6 inches to spare in the garage! Literally.
Florida Bay Outfitters in Key Largo had their big year end sale start yesterday and I was first in line for when the doors opened. (Of course I was a little extreme getting there at 4am but hey…it was the only tempest 170 they had!)
The way it worked was that you got to go in and grab the tag on the boat you wanted and it was yours. There was a bit of a rush first thing in the morning…must have been about 30 of us there or so. The second in line got the tempest 165 in red…mine is blue. It was busy all day.
Every rental boat was discounted significantly…and I mean significantly! PFD’s, paddle floats, epic paddles for half price, etc etc…basically I outfitted myself with the 170, 2 paddle floats, bilge pump, dry bag for the day hatch, paddle and nylon spray skirt for under a grand! (had gotten the spray skirt and paddle previously but it still came in under 1000.
Majority of interest, understandably so was for SOT’s and there were a bunch being fastened to car tops.
All new boats are discounted 13% the first day and dropping 1% every day until they reach 20. Anybody in the area may want to call in and see what they got…check the web site too… They have tons of boats.
Rick (greyhawk on the forums) showed up and we paddled out to the Boggies, about 4 miles until you get to the mangrove tunnels and then back…about a 9 mile paddle first time out…he has wood pygmy 17 ft…beautiful boat.
On the way back that pain I had mentioned in an earlier post returned but I think I have a handle on it now. moved thigh braces back two positions and brought up the footpegs one…pushes my butt back into the seat but doesn’t allow me to lean back onto the back band much…forces me to use good posture.
So now instead of bugging everyone about water line lengths and what is a true sea kayak, I guess I will now spend a lot of time getting used to the boat of choice. Will be some time before I surpass this boat’s capabilities!
Have Fun.
Cool!
I’m fixin’ to load my 165 on the truck in a minute. Normally I’d be biking but it keeps raining out. Rain is just fine in the kayak.
Hope you enjoy your boat!
CONGADS!!!
and you saved some buckaroo$ tooo!!! what a treat.
had my T-165 out yesterday in the Pacific. Cape Lookout, OR to be specific. Only a 3’ day but man was it NICE!!!
have fun
steve
Congrats
Glad you got what you wanted at a good price.
Awesome!
Sounds like you got a wickedly good deal on a great sea kayak design! Enjoy the new kayak, you’ve got a good one!
Cheers…Joe O’
Yee Haw!!!
Man thats great! I just got my new Tempest so I know the feeling . Sounds like you got a great deal on a great boat! Enjoy
Chris
still grinning.
Can’t believe it’s mine.
Took it out to the lake and did a few paddle float rolls (and failures)and some paddle float re-entries this morning. Much to the amusement of people fishing on the shoreline. Even got a clap or two.
Think I got that back pain thing fixed. Dropped the seat adjustment completely (it ratchets up under the thighs, brought the footpegs up two slots so that the thighs barely touch the thigh braces when cruising, and brought the thigh braces back two positions. Oh yeah…took out the hip pads.
the idea was to not even feel the back band, kinda forcing me to not slouch, while giving me support with my feet, thigh braces and knees. the boat is much more a part of me now and is much more responsive to subtle leans. The back band is there if I stretch back a bit or if I need to rest. Seems to have done the trick…but haven’t been out in it for six hours yet.
Steves point earlier about your butt sliding down a bit when you do an aggressive lean bringing you center of gravity downward is spot on. (previous post/commentary about taking out the hip pads)
Can’t say this enough, the knowledge this forum provides is invaluable. While nothing beats going out and trying out boats, some of the things I learned in the forum enabled me to recognize design points, performance aspects or lack thereof, and to consciously make an informed decision and not buy something based on just how comfortable a seat may be in the showroom.
Paul
Any news about…
the owners selling F.B.O.? I remember it was posted earlier this year that the current owners were moving on to a different chapter in their lives. For the folks in South Florida it is really a great shop, even if you have to drive a little ways.
FBO
Apparently they have a buyer and it is in the lawyer / discussion phase. Not sure exactly what that meansin terms of time frames.
I do know that the new owner, whoever they may be needs to take a hard look at the people working there. Every one of them in my opinion has that perfect balance where they really listen to what you want to do, and put you in the right gear to do it in. Really outstanding employees in terms of customer service. These guys are probably a little anxious as they don’t know what is going to happen, even though one of them told me that the new owner said he would keep everything the same. I certainly hope so. they have lives and have worked together for a while now and it would be a real shame if someone came in and radically shanged schedules or otherwise messed with what is an obvious success story.
Sorry…I care about these guys.
getting off soapbox now.
Paul
FBO is exactly 67 miles from my house.
Greetings Tempest Brother
I spent 7-1/2 hours in my T-170 today after a 3-week DRY spell of NO paddling. It was good to get out.
Enjoy your boat.
sore
body sore from paddle float rescue and roll practice…still adjusting a bit more…didn’t have the control I wanted to be able to hip snap well so brought the pegs up one more. this will jam me into the boat but initially, until i get the “head comes out last” thing down, I need to be really in contact with everything so I don’t slide around too much.
I need a lesson or two fast.
Paul
I almost joined you guys
Rick told me he was paddling up to the Boggeis saturday but the weather map showed a big system headed to Key Largo. I stayed home instead and finished up my Pygmy Arctic Tern.
That mangrove tunnel out there is the first place I had a close encounter with a manatee in my QCC. It rose from the bottom and almost bumped my keel.
Congratulations on your kayak. Sounds like you got a great deal.
62 miles from my house
to FBO. I usually go there once or twice a month.
lesson-fast
buy me a airplane ticket with all the $$$ you saved. and then come up with my daily rate and I’m there.
=:-0)
Got B E E F???
BOAT control is based on APPLIED PHYSICS and BIO MECHANICS.
BEEF addresses the body or BIO MECHANICS.
B-UTT
E-LBOWS
E-YES
F-EET
HIP snap is genersated in your BUTT and FEET and is followed thru with the ELBOWS and EYES.
Keep your paddle neutral to the water surface and a good leverage position and you’re there.
now, in REAL time this is a more valuable lesson!
steve
Enjoy!
I bought a blue Tempest 170 a few weeks ago. It is indeed a great boat.
cheaper
there is an old saying…if you have to ask you probably can’t afford it.
I’ll get there. I actually worked in the airline industry until recently. I would have surprised you with a visit and wheedled a lesson or two.
those days are gone now.
Paul
bulkhead leak
got a slight leak in the forward bulkhead. bought some silicone gel and put a bead around the bulkhead. will do the same in the cockpit. (don’t know which side is leaking - whether from the cockpit or the hatch cover).
No big deal really…you roll (translate capsize and attempt to roll) 20 times and you probably will get some water somewheres. Just reinforces that you need dry bags if you are serious about keeping your stuff bone dry. Also, missing the bungee cord for the read (biggest) hatch and that one along with the day hatch are the sahara desert. go figure.
I read somewheres that Wilderness systems will send bungee replacements for the T for free. Is this true?
Paul
doubt free
I'll check, but i'd guess a few $.
ss
just called
Just called and talked to Ben. Two things. He is not sure that he has the aft hatch bungee cord already clamped but he is going to send me enough bungee material to do all three if necessary for FREE. Apparently they have gone to a new oval hatch design?
Amazing. Not enough that I got a great boat at an incredible price, but they are also really impressing me with the customer service.
2nd and just as important, I ribbed him about the website and he stated that they had just gotten someone on board and that it actually should be up and completed very soon.
Paul