Tsunami 140

Re Tsunami 140 : Very solidly built kayak, runs well in waves and wind. It is strong and rugged and can take a beating ! Recommend getting flip down rudder to handle above conditions especially into wind ! However I found it to be very heavy to lift (53 lbs +) on to my small car Thule roof rack and always appreciated help whenever available. I since purchased a Canadian made Swift kayak 14 feet (kevlar 38 lbs) and is much easier to lift on top of my automobile roof rack ! If you are purchasing a Tsunami 140, make sure you are kayaking with two people to help with the lifting. Ontario, Canada

This rotomolded 14' kayak is very tough, stable, tracks well, is reasonably fast, turns with relatively ease and is not too expensive. It can be equipped with a rudder. If you have just one kayak, this is worth considering.

I was looking for a sit in kayak for trips that included longer distances on lakes than we typically go with our sit on fishing yaks. I want to go farther without wearing myself out, but still wanted more stability than a longer, narrower touring kayak. The Tsunami really fit the bill for what I was looking for. There are tons of adjustments in the cockpit- Foot braces (of course), thigh braces, and the seat all adjust for a comfy and secure fit. It does have a smaller cockpit than many recreational kayaks. This kayak really tracks well, but also is easy to maneuver. I did not get the rudder yet ,although it is rudder ready, so it does want to turn bow into the waves. Overall, it has preformed fantastic in all conditions we have put it in and best of all, I'm not falling behind the group as we paddle along!

This is a very good all-purpose, affordable, and nearly indestructible (rotomolded plastic), solo kayak. It is reasonably fast, a manageable weight, turns well (with edging skill), and is very stable due to primary and secondary chines built into the hull. It can be had with or without a rudder, and a rudder can be retro-fitted if desired (I did this on one of mine). The boat is a good choice on lakes/reservoirs and rivers. I haven't had it in the ocean, so I can't rate it in that respect. In my kayak 'stable', two of these boats are sandwiched, in size, between two plastic ten-footers (for small rivers) and two longer boats, a 16' K1 and an 18' K2, both with lighter, more exotic layups. Lastly, the Tsunami is an appropriate boat to put a novice guest in, since it is stable and you won't need to worry about it being damaged. These boats are keepers, but aren't most kayaks if we have the room to store them? Room for only one or two boats? The Tsunami 14 would still be a practical keeper.

My wife has the Tsunami 140 and loves it.... but the hatch cover design is greatly flawed. We had to replace the large oval hatch 3 yrs ago and now need to have it replaced again. The rubber shrinks and causes it to cave in on itself and no longer seal. I hope they remedy this design. I have had a 14' Carolina for 10 years and have had no issues with my hatch covers.

I find that the Tsunami is an excellent kayak for Lakes or rivers. I also have a Dagger Axis 10.5 and I use it mainly on rivers and bought this for primarily for lake. The boat has good primary stability and excellent secondary stability, edges well and glides through the water nicely. Easy to accelerate. It is a tight fit getting in compared to a crossover kayak, I am 6' 175 lbs and I have to get my legs in and then slide down. Once in it feels great, the adjustable pedals for me are not of much use as I can brace my feet on the bulkhead, but if I am doing any maneuvering I use the pedals and the knee braces.

The seat has multiple adjustments and the back can be raised to support better, easy adjustments on the cockpit sides and front of the seat. Very comfortable for long paddles. Lots of storage space for your gear although the quick hatch right behind the seat would have been nice if they had put a net in there to retain your stuff. I bought used so it is possible there originally was but without one your stuff has the capability to slide clear to the back of the boat. This is a 2014 model.

Lots of rigging for tying down stuff on top and behind the cockpit to rig your paddle as an extra leg to stabilize the kayak to get in. Boat weighs about 55 pounds so kind of heavy.

Finish is smooth shinny. Carry handles on each end but would be nice if they had provided a hard attachment point for tying down when transporting.

