Bad Shoulders no more kayak, next best option

As much as I would like to continue kayaking I don’t want to push my shoulders any further. I “m on a tight budget so a trailered boat is out of the question. What would be a good option that throw you in the back of a truck?

Years ago I had a pirogue with a foot control trolling motor in it. It was a Water Moccasin from the Shreveport area, he still builds them. Mine was one of his first ones he built, it was great to fish out of. My father-in-law was a welder and we built a rack tailgate high that I kept in the garage, slide it in and off I went. Here's a link. http://watermoccasin.net/water-moccasin/

Have you looked at kayaks that you pedal rather than paddle? They're kinda pricey, but might fit your needs.

As a guy with a bad back, when I retired I wanted a boat I could launch without having to wrestle it off the roof of my car. Something that could fit in the corner of my micro garage provided by the zero lot line house my wife loves was also a requirement. I went with a Sea Eagle Fold cat. This boat works very well with a simple Minn Kota trolling motor and you can fish the same water as a kayak. You can more easily load gear and fish two people but it's a much better one person boat.

Downside of this boat: Horrible in the wind. Will drag even the biggest anchor. Either tie up or troll.

Upside: You can fish it in the worst winds. Impossible to sink it. I've fished Texoma on the windy side when the waves looked like the ocean because that was where the stripers were. Once I was at Caney creek when a big cabin cruiser came out fast kicking up a big wake while I was on a shallow ledge. The multiple waves probably were over 10 feet. It would have swamped my aluminum tracker boat by I just rode right over them. The boat is basically a float tube with a motor.

I've patched a lot of holes in the boat. Never caused by sticks. Almost all by finishing nails sticking out of docks. That said, you can stick a temp stick on patch and still fish all day.

I saw one of these on craigs list once for $600. I bought mine new and paid a whole lot more.

Our Pelican 10E is amazing. Fits 1 or 2 comfortably and fits in the truck bed and on a top rack if needed on an suv. $600 new, 2 year warranty. Prefer it soooo much more than my kayak.

Eric

Google Solo Skif. I'm going to be 66 soon and this is what I'm looking at.

www.soloskiff.com

SOLO SKIFF SPECIFICATIONS LENGTH 14.5 ft; WIDTH 41 in; WEIGHT 150 LBS

The Solo Skiff is an all one piece seamless motorized fishing kayak. Rotational molded in high density polyethylene, with two layers for a hull thickness of over 1/2″, the Solo Skiff is built like a tank.

You might consider a float tube for small water applications.

That SOLO looks like it is heavy in the back end. Launching might be ok, but loading would be a bit strenuous.

I alsoi would suggest looking for a pirogue with a 24v trolling motor.

I had a 2 man Bobcat pirogue

So I would suggest a quality inflatable or something like the sea-eagle folding already mentioned + a lithium battery and a 40lb thrust trolling motor. The advantages of this setup is lightweight stable platform with a great deal of safety. I personally fished a similar rig for years before getting my kayaks and a porta-bote (originally due to storage reasons - i lived in an apt. in NY city and this type of setup was the only thing i could stuff in a closet and in my small car).

Though i don't know your full circumstances - you might want to look at a Porta-bote. folds up like a surf-board - can be used in the same water as a kayak even the 12 footer is only ~80lbs w/o motor or battery.

For any of these setups (if you go w/ trolling motor for power) I would highly suggest a lithium battery (either 50 or 100ah) makes a HUGE difference in the ease of setup and the final weight of your rig. For most of these inflatable/folding rigs a traditional lead acid will double the weight of the craft - which has an impact on how long and fast you are on the water.

12 foot flat bottom with a good troller...light as a heavy yak...more stable...and no rowing...

If you are on a budget the academy or bass pro 8 ft. dingey and 12 volt t, m. will get you a
lot of time on water. Stable,holds 2 adults and light. Just not Sexy

Get a float tube so your feet can do the work with flippers.
If you have a pickup, you can look for a used Hobie Float Cat. It's like a float tube but with plastic pontoons. You can't cover as much water as a kayak but it does get you out on the water.

The Solo skif website shows how to load it into a pickup by yourself. I also saw one at Port Aransas and the person had a small trailer. I believe the motor is a 2.5 hp or something close so maybe it's not too heavy. I'm definitely going to try and find a dealer and test out the weight myself before I buy.

DO NOT GET A TORQUEEDO MOTOR. battery life is excellent but the stupid idiotic thing is chock full of half baked software. I owned one and eventually ditched it for a Min Kota.

Want to be upset? Try going to a lake only to have that crazy German motor refuse to start up by giving you an E-30 error ( cable issue) or E-40 ( recharge battery) when nothing is wrong. The Torqueedo is a disaster.

Why not just a little bass buster and a trolling motor? Fits in the truck or can get a tiny trailer to haul it. Room for 2 and pretty safe in the water. Can find them used for some good prices with everything already on it.

Some of those float tubes seem like they would be pretty cool. They have a small amount storage and can weigh as little as 7 lbs. They might be the ticket for floating down a slow moving river. I happen to have an irrational fear of gators though.

I guess the answer depends on your budget and the areas you normally fish...

wow
so that handles the wind?

As long as your prepared to get blown/bounced around inflatables handle wind/weather better than any other boat.... Mostly because they are impossible to sink unless the inflation gets compromised - they ride on "top" of the water, regardless of water condition. There is a reason zodiacs & zodiac style boats are on of the most used rescue/rough water boats in the world (there are other reasons but this is one of them)

Butch:

Downside of this boat: Horrible in the wind. Will drag even the biggest anchor. Either tie up or troll.

Not good in the wind but neither is my tracker. Gotta have a fiberglass boat to be stable in high wind.

Very True Searsay. My 175 tracker cannot handle the waves the seaeagle can. I've been in high waves in Texoma that would easily swamp my tracker. That float tube of a boat just rode right over them. Like riding a bronc and not recommended for bad backs but you will not sink.

Hobie makes a great Kayak that you pedal with your feet.

Just bought a little pond hopper from bass pro. Battery, 55lb minkota, and a little Garmin and Im good to go.

Use my 4 wheeler ramp to slide it up into my truck.

how stable are these?

I have an 8' Bass Hunter Bass Baby with wheels on the stern. It fits into a pickup bed. Not at all difficult to load into and unload from a pickup. 2 swivel seats included. The only thing wrong with it is that any trolling motor should be used from the stern, as I weakened the bow trailering it with the TM attached to the front. PM me if interested. Selling it for $300 firm. Available now.

Thank you all for the responses. It has given me a lot to consider.