At this time of year, the dead of winter, it is always something. I am yearning for spring and latch on to some adventure or piece of equipment to enhance an adventure that I am looking forward to, and obsess over it. This winter I just can’t contain my desire for a new kayak.
My wife has reminded me that I have two already. She has reminded me more than once. Doesn’t matter because what I don’t have is a kayak designed for stand-up fishing, and I am convinced that is what I need to make fishing and paddling special this coming season.
I’ve been wearing out YouTube looking at videos, mostly of the Jackson Kilroy and Old Town Predator models. Both are tricked out with everything one can think of to make fishing from a kayak easier, and both companies boast that their boat is very stable for stand-up fishing. I became convinced that the Kilroy was the boat for me when I watched a video from a kayak shop in California offering to add a stand-up support bar for customers. The bar is a kind of leaning post for support when standing up.
I didn’t intend to travel to California for a boat, so I emailed local kayak shops. By local I mean from central Wisconsin to southern Indiana. I was told that a Kilroy was available in Wisconsin in “Yellow Jacket” color. I guess that is a pattern made up of yellow, black and white. I’ll have to get a look at that before deciding if I can live with it. What happened to all kayaks being solid color yellow, green, or beige?
I was also told that the shop would not install the stand-up bar on advice from the manufacturer-Jackson. They said the warranty would be void if the bar was installed. So now what? Do I start looking again? Do I live without the bar?
Spending money on an expensive toy is more work than it ought to be. I want to get the right kayak this time, no buyer’s remorse. I can’t keep buying another boat, or wanting to buy another boat, every few years. I’ll keep you posted.
gstockey 
Why do you have to stand up in a kayak? If I was going to stand up, I would use a flat bottomed boat. Bonnie is right, you don’t need one. If you want ideas on how to spend your $, I can give you some.
Ruth, Ruth, Ruth, you don’t get it. Standing up makes sight fishing possible, and setting the hook sitting in the bottom of a kayak is difficult. Furthermore, my old butt doesn’t like sitting all day. Moving around makes long outings more pleasant. The flat bottom boat can’t be taken into wilderness areas, portaged or dragged from lake to lake, easily car-topped, and more.