Req. for advice with new Dive Kayak

[megnin]

I just ordered a Sevylor ST-6696 two person Diveyak and was wondering if anyone has had any experience with them.

Neither of us have ever even been on a kayak before, but we wanted something to get us out past the first reef and maybe to some of the wrecks here in Fort Lauderdale.

Any advice, suggestions, recommendations or the like regarding either operation of the kayak or locations to take it will be muchly appreciated. ;-)

 

[IslandHopper]

If you haven't done it before ... take an afternoon and practice going through the surf-line with it ... preferably with a couple of bricks lashed down to simulate the weight of your equipment.

Also ALWAYS lash down ALL of your equipment when you go out ... you WILL eventually capsize the thing with all your gear on board. Losing it would be no fun

Otherwise, they are a great way to eliminate long surface swims (and it doubles as a surface marker!). Use a painter line of about 20-30 feet to tie off on the moorings ... this leaves room for large boats to pick up the mooring while you're tied off.

 

[megnin]

Thanks for the reply IslandHopper!

That's a good idea about practicing with some bricks first. I should probably put a brick or two where my wife would sit and practice like that as well. ;-)

A couple of questions come to mind...

When it capsizes with all your equipment lashed down, is it difficult to right it again with all the weight now on the "bottom"?

I'm not familiar with the "moorings". Are they those white balls all lined up in a row?

What's a good wreck to kayak out to? I'm dying to explore a one of the wrecks around here (Ft. Lauderdale).

Thanks again Island Hopper!

 

[fgray1]

There's some good info in this other thread.
http://www.scubaboard.com/t38351.html
Hope it helps you.
Fred

 

[IslandHopper]

It's not HARD to right it... but it does take practice ...you will get to practice the first couple times you go out over 2-3 foot surf

a mooring (at least here) is a line secured to the bottom (or a wreck) that has a small marker float at the surface. The line is secured in such a way that large (50'+) boats can grab the line and tie off to it rather than droping an anchor near a wreck or on a reef. ... My point was... just make sure that your kayack, when tied off there, doesn't prohibit "real" boats from using the mooring.

If you do a lot of shore-diving, you're gonna LOVE the kayack !!!

 

[Gibbon]

As in that other thread, Here's a link to SOT kayak diving
Of course, I don't like the idea of his weight belt coming off only after back in the boat.

Also, here's another site that's pretty informative. Jim Spears Kayaks

They don't really go into the sevylor type, but they've got some good material.

 

[megnin]

Thanks fgray1. There are some good links and information in that thread. The kite idea sounds interesting.

 

[megnin]

We do and I can't wait for it to arrive. :-D

If you do a lot of shore-diving, you're gonna LOVE the kayack !!!

 

[megnin]

fgray1, the kite idea sounded so good (not to mention, FUN) that I ordered a Striped Parafoil 7.5 from "Into The Wind". I sure hope it comes in handy.

 

[megnin]

Thanks Gibbon! I found a lot of good information on that link. There wasn't anything about the inflatable sit-on-top kayaks but the general information was extremely helpful.