[briankc]

I am considering one of the above for flyfisshing in the C. Bay and it's tribs. I have considered buying a SOT for some time and have now narrowed the choice to these 2 above. I would appreciate hearing from all who haqve experience with either of these , pros and cons, etc.
- Which tracks better?
-Specifially, which is inherently more stable?
-Does the extra length of a 14' provide signifigant benefits over a 12'?
Thanks in advance for your responses.

Brian in Rockville,MD

 

[kcussick]

ruthless should answer that one.

 

[Juke]

Ask Chad or Ruthless, i look forwardto their response.

 

[chesapeakeblend]

4 of us fished Belle Grove Ponds this morning out around Baltimore and there were 4 different boats. I don't think anyone has a complaint about any of them. t140, liquid logic, hobie, and one other sit-in-side.

my .02

mike

 

[sts]

I just demo the redfish 14' and the new redfish 12'and much to my supprize you can stand up in both the 12' and 14' the 14' tracks alittle better and might be a bit faster, both sit alittle higher in the water so the wind does push them around a little. The new 12' comes with a nice big hatch up front which is nice,and easy to access even while you are on the water, they both weigh about the same and both are dry I'am 5'10 220 lbs with the drain plugs removed and paddeling at a moderat speed no water in the floor, good luck I ordered the new redfish 12' it should be here in about two weeks

 

[wpvboat]

That Redfish 12 looks really nice. I've heard alot of good stuff about the 14 too but that silly little front hatch has got to go. Their website shows both the 12 and 14 with a built in seat. I really like the built in seats on the Tarpons. I wonder if the new Heritage seats are more like that. I haven't paddled a Tarpon 12 or 14 but I can tell you that my Tarpon 160i is bad ace! For what I do it is perfect. I need speed and rough water capability and that is where it shines.

Tom

 

[markbob]

Have you considered the Prowler 13' or 15' by ocean kayak? When I was shopping for a yak, I had the oppurtunity to attend a canoe and kayak festival and was able to paddle lots of yaks. I found that these yaks combined the best features from both the herritage and wilderness system models. Just a thought.

 

[TAILWALKER]

I'll second the Prowler suggestion. I've owned a Tarpon 160, (traded it for the Prowler 15) and I've got a Tarpon 140 and an original Pungo and a Pamlico. I use them all for different purposes. A friend of mine sold Heritage's for a while. There is nothing wrong with them either but you really need to paddle them all to make your decision. What one person likes another does not.

I traded my Tarpon 160 because it's heavy as lead and after I injured my right arm it was just too much work loading and unloading that beast by myself. It was a great boat but the Prowler is lighter, I think the seat positioning is better (a little further forward) and it does not leak. They are very closely matched so the weight difference is what made me do it. The molded foot wells do not bother me either since I have a sized 13 foot the large wells actually give me more surface to rest my feet on.

My Tarpon 140 is also heavier and while I like it I think the seat position is a little too far back which affects the way it rides in a chop and I just don't think it is as efficient of a hull. Case in point is last year we were at Lynnhaven and I went with a friend that had no racks on his 4runner so I took my Pungo because my buddy had his Tarpon 140 and there just was no way to safely put my Prowler up there without a rack. The wind kicked up to about 20 that day and my buddy struggled all day to even attempt to keep up with me in my pungo and his 140 was not tracking worth a darn mainly because he is heavy, about 240 and the way the seating is the bow had a lot of rise even with some gear in it causing the wind to get up under it and as a result it slowed the yak and prevented it from tracking properly.

If you don't weigh over 200 it may be no issue but I'm 6'2" and weigh 200 and it still does it some on me. In calmer waters it is not as big of a deal. Luckily for me I mainly purchased my 140 for my oldest son but from a best all around standpoint the Prowler combined the best of all features for me.

 

[Chad]

Well, you know where I will stand on this. Cory will weigh in soon and he can speak from experience in both boats. I have only paddled the Heritage at a demo in Florida for a few minutes. I like the Tarpon 140 because it comes with the seat (I like it with the hotseat from Surf to Summit), the bungee paddle holders and all of the hardware is molded in and most have molded in anchor nuts, it is also cheaper than the Redfish. As far as handling, I am 6' 2" and weigh 235 and don't have any problems. I can guarantee that I would not have any problems keeping up with a pungo, it would probably be the other way around. The 160i also
has a lot of improvements over the older 160. Cory can give the pros and cons for the Redfish now that he has logged some seat time.
Chad

 

[Knot Crazy]

I just bought the Heritage Redfish 14' and love it. I had the Heritage Fisherman Pro 14' before that and wasn't real pleased with the handling in open waters as it's more of a hybrid that combines the speed and sleek lines of a touring Yak with some gear installed on it for a fisherman. The Redfish is 31" wide and plenty stable. It's got the Surf to Sumit seat and a paddle leash built into it as standard equipment. The seatwell area layout gives you a lot of room and yes the front hatch is a little small but I very seldom use mine so it wasn't a factor. The back hatch is huge and should take care of all the stuff I have to bring along. The plastic seems harder than most boats and will get the rock,oyster shell, or bridge piling scratch & sniff test often with the current capt. Can't help with the comparison as I've never paddled the Tarpon but just my thoughts on the Redfish.

 

[Cory ruthless Routh]

OK I have owned and paddled both. The redfish is more stable, and dryer than the tarpon. But it sits higher in the water and tends to be affected by high winds. The tarpon has more standard rigging and is about 10-pounds lighter than the redfish.

As for performance, they are very similar, but I feel that the redfish 14 is a bit faster than the 140.

Both yaks are excellent boats for fishing, I have both 14 and 12 foot redfish coming next week, I am trying to set up a demo.

 

[wpvboat]

Cory, what kind of seat comes on the new Redfish?

Tom

 

[Chad]

As with all kayak recommendations, they are based in large part on the preferences and experiences of the one offering them. The best suggestion I can offer is to try all boats you are interested in before making your decision. You are welcome to try my 140 and 160i. I am sure there are members of TKAA that would offer up to let you try the Prowler and Cory already stated you could try the Redfish. Try them all and go from there.
Chad

 

[Cory ruthless Routh]

They come with the easy rider seat, which is made by surf to summit. Very comfortable.