Stable Kayaks 2024
dpittman reply :
Anyone with a lot of kayak experience. What is the most stable kayak out there. Paddled a jackson big rig today and although nice I thought it would be more stable than it was. Was my first time in a kayak. It rocked pretty good when shifting weight around. I am 5'10" and around 210.
Scott F reply :
If you didn't think the Jackson was stable enough, maybe kayaks are not for you. For maximum stability, look into a personal pontoon like the Outcast pontoons. Unless you are going through class 3 rapids sideways, you cannot flip a pontoon.
Darren. reply :
On 8/30/2015 at 12:25 AM, dpittman said:Anyone with a lot of kayak experience. What is the most stable kayak out there. Paddled a jackson big rig today and although nice I thought it would be more stable than it was. Was my first time in a kayak. It rocked pretty good when shifting weight around. I am 5'10" and around 210.
There are more now than ever!
In addition to what you mentioned,
You have Hobie Pro Anglers, Native
Watercraft Ultimates and Slayers,
Wilderness Systems ATAK, Ride,
Commanders...
And a number of others...
Montanaro reply :
There are two levels of stability in kayaks. I call it initial stability and secondary. First one can make you feel shakey but when you really lean into it the outside edge of the kayak stablizes you. You just have to rock the kayak in shallow water to get a feel for it.
My feel free lure rocks some when I stand, but I can lean and take a leak off the side and the kayak is rock solid.
Fin Stalker reply :
It was your first time in a kayak, of course it's not going to feel a solid as what you expected. Most kayaks you can stand in range from 29"-34" wide, that's not much surface to stand on when you're talking about being on the water. There are several kayaks out there that are more than stable enough to stand and fish from. A lot of what you experienced was lack of time on the water on a kayak that's all. Don't get discouraged right away take as many as you can for a test drive before you decide on one particular brand/model. A couple to look at to go along with what has already been mentioned are the Ocean Kayak Big Game II and the Old Town Predator 13.
stk44 reply :
I would recommend the predator. It's like 1300 bucks though. I want one, I tested one out.... Awesome and stable.
Big C reply :
I have the Ascend D10T It's about the cheapest most stable kayak you can buy. It's 10 feet long and 32" wide (I think). I stand in it 90% of the time and never flipped. Now that I said that I'll probably flip it next time out, but so far so dry.
OperationEagle reply :
dpittman, your comfort level depends some on the kayak design but also your sense of balance. Some people are going to be more comfortable in a kayak than others.
If you choose the widest most stable platform, you will most likely have to trade something else off such as hull speed, maneuverability, and also weight.
Try as many yaks to get a feel for each boat's characteristics. Think about what you are willing to trade off...then jump in and enjoy it. I am confident you will find fishing from a kayak a blast.
As an example...I hooked into a 45 inch tiger muskie today. I was amazed that I was able to control and LAND the beast by dragging it into my kayak (just by chance a Jackson kayak similar to what you tested (Cuda12)). What a thrill.
No steel leader(as I was fishing for LMB), no net, no pliers, caught from a kayak. I paddled with one arm to the nearest bass boat for a pic. They were impressed and jealous of everything about my adventure; esp catching it from a kayak. A memory I will have forever...truly awesome!
Good luck w your search!
dpittman reply :
Thanks for the feedback guys. I did feel the big rig was stable. I just thought there would be less side to side rocking. I guess it is the nature of the beast. I think I could be quiote happy with the big rig. I was just looking for alternatives since there is no way I can paddle all of them. i figured the big rig was as stable as possible considering the width and reputation. As far as I know the only kayak that might be more stable would be a Hobie PA but they are out of my price range.
A-Jay reply :
On 8/30/2015 at 5:56 AM, OperationEagle said:dpittman, your comfort level depends some on the kayak design but also your sense of balance. Some people are going to be more comfortable in a kayak than others.
If you choose the widest most stable platform, you will most likely have to trade something else off such as hull speed, maneuverability, and also weight.
Try as many yaks to get a feel for each boat's characteristics. Think about what you are willing to trade off...then jump in and enjoy it. I am confident you will find fishing from a kayak a blast.
As an example...I hooked into a 45 inch tiger muskie today. I was amazed that I was able to control and LAND the beast by dragging it into my kayak (just by chance a Jackson kayak similar to what you tested (Cuda12)). What a thrill.
No steel leader(as I was fishing for LMB), no net, no pliers, caught from a kayak. I paddled with one arm to the nearest bass boat for a pic. They were impressed and jealous of everything about my adventure; esp catching it from a kayak. A memory I will have forever...truly awesome!
Good luck w your search!
Congrats ~ Post up that PIC !
A-Jay
NotnatsSamoht reply :
A hybrid kayak like Nucanoe Frontier 12 has a width of 41.
