Dive Kayaks: Post a pic of your ride

[Nemrod]

I have the Scupper pro TW. It is a more advanced platform that the Scrabler XT. It is longer and fairly narrow. I don't think any kayak can be called stable. Actually, it's extra length helps it's stability I think but it is fairly narrow. I have had this one only a short time. It is fast and seaworthy and tracks nicely and I am going to put a rudder on it eventually. It also can carry all the equipment needed for a two tank dive.
You might look into the new Prowler 13.
Kayaks, I was told, are like clothing, you need to get a size that fits you. I went to get a Drifter and the shop owner talked me into the Scupper. He told me the Drifter was for much larger people. If the kayak is so large your weight does not load it down it will not paddle correctly he told me. I think he is right, I also think the new Prowler 13 might be a good choice. The Scupper is a fast boat for a sit on top kayak and possibly the ultimate dive yak but the penalty is more practice will be required to master it. N

 

[davephdv]

I am on my fifth diving kayak. I now have a prowler 13 and it is by far the best.

Others; Scupper, my was an older model with 2 hatches and no tank well. Harder to dive with. You need the tank well. Also was teal color which made it an easy target for boaters.

Scrambler; great boat but too small for a load of scuba gear and too small to track well in non flat water conditions.

Necky Dolphin; Very nice boat. Tracks well and is fast. Less stability and the hatch/hold system is very poor for diving.

Scrambler XT; very good boat. Excellent for diving. Would like a larger hatch for carrying UW camera housing with strobe. A bit slow and not excellent at tracking in non flat water conditions.

Prowler 13; no complaints. Does everything well. Fast and tracks well. Large waterproof front hatch. Large tank well with built in bungee cords. Can hold 2 tanks. Small hatch for keys and GPS. 2 water bottle holders. Has built in paddle holders.

Added rudder system in case get caught up in strong winds. Probably would have been better it with the rudder installed.

If I had more room and a better set up at home I might have got the regular prowler which is 15 ft. long. The longer boat should be faster and track better. Not much heavier.

 

[rgbmatt]

I've got a Scrambler XT, and have tried out my friends' Scupper Pro and normal Scrambler. IMO, the pros and cons of each:

Scupper Pro - Really good kayak and easy to paddle. Not the most stable kayak in the world, though - you'll almost certainly tip it a few times while trying to change tanks or move gear around. Lots of room in the front hatch, which is nice. It's a really good kayak for freediving - gets you from spot to spot quick and you can put loads of fish in the front if you're not carrying tanks.

Scrambler - It works, barely. You can fit one set of gear (maybe two if you try hard) but that's about it. It's stubby and there are no hatches to speak of.

Scrambler Xt - A very nice kayak for diving, although it could be a little better. Stable as a rock - I've never tipped mine even though I've done it plenty of times on other models. You can fit two tanks plus enough extra junk to get you through whataver dive activities you might think up. I like to go aquarium collecting with mine, which involves various nets, catch buckets, hang lines, etc. And, it's small enough that it's easy to put on my tiny car. The downside is that the hatch is kind of small and not too accessible, especially when blocked by the spare tank. And it paddles like a bathtub. I'd rather have bought a scupper, but I got a good deal on this one and don't regret my purchase in the least.

 

[Nemrod]

I think that new Prowler 13 is a winner also. While I am still sold on the Scupper Pro TW I think the Prowler 13 might be a more friendly kayak and still have decent performance. N

 

[2Tours N Iraq`]

After much research, I want to get into kayak diving and looked at several models of kayaks. I have decided on the Cobra Tourer kayak should I ever actually get a kayak. It is a sit-on-top model with lots of storage space and a tank well built in. To me it has the best of both worlds, form and function. It is a good looking kayak that performs well. You can check it out at http://www.paddling.net/buyersguide/showBoat.html?boatID=284&boattype=Kayaks

 

[Chad Carney]

I tried several kayaks as well, the Scupperpro TW, Prowler 15', Perception Bimini 15', Cobra Expedition and the Wilderness Systems Tarpon 160i.

The Tarpon 160i was my choice because at 16' it's the longest boat with a 28" beam. It's very fast and yet quite stable. I'll mostly be freediving and spearfishing with it, but may do a little scuba as well.

You can see all the Wilderness kayaks at http://www.wildernesssystems.com/

Chad

 

[Nemrod]

Will the Tourer take a rigged tank in the front hatch, the Scupper Pro TW will and so will the Prowler I think? Check into that if you wish to carry two tanks. N

 

[2Tours N Iraq`]

Will the Tourer take a rigged tank in the front hatch, the Scupper Pro TW will and so will the Prowler I think? Check into that if you wish to carry two tanks. N

I don't know, anyone else out there know the answer to that?

 

[JohnL]

The Tarpon 160i was my choice because at 16' it's the longest boat with a 28" beam. It's very fast and yet quite stable. I'll mostly be freediving and spearfishing with it, but may do a little scuba as well.
Chad

Chad,

Have you tried getting a tank in the front hatch? I tried with a tarpon120 but it was just a bit too tight to make the corner and drop in. Curious to see if it will work on a 160.

Thanks,
John

 

[Nemrod]

I was not inteneding to run the other kayaks down, I just wanted to give a heads up, if carrying two tanks is important to you then you should check into how easily a tank can be stowed in the forward hatch. Like I said, the Scupper Pro TW swallows a fully rigged out 80 with out any effort. There are pros and cons to all these boats and none are perfect. Just try to plan ahead as to what you need and expect and let that guide you. The Scupper is my second kayak because the first one I got was not up to my needs. Even then Ithought the Scupper was not whatI wnated. A shop which has since gone away--insisted that the Scupper was the boat for me, they ordered the one I got despite having others in stock. They were right. What don't I like about the Scupper, well, for one thing, it likes to carry a load, especially up front, otherwise the bow sits a tad high and the wind can drift you in which case a rudder is a big help and I do have a rudder. The bungee material over the tank well will probably be found lacking and a more secure belt system installed in it's place, this can also be said of several other kayaks. I like the looks of the Tourer, I am just not sure a tank will go in that hatch easily enough to be able to stow and retrieve IN THE WATER. N