Tarpon 140

Excellent boat . Easy to track and great boat in all conditions if short or long paddle.

First, the only reason for 4 stars is I rarely give 5 stars for anything. I will add the weight is a downside. I rooftop carry and the Yakima Showboat 66 is a great tool. I can load by myself.

I have a 140 and 160. The 160 is my main ride with a little advantage over the 140; mainly space and a slightly better cruising speed.

I have been on the ocean in Maine in rough unprotected waters. The timing was in between storms. I won't say I was entirely comfortable. It is my skill that I am uncomfortable with. The kayaks are quite capable. One of my reasons for the SOT was reentry. Clap your hands together while barking like a seal and pop back in. Sorry, not quite that easy, but, I was never able to reenter my sit-in. I rather be in my kayak then to be part of the food chain.

As far as performance, my 160 has a rudder, the 140 does not. I have only used the rudder maybe a dozen times in high winds. The rudder is useful with side winds. It does weathercock and the rudder does help.

Leaks? Yes. Leaks around anything that has a hole: rails, screws, hatches. It is not a big problem. Carry a sponge.

If you are a fisherman, they are less stable than the fishing kayaks of wider width. I didn't buy for the purpose of fishing. I bought my 160 for tripping and at that, it is great. I can easily carry everything for my wife and I. I bought the 140 (used, a year or two older) as a guest kayak based on my experience in the 160. I am not disappointed. I am a casual fisherman and the kayak does suit my needs nicely.

We love the two 14' Tarpon sit on kayaks we bought this year! I've had two knee replacements and they are easy to get in and out. Great seat adjustability. Very stable!

I had been primarily a canoe paddler for 40+ years, but I retired in 2018 and moved to coastal South Carolina where kayaking is king. I used to own a P&H Capella, but I didn't want another full blown sea kayak - at least not yet. I wanted a sit-on-top because of the comfort and the ease of entry and exit. It's primary use is for tidal rivers, blackwater rivers, and protected bays. My research into which boat to buy led me to Wilderness Systems, in large part because of the seat system. A local dealer had a Tarpon 120, but I wanted a bit longer boat so I ordered a Tarpon 140 in mango. All in all, I love the boat. The adjustability of the seat makes it extremely comfortable. I have no problem spending several hours in it. Great job by WS! The boat is stable, fast enough for my purposes, and has decent hatches and fitment. It's no speed demon, but I wasn't expecting it to be. However, it easily keeps up with my friends' SOT's so it' all good. The only reason I don't give it five stars is because of the center hatch. While it is a nice feature, there are no bulkheads and whatever you put in there can end up anywhere inside the boat. Easily solved by putting stuff into a small drybag before stowing, but a bulkhead would have been nice. I have no ideas if the hatches prevent water entry, but I won't be paddling the type of water where that's a critical factor. The only other drawback is the weight. The Tarpon 140 is listed as 65 lbs. and I wouldn't be surprised if it was heavier than that. However, I have a trailer so I don't have to manhandle it onto the roof of my Outback. Anyway, I'm quite happy with the boat and would recommend it to anyone whose requirements are similar to mine.

I bought this kayak second-hand not knowing much about kayaks or kayak fishing. It happened to pop up on Craig's list when I was looking for a boat. I am glad it did. I really love this kayak for its speed, maneuverability and cargo capacity both in the rear tank well and inside the hull. I have tried various pedal boats but found them to be more work than paddling the Tarpon as I would constantly need to adjust the rudder to keep on track. The Tarpon tracks straight as an arrow with little input from the foot controlled rudder. Paddling is effortless. It is only 28" wide but very stable although I would not attempt standing in it. Inside, I can easily store 10 rods of any length when on the road and the tank well holds a standard size crate and a wheeled cart with room to spare. There is more than enough storage space for a multi-day trip if you are so inclined. Lots of gear track fore and aft as well. I have had this in the ocean and it handles the waves very well. One nitpick: the hatches could be a little more water tight but I am normally on lakes and small rivers so this is not a major issue for me. I also wish it had a replaceable keel plate at the back as it gets pretty scuffed up when car-topping. It can bee a little unwieldy car-topping by yourself due to its length and lack of handles between the bow and middle. I added a handle on the upper part of the center "console" just in front of the foot pegs. I trailer it now so this is no longer as issue. All in all, I was considering getting into a pedal boat but, after trying many, I am sticking with the Tarpon.