This boat sets low in the water so if doing any river trips I would definitely recommend using a spray skirt to keep water out

This review will be for the 140 Pro Composite kayak. I am a 57 year old fit male 185 lbs. I have only been paddling for about 7 years. For the last 5 years I have been getting more involved with kayak racing. I like racing in the 14' and under class. As you can guess, it is hard finding fast kayaks in that range. This kayak is 14', 24" wide and about 49lbs. It is very stable, very comfortable, and very fast. Tracks like it is a 16 footer. Comes with a rudder but does not need it. I removed mine. I bought this kayak to use as a day tripper and light touring kayak to use on the bay and lake. But this is as fast as the kayak I use for racing. Today, I went for a flat water training paddle to see what she can do. 3.53 miles on flat water with no current and just a slight breeze. I averaged 5.3 mph. Max was 5.6 and was easily able to maintain a cruising speed of 5.1mph. I am not in peek form or racing condition yet. You have to give credit where credit is due.

This is one of the best 14' sea light touring kayaks you will ever paddle. Workmanship and quality is top notch. Other similar kayaks I have paddled are:
WS Focus 145 - Fast but won't go trait without a rudder and not as fast as the 145 Pro.
Necky Manitou 14 - Fast and stable but not as fast and too long to use in my class.
Steller S14 - Fast, stable, and light but it is actually longer than the class I race in and without the skeg, impossible to keep straight. Also it isn't much or any faster than the 145 Pro.
Perception Expression 145 - Too long and not as fast as the 145 Pro.

So, if you are looking for an efficient 14' light touring kayak with speed and stability, this is the yak.

I absolutely love this kayak! I'm 5'11" 185lb and it fits me like a glove. The seat system has to be 1 of the most adjustable and comfortable in the business. I bought mine w out a rudder and have no issues with wind you can point it into the wind and it just cruises. The initial and secondary stability is excellent. It also has great storage capacity. I would recommend this yak to anyone

love this kayak. Great first and secondary stability. the foredeck is lower than the 145 and makes it so rudder isn't necessary, nor skeg. the keel is skeg shaped and does a great job.Hatches are mostly watertight and fit/finish was spot on.

When i first started looking at these i was leaning towards the 145, but most of my experience was in a pungo 140 so i was liking the huge cockpit. In the interim i got into a full scale sea kayak passion and went through 3 of them playing around. After getting used to those smaller cockpits i went back and looked at the 145 and felt like i was going to fall out. So ended up doing a 140 due to the better feel. Get rid of the big backrest and get the backband. totally changes the feel. She rolls up easy when you want to play using pretty much any stroke. With the backband i can lay my head on back deck comfortably. And it has pretty reasonable speed. done many 20 miler days already with it on rivers, lakes and a full out ocean run down in Clearwater, FL. i trust her that much.

Have been through a lot of kayaks over time, all the way from fat little rec kayaks through Necky Chatham 17. I still love a full blow sea kayak for the speed and pure sexiness, but I can't think of a better do it all boat than this. Easy 10 for me. Had no complaints whatsoever.

For the record I'm 5'10 240lb guy. Former marine, big chest, big thighs. Fit easily and can get really snug when its time to goof around. But my wife who is 5'2 and 110 likes it a lot also. She likes her Dagger Alchemy more but she's a kayak snob.

I bought my Tsunami 140 several years ago and it is the absolutely the greatest. I own the next larger Wilderness kayak also and it is also a great all around water companion. Both are equipped with rudders which is a great help when paddling in larger motorized boat traffic where quick twist and turns are needed to avoid capsize. I've tried others but these two Wilderness System kayaks are the best.

I absolutely love this kayak! On paddles with other kayakers in the Charlotte area, it is usually one of the faster boats on the water.

I was a bit concerned taking it on an overnight trip on the Edisto River near Charleston. The Edisto is a narrow blackwater river with lots of sharp turns and tree strainers that eat paddlers for lunch. Having a rudder on the back easily allowed me to navigate the sharp turns. I put all my backpacking gear in the storage compartments, plus a cooler of meat and beer!

The only thing I don't like is that the bottom will "Oil Can" when strapping it to the roof of the car. Although I believe that is more due to the material it is made from than the design.

