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Ascend FS128T - just bought one

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  • Ascend FS128T - just bought one

    Bass Pro put these on sale (I thought, at least they were listed in a sale paper). I looked them up on the Ascend web site to get some more info and then I ordered one from Bass Pro.

    Not sure I'll order from them again. Promised e-mail when it shipped to the local store - didn't get one. Promised e-mail when it got to the store - didn't get one. Finally called the help center yesterday and they told me it was in and I could pick it up.

    We drove up to the store (about 35 miles north) and went through the paperwork/ID confirmation for pickups and went around back to get it. The opaque plastic bag it was in was just shredded. Looked like my wife's cats had been working it over. The guy asked me if I was to leave it in the bag, or take it out of the bag. I told him based on the condition of the bag, I'd like to see the kayak. He got out a knife and slit the bag open. Good thing, too. The front right side had a 2 ft. long plus gouge down the side were the top and side meet. About a 1/4" deep and ragged as could be. If it had bumped up against your bare leg (like when you're out fishing), it could have sliced some skin. I told him I didn't want it.

    He said he understood and he'd look for another one (had a big trailer of them at the dock. The next one they pulled out of the trailer was set on the floor and he began slicing the bag open on it. About 3 ft. from the stern he stopped and said, "No use going any farther," and stepped back. The 90 degree angle were the rear storage deck turns up to meet the top rear of the kayak was completely crushed in/downwards from something pretty darn heavy having been set/dropped on it. He said another kayak probably was set on it but I don't see how the weight of a kayak could have crushed that angle that badly.

    They had one more on the trailer but that was reserved (ordered by) for another customer.

    My son mentioned they had a couple on the display floor upstairs and I asked if we could look them over and was told I could. Well, they had one and I took it. No telling when they might get another one in or what condition it might be in.

    Got back to the house about 9 PM last night and set it on the deck. Will try to get the depth finder/GPS unit mounted on it today. I need to get the coupe inspected today and I'll try to stop by the hardware store or Lowe's and get some plumbers putty on the way back to mount the transducer inside the hull. I also bought a couple of those nylon/rubber combination lifting handles for the sides. The biggest complaints people seemed to have about it was no side lifting handles.

    It's supposed to rain this afternoon with a chance of thunderstorms so I doubt I'll get on the water today. Maybe tomorrow. I'm just eat up with it though. I want to try it out real bad.

  • #2
    Which Bass Pro was it?

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    • #3
      Sorry, the one just north of Richmond, VA. Probably called the Ashland Store as its nearer to Ashland, Va.

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      • #4
        geeze, my father in law bought an Ascend FS128T. He loves it, but I do notice it has a permanent bend in the middle. Nothing extremely noticeable but have always wondered about the mold durability since then.
        www.YouTube.com/NextLevelFishingTV

        Latest Episode:
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWIRVtohj-8

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        • #5
          Got it sitting on the deck. Looking at it. Trying to figure out where to mount the depth finder and other stuff. I think I'm going to have to get it out on the water to see just where my knees/legs aren't and where it's easy to reach stuff at, etc.

          My son keeps talking about cat fishing out of his kayak but he has no idea about anchors, etc. This one came with the anchor trolley (?) on the right side of the deck. I have a kayak anchor/rope. I bought a couple of quick disconnects (carabineers) for it. I ordered some anchor rope floats last night. I've got a lot of things to learn, and I think its going to be fun.

          The darn things got all kinds of room/open deck on it but its all so far away from where the seat is (ha ha, ain't that the way it goes). Between the broken leg surgery, the knee surgery, my age and physical condition (which I intend to work on) I'm just not confident of being able to get up and move around on it like a 20/30 year old could.

          Hopefully, I'll get out on the water this weekend, find out where the good spots are for mounting/storing some stuff and get it set to suit me next weekend.

          I've got my river stuff (spinning rods/reels and tackle boxes) I used to use floating the Greenbrier and Meadow Rivers in WV for small mouth and rock bass already set up and sitting in the garage. I need to sharpen some hooks and get on the water.

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          • #6
            Sale Price?

            How much are the FS128T on sale for? I didn't notice these on sale for the Hanover, MD store but maybe it's not a published sale. Is the FS12t on sale also?

            Thanks for the info.


            [QUOTE=M1A4ME;112203]Bass Pro put these on sale (I thought, at least they were listed in a sale paper). I looked them up on the Ascend web site to get some more info and then I ordered one from Bass Pro.

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            • #7
              $750. Like I said, not sure if that is a "sale" price but it was listed in their "sale" flyer that they mailed around down here.

              I've been sick (respiratory and sinus infections that hit me this time of the year, some years). Just about over it, so I'm hoping to get it on the water tomorrow for a few hours (by myself, so it'll be a pond) and then again next week if it doesn't rain/thunderstorm.

              It's big (deck wise) but no where near as "deep" as my son's Old Town Predator 13. That's okay though, mine ain't going out on the big lakes or the salt water.

              I'll keep the Pescodor 120 for loaning purposes (trying to get my wife and my nephew interested in kayak fishing).

