Tarpon 120 your views

[Simon Everett]

Right Scupper Pro first - it is available at a dealer near you NOW.

 

It was launched at the Southampton boat show and so is now a current model - however, a tip, if/when you place an order for one (very few dealers will have them as stock)ENSURE YOU STIPULATE THAT YOU WANT THE ROD HOLDERS ANGLED ASTERN BY ABOUT 45 DEGREES, NOT AT 90 DEGREES TO THE BOW.

I say this because mine was fitted with the rod holders at 90 and it is a pain when the rods are in place to paddle efficiently - so going out i stick them out astern under the bungies of the crate. Then when I am past the fast paddle requirments i put the rods up and just adapt my paddle stroke so as to not hit the rods - quite short stroking. When trolling or baited spooning this isn't actually a problem because you only want to go slowly anyway and the rods limit my speed nicely!!

I pointed this out to Johnsons who assured me it would be attended to for the production run, only barramundi bought one of the early ones and guess what - yep, 90 degree rod holders.

 

It isn't a problem, because when the holders are fitted it only needs the fitter to turn the fitting a bit before drilling the fastner holes! If you stipulate this requirement - and it comes in on EVERY order, I hope the monkies who put the fittings on will eventually get the message. Johnsons are putting out a memo to get things done this way, BUT JUST MAKE SURE..!

 

Next: Hobie Mirage: To all those who have seen, fallen inlove with and bought one you are one step ahead of me! I have seen the reports from the USAand hear what they say. It IS true, you are using bigger muscles to propel the beast, you DO have both hands free to tend rods, play with your tackle( ) drink a beer - whatever. BUT, what they don't tell you is the extra weight and drag NEEDS those big muscles to overcome it because you would never paddle the thing very far conventionally - very far I mean 20 miles a day for a week which is quite within the capability of the Scupper Pro, Perception Freedom and other touring based kayaks.

 

next: Do you need to go 20 miles a day for your fishing? NO - so don't worry! If you are puddling about in the shallows and only venturing a mile or so, trolling a sliva around the rocks, dropping a worm for a flounder in the harbour.....etc, then ANY of the kayaks will be more than capable of giving you a great time for your fishing.

Let's face it, there is a whole load of ENJOYMENT (the whole object of the excercise after all)in the ownership of whatever it is you have fallen for - whether it be lusty curves or long legs

if you NEED a kayak to go out through the surf - and I mean curlers like you will find on a proper surf beach - then deficiencies in the beamier kayak will show up. If you NEED a kayak to cover long distances to your fishing - then a sleeker, lighter and so by definition faster kayak will be the one that rewards with more pleasure - not better fishing. It will reward becuase you won't be completly knackered when you get there and dreading the paddle, cycle, home. That just serves to have you not too keen to go next time - a kayak which has you LONGING to go out again is a good kayak - and if that is what you have bought then you have made a good choice.

On water ease of paddling is a simpe correlation between the weight of the kayak (including all the gear you have just dumped on it and with your weight included) and the amount of water it has to move to make headway - longer slimmer kayaks suffer from less drag than beamier versions, it is as simple as that. The more water YOU have to move, by paddling, the more work you have to do. Sleekness also affects the FLOW of water around the hull. The water pushed out at the bow flows back in at the stern - it just so happens that the longer the kayak the better the water flow around the kayak and the easier it goes through the water - I could bore you with all sorts of displaceent formulae, but I won't - just take it that long and slim = easy water flow and easy paddling, short and fat = harder paddling (and they tend to be heavier as well making it even worse).

 

As regards the hull stability - no problem, within its own limitations. BUT the higher you sit the higher the centre of gravity of the kayak and the EASIER it is to tip over - offset by giving these kayaks more beam.

The lower you sit (and in the Scupper Pro you are below the waterline, so you have to lift your own weight quite high before it gets to tipping point) the more stability you have and so the slimmer the kayak can be - and still be as stable as the beamierone. NOTE - stable does not mean it doesn't move - a slim kayak rocks more, but doesn't fall over. Movement is NOT a bad thing - but newcomers get all worried as soon as the hull even twitches!! SO, to overcome their fears kayak builders make nice big fat ones, safe in the knowledge that folks will never go out in a wave anyway - becuase they are already frightened! So the shortcomings never show up and you get rave reviews about the kayaks as being brilliant and stable and just what they wanted - confidence inspiring certainly, but ....

 

You have to ask yourself (and be truthful - it is only yourself you are lying to) as to what you need from the kayak and where you will use it and how far you will need to propel it - and can you lift it on the roof by yourself at the end of the day - if not, you won't be going when your mate has to go into hospital for the hernia operation.....

 

Just some thoughts. I don't think the Hobie is a bad kayak - they make brilliant catamarans and I have no reason to doubt the Mirage's capability IN AMERICA - but they don't have the same tides that we do over her, so tell the yanks that you paddle against a 6 knot tide and they will call you a liar - there are places around the Uk where the tide runs at up to 8 knots and more on Springs......faster in places like St. Davids Head, the Corryvreckan, Maen Pawr, Menai Straights, Christchurch run, off the Needles, mouth of Loch Etive -----et al.

[Starvinmarvin]

Like Simon says Goose, if you want to have a paddle and can get to the South Coast, Witterings, Hayling, then you can have a go in the Prowler and Caper. That goes for anyone else who wants to try one out.

 

SM

[Dave A]

Simon,

 

Thanks for taking time to give me your advice/views on the Hobie. I'll let you know how it compares to kayaks belonging to the other guys once we get out on our first Devon club trip.

 

 

Dave

[Simon Everett]

Dave - if it works for you it will get you out to where the fish are.

How it will handle in a real tideway - mouth of the Exe off the Lifeboat house - I haven't a clue! You can let us know and post some pics from her!! Good luck the Devon Crew - I still want to catch a plaice!!