I've had this kayak for 3 years now, and as others stated, I am no longer in the market for another one.

I purchased a Wilderness Systems 14' Tsunami after renting a like model for a back country solo Yellowstone National Park trip. This boat is very stable, maneuvers well and hauls a lot of gear. I really like the seat adjustments - which you can custom fit. I ordered mine with a rudder - sure glad I did as I needed this in a wind storm paddling in Glacier National Park summer 2014. Rugged construction, not the fastest boat on the water but who wants to race?

Very pleased with this purchase. A great multi use (day/extended trips) and versatile kayak.

I've had both a Tsunami 145 standard and a Tsunami 145 Duralite, but even at 6'4"/225lbs, I found them to be too "loose". That's nice for flat water trips where there's little chance of capsizing, but it makes rolls quite difficult. But as this is not a review for the 145, I digress.

I got the 140 because I wanted a slightly tighter fit, and that's just what i got. It's tighter, but not too tight to be comfortable. I now feel like I'm "wearing" the boat instead of bouncing around inside it.

Since the 140 and the 145 are identical in design, with the exception of an inch or two (or 6) difference in dimension, I feel confident in giving my review of the 140 even though I've only paddled it a few times (I had 4 years in the 145's).

After a 2 year hiatus from kayaking, I recently took 3 or 4 demo paddles in a 140 at a local outfitter, and ended up buying the very boat I'd rented.

I've always found the Tsunami line to be a terrific all-around kayak, with fantastic primary stability, and very predictable secondary stability: When the cockpit combing touches the water, that's when I go in the water.

I've always opted for the rudder, but as others have stated before, I rarely ever use it. About the only times I've used the rudder is if I'm getting hit with repeated swells from the side and want to reduce the boat's tendency to roll, or when I'm facing a strong headwind that's pushing me sideways and I find I'm getting fatigued from all the counter-strokes I'm having to make.

Storage is good for a day trip or light overnight trip, but I've always wondered why WS failed to install a 3rd bulkhead between the day hatch and rear hatch. It really defeats the convenience of the smaller compartment because what you put in there can easily roll/slide to the stern, making it impossible to reach from the cockpit. My answer to this, of course, is simply to install the 3rd bulkhead myself; an easy task if you're handy with making patterns and cutting foam with an electric bread knife.

In the 4 years that I paddled the 140's larger cousin, I paddled in flat conditions, heavy chop, 5' multi-directional swells, high wind and gigantic, heaving ocean swells that make you feel like an insignificant speck, and never once did I end up in the water. And believe me when I tell you that is not because I have mad-bracing skills.
It's pretty fast, too!

I started kayaking several years ago in my mom's Eddyline 16' sea kayaks. So, when I was looking for a boat of my own I was torn between the lightweight uber maneuverable 10-12' recreational kayaks and a sea kayak. I did a lot of searching and comparing, asked questions everywhere I went and sat in every kayak that I thought was a possibility. My decision to buy the Wilderness Systems Tsunami 140 made perfect sense! From the first time I took it on the water, I knew I had chosen wisely.

At 56 lbs, I'm still able to load it by myself with the help of my Yakima Sweet Roll car carrier. It tracks extremely well without the rudder, in fact I have yet to need the rudder! It moves through the water effortlessly and in spite of having arthritis in both my thumbs, I don't have to dig too deep to have rapid forward movement. It doesn't turn as tightly or quickly as a 10'-12' rec boat, but I love the way it feels and responds. I'm looking forward to kayak camping next spring and summer....it has lots of cargo space!

If you're looking for a reasonably priced, super durable, comfortable kayak that is great for a short trip or longer adventure on choppy waters, this boat has it all! I LOVE my Tsunami! I will have it for life!!!!

My wife and I have had a pair of Tsunami 140's for about 4 years. We chose these boats after paddling approximately 30 different kayaks from several different manufacturers and designs. The Tsunamis were a great fit for us. We use them for flatwater day trips, fishing, and even the occasional river with class 1+ rapids. We have even had them on Lake Erie in 4 foot waves. They have performed very well for us.