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              • #8
                I haven't heard of using plumbers putty for transducers, most people use duc seal in the electrical section, congrats on the new ride......Jack

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                • #9
                  Electrical section. Thanks. Went by the local Ace Hardware store yesterday to buy some Duct Seal and they wanted to sell me duct tape, some glue in a tube, etc. I kept telling them what I wanted it for and they kept trying to sell me something to patch a hole in my kayak/canoe.

                  I hit the electrical section and see what I can find.

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                  • #10
                    I got mine in the electrical department at Home Depot.

                    http://www.homedepot.com/p/Gardner-B...-110/100212441

                    But it took two Home Depot employees to find it on the shelf.
                    Mark
                    Pasadena, MD


                    Slate Hobie Revolution 13
                    Hidden Oak Native Ultimate 12
                    Lizard Lick Native Ultimate FX Pro

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                    • #11
                      [QUOTE=Financeguru;112404]How much are the FS128T on sale for? I didn't notice these on sale for the Hanover, MD store but maybe it's not a published sale. Is the FS12t on sale also?

                      Thanks for the info.


                      Originally posted by M1A4ME View Post
                      Bass Pro put these on sale (I thought, at least they were listed in a sale paper). I looked them up on the Ascend web site to get some more info and then I ordered one from Bass Pro.
                      BPS puts kayaks in their sale flyers all the time but I have never seen them run a sale on them. The price in the flyers is always the regular price.
                      Mike

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                      • #12
                        I have the 2015 fs12t (almost the exact same ride). Mine has that dip in the middle of the bottom too. I believe it's meant to be like that.
                        Zack
                        Camo 2014 OK Trident Ultra 4.7
                        Blue 2015 Ascend FS12T
                        "WV RiverRat" on Youtube.

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                        • #13
                          Got the duct seal from Home Depot. Took a bit to find it. Got two blocks (one for me, one for my son's kayak).

                          Got the transducer installed. Put it on the left side, just in front of the personal items dry storage area and routed the wire to the back. I'm thinking of bringing it through the inside wall on the left side (along with the power wire since I plan to make storage area in the rear for the battery). I've got some of those RAM Mount sections and a mount so I can mount the depth finger under my left leg and run it out right in the middle in front of the seat. At least that's the idea. I'm trying to get out on a local lake/pond in the morning to try things out and see where the best place for the depth finder seems to be.

                          We'll see how it goes. Forecast is for rain/thunderstorms the next few days after tomorrow morning.

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                          • #14
                            Just got back before the rain.

                            Just a couple/three hours on the water this morning. No fish and not a single strike, but then I have an excuse, I really didn't fish much. I was out there to get the new kayak in the water and to try to figure out where to mount some stuff and where to position the loose stuff.

                            I'll be mounting the depth finder/gps on the left inside vertical wall just in front of the seat. With the Ram Mounts balls/extensions I have I can set it out low near the floor so that all I have to do is glance downward to see the depth and then have to look longer and think about the position.

                            One of the bigger complaints people made about this kayak was not having carry/pickup handles on the sides. I ordered a couple right after I ordered the kayak and we tested it the other day to find the center. I can mount them on the top of the sides right at the front of the seat. I got some 1" OD fender washers to give the lock nut more support. Just need to get that stuff on the kayak.

                            The adjustable rod holder is in the wrong place for me. My right leg hits it about 4 to 5" above my right knee. I took it off (the rod holder, but not the mount, not yet anyway). The rear angled rod holders are easy to reach. The front ones probably won't get used much by me. They are way out there up front.

                            My little lunch box/ice chest fits real well up front under the bungee cords on the front cargo deck. I may dig up a double sized one from the old days of riding 3 wheelers so I'll be sure to have enough cold drinks/sandwiches to get me through a 8 or 10 hr. day on the river.

                            That duct seal worked great. The transducer is mounted just under the seat on the left side. The power cable is shorter than I thought it was. I set the battery on the deck behind the seat but it will probably have to be mounted in the front cargo hatch area in order for the cord to reach the depth finder (battery on charge now). It showed depth and water temperature (gotta believe the bottom of the kayak is pretty close to the surface temperature of the water.) The GPS seemed to work real good. Zoomed in to the lake I was on (Pocahontas State Park) and it tracked my up/down/around the lake and showed the names of the arms of the lake, etc. The place is polluted with lilly pads. Probably a good place to toss a frog in/around but I didn't have one with me.

                            The kayak is really stable. Much more than my Pescador 120 I bought last summer. Both are 350 lb rated kayaks. But with the Pescador 120 I had to install the scupper plugs to keep water from coming up through the scupper holes and soaking my butt (I had having a wet butt all day, I didn't mind the water coming up around my shoes/feet). With the FS128T the water is about 3" down in the scupper holes. No need to install the plugs, yet.

                            When I got home, I opened up the rear hatch and found water inside. I pulled the back end out enough to set it on the grass and it looked like maybe a gallon/gallon & 1/2 in there. Not sure how it go there unless it came in around the front hatch from my wet shoes/feet or the water I drip in the kayak when I'm paddling.

                            Now, to get out on the darn river.

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                            • #15
                              Regarding water in the hull...carefully inspect the scupper holes. Many of the Ascend SOT kayaks have had issues where the top and bottom molds within the scupper holds don't align well which results in having some areas of weak/thin plastic which can be prone to leaks/hole.

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