Moken 10 V's Manta Ray 11
Sept 26, 2010 20:31:10 GMT -1
Post by seaapprentice on Sept 26, 2010 20:31:10 GMT -1
You may have noticed that I have but my Malibu 2 XL Angler up for sale. Karen and I are swapping over to solo kayaks to give us more flexibility. This leads me nicely into the introduction of this thread.
A decision was made to test paddle a Moken 10 Angler ( courtesy of Kayaks North West ) and one of three kayaks chosen from the extensive range at Brookbanks. I cannot speak highly enough about these two distributors, both companies taking customer service to a new level. Before I continue with this thread I am going to highlight my personal preferences toward choosing a kayak in priority order.
1.
Practicality as a fishing vessel.
2.
Ability to lift the kayak on and off roof bars on car without suffering from any back pain.
3.
Stability / feel good feeling whilst afloat
4.
Tracking / effort required to paddle the kayak
As you can see we are more into the fishing side of kayaking rather than the paddling.
The first port of call was Brookbank to choose a kayak to take with us to Kayaks North West on the banks of the Bridgewater Canal. The three kayaks that were identified as possible candidates were;
'Ocean Kayak Prowler Trident 11 Angler'
'Native Manta Ray 11 Angler'
'Wilderness Tarpon 120 Angler'
It was interesting that both Karen and I veered toward the Manta Ray. Although if I could have taken two then the OC Prowler Trident would have been strapped onto the roof bars as well. The decision upon which kayak to take was decided by points 1 & 2 on my personal preferences list. The Manta Ray edging it on its practicality as a fishing vessel. I really like the following things on the Manta Ray;
1.
The seat is the most comfortable kayak seat I have tried and I liked the raised / slightly tilted position.
2.
The clutter free with clever moldings in the plastic between your legs whilst sat in the kayak really appealed to me. The lack of a hatch between the legs may prove frustrating to some people but I like the extra deck space that a hatch would obstruct. Its all about personal choice!
3.
The scotty mount positioned in the centre of the bow section. With the purchase of a scotty triple rod holder and fish finder mount I would be ready for fishing. The scupper hole positioned within inches from the mount would allow me to pass the wires from my transducer through the scupper hole. This would provide a neat solution to fitting a fish finder that can be removed, complete with wiring. An essential requirement for people like me that have to store there kayaks outside open to the elements!
To conclude the intro I would like to give a reasoning for selecting to test paddle the 'Feelfree Moken 10 Angler' Karen and I had an accident off the Fylde coat (Lancashire) last January whereby we both ended up in freezing sea water after capsizing. The incident, fortunately didn't end up serious as we had the correct clothing on, practiced a recover drill but most importantly had assistance from a nearby fishing dingy. As you can imagine an incident like that knocks your confidence. Therefore, stability is a very important element in a kayak for us. That is what attracted us to the Moken 10. At this point I need to add that Karen was 50 / 50 on whether to give up kayaking before I persuaded her to give these two kayaks a test paddle. She was so undecided about it that she didn't pack her paddling gear when we went to Brookbank, then changed her mind and I had to drive home to pick her gear up before traveling to Kayak North West. Read on and this fact will have some relevance.
On the water at last. The Manta Ray was lifted off the roof bars with reasonable ease for a man who has never took a kayak off roof bars on his own before! The Moken was wheeled to the waters edge by the very helpful staff. Everything was set for the comparison test.
First impressions of the moken was 'It looks like a bath tub'. It is short and wide, but really well designed for the purpose of a fishing kayak. The centre console between your legs when sat in the kayak was positioned perfectly. It's locking system was easy to use. Although the space inside was not huge it was large enough for practical use. Combine this with a round hatch near your groin and the large storage area at the bow gives a huge capacity for fishing gear.
I paddled the moken whilst Karen paddled the Manta Ray. It has to be said that neither of us had paddled solo before and I was a little concerned how Karen would handle it. Literally, five minutes into the paddle and I seen that sparkle in her eye that I saw when she first looked at me
. I meanwhile was blown away with the stability of the Moken. So much so that I was distracted from its poor handling. That was until Karen flew past in the Manta Ray. A race had to be had! Karen blew me away in the Manta Ray. Now she may be female but I am eight years older so we are probably equal in our paddling abilities. None the less we did another little test. Karen plus Manta Ray in front about 3 metres (length of kayak) from me and the Moken. We matched each other stroke for stroke. The gap between the Manta Ray and the Moken just kept on growing until a called a halt to proceedings when Karen (Manta Ray) was 15 metres away.
Next test was to reach into a crate positioned at the stern of each kayak. Karen still lacking a lot of confidence in a kayak since the capsize felt comfortable and safe carrying out the test in the Manta Ray. Although she did add that the same test on the sea would be a different proposition. I carried out the same test in the Moken but with an added twist. I stood up in the Moken turned 180 degrees and knelt down to open a toolbox that was strapped in with the bungee cords. Before turning my body from a kneeling position 180 degrees into a sitting position. THE MOKEN 10 ANGLER IS PROBABLY THE MOST STABLE KAYAK IN THE WORLD! Enough said. The bungee cords in the stern have clips that are easy to undo, top marks for practical design.
