Ride 115 Upgrades vs ATAK

[HeavyDluxe]

So, a couple year ago I bought a Ride 115 as my first fishing kayak... As a previously boatless angler, having a way to get on the water was amazing by itself.  The stability and raw fishability of the Ride made for an exceptional experience.  

However, the boat wasn't, and isn't, without its issues... For example, the boat is tubby on the water - slow to accelerate and lacking in glide (both of which aren't helped by my large, but slimming, presence in the seat).  It's also not the greatest tracking boat in the world.  I've been toying with the idea of paying the $300 or so to buy the updated seat (AirPro Max) to give me the high/low option.  But, in looking at the seat, I started eyeballing some of the newer boats. 

Has anyone here moved 'up' from a Ride 115 to one of the updated boats from Wildy (or the Predators or anyone else)?  It seems like they've tried to address those two specific problems (speed and tracking) in their new models by tapering the boats differently in the water.  I'd love to know whether I should be saving for a new boat or just a new seat.  At the rate I'm able to save, I really need to plan for one or the other.

 

PS - I know... "Paddle, paddle, paddle" is better than internet advice.  But, the (excellent) local kayak shop closed not long after I bought my boat and I don't know any others nearby who are fishing out of the more modern fishing kayaks.  So, I'm starting here and will try to branch out elsewhere.

[Hogsticker]

Or save until January of next year and purchase a new WS Radar 115 / 135 with pedal drive. 

[HeavyDluxe]

Well, that is the question, fundamentally... Whether to save for a new boat (whichever one I wind up getting) or just save for the seat.

The last time, I did a fair amount of demoing before settling on the Ride 115.  If I was going the 'new boat' route, I'm sure I'd paddle as much as I can to try to decide what boat to get.  For example, I think the Predators look really cool.  Whether they really are or not is a different deal.

 

Thanks for the reply.

[rippin-lips]

Any sot fishing kayak is typically going to be rather wide. That's where some of the stability comes from along with the hull design. You in turn sacrifice some things. Speed being one of those. A longer kayak will be faster and track better. So the atak would be an improvement, but how much of one is the question. Enough to justify buying a whole new yak? Then you also must think about the additional weight for loading purposes. I load and unload my ride 115x by myself on top my Subaru. It's not hard but if it was another 20lbs or so, and almost 3' longer it would be way more of a pain. As for the seat goes. I finally bit the bullet and ordered one myself. It was hard to justify the money for just a seat. Mainly because I had the option to get that seat for $100 more when I bought my 115x and for some unknown reason I didn't do it. Still can't figure out why since I have no problem spending the money on something that will get a lot of use. So $300 verse $100 bugged me. Anyways I'm glad I bought the air pro max seat. It's a big difference in comfort over my standard high seat, and the hi - low function is very nice too. Sign up with your email at ACK and you'll get a 15% off coupon you can use on the seat. That brought it down to just under $300. 

[Master Bait'r]

Only you can really know how dissatisfied you are with your boat.  

 

If if its something that can be mitigated with a simple seat purchase you're looking pretty good.

 

Also, it seems as though no fishing kayak tracks really well.  They're big wide slow boats with a ton of drag for the most part, and you're better off just getting a hand paddle and calling it a day.  The next boat will do it too, guaranteed.  I'd get used to it, dial your Ride and wait until something came along that is head and shoulders ahead of what you have now rather than an incremental jump in function or form.  Just my .02 though 

[flyfisher]

i don't have experience in the Ride 115 but i do in the ATAK.  It was designed to not be impacted by the wind as much as other boats and i can attest to that feature.  It also tracks pretty well and while it isn't a speed demon by any means, paddling at 3-4 MPH is not hard at all.

It's biggest downfalls are the weight and crappy seat mounting design (which i think has been fixed in newer models).  I cartopped mine on my wrangler for over a year and learned it was more about technique than strength.  Now i have a trailer though, so no concerns with weight anymore lol.

[HeavyDluxe]

On 8/13/2016 at 4:17 PM, Master Bait'r said:

Only you can really know how dissatisfied you are with your boat.  

That's just it... I'm not dissatisfied at all.  But, I figured it was worth asking what other people have experienced to see if there was anything special worth considering. In an ideal world, the nice little shop we used to have would still be open and I could just go try something out.  But, instead, I have to rely on the intertubes.

And, so far, everything I've read has either been advertising or paid-reviews.

The Ride is just fine for what I need... But, the thing standing between me and more fish caught isn't the amount of tackle I have. And yet, I keep buying more stuff in that department... You know?

20 hours ago, flyfisher said:

i don't have experience in the Ride 115 but i do in the ATAK.  It was designed to not be impacted by the wind as much as other boats and i can attest to that feature.  It also tracks pretty well and while it isn't a speed demon by any means, paddling at 3-4 MPH is not hard at all.

It's biggest downfalls are the weight and crappy seat mounting design (which i think has been fixed in newer models).  I cartopped mine on my wrangler for over a year and learned it was more about technique than strength.  Now i have a trailer though, so no concerns with weight anymore lol.

Thanks for the reply... In hindsight, I wish I'd gotten a Ride 135. I think it would've ticked all the boxes I needed ticked. But, I got a steal on a blemished Ride 115 and didn't know enough to consider the bigger boat.  I've learned the value of a bit longer hull since then.