I bought my 1st kayak used from an Outfitters, i had tried several different kayaks, but went with this one. although at 70 lbs you i hang back from those in the lighter kayaks, but its a steady smooth ride. I feel confident in it to get me where I need to be. It has plenty of storage space, a comfortable seat w/ back support that comes in handy on longer outings (though i will sometimes use a small towel to protect bare skin) I have thought about going with a lighter boat, but the durability and handling and stability i cant give up. If I were to buy another Kayak, it would be the Wilderness brand, and very likely another 140 or maybe 160 Tarpon. This Yak wants to stay straight and true, and while going against the wind or current, it just pulls along. Worth every cent. Would definitely recommend .

Bought a Tarpon 140 two years ago from Austin Kayak. Incredibly versatile boat. Fast for a SOT, great seat, tracks well, stable, and convenient design layout. Good quality of build and accessories. Sad to say I recently decided to sell it. The problem: leaking orbix hatches. Have extensively researched this problem and there is not a good fix or solution. Just got tired of having water inside the hull. Even though I always use dry bags, just got annoying to have to wipe down and dry interior after routine use. If you like open water kayaking, i.e. ocean, bays, or large lakes this could be a major problem on a long paddle. The older Tarpons do not have this problem because of solid rubber hatches with raised rims. Recently purchased Perception Pescador 12 (old Tarpon mold). Has most all the positives although seat not as comfortable, but dry storage stays dry. Again, Tarpon 140 is good all-around but leaking hatches were too much a problem for me

I bought a Tarpon 140 this past spring and it has turned out to be a great boat. I highly recommend it if you are looking for one kayak that does a little bit of everything. I have a 17 ft sea kayak and a 12 recreation Kayak and the Tarpon 140 is the one I choose to use all the time.

The big things for me is the comfort, safety and versatility of the kayak. I have a hard time staying in my sea kayak for more that 30 mins. I am 6'4" with a hip replacement so comfort of the SOT Tarpon is great. I can stay on it for 3hrs no problem. I feel safe on the Kayak. I have taken it in the open ocean, bays, rivers and lakes. I have not tipped or come close at all. I also have practiced tipping over and it is a piece of cake to turn back over and reenter. I often will go for a paddle, drop anchor, go for a swim and hop back in. The speed of the boat is decent.

The only negatives for me is that it is heavy so I got a small cart that works great to move boat and to help slide up on the car top.

I purchased the Tarpon 140 about three weeks ago and found the stability lacking some. It tipped over twice within an hour caused by very small waves. I must say I'm a beginner and was not aware on how to stop a tip over. What I did was purchase stabilizers by Scottys and love them. They add lots of stabilization to the 140 and very easy to install. They are adjustable to where you can keep them several inches out of the water to prevent a drag. I think with more time I will not need them unless I'm fishing. Overall the Tarpon 140 is great especially the seat.

We borrowed a Tarpon for my wife to use and never returned it (we did pay the guy for it though). She loves it and we have had several try it and they love it also. We did have to replace the foot braces but that is the only problem we have had.

I am 6'1" and love the stability of my Tarpon 140 have taken it mainly in lakes and found no problem with waves or wakes from boats. Looking forward to fishing have just purchased gear.

I have owned and enjoyed three 16-foot Tarpons, one being a pre-2008 hull. I bought two 14 footers expecting something akin to the drift and nose angle of the 16. In fact it seemed the center of gravity [seat where hip points hit the hull] was a tad too far forward. Water entered the foot scupper holes. Nose seemed to be angled downward more than should have been the case. Redesign to allow aft shift of CG would probably level out the boat.

Mine were bought 6 or so years ago. I don't know if they corrected the hull and seat location to provide better drift after paddle stroke. Seat was adequate, foot stops adequate, storage o.k. Cockpit did not fit anyone over 6'1" very well without noticeable nose dip. The boat was significantly slower than the 16.

