My wife was wanting a tarpon 135t, but we saw a new targa 130t on fb yesterday and picked it up. Looks like it will be fine for what we were wanting. I am surprised that the weight limit on this is 450 vs the 600 for the tarpon. It is really wide and I am not sure I like it setting in my j cradles on it side. Seems like it would be better in a saddle style. Manufacture says side though or on its top. If I put it on its top, what do I need under it. I was thinking of building something for it to sit on. Thanks
Targa 13T is 13’ by 32 inches, max cap at 450, but tarpon 140 is 28 inches wide with max cap of 375. Both specs seem right.
Uu
Thanks, the tarpon I was looking at is the 135t not the 140. It has a 600 lb capacity
Same applies. 13’5" by 34 inches. Longer and wider. Thats a big boat. My 14’6" ny 24.5" Tsunami max cap is 250 lbs. The tandem is only a foot shorter butvits 11.5" wider. Big boat.
Oh I hear what you are saying, I just thought the targa was going to have a higher weight limit. It is a couple inches narrower and 6 inches shorter. I know it makes a difference, but thought 150lbs was crazy. As it is, we are about 19lbs too heavy for this one. I should have researched more before buying. It is mostly for my wife and son though and they are well under the limit
Let them padfle that one and buy a singe seat for yourself.
I got a dirigo 140, I like it pretty good. I would like to get something a little longer like a 17ft wilderness system kayak, or similar. That is going to have to wait
Just put it on your cross bars deck side up. Have some padding on your cross bars,
I paddled one and hated it. Too heavy, the overall design is horrible.
On transport, the strongest part of a kayak is it’s side, which is why J cradles are considered good. Much of its weight is on its side in a J cradle.
The wide, softer plastic sections can get indentations from strapping down or being held tight against a cross bar or the like. Tops of many kayaks, with the various bends for seat areas, etc. make them stronger than the bottom hull, which is why they say carry upside down if flat. Plus if you do put an indentation into the top it will be mostly cosmetic, where on the bottom hill can have an effect on performance.
Ok thx for the tips. Funny though wife paddled it solo yesterday day and liked it. She thought it rides smooth (because it is heavy) and thought it paddled easy. I guess as long as she likes it I am happy we got it.
Now the main reason we got it is for a fishing trip we are taking this summer. I am making a custom rack that bolts onto the frame of my pop up camper (2001 Coleman Utah) it has a abs roof and a ac on top. I don’t want anything setting on the roof. So with my frame I am building I will have two bars going across the top about a foot above the roof. I think I am going to build a wood saddle for each kayak to set on upside down. I will have a few inches of padding, but plan on shaping the wood to match the shape of the kayak top. My hops are by doing this and making each one say about 15” front to back, when the foam is added it will not put to much pressure on the kayak hulls. I want this to be a fast secure way of transporting them. I also am not as strong as I once was and honestly lifting 100lb kayak over my head isn’t so easy. I am going to have to start doing military presses again to gain some more muscle.
I am also thinking about something like this on the metal bar for my trailer. I was going to build a wood platform then cover that with a foam pad, but I thought this might work better.