I carried out the same test in the Manta Ray after a reluctant Karen swapped Kayaks. The Manta Ray felt extremely stable but not a solid as the Moken. At no point though did I feel that I would have fell in whilst carrying out this test in the Manta Ray. Would I try such a test in the sea on the kayaks, no! However, both kayaks felt so stable whilst kneeling and retrieving stuff from the stern crate I would be confident enough to try this at sea.
The same paddle test were carried out again as we did before and the results were identical. Karen was pining for her new love, so I had to swap kayaks again. Karen did not really have a kind word for the Moken, she had fell hook, line and sinker for the Manta Ray!
Back at the basin in front of the shop I carried out the final test on the two kayaks. This was to stand up in the kayak and do a full 360 degree turn whilst standing.
The Moken 10 Angler was a solid platform and this task was easily achieved. I would go as far to say, in a sheltered waters you could confidently stand up fishing in this kayak. Not my chosen fishing position in a kayak, but possible if you are so inclined.
Time for the Manta Ray to step up for the challenge. I successfully completed the task but not without a little wobble or two. I came a shore dry much to the disappointment of my little girl who hoped in vain that I would end up in the cut!
As for which one was the driest ride, I couldn't tell you. Kayak fishing is a water sport in my eyes. So I don't particularly pay attention to how wet I get from drips of water when I am paddling. No wet bum from the seats, however you need to be sat for a few hours in a seat to establish this quality.
To summerise;
Moken 10 Angler:
Price RRP= £549
Practicality as a fishing vessel = sheltered waters 8.5 / 10, sea 6.5/10; combined average = 7.5 /10
Ability to lift the kayak on and off roof bars on car without suffering from any back pain = 7 / 10
Stability / feel good feeling whilst afloat = 10 / 10
Tracking / effort required to paddle the kayak = 6 / 10
TOTAL = 30.5 / 40
Manta Ray 11 Angler
Price RRP= £749
Practicality as a fishing vessel = sheltered waters 9 / 10, sea 9/10; combined average = 9 /10
Ability to lift the kayak on and off roof bars on car without suffering from any back pain = 9 / 10
Stability / feel good feeling whilst afloat = 9 / 10
Tracking / effort required to paddle the kayak = 9 / 10
TOTAL = 36 / 40
CONCLUSION
The extra £200 in purchase price clearly shows through when testing these two kayaks. If I was on a budget then I would consider the Moken 10 Angler but fortunately for me I have saved my pennies and the Manta Ray 11 Angler has been ordered ;D.
A decision was made to test paddle a Moken 10 Angler ( courtesy of Kayaks North West ) and one of three kayaks chosen from the extensive range at Brookbanks. I cannot speak highly enough about these two distributors, both companies taking customer service to a new level. Before I continue with this thread I am going to highlight my personal preferences toward choosing a kayak in priority order.
1.
Practicality as a fishing vessel.
2.
Ability to lift the kayak on and off roof bars on car without suffering from any back pain.
3.
Stability / feel good feeling whilst afloat
4.
Tracking / effort required to paddle the kayak
As you can see we are more into the fishing side of kayaking rather than the paddling.
The first port of call was Brookbank to choose a kayak to take with us to Kayaks North West on the banks of the Bridgewater Canal. The three kayaks that were identified as possible candidates were;
'Ocean Kayak Prowler Trident 11 Angler'
'Native Manta Ray 11 Angler'
'Wilderness Tarpon 120 Angler'
It was interesting that both Karen and I veered toward the Manta Ray. Although if I could have taken two then the OC Prowler Trident would have been strapped onto the roof bars as well. The decision upon which kayak to take was decided by points 1 & 2 on my personal preferences list. The Manta Ray edging it on its practicality as a fishing vessel. I really like the following things on the Manta Ray;
1.
The seat is the most comfortable kayak seat I have tried and I liked the raised / slightly tilted position.
2.
The clutter free with clever moldings in the plastic between your legs whilst sat in the kayak really appealed to me. The lack of a hatch between the legs may prove frustrating to some people but I like the extra deck space that a hatch would obstruct. Its all about personal choice!
3.
The scotty mount positioned in the centre of the bow section. With the purchase of a scotty triple rod holder and fish finder mount I would be ready for fishing. The scupper hole positioned within inches from the mount would allow me to pass the wires from my transducer through the scupper hole. This would provide a neat solution to fitting a fish finder that can be removed, complete with wiring. An essential requirement for people like me that have to store there kayaks outside open to the elements!
