As usual I did the opposite of MB3 (he catches fish, I don't
). I went shorter and lighter instead of longer and harde.......wait, what are we talking about now?
I love the old Wilderness Ride 135. But at 88 lbs and 13'6" it's a beast out of the water. I am apparently not getting any younger so last Monday I picked up a Vibe Yellowfin. 57 lbs, 10'.
Got it wet yesterday on the Swattie. I love it. Primary stability is not as good as the bigger yaks but secondary stability is fantastic (If your head stays in the boat your ass stays in the boat). I did not roll it despite some really good attempts, and 5 or 6 mild rapids.
I had thought the front flush mount rod holders would be a pain, but they are actually perfectly positioned. I started out with Scotty mounts in the gear tracks and then halfway through the 6 hour float I took them off and just used the flush mounts. The tracks are top load but narrow. One of my Scotty Gearheads went in and out with no problem (did we change subjects again?) but the other had to be completely unscrewed to get it out (That's what she said).
The seat is very comfortable and I had no back or butt issues the entire time (6 hours). It is also adjustable for me while seated in it. Many kayak seats are not.
I can reach everything in the tankwell, which I cannot do in the Ride. I can also reach everything in the front, which I also cannot do in the Ride.
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There have been some changes in the work situation that will hopefully result in more time for both fishing and forums. I went from 3 jobs to 2. My 3rd job ask me to quit my 2nd job and offered to pay me whether they call me or not just to have me available more. But now they have fired the other Respiratory Terrorist, and i am getting calls from the places she used to visit. Also one of my coworkers at the FT job is out for a few weeks. So we'll see how the time thing goes, but hopefully I will have more of it.