This was probably my favorite boat and I hated to sell it but I moved on to a pakboat in a similar size so I don't need both. I had the 140 with rudder although I rarely needed it. I called this boat "a frigate" because of its mid size and cruising ability. It tracks well, is very stable and at 6' 200lbs I never felt confined.

Even though I consider this a flat water boat I have had good experience with it on twisting rivers and lake Ontario surf. It really does everything quite well. The phase 3 seating is comfortable and I liked the storage both inside and out. I too have had problems getting the rear hatch to fit so that's a major strike. It's not as light as I'd like and although I can do it, getting it on a car could be a problem for smaller and older people. It's been a great boat though and I may get another one someday, for a mid priced boat it does everything well.

I am into my 4th summer with the Wilderness Systems Tsunami 140 and it has been a great kayak. Going from a 10' recreational kayak to this boat has made a huge difference. This boat tracks well and moves quickly. I generally run it in flat water (lake) conditions, but I find it to work well in all kinds of wind and waves. The storage is sufficient for a multi day camping trip.

I would highly recommend this as an all around good touring kayak.

I bought a used 2009 model 140 as a present for my wife for $750 including the rudder. It was a steal! She is 5'6" and 130 lbs, and in retrospect the 135 might be a better fit. However, she loves it since it is the fastest boat in our plastic navy.

We paddle it primarily in a small(110 s.a. Lake) and sometimes on the Hudson River. It tracks extremely well, has excellent secondary stability, and cruises with long glides after a stroke. I fish from it on occasion (installed a Scotty flushmount in the deck fore of the coaming & one straight flushmount rod holder behind the seat and on the port side) for some run & gun sessions.

The rudder is handy in wind and chop, and when circling smaller coves and islands. I can carry it about 70 yards before I have to quit, so a cart comes in handy. Compared to my Tarpon 140, it is easier to hold being a SIK, but also considerably lighter.

The only negative I think is the tall seat back. A backband would be much better when trying to sit inside, or performing a wet exit re-entry. The pfd snags the seat and it folds forward, preventing quick sitting and could lead to capsizing.
Otherwise, I would give this boat a 10!

I am 5'4" 118 lbs, relatively new to kayaking and wasn't sure I could handle a 14 ft boat. The Tsunami 140 proved to be stable and easy to paddle. I was a big fan of the rudder system - this was the first time I had tried a boat with one and it made turning and saying on course SO much easier. It's one of those things that if you don't know about it you can do without it but once you have it you will never go back.

The Tsunami has generous storage space which would be great for Kayak camping. Front and rear bulkheads also add balance for safety I'm told. The one biggest drawback for me was the weight. At 53 lbs it was already pushing it at the beginning of the journey but after a long day of paddling when my arms are like jelly, there is NO way I am getting this on top of my car or even more than a foot up onto the shore for that matter.

Although I found this to be an enjoyable boat to paddle, being my size I don't think it's the best boat for me. If you do get something this heavy, I recommend getting the Thule Hullivator which has hydroulic lift assist so you only have to lift it waist height (as opposed to over your head) to get it on your car. I also found it to be a bit wide for my size. I could not comfortably keep my legs up against the thigh braces, it was just too wide.

Good boat overall for a larger paddler. My boyfriend is 5'9" about 150 lbs and he was comfortable but also found it a bit too heavy. We enjoyed the 140 but will continue shopping for the perfect boat!

Recently bought a Wilderness System Tsunami 140 roto. I am 6'1" 220lbs with 10yrs experience whitewater kayaking. I recently decided to tone down the adrenaline factor but still want to get out on the water. I have a lot of flat water much closer to home than the WW rivers. This past week I have had the opportunity to spend a couple hours in the boat.

I am impressed with the speed and tracking ability of this boat. I have paddled a Glass Looksha IV a bit in the past and this thing feels about as fast and tracks nearly as straight for a grand less! I paddled about 10 miles in Lake Erie with 1-2' chop and protected glass water also. Their is a slight tendency to weathervane but much less so than the Looksha. I have not even used the rudder yet and may remove it. The boat rolls super easy although I have maybe a thousand under my ...skirt... over the past ten years!