Overall fit and finish were very good. I still have the three 16 footers for self and guests. To see a cockpit with proper balance today try out a Necky Vector 14. I found two for friends and tried them out. Great cockpit for tall people, excellent hull balance front to back. The old Heritage Sea Dart II also has excellent pitch control [fore/aft balance]. It can be done.
Cheers all. Happy paddles!

I have owned four yaks, this is my first Wilderness, I am very happy with the Tarpon and the way it fishes. I fish mostly saltwater bays and the ocean. I think this model is good for this type of water. The yak comes in from open ocean fine, I find, I am the problem in all cases. I have caught big blues to the low 20’s that would drag me all over the bay, and under the boat, 38lb Striper that was up to the yak in less than 20 seconds till she realized she was hooked, than another 25 mins. I only have one comment: I want another!

Great kayak for fishing, cruising shoreline or drifting down river. Easy to paddle. Can be loaded or unloaded fairly easily.

The Tarpon 140 is a great kayak! I mainly paddle and fish on lakes and slow rivers. I believe that the 14 foot boat does just fine on big lakes, rivers, and even in tight quarters weaving between Cypress trees. I wanted a kayak that offered good speed to zip back to the landing after a long day of fishing.

This kayak is fast, easy to paddle, and tracks well due to its length. The Tarpon has good stability. The seat is comfortable and has plenty of adjustment. The plastic feels more rigid than that of cheaper boats. The boat is not light, but I am able to lift the boat onto the rack of an F150 fairly easily. The track system allows for limitless outfitting. There is a nice size hatch for storing things in the front and a very convenient center hatch just in front of the seat. Both hatches have loops inside to attach gear and keep things in place.

The only negative on the kayak is that the cup holder extends so far down into the inside cavity that I am prevented from storing paddles inside the kayak.
This is a great kayak!

All I can say is what a great boat!!!! Well, that's not all.... Tracks extremely well. I recently paddled 120 miles over 5 day on the upper Swuannee River. Very accommodating for gear. I have been out on the Gulf scalloping. Great boat for re-entry on the water.
I would (and have) recommend this boat to anyone.

I just purchased the Tarpon 14 after being a user of a WS Tsunami 145. I purchased the tarpon for fishing and am not disappointed, however I think I could have found a suitable alternative if I was just searching for a fishing kayak or just a touring kayak. The Tarpon 14 does both functions very well but isn't great at either.

As for quality and design the Tarpon fell short. Upon pickup I found 1/3 of the screws were not tight and I'm not talking 1/4 turn, most were half way out. The front hatch is a useless design, the hatch is in a depression which catches water and when you open the cover the water has only one place to go.... IN! The water on top of the cover runs down the back side and directly into the opening. The Tsunami has a 1-2inch lip that even with the rubber cover off any water trapped in the depression of the hatch doesn't go into the opening. The back side of the smaller hatch is sharp and I sliced my finger on it. A file took it down to a safe point but manufacturing details such as these are important to me as a consumer.

I've owned 5 WS Tarpon 120-140. I loved them all, they were all I knew when it came to sot kayaks. Well I've recently tried several different brands and discovered you don't have to paddle around with an inch of water in the cockpit. I'm 215 and my wife is 120 and even she had water in her 120. They're rated for 375.....don't believe it.

I would give this boat a lower rating had I not enjoyed them so much. Also, they seem to be priced several hundred higher than a comparable kayak with a higher weight capacity. I would've tried the new Ride, but WS I feel now is over priced after looking around and shopping around.
So they get a 7 (wet cockpit, low weight capacity, overpriced)

After weeks of research and reading every review that I could find,I went ahead and bought a new Tarpon 140. I am 225 lbs. and 6'1" tall and paddle mostly flat water and slow rivers. On the first outing the Tarpon met all of my expectations and eased all of my worries. The Tarpon was fast and easy to paddle, tracked straight without a rudder, and was way more stable than I had come to believe after reading a lot of reviews. I am used to a Pungo 140 and could see very little difference in performance. Yes, the T140 weighs more and one can feel it in the first stroke of the paddle. After that, it was an easy glide. I also had no trouble weaving through the Cypress knees and shallows. I was looking for a SOT with good mix of stability, speed, and handling and one that I could still store, move, and load fairly easily. The Tarpon 140 fit the bill. A bonus will be the Slide Trax rails that will be fun to rig for fishing.