The idea of lower-to-the-water for less wind deflection is great... I get pushed around a fair bit on the mountain lakes here in VT.  

[Dye99]

I fished my ATAK two seasons now. The seat is the selling point for me. I went out the last two mornings at 4 am till noon, and the ability to stand, and even better sit comfortably is a blessing. 

Having owned a handful of boats over the years Ive learned that all the other aspects of the yak can be dealt with. Its a giant plastic boat so in the end there are going to be things I don't like.

 

[flyfisher]

The stability of the ATAK is pretty amazing.  i always thought the commander was the most stable and easy to stand in boat i have been in or owned and i was flat out wrong once i got into the ATAK.  I have no problems standing, turning around and flyfishing while standing up.

I am kind of itching for a boat that I can use in rivers more easily though....

[Dye99]

54 minutes ago, flyfisher said:

The stability of the ATAK is pretty amazing.  i always thought the commander was the most stable and easy to stand in boat i have been in or owned and i was flat out wrong once i got into the ATAK.  I have no problems standing, turning around and flyfishing while standing up.

I am kind of itching for a boat that I can use in rivers more easily though....

Agreed.

The standing is awesome in the ATAK...And Im sure its different for everyone, but the amount of fish I get a proper hook set on is so much higher when standing.

[Turtle135]

I am in the same boat as you (literally and figuratively). I have been bass fishing from a kayak since 1991. While I have never had an issue with tracking on my Ride 115 I do hear you on overall speed and glide. There is only so much you can do with a hull that is stable enough for standing and only 11.5' long.

I did upgrade to the AirPro Max when it first came out. It is an extremely comfortable seat for me. I did a 16 hour stint on the water back in July with no issues. 

If any issues with your current seat are causing you pain or stiffness upgrading the seat might be an option but you might be better served in the long run by saving that $ 350.00 towards the kayak that addresses your other needs. It appears that the new kayaks from Wilderness Systems (ATAK, Radar, Tarpon 130x) all have a version of the AirPro seat.

I am looking at a Tarpon 130x for my next kayak. I am looking for a kayak that paddles extremely well, has speed, attains up river well and is nimble. All characteristics that others have used in describing that kayak. I am getting a test paddle in the 130x in the next couple of weeks. The AirPro seat in the 130x only has one position and the 130x is not designed for standing.

If you are on facebook put a request in to join the "Wilderness Systems Fishing Kayaks Owners Group". That is a good place to get more targeted feedback on the new kayak lineups out there.

[Turtle135]

On 8/7/2016 at 2:55 PM, HeavyDluxe said:

Has anyone here moved 'up' from a Ride 115 to one of the updated boats from Wildy

Just an update. I picked up the Tarpon 130x and took it for a spin last night for the first time on my local reservoir. It is significantly faster than the Ride 115. The better "glide" of the 130x is going to take some getting used to as I kept gliding forward into the spot I was intending to fish. After I acclimatize to my new found tracking and speed I suspect this will allow me to enter a fishing spot with greater stealth. One paddle stroke and then just quietly glide into casting range. It is "nimble" as advertised and I am looking forward to getting it on the river this weekend as I suspect it will really shine in that environment.

The Tarpon 130x is 10 pounds lighter than the Ride 115 but it feels even lighter due to the solid handles they now use. It just seems easier to manhandle the kayak with that firmer grip.

I was able to stand in the Tarpon 130x and make a few casts but standing and fishing in that kayak is not something I would do regularly. The deck is not laid out for standing but if I needed to stand and stretch while out on the water that is doable.

[Swamp Rat]

Great boat...I am in the market for a new kayak as well since my sponsorship with Bass Pro Shops ended. I was running the Ascends, and I guess my outlook on seats is a little different as I always find a way to mount a bass boat seat in my yak. Foam cushioning is great for my rear end...lol...especially when on the water for long hours here in the Everglades.

Whatever boat you end up with, think outside the box a little and find a way to mount a bass boat seat. I have used different methods, including on top of a cooler and using the seat frame from a Pond Prowler, which of course has me higher in the boat, but that just makes fishing easier. Down side is you are a windsail up there, but so is standing, which I also do. 

[HeavyDluxe]

The seat comfort is important, obviously... But I find the seat that came on my Ride 115 is actually fine.  I'm sure there could be improvements, but it's plenty comfortable and would be perfect if I was more willing to stand in my boat to stretch periodically.  I'm just not that confident with my balance yet.

The bigger things to me are speed, tracking, and glide.  As I start fishing bigger bodies of water, the ability to cover water more efficiently is a big deal.  

That said, the ATAK and so on prices are RIDICULOUS... and even the Ride 115 has gotten much pricier than it was when I bought my boat.  Glad I was on the earlier end of the yak fishing craze, I suppose.

[flyfisher]

the biggest increase in the ride price was due to the upgraded seat which is a big upgrade.  As far as the ATAK goes, it has a lot going on so i am ok with the price, especially since i don't plan on upgrading any time soon.  

[HeavyDluxe]

In fairness, I should've chosen a different word than 'ridiculous' in my previous post.  I know there's real improvements in both boats - so I didn't mean to imply that it's simply price-gouging. 

The ATAK looks awesome... and, were I not the homeschooling-family-of-six-sole-breadwinner, I'd be totally down for it.