All in all great boat easier to load on my own than a 17' boat and nearly as fast. I would note that the Tsunami seems to scratch rather easy. This boat (Tsunami 13.5) was recently used on a well publicized Baffin Island circumnavigation by Jon Turk so I figured It must be pretty tough.

I've had my Tsunami 140 for three years now and find it a great boat! I'm 56 years old, 5'7" tall and weight 180. I go out about every second weekend from mid-May to the end of September.

I really like the Phase 3 seating. The ability to adjust the support under my legs really helps as I have some back problems. When there is chop you do get splashed - not a big deal. The boat rides well in 1' to 1 1/2' waves. I can't say how it handles in "rougher" water as I haven't tried it.

I find it a very stable boat, even in rough water it never feels "tippy". It's very responsive and tracks very well.
For my purposes - touring, weekend camping it's ideal.

Shirley, Thank you for your advise. (see previous post)
I tried 303protectorant, as recommended by wilderness's customer service. It only caused the side that was already attached to slide off earlier. I think the earlier ones had a better hatch than the current kayaks with the "redesigned' hatch. I went into another dealer and examined the hatch opening and discovered that the kayak I have has a half inch rise around the rim that the others do not. It is truly impossible to get the cover on. I did not try a tire iron, but everything else. The dealer is sending a replacement. I only hope that after six weeks of waiting the new hatch fits the covering. I was very disappointed with wilderness systems customer service, after requesting photos, and serial nos. they had no reply or further assistance with a customers problem.

I just purchased a Tsunami 140 after looking at sever kayaks. The fit was excellent, however I was concerned about the reviews on the leaking rear hatches, how bad could they be? When the kayak arrived, it was fine, however the rear hatch is impossible to get on.It does not come close to fitting. Wilderness says on their site that they redesigned the covers, however after forty minutes and a friend helping, we could still not get the cover on. I can't imagine doing this when it is in the water. The hatch cover is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. I would feel safer with a sheet of plastic and a few rubber bands(seriously). I think this is a real product liability case waiting to happen. I would not recommend this boat if you plan on going out in any water other than a swimming pool for fear of flooding due to their defective rear hatches.

Just bought a used 14' with rudder and took it out for the maiden voyage today. I've paddled for 6 years now, WW, Sea, and rec yaks. Owned 8 since starting, currently have 4 including this one.

Enough background, the Tsunami handles and accelerates very nicely for its size. I doubt I'd have any problem staying up with longer yaks. It has ok but not great primary stability and very nice secondary stability. It is easily maneuverable and has nice storage. I took it out on a local lake, calm day so didn't really push the envelope. Never lowered the rudder, no need to. I'm 5'11", 215lbs and felt fine. Plenty of storage which stayed dry. However poor design when they didn't separate the day hatch from the back one. I'm giving it an 8 right now, keeping in mind that nothing gets a 10.
Nice boat for the beginner or intermediate!

My 140 is my first kayak. I've been more than happy. I kayak twice a week from mid March to mid January in Michigan. I'm 6'7" and weigh 220 and use a spray skirt every time.

The 140 has a lower front deck and tends to take some water over the bow in any chop. (maybe a lighter paddler won't find this happening.) With my spray skirt I stay nice and dry.... and toasty warm in the cold months. I guess I'd probably need a bigger boat if I toured and needed to carry camping gear. Most of my paddling is on rivers as there is more to look at there than on a lake or ocean. The seat is comfortable as heck and after using it at least a hundred times, the seats show no wear.

Glad I was able to get a blem boat and save a hundred over a perfect one as I have added a million more blemishes on it since purchase.

I have had my Tsunami 140 over a year now. I have been on water with it less than 20 times and I can say that it was the best choice as the first boat. From the kayaks I tried, it had the best combination of price, stability and efficiency.

