I am looking to buy two kayaks for surveys on a local stream, and I am curious what are your pros and cons, favorite accessories, "look-out-for" advice on kayaks!
I will be getting short (preferably under 10') kayaks and flat bottomed (the stream will be too shallow to navigate by August) kayaks. When I have used a kayak to survey before I found the sit-in to have more storage capacity for field gear that I need handy (clipboard, gps, pelican case for camera, binos, water bottle, etc etc) but what are other factors that I should look out for?
Fun easy question for such a beautiful spring day :)
For a small stream I suggest a short kayak for ease of turning around. A kayak 8 feet and under can fit into an 8 foot truck box, at least diagonally, something to consider if you have many sites to visit which require putting in at different places along the stream. This saves time instead of tying the kayak down on top of your vehicle. The shorter kayak is easier to portage around beaver dams also.
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