I am looking for comments on this boat other than those found in the reviews where most posts love their boats. I have not paddled it andhave not been able to find any dealers with a demo in my area. I currently put in 7-10 hours a week on my perception illusion and would like a change. This would be an additional boat not a replacement. Any thoughts/comments.
topkayaker.net
If you don’t get any informed response here, try your question at Topkayaker.net - the SOT board - several who frequent that board have paddled the Cobra Expedition.
I can’t state anything from personal experience, but I’ve heard others comment that it’s a very wet boat and doesn’t like big chop or waves. On the plus side i’ve heard it’s fast for a plastic SOT as long as you’re in flat water.
Mostly second that
I had one. It was decent up to a moderate chop and a bathtub in the bigger stuff. Good speed for a plastic SOT. It’s worth considering for protected water or reasonably mellow days on the ocean.
TARPON 160!
I only tried a Cobra Expedition briefly, but it was nowhere near what I’d always hoped it would be. Any interest I’d ever had was lost that day.
Try a Tarpon 160 (the only real Tarpon). Close in speed, easier to turn (without rudder than Expedition with. Tarpon does not need a rudder, Expedition certainly does), more stable, more comfortable, drier, easier to remount. Great S FL boat. I put 1400 miles on one down here. Got me hooked on paddling and wanting more speed, and that ended up taking me away from plastic SOTs altogether.
If slower is OK you need a tank well for fishing, also look at OK Prowler or Scupper Pro.
thanks for the feedback
thanks. Greyak, i gather from your profile that a fast boat is at least somewhat important to you. Though i have never had the pleasure, from what i’ve read you have some fast boats. can you offer a comparison between my Illusion and the Tarpon 16?
Well…
… can’t really compare directly. I’m familiar with the Illusion - seen many - but passed them too quickly to really compare speed! L
To be fair, the Tarpon 160 is only fast if you can push it hard. I could hold 4.8 mph over 10-15 miles - but not faster average speed. Even my speed in a shorter 6 mile race was about 4.8. That’s where I hit the wall at my weight. Could sprint it somewhere around 6-6.5 for short bursts. It was more than adequate to keep up with SINKs at average touring paces.
Fast boats? Yeah, I have some - but I’m not fast - so in the end neither are they! They’re more efficient, so I’ve gotten weaker.
Anymore, all the plastic SOTs seem about the same to me. They’re more about comfort and outfitting for other things like fishing. At least Tarpon 160 was designed a a touring boat. If that’s what you want to do it’s a good choice. Loved mine - swore I’d never sell it. After I got My Q700 is sat out back for a year. Seemed a waste, so I sold it.
Prefer SINKs now, but still have a place for SOTs. Have a surf ski (may sell - not enough time to put on it - or replace with a differnet model), and my newest toy, a Tsunami X-1 Rocket - 16’ 20" - newly restored (looked like it had been buried for years - complete with ant farm when I got it!).