# Tarpon 100 Questions



## Certified106 (Mar 17, 2014)

Couple of quick questions, I currently have a Ride 115 and my wife just has a cheap rec yak that she uses for most of our kayak trips. As time has progressed she want's something a little bit more comfortable for our paddles and fishing trips so we have been contemplating getting her a Tarpon 100 since it is light enough she can handle it by herself if she goes out with friends. Does anyone one have one of these and if so how does it track/handle?We really like the Ride but it always seems a bit hard to paddle (to be expected for a pontoon style yak) and it is really heavy for even me to handle by myself.


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

What does she not like about her rec yak? Does she fish? And does it have to be a sit on top?


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## fishwendel2 (Nov 19, 2007)

As a former Tarpon 120 owner if you go the 100 route I would get a big ol cushion to sit on and some back support if you plan on paddling more than a couple hours. The seat is not the most comfortable. Paddling - it's a breeze.


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## Certified106 (Mar 17, 2014)

Bubbagon said:


> What does she not like about her rec yak? Does she fish? And does it have to be a sit on top?


We have a Jack Russel that goes kayaking with her a lot and with a sit inside kayak there just isn't much room in the cockpit area vs having a tankwell in back that he can stand in. Also we kayak quite a few streams that don't have good landings and they are much easier to get in and out of not to mention you can just swing your legs over the side in the middle of a lake if you are just hanging out. She does fish some with me just not all the time and we both like the built in trax on the wilderness systems kayaks.

I have to confess I like the idea of a smaller lighter sit on top for times when I am lugging a yak back to a river/stream also as my ride is quite heavy. We also considered a commander for her but they are pretty heavy and you still can't swing your legs over the side if you need to.

As you can see right now I get stuck with the majority of the load when we go out as a family.


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## Certified106 (Mar 17, 2014)

fishwendel2 said:


> As a former Tarpon 120 owner if you go the 100 route I would get a big ol cushion to sit on and some back support if you plan on paddling more than a couple hours. The seat is not the most comfortable. Paddling - it's a breeze.


Did you have the current style seat (Phase 3 AirPro SOT Seating System) or the old style like on the current Pescador? I have always found the new Phase 3 seating to be extremely comfy


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## lotaluck (Dec 17, 2009)

I really really wanted this yak for creek fishing, I loved the way this thing spec's and the layout. But the guys on here talked me out of it due the keal. Apparently it has a pronounced keal the is not designed for stream and creek floats. Never paddled one so I should probably not even be giving me 2 cents. 

There was however a old timer I floated with a couple years ago near Chilicothe Oh and he uses the 120. This guy has tons of experience and had paddled everything under the sun. He really likes the 120 and said he also has a couple 100's that make great creek boats.


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

Own one, not a good creek boat , plus the hull design isn't that sturdy, cracked mine twice, front keel a deal breaker

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## fishwendel2 (Nov 19, 2007)

Mine was a 2009 so probably still had the old seat. Either way it was not comfortable


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

Native Ultimate 12 is light and indestructible. It also has dry, comfortable seating. I think they even make it with a high/low seat now to make it easier to get in and out. Plenty of room for the Jack Russell too. You won't believe how easy it is to lift one of those.


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

To add on: I see there is a significant redesign on their newer, upscale Ultimate FX 12: http://www.nativewatercraft.com/boat.cfm?id=53 

Those look like some excellent changes flattening the deck in the standing area and putting in an adjustable seat. I have two inches of foam pads on my present seat to give me some height, and it has negligible effect on the stability. I'll wager that boat in the high position is still one of the most stable platforms on the market. Also, one of the drawbacks of the original hull was that you had to stand knock-kneed with your feet in those tunnel hulls. 

At 52 lbs., it is only 3 lbs. heavier than the original. That is still way lighter than other SIKs and SOTs of similar size. What is really different in the weight is that the Ultimate is a completely symmetrical and open boat. This makes it much easier to lift than even a SIK of comparable weight as they are always unbalanced and awkward when you try to put them over your head or on your shoulder. I don't have to tell you about lifting SOTs.

It also offers a hard bow cover now to keep the chop from breaking over. Still, it is not the boat to take in even class II water. It will handle it, but you will have to mop it out after. It would be fine in class II if you weren't hauling fishing gear or dogs.

