BigBendFishing.Net

The wife and I went to the lighthouse at St Marks on Sunday. We saw some people with kayaks and thought it looked like a good time. Neither of knows the first thing about them or what we would need to get started. I hate to run out and buy 2 of them and end up not enjoying them. I suppose the best question is where can we rent some? Any help or insight would be appreciated.

The Wilderness Way @ Wakulla station, and TNT Hideaway both rent kayaks. The Wilderness Way has a bigger selection, but TNT is right on the Wakulla river, so you don't have to transport the boat. Both are owned and operated by good folks
I suggest you try a couple different types before you make a decision to buy.

Talltails wrote:The Wilderness Way @ Wakulla station, and TNT Hideaway both rent kayaks. The Wilderness Way has a bigger selection, but TNT is right on the Wakulla river, so you don't have to transport the boat. Both are owned and operated by good folks
I suggest you try a couple different types before you make a decision to buy.

Excellent advice. I would also add that Wilderness Way offers an introductory Kayak course that is very good and would get you started right. Then try out various models and decide how you might like to use them. That's what I did and it worked very well. Consider how you will transport the kayaks and handling them to the water.

EJ

I really enjoy my kayak, it is a good upper body workout too.
Be sure to pack water!

Both TnT and Wilderness way are great.
TnT is right on the Wakulla river so you can drive up and be in one in 10min.

I'd also start reading the local kayak site that Suber runs http://www.fcka.net

When I started I learned lots from just looking at photos of folks kayaks.

Thanks for all the help. I will be checking into it soon and let you know what we come up with.

As much as I love my kayak (pelican Castaway), I now wish that I had waited til I could afford a nicer one. Although mine has all the rod holders and storage that some of the higher end kayaks have, my hull is just not designed for fishing in the gulf. I have a round bottom, so it doesn't track very well at all, and is not the most stable kayak around. It also sits down low in the water, so the waves just crash right over the bow, keeping me and all my gear pretty much drenched. This probably wouldn't matter that much if I didn't use it in the saltwater as often as I do.

If you plan on taking it to the saltwater very often, I'd pony up for one of the nicer ones with either a wider hull, or a tri-hull. My buddy just got a Malibu X-factor that is awesome. I also like most of the Ocean Kayaks and Wilderness Systems.

Good luck. Oh, and I should warn you, it's painfully addictive.

Wilderness Way often does "demo days" at McClay Gardens as well. Additionally, I would check out nucanoe.
http://www.nucanoe.com/

Thanks for the info red-yakker, the more info the better. Today I made reservations at The Wilderness Way for Saturday and Sunday. We are going to St. Marks for our first trip unless any one has a better suggestion.

boggob wrote:Wilderness Way often does "demo days" at McClay Gardens as well. Additionally, I would check out nucanoe.
http://www.nucanoe.com/

The nucanoe looks very stable, but the nearest dealer I found is in Ocala. Do you know of any one that has them closer? Thanks for the help.

I may have a used NuCanoe for sale cheap. It's a 12' I believe. I'll try to get some pics this week.

Talltails wrote: I'll try to get some pics this week.

The pictures sound good. Why are you getting rid of it?

jadams92002 wrote:

Talltails wrote: I'll try to get some pics this week.

The pictures sound good. Why are you getting rid of it?

He's getting rid of it because TallTails has as many kayaks as most people have pairs of pants.