It's definitely a cool boat. They have plenty of add on covers to make it like a sit inside. The seat is proabbly the best on the market right now. The only negitave I see is if you will be getting in or out alot, if that is the case I'd stick with a Tarpon. As far as "angler" packages I'd stay away from those. Most of them are designed by people who paddle and occasionally fish not fishermen who paddle. Check around and you can find several pics of set ups. One other thing if you are fishing lakes and deepr water the Hobie Outback pedal drive is just about unbeatable, especially if you plan on trolling.
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I don't have one but I demo'd a 14. Definitely stable. Definitely light. Definitely easy to fish from. Dry depends on where your water is coming from. Its not a boat for the surf where water might come in from the sides or over the bow. I loved the airy-ness of the suspended seat and the leg angle - your feet are a few inches lower than your bottom, which is a more comfortable seated position and better for casting. I got a little bit of the metal frame pushing back on me but might have been able to control that with some more time and adjustment (or less weight
). We had it out with a Magic 12 and my Redfish 14 SOT and 3 of us (2 novices and me) preferred the 14' SOT to either of the others.
I'm sold on the scuppers and the built-in conveniences of the fishing SOTs and I prefer the molded SOT cockpit to the canoe-style interior of the Ultimate. That 14' Ultimate was a lot of boat to push through the water compared to the other two. Tracks well on the cat-style hull, but it felt like you were pushing more water (12 would be less so). I wasn't in love with mounting options for accessories (more $$$) and no good place to put a fish finder & protect the wires. I had too high a center of balance to stand comfortably in the Ultimate, which really disappointed me. I've seen "normal sized" people cast, catch, fight and land fish while standing, but it just wasn't going to happen for me. I also wasn't sold on spending that much money - I might have if it had given me something I couldn't do in the SOT that I would really value (like pitching & flipping from a standing position). For me a $500 canoe would have been every bit as good.
I don't want to turn you off if its the right boat for you. I know people who have them and are very happy with them. Buying a kayak is a personal decision - what's right for 6'4" & 260 may not make sense for 5'10" & 180 and vice versa. Some folks like to camp, take kids, dogs, cargo, etc... which works in some boats but not in others. Some are interested in surf launching others aren't. So, I've got a dissenting opinion on the Ultimate, but its only one opinion and it only fits me.
). We had it out with a Magic 12 and my Redfish 14 SOT and 3 of us (2 novices and me) preferred the 14' SOT to either of the others. I'm sold on the scuppers and the built-in conveniences of the fishing SOTs and I prefer the molded SOT cockpit to the canoe-style interior of the Ultimate. That 14' Ultimate was a lot of boat to push through the water compared to the other two. Tracks well on the cat-style hull, but it felt like you were pushing more water (12 would be less so). I wasn't in love with mounting options for accessories (more $$$) and no good place to put a fish finder & protect the wires. I had too high a center of balance to stand comfortably in the Ultimate, which really disappointed me. I've seen "normal sized" people cast, catch, fight and land fish while standing, but it just wasn't going to happen for me. I also wasn't sold on spending that much money - I might have if it had given me something I couldn't do in the SOT that I would really value (like pitching & flipping from a standing position). For me a $500 canoe would have been every bit as good.
I don't want to turn you off if its the right boat for you. I know people who have them and are very happy with them. Buying a kayak is a personal decision - what's right for 6'4" & 260 may not make sense for 5'10" & 180 and vice versa. Some folks like to camp, take kids, dogs, cargo, etc... which works in some boats but not in others. Some are interested in surf launching others aren't. So, I've got a dissenting opinion on the Ultimate, but its only one opinion and it only fits me.
Thanks Jeff, I was hoping you'd tried one. I also considered the Magic 12, but it did not seem like it would be as stable, what did your crew think of it? The SOT I tried was a Tarpon 12, did not like it at all, very uncomfortable and felt like I was sitting on a surfboard or log, and the thing kept trying to scoot out from under me when getting out of it. I think I still like to be in instead of on a boat.
So, to sum up, you thought the Ultimate was decent and comfortable, but expensive and tough to accessorize? I will never take one out in the surf, just to play around in at Wake Reservoir, Beaver Dam, and maybe parts of Falls around Upper Bartons. Wherever I can't launch my CC (which appears to be everywhere this year - come on rain!).
So, to sum up, you thought the Ultimate was decent and comfortable, but expensive and tough to accessorize? I will never take one out in the surf, just to play around in at Wake Reservoir, Beaver Dam, and maybe parts of Falls around Upper Bartons. Wherever I can't launch my CC (which appears to be everywhere this year - come on rain!).
I don't have one but I demo'd a 14. Definitely stable. Definitely light. Definitely easy to fish from. Dry depends on where your water is coming from. Its not a boat for the surf where water might come in from the sides or over the bow. I loved the airy-ness of the suspended seat and the leg angle - your feet are a few inches lower than your bottom, which is a more comfortable seated position and better for casting. I got a little bit of the metal frame pushing back on me but might have been able to control that with some more time and adjustment (or less weight
I'm sold on the scuppers and the built-in conveniences of the fishing SOTs and I prefer the molded SOT cockpit to the canoe-style interior of the Ultimate. That 14' Ultimate was a lot of boat to push through the water compared to the other two. Tracks well on the cat-style hull, but it felt like you were pushing more water (12 would be less so). I wasn't in love with mounting options for accessories (more $$$) and no good place to put a fish finder & protect the wires. I had too high a center of balance to stand comfortably in the Ultimate, which really disappointed me. I've seen "normal sized" people cast, catch, fight and land fish while standing, but it just wasn't going to happen for me. I also wasn't sold on spending that much money - I might have if it had given me something I couldn't do in the SOT that I would really value (like pitching & flipping from a standing position). For me a $500 canoe would have been every bit as good.
I don't want to turn you off if its the right boat for you. I know people who have them and are very happy with them. Buying a kayak is a personal decision - what's right for 6'4" & 260 may not make sense for 5'10" & 180 and vice versa. Some folks like to camp, take kids, dogs, cargo, etc... which works in some boats but not in others. Some are interested in surf launching others aren't. So, I've got a dissenting opinion on the Ultimate, but its only one opinion and it only fits me.
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