He guys and gals I’m an avid wildlife photographer looking for a suitable fishing kayak for photography. Needs to be super stable and hopefully very comfy as well as plenty of storage area and reliable. I’m also intrigued by the pedal drives. Budget 1 to 2k.
if weight isn’t an issue and your willing to do some digging I’d be willing to bet you can find a hobie pro angler for 2k or slightly more. Might be older, but I think the hulls are the same.
I have a Hobie Outback. Base boat was $3200. About $5500 when I was done. It’s a very dry ride. I take it out a few miles in the gulf in the winter. Several choices of pedal kayaks. Like anything, they all have advantages and disadvantages. Most decent entry level pedals start about $2k. They leave your hands free for your photography. Also you aren’t dragging water in with a paddle. Best scenario. Find a dealer with several to check out. Sit on tops are cheaper. But ride is not as dry. May also have equip roll off in the drink. Most will recommend at least 12′, if you can haul and handle it comfortably out of that water. Shorter boats don’t track as straight. Last think about where you want to shoot your photos. Streams, or bigger water. Lots of good magazines and info on the internet. Even a few shows on the outdoor networks kayak specific. Good luck. I used mine 29 days in Jan and Feb in Florida. More than my flat bottom and walleye boat boats, the rest of the summer.
if weight isn’t an issue and your willing to do some digging I’d be willing to bet you can find a hobie pro angler for 2k or slightly more. Might be older, but I think the hulls are the same.
The Pro Angler I believe is 130# bare boat. 50 # more than an Outback. Without 2 people. It’s pushing needing a trailer. In big water. They are a tank. I’ve watched video’s of anglers walking bow to stern fishing. Again where you want to use it. Pedals take more water depth than paddle boats.
I also have 2 older kayaks. Wilderness Systems Commanders. Dry ride and it hauls like a canoe.
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Two of the fishing kayaks I use are a Diablo Chupacabra (10.6’ with 36” beam) and a Pelican Catch 120 (11.6’ with 34” beam). Both are paddle sit on tops and I can easily stand in them without issue. Both are better suited for smaller water or river floats (class I water). Something along those lines would fit well in small water or marshes. As a general rule the shorter, wider kayaks are not great for traveling or distance paddling. Pedal drives cost more. Something used may be worth looking into. You’ll have to look at some to see if storage fits your needs. Likely front storage if you want to access on the water. You’ll probably want dry bags too because many of the fishing kayaks don’t have comparable hatch covers to a lot of sea kayaks.
Was a commercial photographer for 35 years, now retired, and kayak fished the Texas intercoastal for 7 years with Old Town sit on top 13′ kayaks. Really nice and stable, about 75#,great for that kind of fishing as alot of times we were in less than 1′ of water. This kind of kayak would not be a good choice for photography as you need to paddle and everything gets wet from run off of water from the paddles. You would want a Hobie style of kayak, and although I haven’t looked at them in a few years, I don’t think you are going to do that for under $2000. Forget being stable enough to stand up in, you won’t be doing that, and I wouldn’t get anything 11′ and under. Also for transporting, a simple T-bar in a pickup receiver works really great. If you do not have a pickup, you will probably need a trailer as it’s not going to be easy to get a Hobie style kayak on top of a car.
There’s a 2011 hobie pro angler on market place for 2,100 right now. Looks like its been listed for a couple weeks. Im sure you get into it for less than 2k.
Another grand will get you an olde town predator. Very stable and spacious
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