I've had my eye on a Wilderness Systems Zephyr kayak for a long time. Today I decided to pull the trigger and get a Zephyr 155 at a dang decent price. It's a rockered out little boat and should be PERFECT for my summer camp, surf and kayak OBX trip. It'll get mostly paddled in lakes but I like that it can handle surf.


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Pretty sweet! Getting into kayaking is on my list.

Nice! Can't go wrong with Wilderness Systems; rocking one of their Tarpon yaks.

I also got a new boat for my son and wife to enjoy. Should be easy to spot this boat....

Nice. What did you have or use previously?

46&2,

We used these for about 5 years. Ascend D12 fishing yak.

Nice. Coincidentally, I've been looking into getting my first kayak. Have no idea what to buy, what to look for, brands, etc.

I've got a couple of suggestions for which I'm following up.

But the inhibiting factor may be transport -- I can't find a roof rack system from a branded company (ie - Thule) that will work on either of my cars. I can't justify buying another car / truck / minivan just to go kayaking (although our next car will be one of these).

Great minds?

I brought this home last Friday. Getting it wet Saturday morning. I plan on outfitting it for fishing.

Right now I am building a PVC stand to support it on a rolling cart. the height will allow me to slide it in and out of the bed of my truck.

Ooh that sure is purty.... Get it into the surf at least once just because.

Nice! I have two Native Watercraft, an 11ft and a 10ft, both sit-on-top, and they get used almost weekly in the summer up here on the bay. Also had them over at Lake Gaston a couple years ago and spent a couple full days paddling around the lake.

We love kayaking. A few years ago we bought a pair of these semi-inflatable ones and use them WAY more than we thought we would. They're not light enough to hike with, but since we camp so much we pack them in the SUV, drive to where we're hiking and camping, kayak for a while then pack them back in the truck and camp for the weekend without worrying about them getting stolen off a roof rack. Perfect for our needs.

https://www.rei.com/product/73...GCntQCFchXDQodoAgA5Q

justjoe,

It'll be in some surf at the Outer Banks in a few weeks.

LOVE Wilderness Systems.

Nice Tarpon, SpinZone! Mrs.BurtonRW and I have a pair of 120s. We test paddled the 120s and 140s before buying and enjoyed the increased maneuverability of the 120s (which still track very nicely). Couldn't be happier w/ them.

-Rob

I have the old scupper pro which I love. Get a good paddle that fits you - I have an old Werner.

Great fun and great exercise. My son is now using to fish the river behind us.

quote:

Originally posted by BurtonRW:
LOVE Wilderness Systems.

Nice Tarpon, SpinZone! Mrs.BurtonRW and I have a pair of 120s. We test paddled the 120s and 140s before buying and enjoyed the increased maneuverability of the 120s (which still track very nicely). Couldn't be happier w/ them.

-Rob

Another Tarpon 120 fan here! I've had our boats from the Allagash River in Maine to the Florida Keys and they have handled everything we've thrown at them.
I'm looking at getting a sit inside touring yak for some longer trips but yaks are like guns...you can ever have too many!

Wife and I bought a couple of Malibu sit on tops last year. We enjoyed it enough that we have purchased a couple of whitewater boats and are getting instruction this year.

It is a sport / hobby that lets you get places few other humans get to go.

I'm gonna check out a Zephyr 160 Pro tomorrow. It's a big boat but the price is too good to pass up. It's gonna be REALLY fun paddling all over OBX in one of these!

It's a composite (fiberglass) version and was VERY expensive when it came out.

quote:

Originally posted by smlsig:
Another Tarpon 120 fan here!

Every summer I say I'm going to get a kayak. I haven't yet, but the Tarpon 120 is my target.

Funny you brought this up. I just ordered two kayaks. I've been wanting to try it, too.

My wife has been waffling back and forth between a paddle board and a kayak so I bought her a Ocean kayak Alu 12.5.



I've been wanting to start fishing from a kayak - for trout and redfish from out local tidal flats and creeks. I ordered an Ocean Kayak Prowler Big Game 2. Looking forward to reigging it out and getting out on the water,

Took it out this weekend.