DiveYak for Beach Dives?

[ReefTrekker]

Any of you own a DiveYak?

Worth the money? Do you use them much for beach diving?
Looking for an easy way (well, simple way) out to the 2nd reef on a regular basis..... The boaters around here make me a little leery of swimming out that far.

I can get one for about $310......a buddy of mine and I were discussing getting a couple, and I thought I'd fish for some opinions.

Thanks!!

 

[Bob3]

I don't have a yak, but in the "old daze" we'd use a big paddleboard, often putting miles on the critters. They're a great way to get out further & not go for an extended tour thanks to a rip tide.
I do know a few folks that have yaks & for the most part, wouldn't part with them.

Gotta still watch out for those insane boaters though, they'll sometimes ignore the flag & think they've found themselves a freebie.

 

[JRScuba]

Been doing some research on them and thinking of getting one. PM or email me with the info you have. Does seem like an easy way to get to the Third reef. :wavey:

 

[MikeJacobs]

We purchased a sot tandem model (black, not gray) about 5 months ago and in spite of the lack of good dive days this fall/winter so far have managed to take it out to the balls about a half dozen times.

I'm a fan, though if you have any ego at all it will wither when a "real" dive kayak owner snickers at you - just got my first snicker from the president of the local kayuba club the other day, in fact.

The downside is that they're logs in the water, not at all sleek but still much better than a raft. On a 'bad' day of wind & current it could be too much for two moderate paddlers (Marvel & I had some trouble once).

The upside is that they're extremely stable platforms, very durable, and inflate fairly quickly with the included foot pump. They are much MUCH more comfortable than a regular kayak. Even with moderate chop, wind and current they get you there without much trouble.

I suggest you don't skimp on the paddles - $200+ each is not overspending unless you really REALLY want a workout. The diveyak is not a normal kayak, and requires a bit more muscle. Heavy and mis-sized paddles will cost you in the long run because I am certain that you will end up buying lighter models anyway.

We also have all the extra gear - you should buy a small anchor and enough floating line to anchor yourself in 30' of water, at least. You'll probably only use 20 ft, and less when you tie up to the balls. We have the "required" life jackets but I've been leaving them ashore lately. The paddle ties are useless, so buy yourself an assortment of bungees made specifically for inflatables (the hooks are plastic and won't puncture the craft) so you can bungee your gear down.

And of course I had to go into debt to buy the little PST 80s, which are lighter and much easier to handle... what started as a budget kayak quickly became as expensive as a real one.

Although I usually go alone these days - Marvel can't dive in the cold and I go without much time to scrounge a buddy between windy times - I do not regret buying the tandem. It rides nice and high with only me and my gear aboard, and I can stretch my 6'1" out just fine and soak up some sun after a long dive along the outer reef.

The foot rests are made for a 4' person, so I've made some simple modifications, mostly just where I store gear, and I do fine paddling without too much pressure on my back.

As for "how to" do it, it's as easy as you might imagine to unclip your gear, roll it into the water and then drop overboard to wiggle into your wetsuit and bc. If there's a current, you'll want to use the stern-line (attached already) to clip your gear so it doesn't float away. Just think things through slowly and everything will fall into place. Just inflate the bc before rolling it off of the 'yak lol and if you use a weight belt put it on LAST.

When I have a south current, I tie to a ball and dive north, drifting back. When i have a north current, I like to clip the anchor line to my bc and drift with the diveyak above me. So far, the currents have only been strong enough once to give me any paddling trouble, but that was an exception. I'm not a strong paddler yet, and I lived... not even sore the next day.

There are some nice spots down off of Palm Avenue, where the reef edge is well broken up and large coral heads attract a lot of life. It's only about 2 miles south of where I enter and 1,000 yards out. Sometimes it's a little tricky finding the south bouy line (there's a large break around Oakland Park). I think I'll be spending a lot of time out there this summer. Mostly now I just do the drift-dive below the north bouy line, south of the Commercial Blvd. pier.

I think for my purposes I prefer the diveyak over a "real" kayak because of its versatility and convenience. There are a lot of compromises, but I'm not complaining.

Two singles might be better than one tandem, but I like the extra room and don't mind the extra paddling.

That's all I can think to write... good luck! You won't be sorry and, if you are, I'm sure somebody here will be happy to take it off of your hands. At least then I'll have somebody to go out with!

 

[divad]

people in skinyaks. (I meant as opposed to fiberglass or plastic-yaks)

 

[divad]

Any of you own a DiveYak?

Worth the money? Do you use them much for beach diving?
Looking for an easy way (well, simple way) out to the 2nd reef on a regular basis..... The boaters around here make me a little leery of swimming out that far.

I can get one for about $310......a buddy of mine and I were discussing getting a couple, and I thought I'd fish for some opinions.

Thanks!!

It's good to be leary of boaters who have no business that close to shore except to show off their lonely,mean and ostensibly important, power boats.

 

[divad]

what about an Island Kayak "Frenzy"?

 

[MikeJacobs]

I was just contacted by a prospective diveyakker overseas and thought I'd also copy the post here for reference...
======================================

Hi! I'm "happy" with the diveyak but I qualify that because I would prefer a "real" kayak to the diveyak. I live in a condo and space is limited.

