Bonafide RS117 vs Old Town BigWater 132.

[XF15-Loader]

Well, my wife has finally relented and agreed to allow me to buy another kayak.  I realize that I can get more bang for the buck if I buy used, so I'm looking at FB Marketplace.

 

I've narrowed it down to an RS117 (Id love a 127) and the Bigwater 132.  I have no experience with either but I do know that I want to stand and do some sight fishing this summer.  

 

Anyone have any input or experience with these 2 yaks?

 

Thanks,

 

-J

[CountryboyinDC]

The Old Town Sportsman Bigwater looks for all intents and purposes to be an OG Predator with a few nice upgrades (deck mat) and few things worse.  The Predator was/is a pretty great all around boat.  It paddles reasonably well for such a wide boat (I think it's 33" or thereabouts), has a pretty good seat, and it stable enough that most people can stand.  It has a hull design that ensures that it will weather vane pretty badly in any wind if not equipped with a rudder, but it has high flotation throughout.  It is a good boat for a lot of water.

I don't  have the seat time in the Bonafide RS117 that I do in the SS127.  They have similar hull characteristics.  They have stability that is amazing.  As good or better than my Predator PDL.  As such, the paddling experience is not all that great.  They don't have any perceptible glide, they're about like my Jackson Coosa HD.  You can't put them on edge to maneuver.  If the Bigwater gets blown around a bit, the RS117 is a sail.  But pound for pound, they are about the most stable kayak I've encountered.  And they have a good layout on the top deck.  And a lot of anglers will want these boats for those reasons.

If the boats were the same price, or nearly so, I personally would go with the OT.  Actually I'd go with it even if there were $300 or so separating them, all other things being equal.  But that is because I would probably use them in a way that paddling was somewhat important.  A lot of anglers don't really do much of that; if they need to cover any distance, they slap on a trolling motor. If you're not planning on paddling, I feel the RS117 has a better topside features. Both companies have solid reputations and I don't hear about a ton of problems from either.  If you're not in a hurry, I'd wait until the pandemic is over.  I think plastic is going to be cheap.  I've just got to figure out how to make more space.

[XF15-Loader]

@CountryboyinDC WOW, that was a very informative reply.  Thank you.  

 

The guy with the RS117 is asking $900...I plan on offering him $750 and see if he'll bite.

 

The guy with the OT is asking $1200 and I plan on offering $1000.  

 

The OT seems like a more substantial boat but I'm leaning towards the Bonafide, especially if the seat sits as high as the SS127 in the high position.  

 

My dilemma is which one do I make an offer to first...lol. From the sounds of it, I should take a shot at the OT and see how that goes.  

 

Thanks again for the reply.  It's greatly appreciated!!

 

-J

[CountryboyinDC]

52 minutes ago, XF15-Loader said:

My dilemma is which one do I make an offer to first...lol. From the sounds of it, I should take a shot at the OT and see how that goes.  

Both of those asking prices seem a bit high, but the pandemic has pretty well eliminated any end of year pricing you'd normally get to use to negotiate a better deal.  I wouldn't go much above what you plan to offer, though.

[XF15-Loader]

@CountryboyinDC agreed, I think they're kind of high as well.  I spoke w the OT owner and he said he'd think about it.  I'm still kicking around making an offer on the Bonafide.  He sent pics and there's a lil more rash than I would like to see.  Kind of feel like the 700-750 could be better spent elsewhere.  

[CountryboyinDC]

Polyethylene kayaks can take a ton of scuffs, scrapes, and reasonably hard impacts.  Much more often, the boat will be pierced by a blow from a sharp object (usually rock) than worn through.  So it's ideal to take it for a few minutes on the water, and if it isn't take a good light and inspect the hull very carefully.

But for buying, scuffs do detract from the value considerably.  And I tend to buy scuffed used boats because of it.  I know my boats are going to end up scuffed.

[HookInMouth]

14 hours ago, XF15-Loader said:

The OT seems like a more substantial boat but I'm leaning towards the Bonafide, especially if the seat sits as high as the SS127 in the high position.  

The RS117 seat is close to the same height as the SS127 in the low position. The SS127 seat in the high position is a good bit higher. 

 

Sucks that Covid turned the market upside down. Last year I bought an SS127 for $1030 brand new in March before everything went to hell. It was a previous year model but brand new. Doesn't seem like those deals exist in this current market though. 

