Who should sit at the front of the Kayak?
I own a tandem cobra kayak, holds 600lbs. I am a 260lbs 6ft tall male. My friend is 6.9ft and 220 lbs. I read that the heavier person should sit in the stern section of the kayak, but we found it easier for the taller person to sit it the back. Whenever my 6.9 ft friend sat on the bow we would capsize, i assume because he couldn’t keep his balance.
We also had trouble keeping out balance when a huge wake of a boat hit us.
Now please keep in mind, that the only equipment we carry is the paddles and life vest. This is a sit on top kayak and we did not capsize once when the male 6ft tall 260lbs person sat in the front.
Now usually when i go out, i put my seat in the middle of the kayak and take my 30lb daughter with me. I have never capsized this way and we always stay inside of the marinas.
Would it be easier to just make the cobra tandem a one seater by adjusting the seat near the middle and renting a second kayak like a cobra fish and dive for the other person?
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December 12th, 2010 at 11:43 am
Capt John is absolutely right. You simply have too much weight and height for that kayak.
You originally mentioned capsizing being a problem… Now you seem to be minimizing it referring to "off balance". Fact is, you shouldn’t have either of those problems in a properly fitted kayak.
I know… I went through the same thing many years ago. I originally had a kayak someone gave me. And I simply couldn’t take it out without capsizing. Then, one day, a "real kayak-er" came along and told me why, and told me to "just try his kayak out". It was a world of difference. His of course was about 4′ longer, seats were lower, and my legs were straighter…
What most people don’t realize is that the length of a vessel has as much to do with stability as does the width. In your case, you have to 6′ tall adults in a kayak that is only 12′ long. Sitting on the seats, you have more height and weight above the water as you do below.
I would suggest first, you get a larger (made for tall & large people) kayak, and one with seats lower in the hull. If not that, they you should get an "outrigger" for the one you already have.
But bottom line is, putting 2 adult men that weigh almost 500 lbs in a kayak with a 600 lbs capacity is too close to the edge. When those 2 people are over 6′ tall, you’ve compounded the problem. If you are having less problem with the taller guy in front, it is certainly because his legs are straighter, and thus lower… but you won’t fix the problem without a bigger boat or another boat.
December 12th, 2010 at 11:43 am
Your friend should sit in the back of the boat. Also try practicing balancing together.
December 12th, 2010 at 11:43 am
There are Kayaks for "Tall & Large" just as there are speciality men’s shops.
I agree, the tallest should sit in the rear… but that is not the problem here.
Your problem is not who is sitting in the front… it is simply that your kayak is too small. Legally, Kayak manufacturers do not have to rate their vessels on any type of "stability" factors - only capacity weight. So "technically" you could fill the inside of your kayak with 600lbs of lead (all down in the hull) and all would be fine. But add half that weight to the top of the kayak (rather then the inside) and it will capsize every time.
Your problem is you guys are both too tall & too large for that kayak. I realize the boat manuel or capacity plate may say it will hold 600lbs but that (alone) is not a good representation of the vessel’s stability. At almost 500 lbs the two of you plus equipment & gear, etc. are pushing the very limit.
If you weigh all your gear, equipment, beverage & beverage cooler, etc. you will probably find you are within 10% of the maximum load limit. If you are both broad in the shoulders, your weight is high, and the boat is low in the water. This of course makes it extremely unstable.
Loaded to within 10% of capacity, a lot of vessels (not just kayaks) would capsize if a few people more then half walked over to starboard. In fact, a houseboat with the exact number of people stated on it’s mfg’s capacity plate recently capsized because too many of them were on the upper deck.
I suggest you get a kayak made for "Tall & Large" kayakers…
Link below tells all.
December 12th, 2010 at 11:43 am
I have had a kayak all my life… from one to the next, as I grew, the kayak would become more and more unstable. Then I would get a bigger one and be perfectly fine in all kinds of waves, wakes and weather.
In this case, if the shoe (kayak) fits right… you shouldn’t have to worry about balance at all. This is what makes a kayak suitable more stable then a canoe.
Those telling you the kayak is too small - are exactly right - and your question alone, is all the proof any experienced kayaker needs to know, to know your kayak is too small.
December 12th, 2010 at 11:43 am
usually, you want the heaviest person in back.
ideally, the heaviest person is also the stronger paddler. canoes or kayaks, the person up front should be more concerned about steering by paddling on whichever side is needed, while the stonger person in rear just paddles on one side as much as possible and is just concerned with keeping the vessel moving in whatever direction its pointed.
kind of like a motorcycle, one person is the drive wheel, the other is the steering wheel.
if the person in rear just paddles one side all the time, that person wont be shifting his/her weight as much and the other person doesnt need to worry about that effecting balance.
wake or other waves, best way to keep them from tipping you is to pointed as straight into or away from them as possible and not get rocked sideways at all.
not having a second person to effect balance is always easier. renting or purchasing a 2nd kayak would make sure you dont get tipped by a 2nd adult.
also you are talking 480 out of 600 lb capacity, and its high up weight with 6′ 9" person which effects center of gravity. possible your buddy may never be very good at staying upright in a kayak…..
one other option, something i did with a canoe to keep it from tipping and dumping all my gear while fishing, when you may just move without thinking because you are fighting a fish, make outriggers
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mine was 6" pvc pipe with end caps and a 2×4 frame. had a loose 2×4 i’d drop in the canoe and use some wing nuts to tighten the bolts so that board and the rest of the frame had the canoe side rails clamped between them.