I purchased a Tarpon 140 after my Scupper Pro was stolen. I had such good service with my previous kayak I had some concerns about making a change. The concern was unfounded. The Tarpon 140 is a great kayak. Easy to paddle and it is stable. I use it on lakes and the Gulf of Mexico.

My only negative is the hatches leak. Since I like to store cargo on trips this causes a minor problem.

I would suggest the Tarpon 140 to anyone for lake and gulf travel.

We use the Tarpon 140 and 160 on our kayak expeditions in Suriname, this was after we tested all kind of boats. The Tarpon is for us the best boat for jungle expeditions as it is strong and easy to paddle and can carry a lot of gear. We bring all the gear to be self-supporting for two weeks.

I bought my 140 in 2009. Great boat. I fly fish out of this thing 3 or 4 times a week. I get pretty wet but I wouldn't even think of getting a sit in. The only problem is the gaskets on the hatches. I store it upside down, so it really isn't an issue for me, but I can see where it might be a problem. I bought a 100 for my wife. She likes it but she likes mine better. I haven't put too many extras on it because fly line gets caught on everything. But it's a great kayak.

I bought the T140 late in 2009 which is the newly designed model. This was my first SOT kayak purchase and after a few months of paddling it, I sold my 16 ft. sit in expedition sea kayak. This kayak offers much more freedom and piece of mind, especially on solo adventures. Not only can you dive and swim and get back in the kayak without issues, the T140 will carry a ton of gear for kayak camping. I am 5'8" and 170 lbs. and carry at least 100 lbs. of gear with no problems in performance from this kayak. SOT's will get some water in them, but to plug them on ocean paddles defeats the design of them. If you do not want to get wet on the water (?) do not get a SOT kayak.

This boat is a fantastic performer in the ocean, which is the only place I paddle being in Washington state, it is very stable for a 28" width, even with gear, tracks very well with the rudder up and exceptional with the rudder down. I highly recommend anyone looking into getting a SOT kayak, to go rent one of the Tarpons and try them out for yourself, I am sure you would be impressed...

This is for the new T140.
Having paddled a T160 for years,I was a little concerned about going down in length. I bought the boat because I got a good price and had traded the 160 for a trailer.

Echoing the last reviewer,the boat is a much drier ride. It is really nice not to sit in a puddle for hours. To achieve that, the paddler is further off the water with an attendant decrease in stability, but so little it is hardly noticeable. I got caught in a couple of sudden side currents that were momentarily exciting. I'll take that loss for the dry butt.

The phase 3 seat is great. Lumbar support in a SOT!
Continuing the trend, the boat is heavy as a brick. It comes with tracks for adding accessories, but that does not include attachment points for thigh straps. I was disappointed that I have to add them. Paddling a SOT in rough water without thigh straps is not fun. Still, I am pleased with the boat for my intended use - small rivers and salt water bays and creeks.

I tried out the T140 yesterday, that is, the new 2009 model, and I was really impressed once on the water.

It took quite a bit of effort getting it on the water though. It's quite heavy to carry or car top, in spite of excellent carrying handles. You will need a kayak trolley if on your own, and either be quite strong or have a loading aid to get it on top of the car.

Now the good stuff:
As said, once on the water all changed. Tracking was excellent and in spite of the weight of the kayak out of the water, it was very nimble and light to paddle, relative to its length.

I also tried out the Prowler 13. Comparing the two, the Tarpon feels much more sturdy and well kitted out. I was really impressed with the hatches, although I don't know how watertight they are. Compared to the day hatch on the Prowler, the Tarpon one is far more easily accessible as it doesn't need to be unscrewed. It seems to access the main storage area (I could be wrong) and any small items may get lost in the hull as a result. However, this could be easily resolved. There are also two small compartments covered with rubber matting, where additional items can be stored. Although, these need to be secured as they may fall overboard if the kayak tips over in surf. The seat is really good as well, although, I haven't been able to try it on a long journey. I'm not sure how adjustable it is either, and this may need to be checked.

