I have had this kayak for about 18 months now, and it is very good, with one major flaw. I had previously paddled an RTM Disco for 10 years, but I wanted a more stable kayak as I do a lot of kayak based photography. First the good points: The Tootega Sector 135 is really well built - everything works perfectly and seems very robust - hatches are large and watertight. This kayak is extremely stable. I have never come close to capsizing - I think I'd fall off before I tipped over, it's that stable. I can easily paddle broad side on to 3ft swells without due concern. It's very neutral in it's handling, and is not adversely affected by wind. It's a very dry kayak. I regularly paddle for a few hours in mixed conditions without getting wet. The seat is quite high, and with scupper plugs under the seat, almost no water gets near the seating position at all. It's a very cheap kayak for a 4m, British-made model. I paid under 500 GB pounds new. It's as fast as all the other kayaks I've paddled: Let me explain! A couple of years ago, I was interested to see how kayaks varied in speed, so I set up a mini survey. I had the chance to paddle a variety of kayaks on a stretch of the Exeter Canal, about 130m long. I paddled each kayak as fast as I could over the distance and recorded the results. I tried it with: RTM Disco, Perception Triumph 13, Tootega Sector 135, Venture Kayaks Islay 14 SOT, P&H Scorpio (Sit in) and Perception Scooter Gemini (paddled solo) Amazingly, the time for each kayak was exactly 78 seconds, except the tandem kayak, the Perception Scooter Gemini, which took 83 seconds. I know that over the course of a day's paddle, some yaks would pull ahead of others, as they use less energy to paddle, but most 4m long SOTs will travel at about the same pace when pushed hard.
Back to the Tootega Sector 135, it's a mid weight yak, about 28kg, and I can just car top it on my own, but I use wheels to carry it more than a few metres. It also looks good. I've got the firebrick red version.
All well and good I hear you ask, but what is the major flaw?
This is the least comfortable kayak I've ever paddled! The seat area is almost flat, with minimal moulding or shape, and no thigh support at all. After about 20 mins, the pain in your backside becomes almost unbearable. I have rigged up a more comfortable seat with shaped foam and an old sit-in kayak seat stuck on top, but it looks a bit of a mess, and it's a shame that the basic seat is so uncomfortable. The footrests are also relatively poor, being too narrow for comfort. I have cut a piece of plywood to fit between the footrests, which provides a decent solution.
To summarise, an excellent kayak, let down by the uncomfortable seat.
