Just wanted to get some opinions on what there choice would be or what they have to go fish beyond the breakers..

i currently have a ocean kayak drifter but am looking to upgrade.. any insight would be greatly appriciated!

Thanks, Mike

I just got a Hobie Outback and a large part of my decision was its ability to go BTB, if that helps.

Cobra Fish'n'Dive and the Ocean XT Scrambler are also both popular choices.

I dig my sck raptor. I have a scrambler and compairing the two...well no compairison the raptor is far better.

the drifter is a good all around boat IMO. shallow creeks/rivers/ponds/lakes/BTB/Bays. it doesnt excel at any of them but handles them all well.

owned the fish n dive, drifter & currently the x-factor.

these 3 all handle the surf well. best was the fish n dive by far due to the bow, sterns & side hull design. good for surf & re-entry! not much leg room though


most big guys will tell u that the ok biggame is also a winner for BTB! believe FishinPreacher has 1 & can speek from experience.

the drifter & x-factor so far have been the nicest to paddle distance wise for me anyways. the fish n dive is NOT a glider though. unlike the rest, it wants to stop as soon as you stop paddling!!!

the x-factor is the most comfy of these IMO. with a little creative rigging, your drifter can handle more behind the seat CLICK HERE to see . if lengths not an issue for u, you might look at a trident 15. those are nice cruisers for open water IMO & i thinking OK has made some nice modifications to some of there models

nucanoe is also another BTB option. it can handle a heavy payload and paddles surprisingly well for a wide boat.


just not sure how the OK 15' handles in the surf - sorry
but, Daveg99 might know

Awesome ideas for the tankwell on the drifter!! i have a rudder on mine which makes it a bit easier.. i was looking at the trident 13 looks like a good yak! especially for those longer distant paddles!!

the small tankwell was my only complaint on the ok drifter. with a nice cushioned & elevated seat its really hard to beat. just letting you know what you've got. also the built in tray n cup holder is a nice feature to have. used it all the time youll loose that with the other yaks

talkin stickly in n out of surf, its the fish n dive for me.
ran baits in some down right scary surf that others could not do in their yaks.

but the hatches leak and its not known for easy paddling!

the nucanoe can be rigged up so many different ways! Which is way cool IMO & did i mention payload? OK BigGame and trident 15' u can get your rods below deck for re-entry. SWEET!!!



OK's are affordable which = more money for sonar, goodies n gear!

decisions decisions

looks like nucanoe has a new storage/live well box accessory!


GOOD LUCK!

I like the stability of my Drifter. Fought many a big fish with no worries.

Ive never had my ok trident in the surf. But it is used by many as a btb boat and I'm confident it can handle any conditions. I have been in a tarpon 16 on a windy day with 2-3ft swells in the florida keys And it did great. Im not sure if I would call OK's affordable though zombie. Mine was almost $1200 and my seat is a couple hundred.

Lots of guys use fish n dives and the malibu xfactors. They are proven btb boats.

A high rocker is important in a btb boat

Ocean Kayaks Trident Ultra 4.3 and 4.7 are great offshore fishing platforms as well.

http://www.oceankayak.com/kayaks/angler_kayaks/trident_ultra_4.3/

Wilderness Systems Ride 135

The new models are quicker than the older models IMO.
They are called rides for good reason. Roomy, Stable, smooth paddling & proven design.
They are another good all around yak IMO. Unlike the OK Drifter the Ride 135s do excel at a few things...
At 13.5' they will handle creeks, rivers, ponds and open water nicely just as well.

With a low profile they don't catch much wind as some of the other big yaks
have a tendency to do. It's payload is 500-550lbs which puts it in the "BIG Boy Yak" category
but it paddles so easy even a small guys can handle them. They DO NOT have much of a rocker
however. So, they will punch through a good wave rather than riding over them like most other good
BTB kayaks. On a smooth day (1-3 foot swells) its another good choice IMO.

Swells over that you'll need to look for protected waters. If you do go out take a pump with you.
cause in my experience those hatches do not seal the best. One main reasons i sold mine. They do excel
at stability, payload and tracking/cruising IMO.

Cuda 14

Last year I had my ride 135 out there. This year I took my slayer propel. Have to say the slayer propel was far more stable. Yes surf was just a hair better but even on big lakes my slayer handles better than my ride 135. Just my .02 though.

dont knock it till you try it. My buddie was out there in one and caught his two sailfish off florida tip using a cuda 14. I would say his cuda 14 was more ideal than my ride 135 or slayer. Jist a little faster but still stable.

Please note that im not one of them guys that goes twice and becomes an expert so take with a grain of salt