Re: Hello - new and looking to getting into Kayak fishing
Posted: 08 Nov 2018, 08:18
Firstly, welcome Clint. I read this thread when you first posted it, but refrained from adding my comments as it would merely re-iterate those of everyone else's. I didn't want you to think that everyone on here was getting on your back, and doing you down, but as my name was mentioned, I thought I should first clarify the post about me, and while I'm here, I'll give you my 2-cent worth.
Just to clarify, I went out of Altona last week in already "average" conditions (8-10knot southerly). The wind forecast increasing slightly to 10-12knot - so things were only going to get worse.
I'm not sure how knowledgeable you are about the whole wind speed and direction (i'm far from the expert), but putting it simply, the more water the wind travels over before reaching you the more choppy it will be. i.e Consider Altona - 10knots that has been blowing a southerly all day will give complete different conditions to a 10knot that has been blowing northerly all day.
It is not unknown that the forecast be innacurate in terms of DIRECTION and STRENGTH. You have picked the perfect season to be looking at this, with Melbourne spring being the most unpredictable of seasons to accurately and consistently forecast. Over the coming weeks I'd suggest keeping an eye how several forecast models predict what the weather should do, compared to what the wind actually does. I personally like fishranger as is shows two different forecast models (BOM and GFS) in a single place: https://www.fishranger.com.au/forecast/ ... -%20Altona
I'm not 100% sure whether it was forecast, but the latest example of a freak spike in the wind was Maverick's post within the past week: bottom of page 3 http://www.vyak.net/forum/viewtopic.php ... 6&start=20
You will find many of these unfortunate unexpected variations from the weather...Laneends (Keith) is very vigilant when it comes to going when the forecast is average, let alone boarderline. Yet he has been caught out a few times, with the most prominent in my mind being when he went out of near san remo: http://www.vyak.net/forum/viewtopic.php ... mo#p260977
You also mentioned in a previous reply that you will only being heading 500m from the beach and only in flat conditions. So what will happen if you have been busy for the past 3-4wks with work, holidays, family, friends, and whenever you have had a window to fish, the weather has been shithouse? But....Saturday morning is looking ok, not great, but ok. The wind forecast is suggesting that 2hrs after you plan to return the wind will increase... not ideal, but you haven't fished in ages and you'll be back on land long before with wind kicks up - are you going to turn that opportunity down...everytime this occurs? If you do, you probably wont fish many times a year. If you don't turn it down and go for fish, then what happens if the wind kicks in early? Are you confident in the watercraft you have to get back? Admittedly, MOST of the time the wind will change when forecasted or later, but that one time when it does kick in early, or unforecasted at all? you really need a watercraft that can get you back in with the skills you have.
This is the weather I went out in when the wind kicked up early:
So it is up to you if you want to buy a short kayak. You are right in thinking that they are suited for the ideal conditions you say you be using them, but unfortunately the weather forecast is not a given.
Just to clarify, I went out of Altona last week in already "average" conditions (8-10knot southerly). The wind forecast increasing slightly to 10-12knot - so things were only going to get worse.
I'm not sure how knowledgeable you are about the whole wind speed and direction (i'm far from the expert), but putting it simply, the more water the wind travels over before reaching you the more choppy it will be. i.e Consider Altona - 10knots that has been blowing a southerly all day will give complete different conditions to a 10knot that has been blowing northerly all day.
It is not unknown that the forecast be innacurate in terms of DIRECTION and STRENGTH. You have picked the perfect season to be looking at this, with Melbourne spring being the most unpredictable of seasons to accurately and consistently forecast. Over the coming weeks I'd suggest keeping an eye how several forecast models predict what the weather should do, compared to what the wind actually does. I personally like fishranger as is shows two different forecast models (BOM and GFS) in a single place: https://www.fishranger.com.au/forecast/ ... -%20Altona
I'm not 100% sure whether it was forecast, but the latest example of a freak spike in the wind was Maverick's post within the past week: bottom of page 3 http://www.vyak.net/forum/viewtopic.php ... 6&start=20
You will find many of these unfortunate unexpected variations from the weather...Laneends (Keith) is very vigilant when it comes to going when the forecast is average, let alone boarderline. Yet he has been caught out a few times, with the most prominent in my mind being when he went out of near san remo: http://www.vyak.net/forum/viewtopic.php ... mo#p260977
You also mentioned in a previous reply that you will only being heading 500m from the beach and only in flat conditions. So what will happen if you have been busy for the past 3-4wks with work, holidays, family, friends, and whenever you have had a window to fish, the weather has been shithouse? But....Saturday morning is looking ok, not great, but ok. The wind forecast is suggesting that 2hrs after you plan to return the wind will increase... not ideal, but you haven't fished in ages and you'll be back on land long before with wind kicks up - are you going to turn that opportunity down...everytime this occurs? If you do, you probably wont fish many times a year. If you don't turn it down and go for fish, then what happens if the wind kicks in early? Are you confident in the watercraft you have to get back? Admittedly, MOST of the time the wind will change when forecasted or later, but that one time when it does kick in early, or unforecasted at all? you really need a watercraft that can get you back in with the skills you have.
This is the weather I went out in when the wind kicked up early:
So it is up to you if you want to buy a short kayak. You are right in thinking that they are suited for the ideal conditions you say you be using them, but unfortunately the weather forecast is not a given.