Mike's Question:
Hey Jonathan! Thanks for sharing your vast kayak knowledge with us. Your insight has been very beneficial.
I'm an amateur sea kayaker. I've taken a few classes and am looking to buy my first kayak. My dilemma is, I don't want to deal with rolling and brace rescues. I prefer sit-on-tops. I like their versatile natures. The drawback appears to be that sit-on-top kayaks are not the best for touring or cold-weather paddling. Any insight or recommendations to those of us who prefer sit-on-tops, but want to travel as well? Thanks in advance!
Jonathan's Answer:
Mike,
My prejudices against sit-on-tops have all but vanished over the years. They fill a great niche for those who lack the time or commitment to perfect an Eskimo roll and standard rescue procedures. They're perfect for snorkelling or other activities where you want to be able to get in and out of the boat effortlessly. Besides, they're a lot of fun.
As you've noted, they are at a disadvantage for touring, suffering from reduced gear space and the fact that you are exposed to the elements at all times. But that needn't stop you. A touring sit-on-top still holds a lot more gear than, say, a backpack or even a motorcycle, so if you plan carefully it's quite possible to undertake multi-week voyages. And as for the exposure, if you dress properly you'll be fine (or you can just restrict your touring to Polynesia—not a bad idea).
Note, however, that you should still practice both boat handling and rescues in rough conditions if you plan on touring with your sit-on-top. It's not always easy to climb back on in a steep chop or high wind.
A couple of tour-worthy sit-on-tops you should consider are the Scupper Pro and the Cobra Tourer. The Pro is 15 feet long, weighs about 55 pounds, and has a 350-400pound gear capacity (although it's likely you'll run out of space before you run out of displacement). The Cobra Tourer is also 15 feet long, and weighs about 50 pounds. Either would do nicely for extended touring, with judicious packing.
If you want more performance, take a look at the Cobra Expedition. It's 18 feet long, and quite narrow for a sit-on-top at 23.5 inches. It'll definitely run rings around the two aforementioned boats, although it lacks their raft-like initial stability. It does bridge the performance gap between sit-on-tops and standard kayaks, however.
Good luck and have fun.
—Jonathan
from Away.com
