Ride 135?? Thoughts

[petepup]

All I sold my fishing boat this past summer and I want to get back on the water with the purchase of a kayak. I fished a Ride 135 out of Oregon Inlet in OBX this summer and really liked it as it was easy to track and stand on. It held up well to 2 foot boat wake as we'll.

I like the price as I can pick one up on eBay for under 1k with all the basic rigging.

But how do you think it will fish in the Chesapeake and rivers??

Thanks for your thoughts.

Pete

[imagine29028]

they are great boats...

[archeryrob]

They are very nice and stable as a kayak can get without buying a Pro Angler. Check out the discounts forum, I don't know what any local stores offer, but hook1 sells the ride135 and offers a discount to members here. That is where I was figuring on getting mine with a high seat.

[Runnin]

I've heard only good things.

[gkreps]

I have the Ride 135 now, being a fairly large guy (6' 2" and 230 lbs) I wanted a stable ride over speed. I can say it will handle the waves with ease with out feeling tippy. I also use it to fish the Potomac and the Antietam around Hagerstown. It is a great boat and you won't be disappointed. It's not real fast but works for me.

[JohnE]

Fast enough for something with serious stability. Just make sure you buy a decent paddle. I love mine. I only wish it either came with tracks behind the seat or one of those small hatches. Fishing the backing plates is not that hard, but I would much rather have factory installed, recessed tracks back there like the 115x. Still wondering if/when they will come out with a 135x. I'm not sure why they would only release it in 115, must be some engineering problems with that thru-hull console on a longer yak or something.

[petepup]

Fast enough for something with serious stability. Just make sure you buy a decent paddle. I love mine. I only wish it either came with tracks behind the seat or one of those small hatches. Fishing the backing plates is not that hard, but I would much rather have factory installed, recessed tracks back there like the 115x. Still wondering if/when they will come out with a 135x. I'm not sure why they would only release it in 115, must be some engineering problems with that thru-hull console on a longer yak or something.

JohnE, I agree and like the 115x but think the extra feet will be nice for the bay. I actually emailed Wilderness and asked if the are coming out with the 135x but they said they are not able to say one way or the other.

You have me thinking that I should wait (not one of my strong suites).

[Hemingway]

I have two years on my Ride 135, and I fish the vast amount of the time in the bay. The Ride will carry a crap load of gear, and the stability is more than excellent. I have been in 4+ foot swells with a 20 mph wind fully loaded with enough gear for two overnights, and in spite of taking lots water over the bow, was never really worried about turtling. I am 64 years old but can stand in it with no problem (thanks to the tunnel design). It is constructed well, and the hatches are well sealed. The only short coming it has IMO is its lack of top end speed. The amount of rocker the keel has (which gives it the stability in swells) causes the boat to settle in the water quickly when you stop paddling. I really have to work to keep up with the OC Tridents and Hobies my buddies have. It just does not glide well when you stop paddling. I am looking for another boat for those long treks out the CBBT or for the overnight treks to the barrier islands to round out the fleet. However, the Ride is the choice for stand up speckled and red stalking, or for a surf launch for that matter. I have found there is really not one perfect boat for everything, the Ride is close however most of the time. I do hear some complain about the weight of the Ride, and granted it is heavy, but if an old fart like me can load it on top of a full size Econoline van by myself…a SUV or pickup should be a snap for anyone.

[JohnE]

I don't think there is that much difference with the 'x' other than that new console and recessed tracks behind the seat. It is really odd that they would only release it in such a short version. It doesn't make any sense to me that they are going to sell that alongside the current 135. I don't think I would ever want anything that short, maybe 12.5' at the shortest. But I mostly fish the bay and tributaries down near VB. The new console is one of the slickest innovations on a fishing kayak I've ever seen. A ride 135x would be one hell of a fishing kayak, especially if they keep the price point around a grand.

I have been out at hrbt and other places in very rough conditions. I don't think I would feel any safer in a PA or any other yak on the market.

[Hemingway]

JohnE, I agree and like the 115x but think the extra feet will be nice for the bay. I actually emailed Wilderness and asked if the are coming out with the 135x but they said they are not able to say one way or the other.

You have me thinking that I should wait (not one of my strong suites).

According to Jay Brooks, WS team pro, there is a prototype in the works for the fall of 2014. It will have some new innovations in hatch design, and will be a faster big water boat than the Ride. He had a pic of it on the TKAA site about a month ago. It is not the Ride 135x, but a completely new boat.

[JohnE]

Yeah, it does take some effort to get going, but once your going it is fast enough for me. It is slightly heavy, but I can carry it a good distance without a cart (but I am very used to carrying heavy, awkward things and have to do it at work all the time). It is pretty damn good as a do-everything yak for me. I would like a tarpon or trident for more speed on some trips, but I have other hobbies and can't afford more than one yak in addition to all the other other stuff I buy for kayak fishing.

I have also been out in the ride in close to 4' swells and 20 to 30 mph gusts with tons of water over the bow. I don't think I would want to be out in any kayak in conditions any worse.