Newport Sunday 4-27, Break in the new Kayak

[ful-rac]

Originally Posted by addicted2sp33d

This weekend is not be the best for a first time kayaker to venture into the big blue - especially on an unfamiliar/new kayak with all new gear and what-not.

Winds will be more than 10mph and swells are expected to be 3-5 feet, which means overhead breakers for someone in a kayak. It's going to be a wet/windy ride.

I would recommend staying inside the harbor and getting familiar with your boat/gear... or maybe watching some NBA or NHL Playoffs.

I can appreciate the "Get Some" attitude, but it doesn't do any good to have a boat full of rockfish then capsize on your way back... or worse.

Yes, absolutely.

I know you, as well as the many new kayakers here are excited to get out there and start catching fish immediately, the day after buying their first kayak...but, your going to have to learn to paddle first...sounds easy enough but really if you've never done it before for an extended period of time in various conditions...you might find that your not up for it, when your a couple of miles out in possibly dangerous conditions.

You also need to know what your kayak is going to do when getting hit by boat wakes, swells...how it feels and handles loaded down etc...

Yes paddling out and catching a few rockfish seems easy enough...for the experienced. But the in-experienced it can be a nightmare.

I know your not going to want to hear this but....My advice to you is to take a deep breath slow down learn the fundamentals first, inside the harbor. Then venture out and catch some fish. Seems obvious...and it is but many people get so excited...they always want to skip this step. They have a buy a kayak today and catch yellowtail tomorrow attitude...when they have no idea what it takes to pull it off. It's not easy to do, nor is catching rockfish outside Newport, for a newbee.