Day 17 - Wilderness Systems 'Tarpon 130 T'

Although my back was feeling much better this morning, I was still sore enough to be walking around like a dancing bear on ice skates. When I pulled the 'Tarpon 130 T' tandem out of the 'bag o boats' I was relieved that it's one of the kayaks that is stored on the lower racks and I wouldn't have to lift anything to get on the water.

Many of the tandems we sell are advertised as being capable of being paddled solo as well as with a friend. I figured I'd give that feature a test while I gave the Tarpon 130 the ol' college try. I had a nice paddle out the jetty, around the red buoy and back. The fact that the boat's main purpose is not to be paddled as a single was fairly obvious when I was on this one. The kayak is very wide in the middle and it is a bit of a reach to get the paddle in the water, and I found that paddled solo the boat tracks like it's on rails but lacks much glide. I paddled a comfortable pace and averaged only 3.6 mph over the hour I was on the water. A lot of the hull design on the Tarpon is to help it track straight which is important for a tandem. Paddled solo, however, it means that turning is a bit of a challenge. I'll be re-visiting this kayak in order to paddle it as a tandem so I can give it a fair review for what it was really designed. But I did learn that it certainly can be paddled solo, fairly comfortably, and as long as you aren't in a huge hurry it will work just fine.

Manufacturer = Confluence
Brand = Wilderness Systems
Model = Tarpon 130 T
Style = Sit On Top
Material = Plastic
Length = 13'-0"
Width = 34"
Weight = 65 lbs.
Capacity = 550 lbs.

Location = Mission Bay out to the Red Bouy and back.
Time = 6:00 AM
Distance = 3.66 miles
Duration = 1:00
Avg. Speed = 3.66 mph
Conditions = Calm and partly cloudy 2-3' swell