Tarpon 160i

[ZEBRA]

The Tarpon 160i
This is my initial review of the tarpon 160i .
Having had it on the water a few times.
First thing you notice is the length the 160i is 16ft long the shape is a little different as well the kayak has many of the features we find on touring kayaks built for speed and distance the quality of the build and fittings are second to none with many really nice features like a bungee to hold down your water bottle recessed side handles and ample deck bungee no expense has been spared in the making of this kayak and fitting it out there are even deck loops strategically positioned for your paddle leash which a lot of manufacturers don’t put on the plastic the kayak is made from is of the highest quality and it does show when you see and feel the kayak .



Note the shape of the front of this kayak this really helps it to cut through the water very similar to the touring kayaks and the additional bungee on the front which I found very handy for storing the paddle while fishing



The seat is supplied as standard so no messing about looking for seats with this kayak I found it very comfortable and the backrest gave good support and is easy to adjust while out on the water



The recessed carry handles are centrally placed to when carrying the kayak it feels balanced



The 160i has 3 large round hatches 2 have hatch bags in them to keep things from rolling all over the kayak they are all rubber construction hatches and are esy to open and seam to keep water the out I have not found any water in the kayak at all after using it .



The kayak comes complete with adjustable plastic footrests I found them easy to adjust while on the water and comfortable while fishing



The large front hatch is both watertight and easy to open even with wet cold hands I particularly liked the extra bungee on the front to hold my paddle while fishing



In the photo above we tried to show just how stable this kayak is by trying to tip it to its limit you can clearly see the rail of the kayak is under water and it still would not tip over



The above photo shows buddy putting the 160i through its paces this is a very fast kayak with plenty of stability



Our initial findings with the 160i is this is a very fast stable kayak which is fitted out to the highest standard the features of this kayak are brilliant the hatches are waterproof not a drop came in on any of the days we have used it I think wwc have a winner here specially for the guys who also like to do a bit of touring this kayak does both fishing and touring comfortably the popular consensus speaking to the guys who have tested out this kayak is what a fast kayak and a smooth ride but because of the length it would benefit from a rudder.

[BUDDY]

Hi All.
I tried the 160 and found it very stable and fast but it was a pig to turn. This we put down to the length. For covering distance the 160 is spot on. With a rudder fit it would be superb.

[flyguy]

Whilst I find these reviews interesting I don't think they are that useful to someone interested in buying that model as no comparisons or ratings are given. For example, saying something is stable is meaningless unless it is compared to another yak, less stable than a P13 but more stable than a T120 for example. Maybe a score system, 1-10 for Stability, Efficiency/speed, turning, wieght, Ease of handing to/from car, performance on water etc. Then others who have experience with the yak could also chip in and rate the yak.
The Mini-X review is a good example of a review that misleads people. It suggests that the Mini-X is as fast as 12/13ft kayaks and doesn't weather digerydo which I don't believe for a second! I don't want to slate your reviews but just think they could be more relevant without slagging them off (I understand the politics of getting loan equipment for review). People prioritise different aspects of yaks so just because you rate one as slow doesn't mean people won't buy them.
This is just a suggestion so please don't think I'm slating the work you put into reviewing.
Cheers
Flyguy

[SEAJUNKY]

Flyguy

To a degree you are right. But what you are reading is an informed opinion. Which has been made in this case by somebody who has had very extensive experience in all sorts of kayaks. While I agree with you that its more accurate to make a comparison, I feel this again would still only come down to personal interpretation, and so could be brought into doubt also.

I think sometimes its good to read an informed opinion based on experience, rather than an uninformed or biased opinion.