[Dens228]

53 minutes ago, HookInMouth said:

The RS117 seat is close to the same height as the SS127 in the low position. The SS127 seat in the high position is a good bit higher. 

 

Sucks that Covid turned the market upside down. Last year I bought an SS127 for $1030 brand new in March before everything went to hell. It was a previous year model but brand new. Doesn't seem like those deals exist in this current market though. 

A friend of mine has two SS127's he bought for him and his wife.  His wife used it one time so he sold it after having it a year.   He sold it for $50 under retail and had tons of people want it.....supply and demand.

[Stasher1]

14 minutes ago, Dens228 said:

A friend of mine has two SS127's he bought for him and his wife.  His wife used it one time so he sold it after having it a year.   He sold it for $50 under retail and had tons of people want it.....supply and demand.

 

 

The used boats are trickling back onto the market now that the season has ended for a lot of people, but many of them overpaid and expect to recoup 85% to 100% of their purchase price...especially since they're throwing in a used $20 PFD and $30 paddle. ?

 

I'm seeing used Pelican sit-insides listed for $350 when the local Academy has them in stock for $229. Same thing with the Lifetime Tamarack 10. They're $300 new from Walmart and $400 used on CL.

[Boomstick]

I have no experience with either of those models directly, but I have a SS127 and my youngest son has an Old Town Topwater 120. I can stand just fine on both of them. The Bigwater should be more stable than the Topwater/Sportsman 120, and the RS117 should be less stable than the SS127, but you probably are a little shorter and lighter than I am too, so I imagine either would be fine.

 

The high position on the Topwater's seat is roughly the low position on the Bonafide's seat. I pretty much largely only use the low position on my SS127's seat as it's much easier to paddle - you're going to need at least at very minimum a 280cm paddle to paddle from the high position comfortably, 260cm doesn't even come close. But the high is pretty sweet to fish out of for sure.

 

 

3 hours ago, Dens228 said:

A friend of mine has two SS127's he bought for him and his wife.  His wife used it one time so he sold it after having it a year.   He sold it for $50 under retail and had tons of people want it.....supply and demand.

Bonafide last year was so backed up with production that people would pay new prices for a used kayak. If their production backlog continues (I'm not sure if it's better now), it will continue to be the same.

[TcRoc]

1 hour ago, Boomstick said:

Bonafide last year was so backed up with production that people would pay new prices for a used kayak. If their production backlog continues (I'm not sure if it's better now), it will continue to be the same.

 

And I want to upgrade this year.. see if that happens, cause I ain't paying inflated pricing.

Between that and a boat I may be waiting a year... sure hope not

[Dens228]

Thankfully I ordered my 127 last February and got it within a week...........a couple weeks later and they were nowhere to be found. 

 

[XF15-Loader]

Well, looks like there's a new contender...lol.  FeeFree has their Lure 13.5 on closeout.  899 from 1400.  Problem is, the only color they have is the pink camo...I ain't scared!

 

What's your thoughts on Feel free?  

[Boomstick]

5 hours ago, TcRoc said:

 

And I want to upgrade this year.. see if that happens, cause I ain't paying inflated pricing.

Between that and a boat I may be waiting a year... sure hope not

I think you'll have a good market for at the very least non Bonafide models this year, certainly this fall if not earlier.

5 hours ago, Dens228 said:

Thankfully I ordered my 127 last February and got it within a week...........a couple weeks later and they were nowhere to be found. 

 

I bought a Tiki special edition, got it for the normal price. Almost got a BK-52 bomber, but just missed it so since they didn't have it, they offered me the Tiki at the regular price.

 

I'm part of the Bonafide Facebook groups, and shortly after the supply ran out entirely. People would sell them in the group at a near new price and they'd sell like hotcakes.

 

I can say I'm very happy with mine at the very least.

[Dens228]

56 minutes ago, Boomstick said:

I think you'll have a good market for at the very least non Bonafide models this year, certainly this fall if not earlier.

I bought a Tiki special edition, got it for the normal price. Almost got a BK-52 bomber, but just missed it so since they didn't have it, they offered me the Tiki at the regular price.

 

I'm part of the Bonafide Facebook groups, and shortly after the supply ran out entirely. People would sell them in the group at a near new price and they'd sell like hotcakes.

 

I can say I'm very happy with mine at the very least.

I love mine.......I have it so decked out now I can't envision changing anytime soon.  I may have to do a video of the setup in the early spring when I take it down and reattach everything for the season.