1) Three tanks would be doable but difficult to manage. To give you some feel, 2 steel 120s would be difficult but more doable. 2 aluminum 80s would be about the same as steel 120s . I have 2 steel 80s that are pleasant to work with out there, but when somebody insists on lugging their own aluminum 80 instead I notice the difference. So, what you expect is doable but more than I'd like to do. It would work, but if you or your partner are heavy - say over 200# or so - it's going to get weird... you won't want to overload in chop but it will work in calm water.

2) Good question - you are thinking correctly. I rarely feel anything headed out, but even with the swells in my favor I always feel it a bit coming in regardless of how light the chop. You just have to work harder... think of it as part of your exercise and it's not too bad. I avoid white-caps and wind, but when caught in them have not been too concerned. I usually stay within 2000 yards of shore and only go out in very calm conditions. The dual diveyak handles well when you are solo but gets more difficult to paddle with a second diver. The effort grows exponentially when conditions worsen... which gets into your third question...

3) No doubt about it - the double diveyak is NOT really a double. The front person can't get any purchase with their feet (unless they are a small child), so the paddling is pretty much up to the person in back. The front person should steer and paddle only lightly. This is not to say that there is a problem carrying two plus their gear... it's not a problem at all - it just needs to be calm or the difficulty escalates greatly with more chop.

The diveyak is very stable and for two light people will work well in calm water. Two singles would be better for two heavy people. I'm 230# so I like the double and use it all the time as a single. I might not like the single... I don't know. I've been onboard with another guy a little heavier than me and though we did great it was clear we were overloaded. My wife is about 130# and we do great with no gear (she doesn't scuba).

Two strategies that bear thinking about:

A) look into a hooka. I don't know how deep you're going but they have hoses up to 60' I think... and you can even do a double hose on one tank. I dive less than 30' on our reef and I'm going to get a double 40' setup soon. I tried one out there and it's great!

B) We always drift dive and rarely spend any time tied up at the mooring bouy. I've anchored once, and that lasted a whole 10 minutes until I realized I could jsut drag the diveyak around with me. We generally gear-up at the bouy and then I clip the diveyak to myself. Dragging it around even in a little wind or current isn't too bad. In fact, we rarely even ride the diveyak back in - we usually just kick back in!

FYI, we are fairly fit and often snorkel out 1,500 to 2,000 yards and back without anything but a small dive flag. In the mean time, we're down and up 20' or so for about an hour before returning. So, swimming a mile is no problem with fins, dragging a "log" like the diveyak behind me. I have relatively little upper-body strength, however, and so I purchased the VERY EXPENSIVE lightweight paddles... they cost more than the diveyak itself. We also purchased the hand pump but the foot pump included works just as well.

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions... I'm going to include this in the diveyak post so others can find it.

Hello,

I'm new to this board and noticed you seem to be happy with your diveyak. I'm actually considering getting one as well. I hope you don't mind if I ask you a few questions:
- I dive a set of doubles, usually with a 40cuft O2 deco. Especially when shore-diving, I like to carry my O2 around. Do you think the cargo area can accommodate this ? Basically, it's the same volume as two 80 cuft tanks + a 40 stacked on top.
- I have never kayaked before, and intend to do so just to be able to reach dive sites that are fairly close to shore, but too far from the available entry points (where I can park my car and easily climb down in the rocks). Seas here (Meditterrannean) can be choppy, but I wouldn't go out if it's windy. Of course, any strong effort after diving is not recommended. My concern is: how demanding is it to paddle back home after a dive ? I'm fairly fit, but not navy seal either.
- For two people diving together, would you recommend going with two single-diver diveyak (for extra cargo room) or one two-divers diveyak (for ease of paddling) ?

Thanks a lot,

Guilhem

 

[SFLDiver]

My personal set-up ...
Ocean Kayak, Scupper Pro TW
I currently own 2 (yellow and lime green)
and have had 3 others in the past.

I like it for the front hatch, tank well in the back.
I've only flipped it once, and that was in my newbie learning stage.
Lesson learned 1 : -never- look over your shoulder in a tippy kayak.
Lesson learned 2 : strap everything down that you don't want to lose in case of flipping

Yes, I can understand how an inflatable would be the wise choice if you are limited in storage space.

I'm usually diving from my kayak off the beach just north of Birch State Park any weekend. Parallel parking right next to the beach, gear up, and pull your rig down to the surf. The 2nd reef line runs right under the buoys marking Oakland Ridges.

 

[dkramer]

Hi Folks,

I don't know much about the inflatable diveyak but possible punctures would be a concern for me. I have a Cobra Fish/Dive Kayak & I love it. It is a very stable platform & have been diving off of it for 3 yrs now & have never turned it over. It has a large rear well for your tanks & 3 large hatches, which open to the inside of the boat, for additional storage. It will carry up to 600 lbs. Downside -- yes, you do need a place to store it and it is not the corvette of kayaks. It can be a little bulky when car topping it as it weighs 57 lbs. but, although I am an older, female diver, I am able to car top it myself.

The advice given by MikeJacobs is right on the mark, especially about the paddle. I learned the hard way but I can assure you that the lighter paddle really does make a difference.

I also tow my kayak with me while diving, that way , when I come up, I always come up to the boat. I just stick my dive flag in the boat. Remember, though, even though you are towing the kayak, it is considered a boat and you must use the larger flag.