To conclude the intro I would like to give a reasoning for selecting to test paddle the 'Feelfree Moken 10 Angler' Karen and I had an accident off the Fylde coat (Lancashire) last January whereby we both ended up in freezing sea water after capsizing. The incident, fortunately didn't end up serious as we had the correct clothing on, practiced a recover drill but most importantly had assistance from a nearby fishing dingy. As you can imagine an incident like that knocks your confidence. Therefore, stability is a very important element in a kayak for us. That is what attracted us to the Moken 10. At this point I need to add that Karen was 50 / 50 on whether to give up kayaking before I persuaded her to give these two kayaks a test paddle. She was so undecided about it that she didn't pack her paddling gear when we went to Brookbank, then changed her mind and I had to drive home to pick her gear up before traveling to Kayak North West. Read on and this fact will have some relevance.
On the water at last. The Manta Ray was lifted off the roof bars with reasonable ease for a man who has never took a kayak off roof bars on his own before! The Moken was wheeled to the waters edge by the very helpful staff. Everything was set for the comparison test.
First impressions of the moken was 'It looks like a bath tub'. It is short and wide, but really well designed for the purpose of a fishing kayak. The centre console between your legs when sat in the kayak was positioned perfectly. It's locking system was easy to use. Although the space inside was not huge it was large enough for practical use. Combine this with a round hatch near your groin and the large storage area at the bow gives a huge capacity for fishing gear.
I paddled the moken whilst Karen paddled the Manta Ray. It has to be said that neither of us had paddled solo before and I was a little concerned how Karen would handle it. Literally, five minutes into the paddle and I seen that sparkle in her eye that I saw when she first looked at me
. I meanwhile was blown away with the stability of the Moken. So much so that I was distracted from its poor handling. That was until Karen flew past in the Manta Ray. A race had to be had! Karen blew me away in the Manta Ray. Now she may be female but I am eight years older so we are probably equal in our paddling abilities. None the less we did another little test. Karen plus Manta Ray in front about 3 metres (length of kayak) from me and the Moken. We matched each other stroke for stroke. The gap between the Manta Ray and the Moken just kept on growing until a called a halt to proceedings when Karen (Manta Ray) was 15 metres away.Next test was to reach into a crate positioned at the stern of each kayak. Karen still lacking a lot of confidence in a kayak since the capsize felt comfortable and safe carrying out the test in the Manta Ray. Although she did add that the same test on the sea would be a different proposition. I carried out the same test in the Moken but with an added twist. I stood up in the Moken turned 180 degrees and knelt down to open a toolbox that was strapped in with the bungee cords. Before turning my body from a kneeling position 180 degrees into a sitting position. THE MOKEN 10 ANGLER IS PROBABLY THE MOST STABLE KAYAK IN THE WORLD! Enough said. The bungee cords in the stern have clips that are easy to undo, top marks for practical design.
I carried out the same test in the Manta Ray after a reluctant Karen swapped Kayaks. The Manta Ray felt extremely stable but not a solid as the Moken. At no point though did I feel that I would have fell in whilst carrying out this test in the Manta Ray. Would I try such a test in the sea on the kayaks, no! However, both kayaks felt so stable whilst kneeling and retrieving stuff from the stern crate I would be confident enough to try this at sea.
The same paddle test were carried out again as we did before and the results were identical. Karen was pining for her new love, so I had to swap kayaks again. Karen did not really have a kind word for the Moken, she had fell hook, line and sinker for the Manta Ray!
Back at the basin in front of the shop I carried out the final test on the two kayaks. This was to stand up in the kayak and do a full 360 degree turn whilst standing.
The Moken 10 Angler was a solid platform and this task was easily achieved. I would go as far to say, in a sheltered waters you could confidently stand up fishing in this kayak. Not my chosen fishing position in a kayak, but possible if you are so inclined.
Time for the Manta Ray to step up for the challenge. I successfully completed the task but not without a little wobble or two. I came a shore dry much to the disappointment of my little girl who hoped in vain that I would end up in the cut!
As for which one was the driest ride, I couldn't tell you. Kayak fishing is a water sport in my eyes. So I don't particularly pay attention to how wet I get from drips of water when I am paddling. No wet bum from the seats, however you need to be sat for a few hours in a seat to establish this quality.
To summerise;
Moken 10 Angler:
Price RRP= £549
Practicality as a fishing vessel = sheltered waters 8.5 / 10, sea 6.5/10; combined average = 7.5 /10
Ability to lift the kayak on and off roof bars on car without suffering from any back pain = 7 / 10
Stability / feel good feeling whilst afloat = 10 / 10
Tracking / effort required to paddle the kayak = 6 / 10
TOTAL = 30.5 / 40
Manta Ray 11 Angler
Price RRP= £749
Practicality as a fishing vessel = sheltered waters 9 / 10, sea 9/10; combined average = 9 /10
Ability to lift the kayak on and off roof bars on car without suffering from any back pain = 9 / 10
Stability / feel good feeling whilst afloat = 9 / 10
Tracking / effort required to paddle the kayak = 9 / 10
TOTAL = 36 / 40
CONCLUSION
The extra £200 in purchase price clearly shows through when testing these two kayaks. If I was on a budget then I would consider the Moken 10 Angler but fortunately for me I have saved my pennies and the Manta Ray 11 Angler has been ordered ;D.
