plastic

 

Notable features : 5 scupper holes, two elastic strap-down decks, and two 6-inch hatches to access the inside of the hull. Note, older models of this kayak have two access hatches. The newest models only have the front hatch. Photos of this model on the web show both configurations. I was confused, so I emailed the manufacturer and they told me that the newer units being shipped now have one hatch, but some vendor websites are still showing the older model. If the number of hatches is important to you, you should contact your vendor and see which model they have in stock – the newer or older one.

 

I received this kayak as a Xmas gift. Once I got my hands on it, my first impression was good. On close inspection, the fit and finish is good. The quality of components seems good – although only time will tell when it comes to plastic.

 

The kayak is a tandem with a 425 pound weight capacity. It comes with two removeable seat backs and a place for a third seat to be added. It should be noted that the third seat option is not really a viable option. If a third person (even a small child) is sitting in that middle seat, then the person in the rear cannot paddle properly – the paddle will keep hitting the person in the third seat. So, unless your child likes getting hit repeatedly in the back of the head with the shaft of a paddle, I would suggest forgetting about the third seat and use that space for cargo instead.

 

Also worth noting is the amount of leg room in the rear seat. I am 6-foot-2 and I have just barely enough room to brace my feet without hitting the supports for the front seat. This is not an issue for me, but if you are over 6’2” tall, then you will want to consider a different tandem kayak that has more leg room for the rear paddler. If you aren’t a giant beanpole, then it’s not a problem.

 

One other minor issue – there is no molded cup holder for the rear seat. The front seat has one, but the rear seat does not. If you are like me and prefer to keep a drink handy, this is an annoyance, but not a deal-breaker. Since the middle third-seat is not a viable option, I am going to repurpose the third-seat mounting point into an accessory rail for a drink holder.

 

Hows does it track and handle? Very well. I was pleasantly surprised at how well this kayak tracks and how maneuverable it is. I could easily turn the kayak without any help from the front paddler and I had no problems keeping it straight, even when fighting a moderate current. The self-bailing scupper holes are also a nice touch – helping keep the deck free of puddles.

 

My wife and I had no problems carrying this kayak or handling it. I would recommend it for anyone who wants a tandem kayak at an affordable price that won’t break the bank. This kayak is offered by several “Big Box” vendors online. Prices vary widely, so shop around. Walmart.com was offering this model for $299, but they are sold out. The price on the manufacturer’s website is stated as $549.

 

 

 

  • I found this Informative 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I have the single seat version of this kayak in the exact color. I love it. I"ve had it loaded down with rocks and it's still very stable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 2/10/2019 at 10:18 AM, JarrodB said:

I have the single seat version of this kayak in the exact color. I love it. I"ve had it loaded down with rocks and it's still very stable.

The few times I have tried it out, I liked it. But, this winter has been so wet, that the rivers are too high for meaningful hunting. I should have used this kayak 10 or 20 times by now, instead of twice.  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/21/2019 at 5:02 PM, Bone Daddy said:

The few times I have tried it out, I liked it. But, this winter has been so wet, that the rivers are too high for meaningful hunting. I should have used this kayak 10 or 20 times by now, instead of twice.  

 

I feel your pain. I've only used mine 4 times.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've used it another two times on the Hillsborough River lately - just to scratch the outdoors itch. Paddled near Trout Creek last week. It was nice. No fossils there though. Just flooded cypress forest.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

An update on this little boat.

Since my last post, I have used this kayak another four times under various conditions. If anyone is entertaining the idea of getting this kayak (or a similar one), here is something to consider :

 

This is a very stable kayak because it is 36-inches wide. That is quite wide for a kayak and it gives a pirogue or canoe-like feel to it. You almost feel like you are sitting in a small jon boat. This is great for stability, but it stinks for speed and tracking. Simply put, this is a slow kayak. You aren't going to break any world speed records in this boat. Thankfully, speed is not a primary concern for fossil hunting, so this doesn't bother me much. Although, it was noticeable when trying to keep up with my partner who uses a slimmer and lighter kayak. Which reminds me, another reason this kayak is slow is that it weighs 75 pounds (which is a conservative specification, because it feels heavier to me and I suspect it actually weighs more than the specs claim).

On the up side, if you are using this kayak in the solo configuration, you have a lot of deck space for gear and loot. Heck, I oould put a cooler, shovel, sifter, goodie bag, backpack, machete, and probe in the boat and not feel particularly crowded. So that is a bonus, but keep in mind, all that gear is going to make this slow boat even slower.

 

I have been told by someone else who owns this same kayak, that you can easily stand in it. I have not tried that yet, but I believe that statement and intend to try it on one of my next trips out.

PS - as you can see in the photo, this kayak has a flat back. You can easily mount a trolling motor on it, and the vendor sells a bracket for this purpose.

 

 

 

yaks-1.JPG

  • I found this Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

One last update on this kayak. I have now gone fossil-hunting several times in it and it is capable boat. It's slow, but it's steady and stable.

 

A note about the seats : the seat backs are removeable and they clamp into a bracket bolted to the deck. The retaining clip is flimsy and made of plastic. I could see this being a potential failure point in the future. However, the retaining clip is mostly for looks - it doesn't really do anything to keep the seatback in place. The seatback has a molded extension that fits snugly into a recess that is molded into the deck. So, the tight fit is what keeps the seatback in place, and not so much the little grey clip that flips over it.

 

The seatback can be adjusted via two nylon straps that attach to the sides of the kayak. This system works well, but the nylon straps have a tendency to stretch while in use, so the seat will slowly lean backwards over time as it gives under your weight. My solution was to adjust the straps very tightly (to where the seatback seems too upright for comfort) and tie them off to themselves once the correct fit is found. This reduces the amount of sag/give in the straps - that way you don't have to stop paddling and re-adjust your straps later when you find yourself leaning too far backward. It will still give a little bit over the course of a day, but it's not a concern if you compensate by over-tightening the straps to begin with.

 

The flat bottom of this boat is very useful in shallow water. You can paddle this boat in just a few inches of water. This can reduce the amount of time you spend getting out and dragging your yak. The bottom being nearly flat can also make tracking a bit tricky, so that's a trade off.

 

Lastly - have a buddy to help you carry this kayak. It's heavy. A strong person could carry this kayak without help, but it would require adding some carry handles on the sides or using a sling system or caddy.

 

:)

 

 

 

  • I found this Informative 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This posting brought to you by Consumer Reports. :P

 

Thanks for the detailed review of this kayak. Hope you manage to put many miles (and fossils) on this yak. ;)

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...