First Yak Decision Yak!!
 

Need some help with my first kayak decision. Went to OEX and tried out the stealth 12 and ride 135. Both were stable with the ride a tad faster. I went home and did some research and saw some threads on leaky hatches and hulls on the Malibu. I love the design and bait tank and storage options. Just a little concerned about those posts. The ride was good too but not as much storage or at least right there near the seat. Please help me choosing the right one. Gonna start off I the SD but of course gonna get out to the kelp beds. Need a good, reliable, and standable platform because I do bass fish also. Any help from first hand users is what I need and some suggestions. The last thing i want to do is bust out silicone to waterproof a brand new kayak. Thanks in advance.

I think a x factor would be more stable then the stealth

I started on an X factor, great boat, sluggo, in heavy wind or swell, but stable, the Stealth is one heck of a boat, fast boat, just ask Ful-rac, or Wiredantz, they both have had those for a long time...

the x factor is a TANK. and just like a tank.. it is super stable, super beefy, super storage, and SUPER SLOW. if you plan on yakking for some distances, i would look for another yak. i dont know much about malibu yaks since i'm an Ocean Kayak guy. i'd check out craigslist for good deals on kayaks, and then do a bit of online research to see stability, speed, and maneuverability. goodluck!

Cool...Thanks! I wanted to try the Ocean Trident 13 but they didnt have any in stock from what I remember. I'm gonna go check out Fastlane and some hobies tomorrow since a couple of people are messaging me telling me if I could wing it, just buy a hobie and you'll be happy. I'm gonna get in a PA 12 and see how it feels. As far as the Ocean Trident 13 which I forgot to add, would this be a good first yak? Again, I'll be fishing in the Bay until I get the balls to head out to the kelp beds and out in La Jolla. Online they look pretty cool and have some good storage for gear n such.

Get whatever GregAndrew has.

I was cruising next to him a few days ago, he was joyfully:luxhello: paddling his torpedo while I was huffing:( and puffing:mad: as I peddled my Outback.

I just realized I said, 'He was paddling his torpedo' :D

T-13 would make a great 1st yak. or 2nd.

:hmmmm::hahaha:

The X-factor and Stealth 14 are built on the same hull design. My guess is that they would paddle fairly similar to each other. If you really want a boat you can stand on, those two would be great choices, along with the Hobie PA- but the PA puts you into a whole new price zone. My vote is to save you pennies and just go straight for the PA, because you will end up in one anyways :D

Most of the saltwater guys I know, fish while seated. Maybe the ability to stand is overrated? None of the boats you are considering are speed demons.

OEX will probably be able to rent you a boat for a day or 2, where you can take it out to an area that you will likely fish. That will probably be helpful for you to choose what your priorities are in choosing a kayak. If you are going to paddle to the kelp beds often, your priorities might change from having a super stable boat, to a boat that paddles faster. Luckily, the boats you have it narrowed down to, paddle decent for being big boats. In regard to busting out the silicone on a new boat, I always do it- just to seal up various rivets and holes that the factory may have missed.

Good luck in whatever you choose :cheers1:

if im not wrong maybe andy can chime in...malibu fixed the leaky problems in their 2012 design

CAMO TRIDENT 13!!!!
 

Alright so I went back out to OEX to try out some more yaks and I left purchasing the Trident 13. I was stuck on the ability to stand but realized like some of you said that most people on yaks dont stand anyway. It came down to the ride 135 and the Trident 13 but once I paddled the trident, the ride was super slow to me. Plus the storage on the trident was a little more of what I was looking for. Thanks guys and hope to see you guys out there. I'm totally down to fish with anyone when I can. They didnt have any in stock so its coming in a week or so!! So damn excited!! :reel::wsb:Thanks again!!

not a bad choice
 

started with an Extreme and had several Prowlers, so I don't thing you would have gone wrong with anything you were looking at. I'm sure you'll love that Trident as I did mine. Good choice and happy fishing.

I ride a Malibu Stealth 14. It does get some water in it from the front hatch when launching in the surf but it's not that big of a deal. I find that it's extremely stable so much so that I can access all of the hatches including the front gator while on the ocean and I am able to stand on it in calm water without a problem. My favorite thing about the Stealth is the built in bait tank. I hope my 2 cents helps.
:kayak-surfer: