Kayak for big guy?

I'm 6'4 300LB looking for any suggestions for a good kayak that would support me while in open water. I fish lakes mostly and need something more stable than fast. The kayak i have now feels like it will roll every time i turn my head.I currently have my eye on the Feelfree Lure 13.5 it sounds like a good fit. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

I have what is called a big butt and this kayak works well for me. Plenty of hip room and lots of places to bolt on a fridge, recliner, sat nav, and wide screen TV. Fits me and my big butt comfortably.

http://www.oceankayak.com/kayaks/angler_kayaks/prowler_13_angler/

April 29 @ Little Elm Park on Lake Lewisville! You can open demo several boats and answer this question for yourself. It'll be a great time too.

Where can I find more information on this event?

Look up Mariner Sails on Facebook and they have the event listed there.

Saturday April 29 from 10-3
Little Elm Park - 701 W. Eldorado Parkway, Little Elm,TX 75068
over 10 different kayak brands plus paddle boards will be represented
pro staff and factory reps on hand to answer any and all questions
completely open demo opportunities
dress to get wet (water shoes, shorts)

Well, this for sure if you carry 25 lbs. of gear . . . meaning you and your stuff will add up to 325 lbs.: You'll need a kayak with a carrying capacity of at least 400 lbs.

Still, the demos will be the best way to figure it out. But, you won't do well in, say, a vessel with a 325 lbs. capacity, say like a new Manta Ray Propel. As you get closer and closer to functional capacity, a kayak starts performing oddly.

And, there are still huge differences owing to configurations. My 10 foot Propel at 34" wide is much more stable than my Jackson Cuda LT at 32" and 12' 11".

I wonder how you might do in one of the Diablo kayaks? They are priced low, some have good width, nice stable looking platforms for big guys!

Brad

www.onefrogtwo.com

Ocean Kayak Big Game is an awesome boat.
http://www.austinkayak.com/products/22215/Ocean-Kayak-Prowler-Big-Game-Angler-II-Kayak.html

Just a few more off the top of my head and in no order of preference:


Wilderness Systems Ride
http://www.wildernesssystems.com/us/products/ride-135

Jackson Kayaks Big Rig
http://jacksonkayak.com/blog/kayak/big-rig/

Feel Free Lure 13.5
http://feelfreeus.com/kayaks/fishing-kayaks/lure-13-5/

Old Town Predator
http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/Predator_XL/

I'm 6'4 #300 and just bought the wilderness systems ride135. It's great. Mine came with the discontinued high seat which will hgold my weight just fine.however The new lawn chair seat idont think will. I'll re phrase that I think the chair will hold up but the way it sits in the tracks the sides of the kayak I think would bow out and the seat will fall to the deck. That's with #300 of weight

I'm 6"4 240 and really enjoy my Jackson Big Rig. It's very stable has plenty of capacity and although not super fast, it's not too hard to maneuver with a rudder.

Buddy is 6"5 260 and he really enjoys his Hobie PA 14. He won't stand and fish in his. I do.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. A lot of good kayaks. I am going to take advantage of Mariner Sails demo days and test drive a couple before pulling the trigger on anything. I'm glad to have that option.

Can you stand in the wilderness system? I'm worried given my size that won't be an option with any kayak. Not the end of the world, but would be nice to have that option.

The ride 135 is very stable and very easy to balance yourself on but getting up and sitting down can be a little awkward. I'm sure with the lawn chair seat the transition from standing to sitting or vise versa would be a breeze.

I know a guy that is your size, and he paddles a Jackson "Big Rig" and he makes it look like a small kayak.
He loves it, and has nothing negative to say about it.

I have a Jackson Cruise (500lb limit) and have zero issues. Heavy and a little slow but very stable,.

Mariner Sails does not carry Jacksons so you wont be able to test one of those. Mostly because they are haters.

I went in there and asked about Jacksons and told the guy I had just bought one and wanted to look at some add ons for it. Well he opens up with both barrels about how he "does not like how they do business" and he does not like their Kayaks and he would not carry them if they paid him.

This after I told him I just bought one. Thanks for that pal.

Too bad because they have sweet options esp. for larger yaks.

And I get my add ons and upgrades for the yak online now and encourage friends in the yak game to do the same. Or to go to Mountain Sports in Arlington.

I had the opposite experience at Mariner Sails. The first time I went in there was just after I had bought two new Jacksons from Kayak Instruction. Dave Holl was a great guy but not too versed on the fishing aspect of them. The guys at Mariner never said one bad word about Jackson and said they would have carried them if not for two dealers close by. I outfitted both my kayaks from stuff there and joined the fishing club. They make a point of stating they are non brand orientated at every meeting. I was so impressed with the level of service I sold my two Jackson and bought a PA 14 and two Native FX12 kayaks. They treated me great before I ever spent a dime there and have always given great service over the past 5 years I have been going there.

Look at the Nucanoe Frontier 12. 650 pounds weight capacity with a beam width of 41". Nice large flat floor and a seat that swivels 360 degrees.

Check it out. Seriously.

Look at the Vibe Sea Ghost 130 or Riptide A13, they are almost the same. $899, with a 550 pound weight capacity and come standard with a nice rudder.

Riptide is based in Texas.

Im not quite your size but close ( 6'3 245 ) but I have a 2016 Jackson Coosa HD that is absolutely perfect for me. I believe it's rated for 425lbs. Lots of good advice on here but I think the best is to definitely paddle before you buy. I made the mistake of buying before I paddled once and it didn't work out too well for me.

Hobie Pro Angler 14. Nice comfy seat. Fast for a big boat. New ones have the drive that reverses too. When you get skinny, you can stand up in them. I love mine. I've used a Tarpon 140 and a ride and both are wet. They are the older versions though. Always felt like I was riding around in a bathtub with a few inches of water in it. Like a redneck livewell. The hobie will handle you and you will be dry and comfy.

BIG BOY KAYAKS!

The 5 vessels shown (in no order) below r all made with higher weight capacity in mind.
These 5 don't glide through the water like narrow longer vessels do. They r not built for speed. But, they r safer simple because they r more buoyant. It's important to remember that when u gain width, openness & weight capacity you lose the glide ability and the price increases. Don't go looking for these vessels at a Walmart. These 5 vessels r designed for more serious anglers with safety, rigging & comfort in mind. In short, these r not simple Kayaks




The OK Big Game II handles open water the best & was really designed for salt water fishing. Backwaters, rivers, lakes, & paddling out of site from the beach. This yak does it all. It performs really well in the surf zone. Unfortunately it is not the most open in design & also has the smallest tank well of the 5 in this list. It is strictly a paddle kayak. Your legs will straddle the center hatch. It Paddles well for it's overall size.



Hobie's Pro Anglers r actually boats not a yaks. But, u can paddle them, peddle it and troll motor it. Many serious anglers world wide use this yak. It is not a Creek or river yak though. It's best transported by trailer (heavy)




Jackson Big-Rig is long & roomy (wide paddle kayak) most sluggish of the the 5 listed. They r well built with lots of leg room n have many rigging options! Not designed for creeks but would paddle very well in rivers with lots of room for gear above deck.






NuCanoe's Frontier 12 is the shortest of the 5 list. It requires a lil longer paddle due to it's width. Best transported with trailer. Paddles nice. Most open in the 5 list & allows for endless rigging options. A troll motor mounts easily on transom. It's ideal for long river trips. Only a few small items can go below deck though (not much room below deck). Everything else would b carried above deck.



Let's not forget the WS Ride 135! Not the highest in weight capacity but the most easy to transport in list & arguably still the best all around yak on the market today. They r after all called "The Ride" for good reason. Good stability, Paddles best of 5 listed, open design with lots of access below deck. Large tank well that rigs up easily off showroom floor. Good over all design. Hatches have been known to leak in rough water. Not the most stable or highest in capacity in 5 list but it transports well & is versatile.






.

The ATAK 140 from Wilderness Systems is another super stable boat, more so that the Ride IMO

Then there is the new Native Titan!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lhc5b33_MWw

As I mentioned before I have the ride 135 with the discontinued high seat which I do like and even being a bit higher the kayak feels very stable. I haven't been in rough water yet but I'm guessing that it would be fine so I'm gonna wait and try it out in rough water first, before deciding if I should purchase the low seat, which I know will help with stability. I also ditched my aluminum shaft kayak paddle for an all carbon one and that was the best investment I made with this kayak

I have a ws 135 and have taken it everywhere. Rivers lakes rapids btb. My son has a tarpon and leaves me in the dust so if you paddle with friends know that you may be working harder to stay with them. That's just part of being a big guy on the water, I guess. Another one you may want to check out is the Viking profish. I think it has the capacity of the ride but may paddle better. It is about 10 pounds lighter but I think the bow design is better for rough water.

I'm 6'2" 280 and I have a Jackson Big Tuna. It works great for me. I have loaded it down with camping gear and a full yeti 35 and done overnight river trips. Plus it has the option to run in tandem mode, in case you want to take someone with you in the same yak. I have taken the lady friend along a few times & it moves and maneuvers good. Good luck.

I have a Jackson Tripper 12 (Kilroy) that I really like. I weigh about 260 and if I was any bigger I'd want a bigger kayak (Tripper has a 375# capacity). For 2017 Jackson has a Tripper T (tandem) that can also be configured solo. If they weren't 13.5 ft long I'd probably get one. I haul my kayaks in a short bed pickup and 12' is about as long as I care to mess with.

I'd gotten used to the storage capacity on the Tripper, spoiled is a Bette word. My pedal drive Slayer 10 doesn't compare for useable storage.

I am 6'3" and 295. I bought a NuCanoe Frontier 12 in 2013. I liked it so much I joined Team NuCanoe. Come to the Mariner Sails demo and I will be there and show you the Frontier and have one for you to demo.

6'5" 260lbs

As Dan90210 mentioned, I have a PA12 and love it.

My first kayak was a 10foot Lifetime Manta, and I still have it for friends and family. It has a 500lb capacity and is extremely stable (also very slow). It was a great value (purchased for $299 when Sports Authority was closing them out)

If I were to get my first kayak today, I'd take a good look at the Perception Striker.
I can guess that it will be very stable and also slow.




I really enjoyed experimenting with lots of DIY modifications with my first, cheap kayak.
It's a good way to learn from mistakes.

With the PA 12, the only modifications I've done are fish finder, bilateral anchor trolleys, and simple anchoring systems.