Tandem kayak for spearfishing

  • Thanks Phil.


    Here's some info about the Cabo vs. Zest.

    Quote

    Even though I have seen both fully rigged and looked them over very well, I have not been in the water with either one. What I can tell you is that as far as stability, they are the same. The length and width are the same. The bottom of the kayak looks to be exactly the same. The only difference I found is that the top section of the kayak is different. The seat and hatch placement are different. The Zest II has a hatch in the stern and center. The Cabo has a large hatch in the bow and a small one in the center and a tank-well in the stern. Having seen both, I am partial to the Cabo. But that is because of the way that the setup looks and because of the hatch placement and tank-well. As to how it performs, I think you will have the same performance either way. The only big difference you will have is the price.

  • I don't remember which is current and which is old, the Zuma came first and then the zest. I have a Zuma 2. It is a great dive platform but I affectionately refer to it as the fridge because it is like paddling a fridge through the water. Easily holds two guys to 215£ and gear in pretty dicey waters

    i like to spear fish

  • To be clear, I'm interested in the kayak's performance with two people. How it handles with one person is irrelevant because I'd never take it out by myself. Of course there may be a situation when one diver is in the water and the other must control the boat, but this would be for a short period of time only.

  • Both. The yak is great and hold a bunch of gear above deck and a good mount below. It is a super stable design which makes it cumbersome. It doesn't go very fast or turn too fast. It tracks well and is easy to get in and out of as well

    i like to spear fish

  • Doesn't go fast enough even with two guys paddling?


    I measure the speed of a kayak as speed relative to effort needed. The prism, my single yak, is fast. A few strokes and you go from stopped to moving and moving rather quickly. With the Zuma, the first several strokes go to overcoming inertia and then she starts to move. Once you have a little forward momentum, you can zip around.


    As an example, I used to do a lot of canal touring. Wed take the yaks and a bunch of booze and some fishing gear and paddle through the neighborhoods of Kendall, checking out people's cool back yards, drinking, acting stupid and a little fishing for peacock bass. The fridge was always loaded with all the booze and the two worst paddlers but they kept up with the two singles.

    i like to spear fish

  • My buddy Mark (Spearshack) in Ocean Beach dives out of a Malibu Two, solo, all the time. Because of its length it paddles fast: Much faster than my W.S. Ride. My next yak will be a tandem due to greater speed, stability and payload, not too mention more under deck storage.

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