Handling: Again, in spite of the kayak's weight out of the water, it handles really well once in the water. I couldn't feel much difference in getting up to cruising speed with the Prowler 13. As a 14 footer, I didn't expect it to turn as easily as a shorter kayak, and of course I was right, but again, I didn't feel there was much difference than the Prowler. The Tarpon feels/lies slightly lower in the water than the Prowler 13 and may therefore not be as susceptible to wind. In spite of being lower in the water, I didn't see any water in the boat, other than what you would expect from paddle dripping etc.

I must admit, I tried it on the river, but the problem of water gushing in through the scupper holes seems to have been resolved in this new model. All in all, very pleasantly surprised, and I think this will be my next kayak. I'm paddling a Scrambler 11 now.

I'm brand new at kayaking, so take my thoughts for what they're worth...
I've been renting kayaks for much of the summer, trying to decide what to buy. I'm calling my kayak store tomorrow to buy the Tarpon 140, probably with rudder.

I'm writing largely to respond to reports that the 140 offers a wet ride. I don't understand what folks who write that are talking about. I'm 6'4, (unfortunately) I weigh around 260. This weekend I rented the Tarpon 140 for two days. The first day I kept the scupper plugs in all day; I'd read this forum and thought that if I pulled them out I'd be virtually swimming!

The second day I decided to see what I was really in for if I bought this yak, so about an hour into my 4-hour ride I pulled the plugs out. Sure enough, water squirted up through the holes. But just as quickly as it came up it ran back out again. I ended up having about 1/4 inch of water near my feet, none further up toward my seat. And it was often virtually dry.
For a guy my size in a boat with a 375 lb rating, I think 1/4 of water is nothing to complain about.

I liked this kayak. I'm an inexperienced paddler, and it wasn't hard for me to go pretty much straight most of the time. I think it is a nice combination of speed and stability. My GPS said I was able to cruise along at 3.5 - 4 mph without much trouble; even in a river with a moderate current I was able to go around 2.5 - 3 mph upstream. And after an hour or so I was dangling my feet over either side of the boat, and even turned around and put my legs over one side without much trouble.

I can't say that I have a lot of experience with any kayak. But so far I like the Tarpon 140 enough to buy it!

Those who said the scupper holes take on water are absolutely correct. I weigh 227 lbs. at the moment and as soon as I get in all four of the holes let water pour in. While I'm paddling there is about 1.5 inches of water in the cockpit. This is not what I expected from a boat that has a weight rating of 375 lbs. I'll try foam golf balls or rubber chair leg tips. I refuse to buy actual scupper stoppers due to the ridiculous price of them. Other than this absurd oversight in engineering the boat is great. It tracks fairly well and is reasonably fast. At 28 inches it is extremely stable. I think it could have been 2 inches skinnier, but I say that about all SOT's.

I bought a 140 & a 160 a couple years ago.. both have worked fine in bay and inland waters. I prefer the 160 as it tracks better and is faster. The overall design is very good and is a relatively "dry" ride. As far as sit-on-tops go, I think these are the best in their class.

I have been paddling SOT's for over ten years now, and this boat is probably the best all-around of its kind. Being recently removed from Florida's gulf coast, I was surprised to find that Wisconsinites are not as fond of the SOT. Although I can only speculate that the weather has something to do with it, I find that getting a little wet from May through October is perfectly fine with me. Winter paddling, even in Florida, never really interested me anyway. And most of all, the right SOT can be so much more fun and completely hassle-free.

My first Wilderness Systems SOT was the 15' Freedom that was sold prior to my 1,200 mile move. It was a great design that fit me extremely well. After test paddling a Tarpon 160 prior to leaving Florida, though, I felt that it would definitely be my next purchase. Two months ago, however, I found a Tarpon 140 for $550 at a dive shop in Steven's Point, Wisconsin. It had about an 1/8" of dust on it as it had probably been there for quite some time. I never realized there was so much of a mark up! For the money I decided to settle for it instead of the 160 model. I figured that the smaller size would be more suitable for my wife anyway when I eventually did get my 16 footer.
After a couple of camping trips in beautiful northern Wisconsin, as well as paddling my local Fox River, I have found that this model is just fine for me as well. From the reviews on this site, I was already prepared to take on some water (being that I am 6'3" and 270 pounds). About an inch of water stays in the foot wells. As I mentioned earlier, though, I do not mind getting a little wet. Being on the bigger side with a higher center of gravity, I have found that I am much more stable on SOT's than in cockpit kayaks or solo and tandem canoes. I cannot imagine dumping this boat unless you are either very careless, or do it intentionally. If you do go in the drink, though, being able to get back in your boat in the middle of a 640-acre lake is an invaluable asset. After a little practice with a moderate amount of upper body strength, most people could probably be back in the boat and paddling again in less than a minute. I love the freedom to do this when I feel like taking a swim.

