Hey Kudzu et al, owners of the T165; Are you still happy with your boat please? I am looking into kayaks (again!) and thinking on this one. I want smaller yet something I can fit my 6 foot 210 pound frame in, something plastic I can bang around in (tired of worrying about wood in some scenarios) and I really like the looks of this hull. Interesting cross section of reviews and the archived posts read well too. I cannot remember your build-size but do you or anyone else think I may be too big for this boat please? My inseam is 31, average leg length for my height.
Just wanted to start asking about it. Yet to demo or even sit in one but will shortly.
The seating in these is supposed to be great. Something appealing to one who never got it quite right in his Chesapeake 17 for more than a two hour paddle…
Thanks in advance from one looking at the dark side again (grin)…
I’m Here
Love my Tempest. Just took it on a long day trip the length of Bogue Sound. I stayed comfortable all day. About 10 hours in the boat with three breaks to stretch the legs. The Phase 3 is great for thigh support and I tuck a piece of foam under my calves.
Your inseam sounds just fine. I wear Levi's that are 34 waist and 30 inseam. My weight, however is only 165 pounds.
If you can, do a side by side taste test with the 170 and the 165.
I know what you mean about being comfortable banging around a plastic boat. I don't care squat if I run up on an oyster bed.
Good luck with your boat choice.
Another 165 fan…
been paddlin’ mine for 18 months now. I like active water and so does the Tempest.
I’m 6’2", 33" waist, 34" inseam, size 11 clods, and weigh 170.
I removed the factory hip pads and installed 1/4" ‘grip sideplates’. Love it.
Moved the seat back a couple of inches - believe Kudzu did this also. Not hard to do.
I like 'em snug but it may be too shug for your size. Kudzu’s right - check it against the 170.
BTW, I’ve done extended trips with my 165, my 170#, 40# of camp gear/food, and another 15# of rescue/survival gear. No worries even in short period big waters.
Great boat design with a lot of versatility.
Holmes
Seat
Right. I moved the seat back about two inches to accomodate my long legs. I really like it. For some reason, my legs did fine in the 170 without any seat modification.
Thanks guys.
I will do the comparison. The long duration comfort thing is what I kept reading in the archives and that’s what really appeals when coupled with the reviews of rolling, manners, etc.
Just have to convince my wife now that it’s time to expand the fleet again…
Thanks!
Tempest 165 & 170
I might be able to help you out further. My wife and I bought our Tempests both a 165 and a 170 a few weeks back and have had the chance to demo others.
The 170 definitely would be more comfortable. Though WS says the cockpits are the same dimensions there is a 3" difference in the length (longer) between bulkheads. Im 6’3" and 190. This length allows me the room to stretch out a little while paddling whereas the 165 didnt have the luxury of that little space that tends to be so importante!
Demoed Chathams and was extremely disappointed with numb legs in about 20-30 minutes. Have found 5-6 hours w/o breaks to be easy on legs and back in the Tempests. Havent gone past this time since Im new to the sport. Really love these designs and think WS has set the bar really high with this. email me if you have any other Q’s!
It’s a great kayak
I just got one and love it, especially now that I’ve added 1/2" minicell foam between the seat pan and seat cover. But I am small, so most of your question I cannot answer.
You may want to consider not only the T170 but the T180.
Interesting
I have been comparing the Necky Chatham with the Eddlyline Nighthawk. Sounds like I ought to take a look at the Tempest.
moving the seat back
how did you move the seat back?
I would like to do this but am worried about leaving open holes from the screws, and haaving the seat supported by only one screw on each mount.
thanks in advance for your techniques
You sound big for a 165
I think the new ones have the seat 1/2" lower and that might help you though. Definitely take it for a longish paddle to see if you will be comfortable for the haul.
I like my T-165 a lot but it has some buts. I think it is going to be the Romany of American kayaks or maybe the Subaru of kayaks (what I really want in a car is a Honda Legacy). So here’s my current annoyance list: 1) leaky skeg cable. I just gooed it up with marine adhesive at the black plastic fitting and the cockpit bulkhead. I’ll see Wednesday if that did the trick. If so, it wasn’t hard to do, but would it be possible to use through-hull fittings at the bulkheads and a decent compression fitting at the skeg box? 2) Hatch covers are not as nice as the VCP ones IMO. Although they are way easier to put on. A friend has frequent problems with the rear oval one. 3) Some of the seat adjustment straps flop around. Maybe they could be less in the way even if it makes it harder to adjust on the fly (not sure you need to adjust on the fly, anyway.) I have to remember to pull the backband up a little every time I get in, NBD. 4) The foot peg adjustments are easy to reach from the cockpit which is nice but they are also easy to kick out of place on reentry. That can be annoying and can mess up a reentry and roll.
There are a few other things I wonder about but I’m really not experienced enough to post. That being said I find it a fun boat to paddle and it meets my needs. I haven’t paddled another boat yet that I would trade it for (although I’ve paddled a few I’d like to have too!-).
Seat Moved Back
The dealer did it for me. I think they charged me 20 dollars or so. It only created one hole on each side of the boat at the coaming and they welded the holes back beautifully.
If you can wait another day or 2…
e-mail flatpick, who posts here. (He co-designed the Tempest series.) He is on a trip now.
He was the one who advised me to add the 1/2" minicell (made for a PERFECT fit), and told me how to do it.
I also had to file the sides of the thigh brace support pieces so I could use the “3rd-shortest” position, but that should not be a problem for you.
Your dealer might be able to take care of such things if you don’t want to do them yourself.
Thanks haresfur and all
I could not find any to check out and have been swamped with work again (a good thing this day and age) so It’s going to have to wait…
back finally
Like Pika said I have been out for a while. darn trips!
to move the seat, first remove the 4 screws. this takes some dexterity and a short wrench or socket. I have cut a wrench off to use. then push the seat back the desired amount and re-drill the SEAT, not the deck. This works if you plan on moving the seat up to 1". more than an inch and you need a new hole in the deck, aft. you can just put a screw and bolt in the hole or weld.
putting the screws and straps back together is a bit of a pain but do-able. I flip the boat upside down so gravity is your friend and gingerly put the washers and nuts back on the screws.
hope this helps!
steve