HookInMouth

I'll have to upload some photos but I added that one Bonafide SS127 in true grit sand a little while back for the wife and I fell in love with it. She didn't love the color so she went an bought an SS127 in venom. So now we have two Voodoo and two SS127 (with two Vibe Yellowfin 100's on the way too that have been on order forever). Took the SS127 out last weekend. Not a full be all end all review but initial impressions: 1. This thing is set up to fish. Everything is there and it's exactly where it should be. 2. This is a lot more comfortable than the Voodoo. The seat isn't as useful (and doesn't look as durable), but it's more comfortable. 3. It's not as stable as the Voodoo but it's pretty close. 4. Not quite as fast as the Voodoo but again, it's pretty close. 5. Turns better than the Voodoo.

Comfort + Tracking + Stability = What I need. Everything else is in the want camp. For me, I need a seat at least 10" off the deck of the kayak. Any lower and it's just not comfortable for me over the course of 6-8 hours. This rules out a lot of kayaks for me. Agree with Hook2jaw on the tracking. Don't overlook that. Stability is huge but you don't NEED to have a 40" wide boat to get there. You're on the right path with the SS127.

I mean, there are risks involved. But I don't feel unsafe at all. I did my homework, figured out how to do things the right way, and so far so good. Mind safe on-water practices and always have your PFD on and you're golden. We have three kayaks right now because my wife has fallen in love with it as well. We have two Kaku Voodoo (my son and I) and an SS127 for the wife. Also adding two more soon for my girls (14 and 16). Just haven't decided what we want to add for them. These things are almost 3' wide. I dunno. I dont' feel cramped at all.

Bought a 24' Pontoon boat years ago rigged up for fishing. Liked it, but eventually got tired of the maintenance and trouble with docking, storing, and launching. So I sold it. Got out of fishing for a little bit. Son started asking to go when he was about 12 and so we started beating the banks. Which lead to me wanting to get back out on the water. Looked at pontoon boats again. Looked at bass boats. Almost pulled the trigger a few times but always backed off because of the upkeep and hassle. Started looking into kayak fishing as a low maintenance option and well, took the plunge about a year ago. Haven't looked back since. I'm obsessed with the shallow rivers in PA. Wouldn't trade fishing those on a yak for anything.

When I got into kayak fishing one of my big concerns was how comfortable a PFD would be and I wasn't willing to do this without one. The good fishing specific PFD's are really pretty darn comfortable. I wonder if people who don't like them have problems because they went the cheap route? I would feel naked without mine on the boat. It's my wading vest.

Congrats man. They've really thought of everything with those things. Everything has a function and place. It's a stark contrast to the Voodoo where nothing has a place haha. Don't get me wrong, I love my Voodoo. Just a different line of thought with the whole "ready to fish out of the box" vs the "blank slate customize it to fit". Warm weather can't get here quick enough.

Only bought one of the SS127 on Saturday. I'm just so happy with the Voodoo that it didn't make sense to buy both. So we just grabbed one for the wife. She went with the True Grit Sand. The SS127 is pretty impressive. Can't wait to give it a try and compare it to the Voodoo.

The key lime is an early model and the orange crush is a later model. The key lime was a demo at a (somewhat) local dealer who had stored it outside. I picked it up last year about this time and we literally had to sweep snow and ice off of it to get a look at it. That's the one I've noticed the wave most on. It's worse in the sun after a long day of fishing and then kind of returns to normal. I could get rid of the issue with some yoga blocks but it just hasn't bothered me enough to do so yet. The orange one was purchased brand new from ACK last year at this time. I've not noticed as much wave to the deck on this one. It gets a slight wave in the hot sun but quickly returns to flat after it gets into the garage. I think the issue is mostly fixed on the Voodoo, but if you're concerned with that, I wouldn't say it's entirely cured. I'm really not sure how that slight wave compares to other kayaks on the market? Do they all do it slightly? Just the ones with the flat open decks? Just the Kaku offerings? People with more experience might be able to answer that. I can say that the plastic is solid. There's not a lot of deck-flex in these things, at least in my opinion. The plastic is sturdy. So I don't think it's an issue if poor materials or thin plastic.

