Where to demo 'yaks near Seattle or South Sound?

hi all!  so i finally decided to sell my motorcycle and get a fishing kayak.  i have my heart set on the WS Ride 135 Angler but i've never tried a SOT, only rented a few sit-in's at Owen's Beach so far, and would like to at least give one a try before i plop down the cash.  anyone know of anywhere around the Sound where i can demo a SOT?  i'll be up in Seattle this weekend and was googling trying to find someplace that does but so far have come up empty.  any advice appreciated!  hope to see you all out on the water this salmon season!

Bobby

Here's what Polepole had to sasy about rentals around Seattle, a couple of years ago (found this by using the search).

Regarding rentals.  I know Northwest Outdoor Center in Seattle (http://www.nwoc.com/) has had some rigged kayaks for rent in the past.  You may also want to check with Seattle Raft and Kayak (http://www.seattleraftandkayak.com/).  If you check during the offseason, it may influence them to stock one in their rental fleet for next year.

Here's the thread I lifted from- http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,171.0.html

Here are the places I know of the you can demo:

Aquasports in Redmond (Ocean Kayak)
15143 NE 90th St, Redmond, WA‎ - (425) 869-7067‎
http://aqua-sports.com (site isn't up to date)‎

Adventures Through Kayaking (Malibu)
Port Angeles, Washington (360) 417-3015 || (888) 900-3015
http://www.atkayaking.com

The REI's that carry Kayaks (dowtown one does for sure, not of the others) will let you demo their yaks if you work it out with them in advance...

I have spoken with the proprietors of both shops and they are extremely nice and helpfull.  Best of luck and welcome to NWKA Bobarino! 

cool!  thanks Pisco and Yarjammer!  i'm going to give them a call tomorrow and head up there sunday or monday. 

the Ride doesn't seem to be very popular. at least not around here. anyone own one or try one? looks perfect for my needs.  i'll be fishing mostly around the mouth of the Puyallup, Chamber's Creek and Pt. Defiance/Narrows area for salmon. 

thanks for the warm welcome.  i guess i should have searched "demo" here too before i asked.  thanks again!

Bobby

live in the tacoma area by chance?? if so take a trip north on south kore..err south tacoma way to 52nd street and talk to the people at backpackers supply.. they can also help you find local demo's if they don't have it.
[WR]

thanks!  i work in Tacoma and go there for my backpacking supplies on occasion, but didn't think to ask them about demos.  i may end up ordering the boat from them when i get that far.  they're good people.  i stopped in there last summer and came across a Kayak Angler magazine and that's what got me interested in the first place.  maybe i'll have to pay them a visit on the way home tomorrow.  thanks for the tip.

Bobby

thanks for the tips all. i'm affraid i didn't have a chance to demo anything this weekend but i was able to make trip to the Seattle REI and they had a Tarpon 120 there.  the very helpful man in the Kayak dept helped me take it down off the display and let me peruse it and sit in it and what not.  it helped me solidify my decision to get the Ride 135 and my girlfriend was really diggin' the Tarpon 120.  she thinks that may be just the ticket for her.  the deck layout of the T120 and Ride are very similar of course, and i liked it a lot.  once i get the motorcycle sold, i'll get the Ride ordered and i should be out in the sound in time for kings and pinks this year. (i bank fish the Puyallup mostly)

i also have 5 arces on the Bear River in Pacific County in the tidal waters that i could launch from and ride the tide out from right into Willapa Bay.  i think that may be on the agenda this year too.  

thanks again for all the help!  hope to be out on the water in the next month or so.

Bobby

Bobarino, I've demoed the Ride before and it's a great boat.  Was probably the top of my list til I found a different boat at a screaming deal.  Figured I'd buy the one I've got now to get me in the water, but will probably eventually upgrade to the Ride. 

thanks Bigdood.  mind if i ask for a more detailed review?  also, would you happen to know any puget sound dealers that stock it by chance?  thanks again.

Bobby

To tell you the truth I haven't been kayaking long so my review probably wouldn't mean a whole lot nor would I be able to explain exactly what I was feeling.  I went to a demo day down here in CA (living in CA at the moment and not Puyallup or Seattle anymore) and tried it head to head againt the Tridents and Tarpons.  For me it wasn't about the stability that they always hype the boat with, but just the width when sitting in the cockpit - it just felt 'right'.  I tried the Big Game and turned around pretty quickly, wasn't feeling it.  Was a little slow, as expected, but had a lot of hull slap, and I was paddling on a lake!  YMMV, as always.  I'd say at least as fast the Tridents, if not faster, but felt like it sat a little higher than the Tarpons.  Was able to easily move around on all of those boats to access hatches and whatnot, no problems.  I'm 6'4 and 200 lbs.

To be honest after going to an REI demo day and another demo day I feel like all the major kayak manufacturers make a pretty damn good boat, it's a matter of finding which one feels the best to you (I know everyone seems to say that about the boats, but it's true).  I finally ended up going with something I'd never even paddled before (Perception Search 15) as the price I got it at I figured I could use for a year or so and upgrade without losing any money.  If I didn't just jump and buy something I would have spent all summer splitting hairs and overthinking my decision rather than being on the water.

ok. thanks again for the input.  i appreciate it.

Bobby