Sot advice please

karltimber

Hi,

after years of wanting, am getting a kayak this spring.
To be used by myself, miss' and 3 kids, two are adult sized, so a sit-on-top for 2+1 will suit best. Combination of - not all 5
Plus using this by myself, a Sot-kayak is the best option for us.

Am looking at UK imported one - that comes with paddles and good seats.
Will complete a course in spring, as a beginner and the young lads.
Have done river & sea excursions on holidays, hence the bug.
Live in navan, so have lakes in nearby Cavan to use.

Have been looking at the Bluefin Swift, Galaxy Cruz or Oceanic Monsoon.
All seem similar, same length, weight and accessories.
Want to get it before brexit does anything to my plans, as 2 of them come through the UK.

Questions:
Any particular type of life-vest/buoyancy aids ?
Are the 2-piece paddles that come with these ok ?

any other advice ?

Thanks

K

pullandbang

Get in touch with Darren from Darrens Kayaks in Cork. He'll sort you out. Have a look at the Irish Kayak Angling forum and you'll see reviews of galaxy kayaks (not good ones either). Both Darren & IKA will be at the Angling Show in Swords next weekend where you can get a look at some SOT's up close and personal.

BTW, I'm in Trim and fish the lakes from my kayak.

karltimber

Hi,
thanks for the reply.
the difference a week makes.
Was onto Darren & IKA, and will go for two kayaks now.

A 13ft one for me and a 10ft odd for the kids.
The pictures of smiling families on 2+1's dont show the real pain

looking forward to the show at the weekend too.

q - what do you have - where do you fish ?
pm me if needed.

Thanks

Karl.

pullandbang

karltimber wrote: »

q - what do you have - where do you fish ?
pm me if needed.

I use an old and battered Wilderness Ride 135 and do a mixture of lake and sea fishing. For the Pike lakes I'll head up to Mullagh or Ramor or anywhere in Cavan/Leitrim. For trout I'll be on Ennell or Owel and for the sea I usually fish Howth. I used to go to Clogherhead but it's dead there now.
With the Irish Kayak Angling lads I try fish the weekends away in Wexford, Cork, Kerry, Donegal and Ardglas. However, I'm usually working at weekends so those meets can be difficult to get to.

karltimber

Thanks for that.

Since I don't fish yet - fish stocks aren't a worry.
Where do you put in at clogherhead and howth.

Must Google those lakes too.
Are they all open/public ( without fishing) ?

Thx

pullandbang

karltimber wrote: »

Where do you put in at clogherhead and howth.

Clogherhead has a slipway on the left just as you come down the hill into the port.
Howth has a slipway beside the RNLI station and free parking.

karltimber wrote: »

Must Google those lakes too.
Are they all open/public ( without fishing) ?

No problem paddling any of the lakes without fishing.