standing up in a kayak

[americanrobster]

I am 6'2" tall and 310 pounds, and I have tried standing in my Heritage Redfish 14 and it wasn't pretty.

I did have a chance to try out a Wilderness System Commander 120, but I'm going to buy a Wilderness System Commander 140 when the time comes, and I stood up in it just fine and didn't feel like I was going to tip over at all.

The best advice that I can give someone who is looking to stand in a kayak is to test paddle many kayaks and take advantage of the demo day

[jbdba01]

I plan at being at the demo (hopefully). I'll look at the gamut and post my (emphasis on my) thoughts/opinions.

[BigFlyReel]

JB - I am looking to sell one of my Hobie Outbacks and am seriously looking at the Hobie ProAngler for this purpose. Its more of a "boat" with an 88# hull weight but I too am looking for something to stand from without risking throwing myself out. I stand and pole in my Outback quite a bit but it is not comfortable for long stints - even with my cat-like agility

The truth will out... now we know where the cat piss smell in the hull came from...

[bassboy]

I am 5'6" so standing in the water is sometimes a challenge unless there is serious low tide. I fish out of a prowler and we all know that there isnt alot of standing room but i have no problem standing in this thing i have caught many fish while standing. I feel that if you have plenty of balance there shouldnt be any problem standing in any kayak it isnt the kayak its the operator.

[Norm]

The Malibu stealth series is supposed go be good for standing.

Damn that sure is a great pic Bill...

No problem standing in either of my Natives for me....but than Im only 5'4" in my heels My son use to stand in my Tarpon 140 with ease....I found the biggest problem standing in any boat was being able to get your feet under you enough or having something to pull yourself up with. Because of some health problems I may be selling my Native 14.5....so I may go back to a conventional T140 if I can get myself upright in one. I have heard the newer Tarpons have a flatter floor.
Todd...will there be a regular T140 at the demo?

[kneedeep]

I am 5'6" so standing in the water is sometimes a challenge unless there is serious low tide. I fish out of a prowler and we all know that there isnt alot of standing room but i have no problem standing in this thing i have caught many fish while standing. I feel that if you have plenty of balance there shouldnt be any problem standing in any kayak it isnt the kayak its the operator.

But you're built like Hank Hill's Daddy! "Got my shins blowed off in tha war, but I kilt FITTY MEN!!"

Seriously though, at 6'2" and four spine surgeries, I have a hard time standin' on the street corner waitin' fer traffic to stop!! Now, along with Degenerative disc desease and Fybromialgia, the doc wants to send me for another series of MRIs cause he thinks I might have Osteoporousis!! Do they make kayaks with wheel chair attachments??!!

[size matters]

I realize that it has a huge price tag but I have a pro-angler and I did not like standing in my native .I am 6'2" and 292. This is the best kayak I have ever been on. It is stable as can be. I use a trailer but that ok. And I have room for the kitchen sink If I need. This is a must try demo for bigger guys and ones that have back issues. I love this kayak and it moves right along. When I want to stand I do with no worries. Gravity is a bad thing for big guys standing in little kayaks. It ain't comfortable in most. I live in Englewood and you are more than welcome to come out and try mine anytime if you like.

[tspag]

I fish a Hobie Revo with the Stand N Fish option http://www.standnfish.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; , the Hobie mirage drive makes it easy it get where you need to go and the stability of the outriggers along with the leaning post makes sight fishing from a kayak a great experience.

[krash]

Standing, IMO, has more to do with the person than the boat. Yes, some kayaks by design are inherently better suited for standing but that certainly doesn't mean that everyone can stand in them. If you can't stand in a boat, it likely isn't the boat's fault.

I 100% agree with this.. if you can't ride a skateboard or surf you'll likely not be able to stand in many kayaks except very wide ones. You also need to be agile enough to get up and down..

[Rik]

getting down is easy.....

[Snook712]

I stand a lot in my Native 12' and at 60 years old, 5'10 and 220lbs am not the most mobile or coordinated. I built a platform to stand on that evens out the floor space since my feet would hurt standing in the depressions in the Native hull. It paddles fine but is not as fast or tracks quite as well as some of the narrower or longer boats I have had.

[Paul]

Do you sit down and cast when you are fishing from a boat ??

I feel that being able to stand is almost manatory for a fishing kayak

If you choose a narrow kayak for speed, then you can always get out and wade fish.

If I had two kayaks - one would be a narrow long fast kayak and a wider sit on top for fishing that was easy to stand up in

I currently paddle an Emotion Grand Slam for fishing and the RTM Midway paddling

[jbdba01]

If you choose a narrow kayak for speed, then you can always get out and wade fish.

I think I'm done wading until the winter; I've had 2-3 up close and personal visits from the men in grey. 1 while wading and the SOB was about 5' from me before I saw him (I was rerigging and looking straight down). The other swiped my trout at the kayak. Last weekend I managed to find one pushing bait and I snapped a couple shots (thread here). What that thread doesn't mention is that as we were going in my buddy ran over a shark - that splash was so loud and it almost flipped him. He says it was an 8-10' Bull - I think his adrenaline got the best of him and it was 6-7'. Regardless we were in skinny water 1-3' - 1/4 mile from shore.

I assured him I would have gotten some good pictures as I came to get the shot in tighter.

Yet another reason for a stand up - stretch dem legs without getting in the water.

Looking forward to the demo...gotta save some bucks up.

[bigguy]

So did you stand in any of the kayaks?

[Fishvision]

I have a hobie outback standing up is kinda easy but i notice i spook more fish standing.

[bigguy]

At the demo I stood in the ultimate, commander, and on the Stealth 14. After my short expereince I am not sure if standing on a SOT is gonna be my thing, I did fall off the stealth once(I made it standign up so i was not to wet) but I found I had to stan with my feet so sclose together that it was very unstable for me. Also beign so tall my center of gravity is higher so it makes it that much harder. Maybe I could do better with time, but im not sure. The hybrids on the other hand I felt pretty comfortable in. The commander more so then the ultimate.