HeavyDluxe reply :
On 8/30/2015 at 6:25 AM, dpittman said:Thanks for the feedback guys. I did feel the big rig was stable. I just thought there would be less side to side rocking. I guess it is the nature of the beast. I think I could be quiote happy with the big rig. I was just looking for alternatives since there is no way I can paddle all of them
A couple years ago, I was in the same boat as you... (Ha!) As a angler-of-girth, I wanted a dead-stable platform that would allow me to get into skinny water and fish while not worrying that I'd turtle the boat leaning over to lip a fish or while trying to get to my rods/tackle in the back.
I found what Montanaro outlined earlier. Most kayaks rock a fair bit, but the chines on the hull will 'lock' in place before you can lean too far over. For example, I bought a Ride 115. I can throw that boat over so far to the side that I'll slide into the water but the boat won't tip. I can stand on one rail, and the boat holds.
Not all boats are the same, though... I flipped a Coosa (twice) when I was demo'ing. Still embarrassed about that one.
For my part, I think that the Ride was where I found the most security in stability... I never feel/felt like I was worried about the way the boat was moving/rocking. It felt controlled and, once up on a rail, dead steady. The downside is that the same boat is pretty flabby when paddling (I chased my son today and really had to work to keep up with his paddling of a pretty generic SINK).
If you have other questions, please feel free to message me... I'd be glad to help if I could.
DogBone_384 reply :
I fish from Ascend's 128T and FeelFree's Lure 11.5. Both are very stable. The 128T is looks like an aircraft carrier, and acts like one. The Lure sits lower in the water and is 36" wide. I fished standing for roughly 6 hours on the Lure at Horseshoe Pond, ME, without a hitch. Like other members already said: it takes practice to get comfortable standing. It did for me.
My two cents.
Best of luck picking your kayak.
Hogsticker reply :
You can always add outriggers / stabilizers as well.
Racerx reply :
As someone who's new to kayak fishing, I thought my new Field And Stream Eagle Talon would be more stable than it feels to me. So, I created, essentially, training wheels. I bought two boat fenders and attached one to each side, as sponsons, to further stabilize things. It DOES create additional water drag, which is a bit annoying, but once I feel I have my "sea legs" a bit more, I'll detach them. I already have a pair of outriggers that I made, for my canoe, to allow me to stand while fishing. They make things REAL stabile, so, if I choose, I can always add them to the kayak, for standing up.
VolFan reply :
IMO the best thing you can do is take a few boats out and try to flip them. Fall in. Do everything you can to make the boat dump you in the water. Do that and you'll get better feel for what you can and can't do in some of these boats, especially fishing moves. They're very stable, but they're not like fishing from a dock. But, falling out of one is a far sight from flipping one.
buzzed bait reply :
my ride 135 is ridiculously stable. I will fall out 99/100 times before the kayak flips over... It also takes a good deal of practice to understand how to stand in a way that leaves you stable and comfortable.
Rhino68W reply :
One way to test the stability is to sit in the seat, turn around at the waist like you are getting something from a crate, look up at the sky, and lean backwards(so you back is going towards the water).
Your balance will be shot, so if the kayak can handle you doing that you'll be good. As for standing, I think that comes with experience and agility.
lectricbassman reply :
On 8/30/2015 at 12:52 AM, Scott F said:If you didn't think the Jackson was stable enough, maybe kayaks are not for you. For maximum stability, look into a personal pontoon like the Outcast pontoons. Unless you are going through class 3 rapids sideways, you cannot flip a pontoon.
X2!!!
The big rig is the most stable kayak i have ever fished from!
WPCfishing reply :
I know you guys are kayak fans and that's great.
About 15 years ago I rigged a kayak for bass fishing.
I enjoyed the heck out of it.. Now I do all my fishing
out of a wide14' canoe I rigged. I can get into the same
places.. I have a lot more space and a lot more stability.
I'm using a 55# thrust Minn Kota for power and a 30#
thrust Minn Kota up front. It's set up like a bass boat.
I built an outrigger for it that keeps it planted. I can move
around any time I chose to. It's totally stable.
Dye99 reply :
I fish out a few different Yaks, and started with canoes way back in the day.
I personally didn't like the jackson, but it was a solid boat, I agree with the above poster that mentioned if the big rig was too unstable, possibly kayaks are not your thing.
Ive got a Native slayer for ponds, A ocean kayak trident 13 for big water, but my main boat is a the Wilderness atak.
The atak is the most stable but still being functional of all the kayaks Ive fished or demo'd...
I use it for local tourneys and everything from big water, the delta, or even local ponds... I can stand in it all day with no issues...
But remember, standing in a yak comes with experience. Demo'ing someone else's boat, and standing up in it the first ten minutes is not going to give you an accurate feel for it, like owning one and fishing out of it for months and months...
