The Yak Board is a great all round kayak. It can be fitted with a kayak seat and bungee cords as optional extras. The bungee cords will allow storage for your kayak accessories however like many sit on tops there is little or no other places to stow your kayak accessories away.
I recently purchased a Yak Sport which is a cut down version of the original Yak Board and although this sit on top kayak sells for approximately $100 cheaper than its bigger brother the Yak Board, there does not seem to be any less kayak for your money. To the contrary the Yak Sport has a built in back support which will also allow for a padded kayak seat for extra comfort.
Most sit on top kayaks come in a variety of bright colours including banana yellow, orange and red. However if you intend to go kayak fishing you will find sit on tops in dark green and blue which will assist in attempts to remain camouflaged.
You can buy sit on top kayaks which are as little as eight foot long. Being this short you will be mistaken in thinking these kayaks will be light in weight. However, due to their solid chunky designs it would be uncomfortable for even two people to carry them for any period of time so a kayak trolley would come in handy.
When sitting in the Yak Sport it has a real cockpit feel about it with the three footrests allowing for a truly comfortable and adjustable paddle position. The only drawback is that this particular model has no standard accommodation for thigh straps to be fitted.
Many sit on tops have scupper drain holes normally found in and around the kayak seat allowing the kayak to self bail when underway. Be warned most sit on top kayaks will flood as soon as you sit on them so if you are planning to paddle out during the winter months you will definitely need your wet gear on.
That said these kayaks are primarily designed for beach days and for messing about in the surf. For this purpose it is second to none and can be enjoyed equally by both the beginner and professional paddlers. They make excellent boats to take on family days to the beach and due to there stable designs are suitable for children to paddle.
As with an inflatable kayak, a sit on top would not be the kayak of choice on a straight run but as soon as you start paddling they will bring a smile to anybodys face as they are all about having fun.
More popular than ever is the sport of kayak fishing and sit on top kayaks have had a major influence in this pursuit. These boats are the perfect way to go kayak fishing due to the fact that sit on top kayaks are wide and very stable in the water. It is possible to choose a standing position when kayak fishing especially if an outrigger has been fitted. Furthermore, due to the width of these kayaks should you be unfortunate and fall in making a wet re entry should not be too difficult.
A sit on top traditionally floats very low and flat in the water and one draw back is they do not have much cargo room to store your kayak accessories unless this has been cut into the boat itself. Generally most sit on top kayaks would have a hole in the hull to allow for a fishing rod to be placed in. The majority of sit on top kayaks do however allow for bungee cords to be rigged allowing you to store your fishing tackle and other kayak accessories.
Together with Kayak fishing the sit on top has another significant use and that is for out and out fun! They make fantastic surfing kayaks and they are ideal for children as they are relatively easy to paddle and steady enough for novice kayakers.
If you invest in a sit on top kayak and take it down to the beach with you on a family beach day you will find it will amuse the kids for hours on end as they can play safely in the waves and also use it as a diving platform. Obviously, children especially around water will still require adult supervision.
Sit on top kayaks can be used by one or two paddlers and come in a variety of vivid and fun colors and also camouflaged if used for kayak fishing. Many sit on top kayaks do not have fitted kayak seats but do have the provisions to allow kayak seats to be fitted. You can also fit thigh straps which when used give greater manoeuvrability to the paddler allowing for sharp turns to be made when paddling and surfing.
If it is kayak fishing you are looking to do enabling you to get to places you would otherwise not be able to fish or simply a kayak for recreational purposes sit on top kayaks make an affordable and ideal purchase.
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