I have never been capsized unintentionally. I am 5’7” and 150 lb (after Ice-Cream) and I feel very comfortable in it, however If you like to roll and you are my size you will need a hip pad. I could roll without it, but not as easily. I got a bit of water in the rear after a wet exit, but some silicon fixed it. The storage space is adequate. The phase III seat is not the best for rolling but they are very comfortable and adjustable.

I have gotten the boat up to 6 knots but comfortable cruising speed is around 3.5. If you expect to paddle in windy and choppy conditions get one with a rudder. The longest trip I have done in an afternoon was 9 miles. If you would like to go on longer expedition trips with a group and you are not afraid of getting wet get a slightly longer narrower boat and grow into it otherwise you will have to work harder to keep up with sleek Kevlar boats in your group. If you expect to be in control of your pace and are not worried about slowing anyone down (not that this is a slow boat) this kayak could last you a life time. It is very tough and it is one of the most beautiful ones you can see on water.

I bought my Tsunami 140 3 weeks ago and found it enjoyable to use with the exception of comfort. I am 6ft 4 inches and 240 lbs and size 13.5 shoe. Needless to say my legs seem to cramp fast on the footpegs and my feet are cramped even with wet shoes. The sales guy had me take off my shoes before I got in, so that was a big mistake. Always get in a boat with sneakers on!

Other than that I liked the boat, so I went back and bought a 145 ...big difference for a big footed guy like myself and now my son is happy cause he got the 140. The 145 was advertised as a leftover 2006 brand new , of course when I got home I DISCOVERED IT WAS A 2007 which was great because I bought it for $400 off retail plus they gave me a $100 paddle. Now, even though I had leg comfort issues with the 140, I found it tracked fairly straight and the seat was extremely comfortable.

The boat does seem to have limited speed as with the 145 it seems you get to a certain point and the boat will not move any faster which is fine by me cause I'm not a racer to begin with. Also the gen 2 hull is not made to hit trees just below the surface. I was out in a reservoir and hit a couple of these things and put some nice gouges on my 140.

My wife and I are new to kayaking. We purchased two Tsunami 140's at the end of June. We love them!!
In early June we went to a Demo day sponsored by Kenco. We paddled boats from Wilderness Systems, Perception and Liquid Logic. We wanted boats that would be stable and track well for day touring.

I am 55 years old and 6 ft. tall and weigh about 195 lbs. My wife is 54 years old and 5 ft. 3 in. tall and weighs 125 lbs.

My wife tried 12 ft. and 14 ft. boats. She kept going back to the Tsunami 140. She liked the maneuverability and stability.

I tried 14 ft. and 14.5 boats. (I tried a few longer boats for comparison sake, but they were out of my price range.) I narrowed my choice down to two boats; the Tsunami 140 and Tsunami 145. I talked to some of the sales people on shore, they felt due to my size, I should go with the 145. I just felt cockpit was too large. The boat is .5 in. wider than the 140 and the cockpit is a little taller than the 140. I found I had to raise my legs too high to contact the thigh braces. The 140 just seemed easier to turn.

When we got home from the Demo day I started reading reviews on this site about the two boats. I was bothered by the reviews that said the 145 was slower than the 140.

When we went to purchase the kayaks, I still had not decided which boat to buy. When I spoke with the sales people they felt that while the 145 would be a better size for me, the 140 would handle like a sports car. They said it would be more responsive. It is!!

We are very happy with the boats. They are easy to paddle and turn. We do not paddle for speed. They seem to have nice glide. We did not get rudders. Instead we got very light paddles. Money well spent!! The Phase 3 seating is great! The seat is very comfortable and adjustable. The footpegs are also very easy to adjust while you are in the boat.

We have only paddled in quiet lakes and other protected bodies of water. I just ordered skirts so that we could venture onto the Hudson River and do some exploring there. I highly recommend this boat!