My main boat is a Kilroy now. It will handle much bigger water and haul a lot more crap, but I still take the Ultimate when I am soloing on some rough access.


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## Certified106 (Mar 17, 2014)

The native looks like a sweet yak and reminds me a bunch of the commander which we were seriously considering. The price is a bit out of the range we were hoping to stay in though as we were trying to keep it under $700. How about the ascend D10 from Bass Pro anyone have any real experience with them as they see close a the votive in design?


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## Boostedawdfun (Sep 15, 2012)

D10T is kinda heavy, seat sucks and is slow on flat water. It is stable and cheap though.


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## backlashed (Mar 19, 2011)

I have a 2011 D10, it's my least favorite of 4 kayaks. Hard keel on both ends. If my daughter didn't like it I'd get rid of it, my son won't go back after using our Cruise 12.


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## Boostedawdfun (Sep 15, 2012)

What about a Jackson tripper 12 or cruise 10 or 12?


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## Certified106 (Mar 17, 2014)

Well we went and demoed a few kayaks on Friday and after 4 different boats she was still set on the Tarpon 100. Got it for the same price as the cheapest online version but they threw in 8 scupper plugs and 4 ram screwballs so I was ok with the deal. She even got it in a limited edition Cosmos. I can't wait to steal it and try fishing off of it!


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## Boostedawdfun (Sep 15, 2012)

Very nice! Congrats!


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## shwookie (Jun 15, 2007)

Certified106 said:


> Well we went and demoed a few kayaks on Friday and after 4 different boats she was still set on the Tarpon 100. Got it for the same price as the cheapest online version but they threw in 8 scupper plugs and 4 ram screwballs so I was ok with the deal. She even got it in a limited edition Cosmos. I can't wait to steal it and try fishing off of it!



Roll it over and show soem keel pics, thats the most important part of a boat IMO. As the former owner of a tarpon i'm interested to see the changes made.


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## Certified106 (Mar 17, 2014)

shwookie said:


> Roll it over and show soem keel pics, thats the most important part of a boat IMO. As the former owner of a tarpon i'm interested to see the changes made.


I will do that this afternoon for you. I have no idea what they looked like before but I will say I was pleasantly surprised at how well it tracked. Both of our other rec boats will veer left or right as soon as you stop paddling and this one continued straight. It still doesn't have the glide that my Ride 115 does and when you are paddling hard it does have some left to right movement at the front of the boat but nothing compared to her current emotion glide. I guess it is really a matter of perspective and which yak you are comparing it to. I tried to steal her towards a Tarpon 120 but she struggled to load it in the truck herself and felt it was overall bigger and heavier than what she wanted. In the end I figured if momma is happy then I am to lol


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## shwookie (Jun 15, 2007)

Certified106 said:


> I will do that this afternoon for you. I have no idea what they looked like before but I will say I was pleasantly surprised at how well it tracked. Both of our other rec boats will veer left or right as soon as you stop paddling and this one continued straight. It still doesn't have the glide that my Ride 115 does and when you are paddling hard it does have some left to right movement at the front of the boat but nothing compared to her current emotion glide. I guess it is really a matter of perspective and which yak you are comparing it to. I tried to steal her towards a Tarpon 120 but she struggled to load it in the truck herself and felt it was overall bigger and heavier than what she wanted. In the end I figured if momma is happy then I am to lol


The old Tarpon was a turd in moving water, my 08 model was an ok boat, but it has soured me greatly on tarpons as have most people who have had one. Tracking with my boat (tarpon 100) was never a problem, it was eddying out and peeling out, moving water type maneuvers that it struggled with due to the oppressive front and rear keels. If they have significantly changed the keel, I can add it back to my list of next boat contenders, although at the rate I use my coosa, it may be a thousand years away at this point...


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## Certified106 (Mar 17, 2014)

Here is a picture of the underside .


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

Same hull as the old ones I'm afraid, not good in moving water

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## shwookie (Jun 15, 2007)

StuckAtHome said:


> Same hull as the old ones I'm afraid, not good in moving water
> 
> Sent from my SM-N900V using Ohub Campfire mobile app


...Yep.



> The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters.


Buzz off.


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