Steve

[flyguy]

I hear you. I think the trouble with kayaks is that there is no metric for key performance stats such as efficiency, initial stability etc. Even the cited dry hull weights are understated most of the time! I think this is an industry issue.
However in the absence of these figures all we have is reviews based on personal opinions and sometimes I feel that reviewers cop-out of stating their opinion? This is directed to the vast majority of reviews I read, not just on this site. Reviews are typically no more than a description of the kayak features most of the time. What about: dry weight/loading on/off a car, weather cocking, dryness of the ride, how many strokes to turn, does the bow cut through waves, will it benefit from a rudder, can you sit sidesaddle comfortably, can you reach the tank well without tipping, hull slap, tracking, GPS speeds, comfort, any snag prone fittings, quality of fittings etc.
Knowing someone elses opinion help you make up your own opinion once you try a boat, they may have picked up on something you haven't?
As I said this is just a suggestion.
Cheers
John

[SEAJUNKY]

There you go flyguy, why don't you design a set of kpi's marked on a scale of 1 to 10. This has been done in the past. If you look over some of the back pages? You could invite people to participate in a kayak survey. Now then, would you gain any additional information from private owners of kayaks, or would they have a biased view??

Steve

O yea this is a serious offer, Set it up and we will put a poll on for you.

[ZEBRA]

Hi guys
I think is impossible to put 2 kayaks next to each other for comparison every kayak has its own merits.
Without an industry standard marking scale then it is all down to personnel choice many things can effect that review/choice from day to day so even doing a review needs to be done over a few days first opinions on kayaks can change when we do a review we are not trying to sell you that product we are trying to inform you that it is available and tell you what we found while testing that product we could add many things to a review.
I always try to get as many people try the kayak out as possible and ask there opinion on it and then put a review on taking the opinions of the guys who tried it in to account for example if 5 people try out a kayak and each says to me he likes the seating position I will make sure I mention this as you can see with the 160 review its not just one person who is paddling it it’s a whole bunch of different guys and the review is a consensus of what each said to me after paddling it right at the top or all my reviews I state This is my initial review this is done for a reason firstly it is my opinion on that item and secondly it is an initial review so if say for example 6/8 trips down the line the front hatch cover leaked badly then that could be added to the review .
I think many people miss what has to be done to review an item in the case of a kayak that has been loaned and not all that is reviewed is loaned much of it has been bought by the owner .
firstly it may take 10/12 phone calls to arrange that loan (not always in the uk) then a days work is lost while waiting for delivery of that kayak .the kayak is then transported to the waterside a few times to try to review it this often means I spend 2 hours standing on a beach while 4/5 guys paddle the review kayak and give me there opinions .if the kayak was to be damaged or stolen then I am responsible for that kayak so would have top pay for it .so all in all it costs quite a lot to review a kayak with phone call charges fuel and not to mention the responsibility of looking after it in the case of the tarpon 160 it has cost me about £120 so far .
the review section is open for anybody to put a review on it would be great if we did have a set of official scaled tests we could do but until we get a set then its all down to personnel opinion

[steve07]

looks a nice kayak that zebra

[BUDDY]

Well put Zebra.
Flyguy. Read the reviews of the lads own kayaks. Find out what the website has to offer as trial kayaks. Most of the members at the meets will let you try out not just their kayaks but paddles and other equipment if you fancy trialing them. They will give you THEIR OWN opinions. Try out the kayaks yourself, write some reviews of your own. Show us how its done.

[flyguy]

Zeb, I appreciate all the work and effort into getting these yaks to review and I applaud you totally for this chap.

My point is, as someone who has paddled more kayaks than most I value your opinion. Therefore if the Prowler is the UK standard for fishing kayaks which makes it an obvious term of reference, how fast/stable/wet/noisy/heavy is a kayak compared to this.
For example I find the P13 uncomfortable and tippy when moving around on it. If you don't and think it is good then I can factor this in to your review of something? It's all opinions in the end and I rate yours so don't be shy tell us what you really think
.. and keep up the good work.

[SEAJUNKY]

Apr 25, 2008 9:55:40 GMT -1 SEAJUNKY said:

There you go flyguy, why don't you design a set of kpi's marked on a scale of 1 to 10. This has been done in the past. If you look over some of the back pages? You could invite people to participate in a kayak survey. Now then, would you gain any additional information from private owners of kayaks, or would they have a biased view??

Steve

O yea this is a serious offer, Set it up and we will put a poll on for you.

I say again flyguy, why don't you set it up, I am sure we will give you our opinions about our kayaks. Just as the guys on anglers afloat have done.
Steve

[flyguy]

Okdokay I will. I'm testing a couple of kayaks this coming weekend so I will wait until next week. As for the format I guess a Thread per kayak would make sense?