Although typically a river and lake rec-boat paddler, on this particular demo I got to try the Tsunami 140 on an open coastal bay as well as a more sheltered inland creek. I launched the boat from the sandy put-in, straight into a fairly stiff breeze that was kicking up a good 1 to 2 foot chop. Sliding into the cockpit as quickly as I could between waves, I started paddling and smoothly rode over some of the smaller waves and cut fairly smoothly through some of the larger ones. I was planning on heading up a nearby creek that emptied into the bay so I had to make a 90 degree turn to the right and had the incoming waves coming in from my left. The ride got a little rougher, but the boat has enough stability to bob with the incoming waves, although a small amount of water got into the cockpit (no sprayskirt as this was a short demo and I never planned to be more than 100 feet from shore). I passed a small breakwater and turned again into a small yacht harbor at the mouth of the creek. I rode a couple of more waves past the breakwater and into the more sheltered borders of the marina. Another hundred yards in, I turned again and was completely sheltered from the wind and the waves. I paddled about 1/4 mile or so up the creek, stopping now and then to tweak the seat and footpeg adjustments.

The Tsunami 140 has the usual Wilderness Systems Phase 3 seat package which I have always found to be comfortable although it is not as heavily padded as some other brands and models. The cockpit was a little tight getting into at first, but I am more accustomed to open cockpit rec-boats and SOTs. The thigh pads were set just about right for me and, if needed, they can be moved to any of 6 or 8 different positions. There are bulkheads in both the front and back although the front storage area seems a little small. I guess that’s a minor drawback of a shorter touring boat. The hatch covers went on and off cleanly and easily and seemed to hold a good seal. While this is a heavier poly boat, it is well balanced and was easy to get on and off the truck as well as carry the short distance to the put-in. It tracked well and had a good bit of glide when not paddling. It turned better than I expected although you won’t be making any short radius hairpin turns. I had demoed the Tsunami 145 ( a mere 6” longer) a few months ago and I think that it tracked and glided just a little bit better and turned about the same. There’s isn’t anymore room in the 145 cockpit although the boat is 1/2 inch wider.

Overall, I feel that the 140 is a good boat but may be just a bit small for me. It sat low in the water and was a little slower than I expected it to be... probably because I am on the upper end of it’s weight range (220 out of a maximum manufacturer’s load spec of 300). I’m going to give it a 7 for my own use although smaller or lighter paddlers may find it more satisfactory.

Nothing short of amazing, the Tsunami 140 is the ideal boat for those people wanting the comfort and ease of a recreational boat while the storage and speed of a touring kayak. My Tsunami is sleek, easy to paddle and stays straight. I find the cockpit comfortable and the storage is ideal for a weekender. I especially love the weight. I can toss it on the car without issue and it is easy to manuever. Overall, this is a brilliant boat worth every penny!

After two months with the Tsunami I would suggest this kayak. I have used it exclusively on rivers and it was exactly was I was looking for. I suggest not having a rudder, when going up river you will not get pushed sideways because of the keel. Going down river you can have fun with the rapids. Your body weight will dictate your agility. It is very easy to portage around damns. I can accomplish this one handed, very balanced.

I took a chance and removed the front bulkhead. I have gone on overnighters on the Mississippi and am able to sleep right in the yak without the bulkhead. Again your body size would dictate this. I am 5' 9" 155 lbs. and can stretch out in a sleeping bag inside the kayak. Leave the tent at home!

For the day hatch buy a cheap 8" diameter container and place in the opening. This will allow you to keep items from sliding away in the aft compartment.

Just purchased and paddled my Tsunami 140 last week. I was debating this versus a Whistler, Dagger, and Zoar Sport. After sitting in several - but not the Tsunami - I was leaning towards the cheaper models but found a great deal through REI on the Tsunami 140. I thought I really wanted the 145 model for the extra room and length to give better tracking and speed, but for the deal settled for the standard yellow in Gen2 poly material.

I'm 5'11" and 200 lbs - so I thought this kayak might be on the smaller side for me, but the cockpit is very generous with space, the seat SUPER comfy, and plenty of legroom compared to other models I sat in. As for design, looks, weight... all very good. After paddling in both a local river and lake I can make the following observations.

