Shakespeare Angler 145

[ZEBRA]

Shakespeare Angler 145

This is my review of the new Shakespeare angler 145 fishing kayak
This is a very sleek fast and comfortable kayak fully loaded with features
For us anglers firstly the build quality is brilliant the plastic is of the highest quality and very well moulded the fixtures and fittings are also of superb quality.



From The Overall look of the kayak you can see this is a very sleek quick kayak packed with clever features it has 2 hatches and 3 rod mounts as well as an anchor cleat.



The Shakespeare Angler 145 is a complete package when you buy this kayak you get the kayak seat and paddle and Scotty rod holder so its an all inclusive package



As you can see from the cockpit photo there is plenty of leg room in this kayak and lots of flat areas for kitting out fish finders / gps ect the square centre hatch is just the right size and very easy to open and close with a positive locking system



The front hatch uses a 2 part system to keep it all watertight firstly there is a plastic cover then under that there is a neoprene cover the plastic hatch is tethered so you can’t accidentally loose it



The rear tank well is also well designed with mouldings for a 15 gallon bucket and tackle box



The cockpit view shows just how plenty full the cockpit is the mouldings here are cleverly designed to offer maximum space and good foot room



The centre square hatch is particularly well designed its just the right size so you can open it when on the water if you need to I like the deep lid on this hatch it would make a great area to store you plugs



The seat that comes with the kayak is proportionately designed so you don’t loose the use of the deck mouldings when using it



The front hatch is secured with top quality bungee fittings.
It was great to see all the fixtures like rod rests hatch frames ect are all wet fitted using silicone type sealant for a watertight seal



The hull has some nice tracking lines moulded in to it to help keep you straight

over all the Shakespeare Angler 145 is a really well designed kayak with top quality fittings and a great design it is very quick on the water and a dry ride I found all the fixtures easy to reach and adjust while on the water the space the moulding provides is superb you feel like you have plenty of room to move around while fishing
The retail of the Shakespeare Angler 145 including the seat and paddle is £799.
I think this is great value for money and sure to be a firm gavotte amongst us kayak anglers
The uk dealers for the Shakespeare fishing kayaks are white water consultancy
www.wwc.co.uk/index.php

[THURSOMAN]

Very nice review Terry.
I like the look of this kayak a lot!
Some nice practicle features on board there.
What weight is it Terry and how stable does it feel as a fishing platform?

[davidbennett]

wow nice bit of kit
and even better venue - where is it?

[steve07]

nice review there terry looks a very nice yak to!on the fifth picture is that the handle in the rear tankwell?

[ZEBRA]

yes Steve the handle is set inside the rear tank well it helps to balance the yak what i liked was all the handles has 2 fixings each side and not the usual 1 so they were very strong .

Chris its a very stable platform it weighs 69lbs so is on the heavy side but the main reason for that extra weight is the evenness of the plastic i got hold of the front scupper from inside and could not squeeze it .they are that solid there are quite a few kayaks out there that you can squeeze the scuppers they are that thin .

the venue is full of small trout its the river adjoining whit water consultancy lovely setting just needed a size 14 Alexandra and a floating line and i could have had a bucket full .

[kerny]

Great review Terry , its a good looking yak and appears to be quite narrow on the pics, it looks more like a fishing version of a sea touring kayak .

[gbstflo]

Has anyone had one of these in the sea yet? it would be nice to get a salty review.

Nice write up btw.

[davidrose1958]

hi terry if you had to choose between the 145 and a manta ray 12 which would you prefere or has any body else got any comments

[ZEBRA]

HI davidrose i would not worry about using either but if i had to chose 1 my choice would be the manta ray 12 .

[davidrose1958]

thanks for that

[nomadskayaking]

Nomads Kayak Coaching was the safety team at the SWKA Oxwich Bay event and my colleague Steve used one of these, minus rods etc during the event whislt we were paddling around everyone to check on them.

He said it had good straight line performance, though as usual it didn't like turning unless you edged and bow ruddered, but overall was a sturdy boat...

At the end of the day it also depends on your size as the seat width and overall width of the yak will depend on your own size... I personnally like the Tarpons for their feel and comfort for me, some OC's don't feel 100% for me s:

Great kit but remember try and sit in one before you buy and even better try a demo one out or borrow someone elses who has one to get the feel for it, oh and also make sure you can reach the areas you need to.....Steve and I have had to rescue so many people due to paddling skill levels, anchor problems but also because the angler was over stretching to get things...

Just my contribution ;D

[bluedaksi]

Nice review! My 14-year-old son owns one and really likes it.