The 140 seems fast and tracks pretty well (although the 160 seems slightly better in both departments). As I did mention in my first sentence, this model is a great all-around boat... it is smaller and a little lighter than its bigger brother, but maybe a tad slower with a few more corrective strokes required. All-in-all, not a significant amount of difference.
I recommend this boat without hesitation. Although I still may purchase a 160 for myself, I will probably wait until I find another that has collected some dust (and a bargain-style price tag). And why not, until my wife get upset with me for using "her" boat, I am completely satisfied with it!

I purchased my Tarpon 140 last spring and it has been everything I hoped for. I have had it out in the bay, the ocean, rivers (up to class II), streams, and lakes. I probably logged about 400 miles so far. It tracks quite well, is very stable and is easy to exit and re-enter in any water (deep, choppy, etc.). I have paddled with a group of highly varied kayaks and canoes and had no problem keeping up. If you're a strong paddler you can even stay at the front of the pack over the long haul, even with light touring kayaks. I have paddled up to 28 miles in a day and was very comfortable. The seat is great. It is quite heavy and can be challenging to car top by yourself after a long day of paddling, but it will only make you stronger. I crafted a carrying cart out of pvc that goes up through the scupper holes. It is great for long portages. When I was shopping for a kayak, I had trouble deciding if I should get a sit-in or SOT and which boat to get. I am so happy with the decision to get a Tarpon 140 for my first. I love this kayak and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good all around kayak that will do almost everything from small whitewater, to calm lakes, to ocean and bay, to small windy streams.

I got this Tarpon 140 in May 2006 and I have no regrets. I have had it in the ocean in Maine about ten times so far. I feel safe in it. It handles well in waves with the rudder. It is even better in flat calm water. I have not tried to push it to the limit. I have to much respect for the ocean. This boat is a keeper. I look forward to many more rides.

I am a new owner of a T 140 and could not be happier with it. I have been paddling around for a couple of years in a 20 year old OC Scupper I found in the back of our barn. Once I added a rod holder, installed a back rest/ pad and lashed a milk crate on top it worked well enough to convince me this was a good way to fish the Texas coast. I researched and tested every kayak I could get my hands on for a year and I kept coming back to the T140. I am 6'3" 210lb. and the T140 is very comfortable for me, but you don't have to give up the ability to turn in tight places. My first day on the bays with it were naturally cursed with high winds and muddy water, but the boat didn't seem to mind. It cuts through pretty dry, and tracks well in a cross winds. The rigid back rest is much more comfortble and secure than any after market strap on type, and when I want to straddle the back of boat and walk the bay floor while sitting, the back rest folds out of the way easily. It does need scupper plugs in the front if your a big paddler. At my size and weight it takes on 1/2 " of water, but plugs are easy to fabricate this site has many suggestions, (foam golf balls, furniture leg caps.) I don't know about smaller paddlers but for bigger built paddlers this is a hard boat to beat.

After reading the other reviews and recently demoing a WS Tarpon 140 myself, I thought I would add a few comments. Over the last several weeks I've been shopping around and I've tried quite a few comparable models (Perception Bimini and Caster, Ocean Scupper Pro and Prowler 15). As for my perspective, I'm a fairly new paddler with a modest amount of experience (male, 5'8", 200lbs).

The Tarpon 140 is slightly heavier than some of the other models I tried but it gets moving quickly and tracks very well. I was paddling with a 230 cm composite paddle, around 24 ounces as I recall. A WS rudder kit can be added for roughly $200. I tested it near a marina in a commercial area where there was quite a bit of traffic. It was extremely stable and I was pleasantly surprised at how well it handled the wake from a large passing cabin cruiser and a tug boat. The floor of the cockpit is flat and roomy and any water that I took on quickly drained off. The standard molded seat and seat-back were comfortable even without any sort of padding. The front hatch was roomy and easy to access and the oversized rear well could handle multiple crates or a large cooler.