I beat the snot out of kayaks. My Voodoo's look like I fish on a cheese grater. Nothing like a 25 yard "scoot" in shallow water to let the fish know you're coming.

I'm going to a local shop tonight to look at a couple 2019 Model year SS127. They have two, a Hondo Orange and a True Grit Sand. Since the colors have been discontinued for 2020 they are 25% off. Honestly, I'll probably by both at that price. I'm keeping my Kaku Voodoo though haha.

Huh. Good to know. There was a thread on another board about the awful loops to be jumped through buying a harbor freight trailer in PA. Guess I shouldn't have taken it as gospel.

I've thought about adding a trailer. Would need to be something with a title though and not a kit type deal because... well, Pennsylvania.

Wow. Nice setup. I see YakGadget Quickstop Anchors on the back. How do you like those?

I've been struggling with the anchor questions too but I mainly fish shallow moving waters. Didn't anchor at all last year but I think I'm missed fish because I wasn't able to camp out on spots. I think the power pole would work best for my situation but I just can't bring myself to spend the $800-$900 on an anchor. Might look into the YakGadget manual power pole or do a stakeout with an anchor trolley. Or I might just not anchor again. It's simpler that way.

How close are you to the Harrisburg PA area? Shank's Mare has a brand new 2019 Kaku Voodoo for $950. That's a STEAL. Great big guy yak. $250 off. They actually have a lot of deals right now. Shank's Mare New And Used Kayak Inventory

In the $700-$900 range my interest would be focused on the new Perception Outlaw at $729. Unless you are buying right now, where the Big Fish 120 is $899. Not sure if that's a sale though or not. It's a great big guy boat. Others to consider in the $999 range would be the Topwater 120 and Diablo Amigo.

I'm a huge fan of the NRS Chinook. I move around in it fine. It's amazingly cool for what it is too which was my big concern. I was worried in 80-90* heat I would really hate wearing it but air moves around/through it very well. Also tons of lashing points and pockets. It's become a mobile tackle box for essentials and tools as well. I've even thought of wearing it when I bank fish just to have access to those things as easily as when I'm on my kayak. But my wife says she will laugh at me. Hard.

The problem is, I can't get through an entire video to learn it haha.

Ugh. I've watched those videos. I'm a wus man. I don't think there's any way in hell I'd be able to do that. Right now my plan is to carefully paddle to the dock and then get to an ER to have a hook removed. Seriously. It's a bad plan. But it's all I got. This sounds awful.

I can't comment on most of your list other than to say the comparable Kaku to the Vibe Maverick is the Kahuna, not the Voodoo. The Voodoo honestly is more of a kayak with a big flat deck than a SUP. It's big, heavy, and stable as hell. It will behave more like a kayak. You're going to want to paddle this from a seated position. It's a fishing machine, especially if sight fishing is your thing. The Kahuna is a more traditional SUP. And I've heard very good things about it.

Yeah I'm in Pittsburgh area. I think Kentucky is the closest Academy? Can't remember.

Cabelas is a 2 hour drive for me and Bass Pro Shops a 3 hour drive. There are a couple very small shops around here that I haven't checked out in a while because they were so small. Other than that, it's order online for me I guess.

Ugh. I can't stand DSG but they were my only option for a lot of stuff. Really wish Academy would open something closer to Pittsburgh.

Can't help with the pedal yaks. My son is a big dude though (6-2" and 300lb) and can stand and fish from the Kaku Voodoo. I think you would be fine on a lot of larger yaks from Bonafide, Nucanoe, Hobie, Old Town, Jackson, Native, etc. Find one with a capacity of 425 or more and you should be good.

Kaku Voodoo. Bought two of them. Pros: Very stable. IMHO the best seat in the business (10" off deck or 24" off deck, or a standing platform for sight fishing). Open deck. Tracks well. Good thick plastic. Durable and well made. Paddles well for it's size. Personal touch from the owner Kevin Hawkins. Very involved and available. Cons: Doesn't come with much in the way of holders. Just track. So you add pretty much everything. Lists at 77lbs. Feels heavier. Awkward to move at times. The open flat deck can get a wave to it in the summer sun. Some add foam to keep this from happening. Sitting that high up you become a sail in the wind. Can be a tough paddle against the wind. Couldn't be happier.