I would suggest just picking a boat that you know you can stand in, and just learn to use it.
T-Rick reply :
I really like my Hobie Pro Angler 14. This was my first season with it and I was able to stand very easy and never felt like I was going to flip.
Dye99 reply :
On 9/19/2015 at 10:53 AM, T-Rick said:I really like my Hobie Pro Angler 14. This was my first season with it and I was able to stand very easy and never felt like I was going to flip.
Hobie makes nice boats. I demo'd the pro 14...I liked it but there were some flaws that just stuck in my craw...No rod storage, crazy weight of 150 pounds, the fact it has to be taken apart to haul in a truck, and all this is not even mentioning the fact it is easily twice the cost of other top of the line fishing yaks...
It just seemed too much overkill to fish for bass in local lakes. Granted if I was an ocean guy it might be different.
A-Jay reply :
On 9/18/2015 at 9:14 PM, WPCfishing said:I know you guys are kayak fans and that's great.
About 15 years ago I rigged a kayak for bass fishing.
I enjoyed the heck out of it.. Now I do all my fishing
out of a wide14' canoe I rigged. I can get into the same
places.. I have a lot more space and a lot more stability.
I'm using a 55# thrust Minn Kota for power and a 30#
thrust Minn Kota up front. It's set up like a bass boat.
I built an outrigger for it that keeps it planted. I can move
around any time I chose to. It's totally stable.
Me Too
A-Jay
ClackerBuzz reply :
On 9/19/2015 at 7:27 AM, Dye99 said:Ive got a Native slayer for ponds, A ocean kayak trident 13 for big water, but my main boat is a the Wilderness atak.
lol this has been my experience. I've gone thru 4 kayaks and 3 canoes. it takes awhile to dial in what you like and don't. i just buy off craigslist for a price i can easily re-sell w/o losing money. now i own 1 yak, 1 canoe and 1 jon boat 
just depends on where i'm going to fish.
flyfisher reply :
I have owned at least 5 different kayaks and fished out of probably twice as many more. As of right now the most stable boat i have been in is the ATAK from wilderness systems. I was shocked at how it compared to the commander which up until this recent boat purchase, was my most favorite and stable boat.
Bottom line is get out and try al the movements you will do in a normal day of fishing. Kayaks take a little bit of getting used to but the stability is there once you learn your boat and its initial and secondary stability.
Dye99 reply :
On 9/23/2015 at 5:58 AM, flyfisher said:I have owned at least 5 different kayaks and fished out of probably twice as many more. As of right now the most stable boat i have been in is the ATAK from wilderness systems. I was shocked at how it compared to the commander which up until this recent boat purchase, was my most favorite and stable boat.
Im with you 100% on the ATAK...
Ive got a bass boat, a jon boat, two canoes, three kayaks and a float tube,
And the ATAK is the only boat I take out anymore!
And I also agree with the practice comment, any "stand able" kayak is going to work if a person just spends the time using it and seeing its limitations..
Dtree11 reply :
On 8/30/2015 at 9:27 AM, DogBone_384 said:I fish from Ascend's 128T and FeelFree's Lure 11.5. Both are very stable. The 128T is looks like an aircraft carrier, and acts like one. The Lure sits lower in the water and is 36" wide. I fished standing for roughly 6 hours on the Lure at Horseshoe Pond, ME, without a hitch. Like other members already said: it takes practice to get comfortable standing. It did for me.
My two cents.
Best of luck picking your kayak.
I also have a Feel Free Lure 11.5 and feel that it is super stable without losing all of the streamline "kayak" features. I did sit in a Hobie once and found that it was really nice and stable. Any Kayak is going to feel unstable for your first time. But, as you gain experinece on balance, you will be a kayak pro in no time.
I would stick with sit-on(s) and one that has a comfortable seat.
flyfisher reply :
i also feel like the standing thing is over rated. While i can stand in my boat and do to stretch my legs or take a leak, i don't fish that way too often. the raised seat position lessens the need for standing in my opinion. Now if i was predominantly a guy who flipped or punched mats or wanted super long casts for swimbaits etc...i might use it more often but for me, the raised seat position meets 99% of my fishing situations.
Montanaro reply :
Standing and controlling the kayak is also tricky. So in higher winds I tend to just sit and fish.
flyfisher reply :
yeah, wind in a kayak is probably the most difficult thing to manage with deep water positioning being a close second.
Dogmatic reply :
On 9/26/2015 at 8:34 AM, flyfisher said:yeah, wind in a kayak is probably the most difficult thing to manage with deep water positioning being a close second.
If wind is a problem in a yak, especially something like the ATAK, imagine what it's like in a personal pontoon, like was suggested earlier. That is my main problem not having a motor. Having gotten used to fishing standing up, I can't fish sitting, and if I'm standing I need to control my boat while doing so. So switching to a fishing kayak, which I really want to do, has created a dilemma, that I'm slowly figuring out, thanks to some FB kayak groups, that have been really helpful.