After testing it, I happened to run into another customer that was trading his old 140 in for a 160i. He had nothing but good comments on his old 140...he was only trading up to the 160i as he does quite a bit of fishing off shore and wanted the additional speed, stability and security that he felt the 16 foot model offered on the open sea. A great boat...I think my search may be over!

I read all of the reviews here and other places while looking for a sit-on-top for myself and my family. I needed something that the kids could not hurt, would allow me to use it with them, yet would cruise well enough for me to take some morning paddles before the lake gets rough. After one weekend, I can tell you that this boat delivers on all counts.

You can get this kayak moving within the first 3 strokes, and from there on it is almost effortless. It tracks well and most of your directional corrections can be handled within the stroke movement. When paddling in a cross wind, I did use an occasional double stroke on one side, but it was rare. With the kids, my 12 year old daughter was paddling with ease with minimal instruction, and my 7 year old sits easily in the rear tank well for easy cruises.

I am 6 ft and 210 lbs and the 140 cruises with very little effort. It was obviously designed to go in a straight line, but it will turn when you want it to. With good technique, it will pivot.

Very seldom do you find a product that will cover a range of uses, and do all of them well. The Tarpon 140 is a very versatile boat. I was specifically looking for a kayak that could stay on the shore during the day, as to be available for the entire family, durable so that I didn't go crazy when anyone even looked at it, and enough performance for a long morning cruise and some fishing. This boat fills all of these with a very strong performance. Also, check around with your local dealers to see if they have any demo boats. Mine had ordered two that had cosmetic blemishes that I couldn't even find, but I saved over $200.

I own two Tarpon 120's and two Tarpon 140's, bought the 120's to get my wife on the water. She loved the Tarpons and wanted to have another pair to invite guests to go with us. I bought the 140's to allow for some variety. The 140's are faster and only marginally more challenging to handle. However, I should say that the 120's never fail to deliver a positive experience for first time paddlers. We have had a lot of fun with both, foam golf balls deal with the forward scuppers in the 140's if you or you and your gear weigh more than 170 lbs.

I spent the afternoon in a WS Tarpon 120, Tarpon 140 as well as the OK 15'4" Prowler. I'm 6', 210lbs. I was leaning to the 140 (being a larger guy that likes to camp, fish and hunt) but now I have some concerns. The tracking was definitely affected by a slight breeze.

The difference between the 120 and 140 is small but noticeable in all the obvious ways except wind sensitivity. 10 mph breeze, the 120 was significantly less affected. This was also the impression of my buddy that was demoing them as well. When I asked him for his impressions he volunteered it so I didn't color his perception, 2 independent observations.

The difference in glide was surprisingly small but present. Ditto on maneuverability.

Another interesting observation, while the forward scuppers spouted like a fountain on the 140 with a leaning stroke, the 120 didn't seem to. This could be handled by plugs of course.

I won't bother to compare it to the Prowler here. Apples and oranges. One thing I will mention here, however, the WS boats cut better and more quietly, no water slap on the hull. Major advantage if stalking birds, game or fish is your thing. Prowler would alert them way before the Tarpons would.

