In the grand scheme of things, fishing kayaks are a relatively new invention. By those standards, pedal drive kayaks are still in their infancy. As modern anglers, we’ve proven ourselves to be all about the latest and greatest inventions. Face it, it’s in our nature to gravitate towards pedal drive fishing kayaks.
It feels like you can’t go anywhere on the internet without coming across dozens of people chiming in on why pedal kayaks are “the only” way we should fish. But is that really the case?
Pedal kayaks have great advantages:
They keep your hands relatively free to focus on fighting the fish.
They allow faster travel at further distances than peddle kayaks.
The current market is maintaining a hight resale value for pedal drive kayaks.
So, if pedal kayaks are so great, why would I caution you against buying one without doing your homework first?
We’ve talked about the importance of choosing your kayak and the factors that most significantly affect that decision. We’ve talked about what factors make kayaks best for fishing. And, most importantly, we’ve talked about the safety concerns the kayaks can pose for all anglers.
But what, specifically, could make you need to be cautious around pedal drive kayaks?
1. Weight
The average weight of a paddle fishing kayak is in the low 60s. The standard peddle kayaks are in the high 90s to low 100s, typically. According to Native watercraft, “Weighing in at 62 lbs (without the drive unit) the Slayer Propel 10 is the lightest 10′ pedal drive fishing kayak on the market.” The catch to the lighter weight is that you’re forfeiting stability. To get a pedal drive kayak comparable in stability to a stand-up capable paddle kayak, you’re going to be looking at pedal kayaks weighing in around 85-95 pounds (without the pedal drive onboard).
For those of us who are older, have mobility issues, back issues, or various other health concerns, there will be a limit to how much we can lift and carry.
Many of the kayak anglers have come up with workarounds:
Using leverage to pivot kayaks into position
Buying or building carts that allow for easier dragging
Kayak trailers to keep the kayak stored and transported without ever lifting
Workarounds, however, come with their own complications. Added costs, maintenance for extra products, limitations to drop in choices…
If you are in any situation in which you will need or have to lift or manually move your kayak, the weight will directly influence the versatility you have available to you.
2. Leg Length
Let’s face it, I’m short. I’m not the shortest kayak angler, but I’m definitely not what the industry perceives as average. To use a pedal kayak, you have to be able to reach the pedals.
Most kayak manufacturers have “solved” this problem by making either the drive system or the seat adjustable. Remember, any versatility built into a kayak brings added cost.
The catch to the adjustability is the limit to it. Most pedal kayaks have an inch or two of adjustability. If you are in the manufacturers range of extremely tall or extremely short, these couple inches will still not make the pedals accessible.
3. Physical Disabilities
Are you restricted to one leg? Do you have injuries that have fused your ankle? Have you injured your knees to the point you are not able to ride a bike?
There are countless injuries that prevent “normal” leg rotation. To date, none of the pedal drive manufacturers have come up with a pedal solution that bypasses the requirement to use two legs. It took hundreds of years for bicycles to advance to the point that people with leg restrictions could ride. There’s still hope for a manufacturer to develop a solution in time.
Before you start on the bandwagon about the whole point to pedal drives is to use your feet, stop and think about other users.
Yes, the primary purpose for pedal drive systems is to allow you to use your feet, thereby freeing your hands to more easily fish. Those of you not facing limitations or restrictions to the functionality behind pedal drives may be perfectly fine with the weight and height adjustments. The issues presented here are for those who are limited and need to find solutions that get them out on the water.
4. Shallow waters
No matter what system you choose, the mobility function of the pedal drive operates while extended below the hull of the kayak. I’m not going to go into detail about the different styles of propulsion. If you’re looking for a solid breakdown of the systems, I suggest looking at the article from Jackson Kayaks.
For the purpose of this discussion, what you need to know is that regardless of the system (fin or prop) they only provide propulsion when moving under the kayak. This requires open space under the kayak to not obstruct the systems functionality.
When you are crossing over near surface logs or through vegetation you will have to leave the fins flush against the hull (an option offered in the Hobie Mirage) and paddle. Shallow areas will not even accommodate trolling motors or combustion motors as they have to extend below the hull of the boat as well. Or you’ll have to pull the entire system out of the cradle and get it out of the water.
Either way, you’re not pedaling and your hands are occupied with something other than fishing.
Another factor to consider is that these kayaks are plastic. The pedal systems are metal. Moving them in and out of their cradles will cause noise. In shallow water, that sound is going to scare off your fish quickly. The more debris you run into the more noise you’ll be experiencing as you clean the mess off your propeller.
5. Below surface debris
While we’re on the topic of debris, this isn’t just a pedal drive issue. The difference is that many people don’t understand the fragility of the pedal drive system. Fishing line, anchor lines, moss, weeds, tree branches, and anything else pliable can become wrapped or wedged into that drive system. Many users struggle with pulling the system in and out of the housing cradle which becomes even more complicated should the propeller get jammed from the trash encasing it.
Now, obviously, these are not reasons that would dictate no angler uses a pedal drive kayak.
These are simply five of the most blatant issues that a kayaker will need to address and consider if he or she wants to own a pedal drive kayak. Many places throughout the country offer kayak rentals. Some even have pedal drive kayaks available.
If you’re in doubt. If any of the issues discussed here pose a potential challenge to your kayak fishing enjoyment, rent one of these kayaks and try it out before buying one.
They can be some of the most expensive kayaks on the market. Don’t invest all that money on a kayak that is great but just not suited to your needs. It is more important for you to find a kayak that you will enjoy and use than for you to buy the latest and greatest toy that 30 other people on the internet told you you should get.
Have you found workarounds to the problems above? What solutions did you come up with. Are there kayak mods you found to solve some of these issues?