Montanaro reply :
I had the same mindset until my desire to get out on the water overpowered it.
Sitting to fish is better than standing on shore frustrated that you can't do anythinng
Dye99 reply :
I prefer to stand to fish. It helps with sight fishing for me, as well as just how I run jerk baits and crank baits with my rod down towards the water.
Def tough fishing in the wind, days like that I have to switch up a little, but for the most part I usually fish 50% of the time in the standing position in my Atak. My other boats very little though. Like my OK prowler I like to sit sideways with my feet in the water during the warm season.
Also having your legs in the water really helps with wind movement..
Caliyak reply :
On 8/30/2015 at 12:25 AM, dpittman said:Anyone with a lot of kayak experience. What is the most stable kayak out there. Paddled a jackson big rig today and although nice I thought it would be more stable than it was. Was my first time in a kayak. It rocked pretty good when shifting weight around. I am 5'10" and around 210.
You have a great yak so time on the water is all you need. So go fishing.
Felix77 reply :
I own a Ride 115x. I bought it when I was over 320 lbs. It was very stable then let alone now.
OperationEagle reply :
Some of you are on your fourth or fifth boat...at close to if not over $1,000/boat I am blown away! Was thinking about what I would think about next and when to replace my kayak. I will probably fish my Jackson Cuda12 until I wear a hole in it!
That Lure 11.5 looks interesting however. The hull design looks like it would be pretty stable. Does it take a lot of energy to paddle? How about to turn?
One last question. Many boats have a rod holder recessed in the kayak near each side of the seat. How do you cast without catching the rods on the backswing? That has the potential for major backlashes on a baitcaster if and when you catch the stored rod...I have never figured that one out?
I use a RAM mounted holder that I can angle the rod way down to remain of the way....and I STILL catch it on occasion.
Dtree11 reply :
On 9/29/2015 at 5:22 AM, OperationEagle said:Some of you are on your fourth or fifth boat...at close to if not over $1,000/boat I am blown away! Was thinking about what I would think about next and when to replace my kayak. I will probably fish my Jackson Cuda12 until I wear a hole in it!
That Lure 11.5 looks interesting however. The hull design looks like it would be pretty stable. Does it take a lot of energy to paddle? How about to turn?
One last question. Many boats have a rod holder recessed in the kayak near each side of the seat. How do you cast without catching the rods on the backswing? That has the potential for major backlashes on a baitcaster if and when you catch the stored rod...I have never figured that one out?
I use a RAM mounted holder that I can angle the rod way down to remain of the way....and I STILL catch it on occasion.
I have a lure 11.5 and I feel for its size (width and weight) that it cuts the water fine. I can make 300 yards in a couple mins. When it comes to these stable yaks like the larger Hobies, jacksons, and Feelfrees they all track the same. I think the jackson might edge out on tracking. I fish more than I travel, so stability is more important to me than speed and tracking. But, I felt that I did not have to sacrifce too much with the 11.5. I havent installed the rudder I purchased, I imagine that it will be nice once I have it on.
When it comes to the rod holders, I know that most of the hobie guys around here rig up a milk carton as larger rod holder waaaayyyy in the back. On the Lure, the intergrated rod holders are angled towards the back keeping the rods out of the way of any cast.
Montanaro reply :
I've smacked my rods a couple times on my lure. Not usually a problem unless I'm overhead casting.
boostr reply :
On 9/26/2015 at 8:01 AM, Montanaro said:Standing and controlling the kayak is also tricky. So in higher winds I tend to just sit and fish.
I use the anchor and trolly, keeps pretty much on the spot.
YourBassIsGrass reply :
If you are looking for something really stable and are already looking at over $1k price tag...I really recommend a sportspal canoe. Not only is it lighter than the big rig (30lbs+ lighter) but it can hold two people very well and standing to fish is done with ease. I have a 15' square stern but you could get away with a 14' double ender with two people and still stand. For one person it would be more than enough stability and you can stow and go by yourself (im 5'10" 155lb and can load mine alone). Your profile says you are in Bedford, there is a dealer (also sells kayaks including the Lure) in New Stanton. Rocky Mountain Kayaks. He has a demo pond and will let you test out whatever you want. Great guy and good pricing.
FrogFreak reply :
Check out the wave walk kayak at wavewalk.com. It's very stable. I love mine! Pics are before and after my talented wife camo'ed it up. I use it duck hunting as well. Makes it easy to go get ducks on the water and pick up the deeks.
WPCfishing reply :
On 9/19/2015 at 11:52 PM, A-Jay said:Me Too
A-Jay
A-Jay, The Predator looks like a Gheenoe. Nice craft.
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