Kudos to everyone who has reviewed this boat so far. All are very accurate and fair. The only reason I decided to review the boat is to address a couple of the issues that are mentioned. My neighbor got one recently, loves it. My wife had a T120, still new, just over a month old; paddled the neighbors T140, and I went out and got her one THE VERY NEXT DAY. That's okay, though, as the 15 y/o boy LEPT from his O.K. Scrambler to mom's T120. He LOVES the T120, and has decided to leave O.K. for GOOD. But Scott, my neighbor, and Kim, my sweetie, had the same complaint, wherein they'd hid the carry handles when paddling. From my comfortable perch aboard my own T160, I first thought that this was REDICULOUS. "Man-up, and adjust your stroke!" But then, when Kim had the same problem, who's a fraction of Scott's size, I thought there must be something to it. I wasn't gonna jump off of my kayak to paddle the T140 and solve the problem -- no, I just KNEW that KIM would figure it out. Kim has a way of solving THE most COMPLEX problems, with an un-assuming, simple and usually BRILLIANT solution. [ if you're interested in hearing a GREAT story, drop me a line and ask me how she solved the perplexing problem of installing a rudder to a tandem kayak that did NOT have the required hatch for access necessary to running the tubing and cables!] Anyway, after paddling Scott's T140 for about 20 minutes, Kim said, "I think I'd like a longer paddle." Kim and I and Scott, for that matter, all use a 230cm paddle. After paddling with me in a VERY ROUGH sea, Kim was better able to keep up with me in my T160 then she was the day before in her T120, and she LOVED the T140! [a side note: she had tried my T160 some time ago, and HATED it. I can't tell you why, and niether can she. Probably 'cause she's small?] So, the VERY NEXT DAY, I got her a BRAND NEW T140, AND a 240cm paddle. She couldn't WAIT for me to take the rudder off of her T120, put it on the T140 [I've gotten quite adept at installing rudders -- I think I'm up to EIGHT or more] and try-out her new paddle! Turns out she was right; the 240cm paddle made all the difference for her, anyway. Scott has yet to try the 240cm paddle, poor sap has to WORK during the week. He and I decided, though, that rather than him spending the dough on ANOTHER new paddle, that we'd try one of those kits that changes a one-piece paddle to a two-piece paddle -- you know, the fiberglass section that gets attached to the center. Haven't done it yet, but drop me a line, we'll let you know how THAT worked. I have to say, too, that both commented on the water that is aboard without scupper plugs in place -- commented, mind you, not complained. So, it's true, it is a wetter cockpit -- the others are quite accurate, as I've mentioned. The seat is NOT a problem wetness spot, and in the end, the water in the cockpit isn't a real problem, just something that potential paddlers should be aware of. you CAN stay dry with scupper plugs, so, no biggie. Beyond that and the knuckle banging, I'd STILL have to give the kayak a big TEN, for its' SPEED, TRACKING, MANUVERABILITY, and for its' ability to PLOW through very rough seas. Perfect for the fisherman, too. Far superior to ALL of the most popular boats chosen for fishing, Wilderness Systems will eventually win over the masses, slowly but surely. In an area where Ocean Kayak has completely SATURATED the marketplace, the word will spread that there IS someone out there who's making better and smarter boats. Once again, my hat's off to Wilderness Systems. The T140 is a GREAT kayak.

Why get a 120? because of it's "manageable size" fits better in the garage or easier ti carry. Those are all poor reasons not to consider the 140. I paddle both and the 140 is more stable and even quicker than the 120. It's not an overnight camping boat but definately made for fishing!

Purchased the Tarpon 140 on 3-9-04 and have taken 4 trips so far. Two on flat water and two on the San Francisco Bay. It performed just as advertised; faster than the Tarpon 120 and easier to manuever than the Tarpon 160. I purchased mine w/o out the rudder and have noticed it pulls a little to the left which requires me to make a few corrective strokes. I have also gone swimming off of it and it is very easy to get back into, which is a real plus if you plan using th 140 as a diving platform. I primarily use the 140 for Bay and coastal fishing which is what it was designed for. BIG tankwell for milkcrates, live bait tanks, air tanks and yes BIG FISH. I have mine set up with two rod holders behind the seat and the one scotty rodholder mounted directly in front of me. Will add an anchor system on the bow and plan to take an extended trip on my favorite Yosemite Lake. If you are looking for a solid fishing/diving 'yak, do not buy one without test paddling the Tarpon 140. Very happy with my purchase.

In the world of S-O-T's, this boat is as good as they get. It's big brother, the 160, is a bit faster but not so much faster as to make you forget about the additional weight the 160 has. The 140 handles a little better than the 160 and can take on rough water just as well.I bought this boat over the 160 not only because of weight differences but also because of significant layout differences.The 140 has an open storage well behind the seat which is easily accessible and the boat is so stable, you can stand up in front of the seat in calm water. It is fun to paddle and looks good. The rudder is indespensible, though, in rough seas.