I am new to kayaking, but not new to fishing. I did thorough research last year to come up with a kayak that would fit my fishing style. That said, my fishing style is mostly trolling and very little sit in place cast fishing.
This kayak fits the bill. I see where it gets bad reviews from being "noisy" - because it is - but people who think this "scares" the fish away are just looking for an excuse as to why they cannot catch fish. I have a motorboat that I use to also fish with(when I am having to cover a lot of water on a lake) and I will routinely troll, with the 70hp outboard motor running, in 12' of water and less - literally running the prop just feet from the bottom - and I will go home with a full live well of fish. The noise of the Tarpoon130x is insignificant as it pertains to being able to use for fishing.
So, noisy, it is - but that is just a personal preference. What you get in exchange for that noise is the features of having an EASY way to mount fishing electronics and the awesome speed that comes from the tarpoon family with a little bit more stability. I tried a few different ones before getting this one, and while there are other fishing kayaks that are more stable to stand in, they are much heavier and slower. And while the original Tarpoon's are not as noisy, they lack the fishing conveniences of this kayak and are not as stable/comfortable.
If you're looking for a kayak to mainly trolling with, then I cannot see how you're going to find a better one that will give you the fishing options this one has with the ease of speed needed for trolling. Its the "crossover" of the kayak world I think. The seat is a pain to put in sometimes, but most of the time its just because I don't take my time because I am itching to get on the water. It's not hard to put the seat in, it just takes more time.
I believe this kayak has a particular nitch, so I can see why it is being discontinued. It really is one of those kinds of products that fit a specific type of use the best, but come up short when compared to others used for other purposes. Not the best for just casual cruising because of the noise, not the best for hardcore stand up bass fishing because of the stability. Meaning, if you're looking for a kayak specifically for trolling, I highly recommend this one because it "fits" that type of use the best - better than any other kayak in its class.
I just wish they had developed the pedal drive to fit this, and/or make the motor drive unit more affordable. It would make the trolling sessions last much longer. After rowing non-stop for hours on end(except the occasional stop to reel in a fish) it does get tiring.