PROS:
Tracking - the hull design is super for keeping the boat headed straight. Even with gusting winds about 15 mph, I was barely drifting in the breeze and took only a slight paddle correction to stay on course. This means is harder to turn (than say my friend's Calabria which is much more agile for the same size boat, but he has more trouble holding a line too).

Comfort - the Phase 3 seat is superb. High backrest, quick adjustment straps and quick adjusting foot braces make this a dream to stay in for extended hours.

Looks - The boat had great lines, very sporty looking, and nice graphics on it. The gen2 plastic is very glossy and looks great without showing alot of scuffs and dings. (it was shipped across country on a semi in nothing more than a plactic bag and had a few dings already when I got it but nothing noticeable).

Storage - even though it holds less than the 145 model, it has plenty of space for an overnight and plenty of gear. The space behind the seat is perfect for a water bottle, bailing sponge, a more items you may need while out and about. The space from the top of the deck to the bottom between your legs is plentiful, and begs for an add-on storage bag to hand down for access to fishing tackle, water bottles, etc..

Deck Rigging - the straps are perfectly located on the deck to hold lots of 'stuff'.

CONS:
Low to waterline - the cockpit for me was very close the water but that is probably directly linked to my weight for this size boat. The 145 probably wouldn't have this problem for a person my size/weight. Regardless, this made leaning and waves a bit more of an experience and taught me the art of using the bailing sponge rather quickly.

Seat back - there are 4 screws that are exposed on the back of the seat that hit the rear of the cockpit if you lean back and these nick up the edge of the cockpit pretty quickly. All it takes is a little pad of rubber to fix this, but it's a minor detail that WS should have spotted and corrected to save us all those nicks/scratches right away.

Acceleration/Turning - The same PRO that keeps the boat tracking straight also hinders your acceleration and turning ability. The Calabria model my buddy has was much quicker up to speed and turned on a dime compared to the Tsunami.

Took out my new Tsunami 140 to the Illinois River today. First, this kayak is rigged great! Lots of deck bungees (fishing rod, etc.) and day access to rear bulkhead - although if you put something in there it can slide out of reach of the day hatch. The hull weighs 52 pounds on my scale (WS website says 48). I weigh 170 and am 5'8".

I carry it on my Honda minivan with 2 pairs of Mako saddles - deck down with the stern forward (this is how the manual from WS recommends) - worked fine with 25+ gusty winds (cross and headwinds). Got to the river (only place I could find that wasn't ice) and met with gusty winds - from 5 to 25. Some waves/chop up to a foot or so.

Kayak has very strong initial stability - you can sit still all day, I fished today and leaning was no problem. Caught 4 smallmouth, never felt shaky casting or playing the fish. Secondary is predictable up to the cockpit (I didn't lean any more than that today). Leaning to the cockpit gives a pretty quick turn with a sweep.

Tracking is easy. Speed was 4.3 to 4.6 MPH on my GPS for cruise - work it hard to get into the low 5's.

The hull wanted to turn to the wind - but pretty easy to correct (I don't have a rudder) - in fact the tendency was pretty minimal as my speed increased.

The hull has plenty of inertia into the waves (doesn't slap or pound) - I didn't wear a skirt today and stayed dry inside even into windblown steep 1 foot chop.

There is a little more squirrelly handling going with the wind and the one foot chop (very short, sharp chop from the gusty winds) - correct early and it never got away. I think the hull has a significant amount of rocker with a very pronounced "keel" to the stern - so leaning is responsive, yet tracking is stable.

With the plastic, the bow is rather blunt - I can't help but think that the boat would be quicker with a more refined entry. For my size and weight, I think I could have gotten away with a little bit narrower boat. The WS website says 21.5 inches width - must be a typo because this is 23 (could be closer to 24).

Overall, this is a great kayak for my needs - mostly casual paddling and fishing. But I need a decent turn of speed to get up river, and occasionally I want to make it perform and the Tsunami will comply. The Tsunami feels biased toward a rec boat, but has ambitions to be a performance tourer - once you are up to speed, holding speed is pretty easy.

It works for me!