Choice of colors?

wardster · Post by **wardster** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 3:26 pm

Other than your preference, what are the reasons you went with the color you have?
I'm getting close to buying and want to hear seom pros and cons from the experts. Which ones get hot to the touch and such. I'm sure brighter colors are better for saftey. I seem to see a lot with the slate color. Does this one get real hot in the summer?
Personally, I think I'm leaning towards yellow for saftey and heat retention reasons....
thanks..... great site!

noles · Post by **noles** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 3:32 pm

I'll be the first one to tell you that "yellow" kayaks are slower!!!!

Seriously, the darker the color the more heat it will absorb and the brighter color will definetely stand out more. I went with the sand color for my T120. It doesn't heat up during the summer and makes for a beautiful boat.

wardster · Post by **wardster** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 3:34 pm

Do you think having a yak that stands out more will also scare some fish away? Now you have me thinking and that is extremely dangerous......

shamus · Post by **shamus** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 3:39 pm

Yellow is the faster color there is. Noles just has short puny little girlyman arms and can't paddle fast.

Big Tarpon also stand out very well in photos against a yellow kayak

paddln4reds · Post by **paddln4reds** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 4:47 pm

I have the yellow and the slate. The yellow one is definitely FASTER!

Obviously, the yellow one is more visible on the water and I like that. The slate blue one does get much hotter!

I'm not a fishing expert, but it's hard for me to believe that a bright colored yak is going to scare the fish away, unless you're tossing your line under your boat?

DaveR · Post by **DaveR** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 4:50 pm

I have friends who have the olive tarpons. That's as dark as it gets without being black. They never said. Damn it's hot in there. I don't want to get in." It's purely personal preferance. Obviously the brighter yellows and oranges will be more visible to the stinkpotters. If you are concerned about visability go with the day glows. I paddle a slate boat and enjoy it. The sand is a great color as well. Your priorities are what counts.

Rik · Post by **Rik** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 4:57 pm

I have light gray, light gray and sand. I picked those based on personal preference. I am not a yellow or orange kayak kind of guy.

I went with the lighter colors as the darker colors do get hot to the touch in the summer. However, a lot of folks have the darker colors and I never hear them complain. As far as fishing, I've paddled with folks in kayaks across the entire spectrum. They've outfished me on some days, not on others. Color doesn't affect fishing.

In 5 years I've never been in a situation where I wished my kayak was a bright yellow for visibility.

So, my suggestion, go with the color you like best.

SnookKatcher · Post by **SnookKatcher** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 7:51 pm

My Ocean Kayak Drifter is a light blue and white swirl called 'Sky', also sometimes referred to as 'Sky Camo'. From the water, it blends-in with the sky, supposedly. I usually don't fish right next to my yak, but have had sizeable fish swim right by without freaking-out too much. The main reason I got it is that it's different, and very cool to the touch in the sun.
Personally, if I were getting a Wilderness Systems boat, I'd get the sand color. I'm an 'earthtone' kinda guy. An Olive drab would be O.K., too. Lee.

CooKnFish · Post by **CooKnFish** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 8:19 pm

My slate Tarpon 120 gets real hot in the sun. My next one will prolly be a sand color.

Backlasher · Post by **Backlasher** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 9:04 pm

The Texas guys did a lot of research on colors and we found that the two most visible colors are orange and lime green. The fish don't seem to object to the bright colors. There are two schools of thought on color. One school says to get the most visible color so the powerboats will see you. The other school says get what you like because a kayak sits so low in the water, your shirt makes more difference than your yak. Personally, I paddle a Slate Ride and usually wear an orange or yellow shirt. BTW my PFD is gold colored.
As far as heat, it doesn't matter what color because they're in the water which tends to cool them.

bluz-fisher · Post by **bluz-fisher** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 9:23 pm

My new/old Scupper Pro TW is yellow simply because that's what was available to me used at a good price I could afford at the time. I'm not sure color is very important at all, but I'm a severe noob to yak-fishing, so correct me if needed!

Also, I'm purdy much a "function over form" kinda guy who doesn't care too much how it looks, as long as it works well. All other opinions much appreciated. james

BlueCrab · Post by **BlueCrab** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 9:59 pm

I purchased an orange kayak because I use it on a lake with ski boats and jet skis. I too was concerned that the color would spook fish, but I have had redfish tail right beside me and I even hooked a bass practically under my kayak, both in clear water. I am convinced the fish don't see the boat.

When they finally come out with "Easy Kayaker" magazine, they won't put some sexy babe on a slate or olive drab kayak on the cover.....they will pick a boat that is sweet, like a sunburst T160.

tailnreds · Post by **tailnreds** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 10:07 pm

I agree with SnookCatcher...I have a Titanium (Sky Blue) Prowler. I believe from a fishes perspective my yak "somewhat" blends with the sky. I too have drifted right over fish before. But..who knows..personal preference I guess.

tailnreds · Post by **tailnreds** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 10:08 pm

I agree with SnookCatcher...I have a Titanium (Sky Blue) Prowler. I believe from a fishes perspective my yak "somewhat" blends with the sky. I too have drifted right over fish before. But..who knows..personal preference I guess.

Dustin · Post by **Dustin** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 10:47 pm

Any tone that blends in with the surroundings is a plus (olive, sand, etc.). The less visible you are the better...if you don't stand out like a sore thumb, other kayakers and boaters won't know you're there. That means less spot-hawking, which is obviously a good thing.

Erick · Post by **Erick** » Fri Oct 15, 2004 5:37 am

I have a Sand Pungo, Backcountry (green/tan fade) Illusion and a Red eXtreme. I prefer the lighter more muted colors (tan, sand, the fades with sand) for no reason but preference. I had been told on mutiple occassions that it was hard to see those when up against the mangroves which is good but also bad. Especially around here (Tampa) where boats have zoomed within feet of me on the water. I went with Red for a couple of personal reasons on the Malibu but also for better visibility by boaters. If I start Tarpon fishin from the kayak, that will be the boat I use and I think it will be easier seen if I am fortunate enough to have a 200 lb Tarpon pull me miles from the hook up.

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Choice of colors?

Choice of colors?

yak color?