Kayak

[SUBMERGED]

I have done some research on dive kayaks and it seems like the Scrambler XT by Ocean Kayak is the most popular.
I would like to know if there are any used ones out there for sale?

[jiveturkey]

Ebay?

[Gilligan]

:) I can't tell you where to get your Scrambler XT but I am a kayak diver with an XT and have a website on kayak diving if you are interested. It's at http://kayakdiver.com

[Dryglove]

Gilligan once bubbled...
:) I can't tell you where to get your Scrambler XT but I am a kayak diver with an XT and have a website on kayak diving if you are interested. It's at http://kayakdiver.com

I just got a hold of a cobra fish n dive and have been looking through your website.

Your website is a wealth of information for the beginner kayak diver. I picked up several tips and just purchased the kayak cart you had on your site. Great job on your site. :D

[Gilligan]

Thank you lal7176 for the compliment on my website. Glad it was of use to you. Have fun kayak diving.
:shades:

[BlueDolphin]

Gilligan... have you any experience with the cobra fish n dive?

It looks to be wider (36") maybe helps in the area of stability?
And looks like it will hold a lot of gear. Have you tried that one yet?

[Gilligan]

Sorry for the response delay as I missed the post. I have not used a Cobra fish n dive. Those that have tell me it is like an aircraft carrier as far as stability goes. Cold water divers with lots more gear seem to favor it. I don't particularly care for the amount of fasteners that have to be secured on the large hatch.
:shades:

[Mo2vation]

The scrambler is a resort 'yak - stubby and stable. Not a lot of room, and it paddles just OK. But if you're paddling any distance at all (and you're not huge in the hips) I recommend the Scupper Pro TW.

It'll hold all your dive stuff, and it's a touring rig (long and narrow) - so it paddles like a dream. The Fish & Dive is another yak targeted at divers. But I hate them - they're double wide, making them very stable - but they paddle like a barge towing another barge. Load them up and you're just working too hard to get to where you want to go. Unload it and just go and play some weekend, and you'll ask yourself why you're hauling around all that extra plastic. No thanks.

My boat needs to do more than serve as a dive boat - I tour with my wife when we're not diving (by touring, I mean paddle around...not like from So Cal to Anchorage stuff...) I fish from it, etc. I'm confident that you'll do more than dive once you get it, and paddling is what you'll be doing most in any yak - I just don't understand why you'd choose something that doesn't paddle as good as the SP.

My $.02

K

PS: Nice site, Gil

[Dryglove]

I really like the fish n dive and it doesnt paddle as bad as you described. Sure it doesnt paddle as easy as the scupper pro but is a dream to dive from.It even holds my double 72's with no problems and plenty of room for my other gear. It is also great to fish from and has plenty of room for fishing gear, ice chest,etc. I use mine to dive some remote sites to far to surface swim too.

A buddy of mine recently sold his scupper pro and bought a fish n dive. He loves all the extra rom and stability for diving. Like me he isnt paddling 50 miles to a remote dive site so the little extra effort for paddling is well worth the extra room for a dive site a few miles away.

Even my kids get a kick out of it as one sits in the tank well and one sits in the jump seat up front. As far as a touring kayak this would be far from my first choice but for a family use, dive, and fish kayak it is great and i have no regrets in my decision. :D

[zeN||]

I'm curious why divers prefer a kayak to a small raft or boat zeN

[pdoege]

Easy to transport and beach launch, fast, easy to board. I'm sure there are others.

Peter

[Dryglove]

zeN|| once bubbled...
I'm curious why divers prefer a kayak to a small raft or boat zeN

It holds my scuba gear, it floats, it beats the hell out of those long surface swims and its the closest thing i can afford to a real boat ;-0

[DennisS]

zeN|| once bubbled...
I'm curious why divers prefer a kayak to a small raft or boat

I don't need a trailer and ramp
I don't have to go 2 miles, out the inlet, and 2 miles back down to my dive site.
The battery is never dead.
The motor always starts.
I don't need to anchor it, I just drag it behind me.
It covers distance easily.
I do all maintenance with a hose
It stores in my apartment

I have an Ocean Kayak Drifter, it's beamy and stable. The only thing I don't like is that the tankwell is about 3 inches too short to have an 80 lie flat.

[BlueDolphin]

Thanks for all the info.

Now... how tough is it to handle getting the Cobra Fish n Dive off the car rack and back on by oneself? Does it take two to get it up on a roof rack? Or do you all use a towed trailer for these?

[Dryglove]

BlueDolphin once bubbled...
Thanks for all the info.

Now... how tough is it to handle getting the Cobra Fish n Dive off the car rack and back on by oneself? Does it take two to get it up on a roof rack? Or do you all use a towed trailer for these?

I haul mine upside on the factory roof rack of our ford windstar. I can load it and unload it by mysel but is kinda awkward. Me and my wife can easily load it together. If i had a decent kayak rack where i didnt have to turn the kayak upside down i could probably handle it much easier myself. The kayak itself only weighs 58lbs.

[pdoege]

I load/unload my scupper pro myself all the time.

It took a couple of tries to get the technique down.

The scupper is about 16' long and weighs around 65# dry.

Peter

[McKee Boykin]

The OK Drifter is probably the most comfortable one available. It's got a nice wide seat and plenty of leg room. Lots of capacity for my big self and gear.