I am thinking or purchasing this boat but would rather demo first but cannot find a dealer that actually has one on the premises. Is there something wrong with this boat
or is it a new model? Would appreciate any information. I am in Florida but don’t want to travel many miles to demo if there are problems with this boat. Thanks for help.
Pungo 120 are time tested boats and are outstanding for their intended use.
If you are asking about durability of the ultralight, that has been discussed here before. Check the archives.
FYI:
@string said:
FYI:
My grandsons love it. The lightest is 100 lbs. I weigh 230 and it’s fine as long as I don’t paddle hard.
Could not find any discussion on the Tarpon 120 Ultralite. I am looking at only two boats, one is the Hurricane Skimmer 11.6 and the other is the Tarpon 120 Ultralite. I have demoed the Skimmer and want to find info on the other. If anyone can provide that info, I would greatly appreciate it.
Those are very different types of boats. I started with sit insides but now only paddle SOT. My reason is I have a lot of difficulty getting out of SINK.
I still have a Pungo 120 and 140 but they are loaners.
@PIoutdoors said:
Could not find any discussion on the Tarpon 120 Ultralite.
There are several reviews here at Pcom: https://paddling.com/reviews/product/wilderness-systems-tarpon-120-ultralite-kayak/
The Tarpon UL appears to be a new model they don’t say so but it looks to be a thermoformed ABS plastic similar to the Skimmer. I had a Tarpon 120 but it was way heavy I sold it and bought the predecessor of the Skimmer.
Both boats have similar specs and probably paddle similarly… The Tarpons are loved as are the skimmers.
Well maybe the Tarpon is not really that new but I just haven’t seen one. Guess I haven’t been hanging at the local kayak shop as much lately. Hobies were flying out the door and now it’s been SUPs. One has to rummage around the back rooms to find a kayak nowadays.
My wife and I bought two WS Pungo Ultralites in 2013 as our first boats. In just over a year of normal use, her boat developed splits at the chines, and my boat started to separate where the hull joins the top deck. The store where we bought them contacted Wilderness/Confluence Watersports and they gave us a full refund which we applied to two Current Designs fiberglass/kevlar kayaks.
For about a year after that, WS stopped making thermoformed boats, then around 2015/16 they started again. I assume they found a better supplier for the ABS sheets they mold the boats from or that they improved their manufacturing?
kfbrady, thanks so much for your information. Thats why no shops carry this boat as I thought that may be the case. What a shame the manufacture did not do further assessment on this boat before releasing to the public. Looks like Hurricane Skimmer will be the benefit of this debacle of Wilderness Systems.
I think the key point is to find a dealer that you trust and who will stand behind the products they sell. And unfortunately such a dealer is becoming harder and harder to find. I will say that WS treated us very promptly and fairly.
Florida has lots of Hurricane dealers though so I’d be vetting the dealer as much as the boat.
You might also want to take a look at an Eddyline Caribbean 12 model. They make a very nice boat.
@kfbrady said:
I think the key point is to find a dealer that you trust and who will stand behind the products they sell. And unfortunately such a dealer is becoming harder and harder to find. I will say that WS treated us very promptly and fairly.Florida has lots of Hurricane dealers though so I’d be vetting the dealer as much as the boat.
You might also want to take a look at an Eddyline Caribbean 12 model. They make a very nice boat.
And they are proud of them.
REI gives you a year to bring a boat back. I like that…i think a Carribean 12 is on my wish list.
@shiraz627 said:
REI gives you a year to bring a boat back. I like that…i think a Carribean 12 is on my wish list.
Hurricane Skimmer 128 is a better choice. Lighter, faster, quieter. Prettier.
@sissy103 said:
Hurricane Skimmer 128 is a better choice. Lighter, faster, quieter. Prettier.!)
Neither of these 12’ boats are going to be fast. The Skimmer might have a slight edge but it’s hardly going to be noticeable. Similarly, the Caribbean might be just barely more stable. The specs for the Hurricane say 47lbs, the ones for the Eddyline 45lbs, again not much difference. “Prettier” is highly subjective.
The only practical way to choose between these two boats is to test paddle them.
This thread is probably worth a read…
https://forums.paddling.com/discussion/comment/2953866/#Comment_2953866
@kfbrady said:
@sissy103 said:
Hurricane Skimmer 128 is a better choice. Lighter, faster, quieter. Prettier.!)
Neither of these 12’ boats are going to be fast. The Skimmer might have a slight edge but it’s hardly going to be noticeable. Similarly, the Caribbean might be just barely more stable. The specs for the Hurricane say 47lbs, the ones for the Eddyline 45lbs, again not much difference. “Prettier” is highly subjective.
The only practical way to choose between these two boats is to test paddle them.
This thread is probably worth a read…
https://forums.paddling.com/discussion/comment/2953866/#Comment_2953866
I can test paddle a Skimmer but it would have to be a road trip to test paddle the Carribean. Having seen both boats in person I like the outfitting better on the Carribean. I’m sure neither of them can keep pace with my Pack Canoe but it’s a different platform.
@shiraz627 said:
@kfbrady said:
@sissy103 said:
I’m sure neither of them can keep pace with my Pack Canoe but it’s a different platform.
What pack canoe? I’d expect either of the discussed SOTs to outpace an Old Town Pack.
@Yanoer said:
@shiraz627 said:
@kfbrady said:
@sissy103 said:
I’m sure neither of them can keep pace with my Pack Canoe but it’s a different platform.
What pack canoe? I’d expect either of the discussed SOTs to outpace an Old Town Pack.
No Old Town Pack here. I have a Placid Boat Works Spitfire.