Best Place Near Kitsap to Browse/Try SOTAngling Kayaks

Having limited local success finding stores/shops that have many SOT options.  I'd like to venture into kayak fishing and trust those that stand behind the stability and self bailing benefits of the SOT.  Point me in the right direction, looking at hundreds of internet pages with options is not cutting it.  I need to put my backass in the seats and check out the tupperware freshness seal!  Thanks for your suggestions.  Ed

Seems there was a kayak store near downtown poulsbo when I lived up that way a while back... I don't know if they do SOT's though.  If you get down to Shelton I could put you in mine for a spin. 

Ed if you ever come down to Olympia try Alpine Experience  they have lots of yak,  including ones to fish from. here is a link. http://www.alpinex.com/.  Or http://www.bostonharbormarina.com/
good luck.

Poulsbo shop is gone ...not much help here 

I would echo noskirt then... check out alpine experience... they are super knowledgeable and helpful... talk to Estaban or Dave.  There is probably someplace in Tacoma or even Seattle that might actually be closer, time wise, for kitsap folks. 

Olympic Outdoor Center had an event this last weekend with Ocean Kayak, Wilderness Systems and Hobie SOTs to demo at Port Gamble.  That of course won't help you now but we left behind a 12 foot OK tetra that you could demo/purchase.  Hopefully they will begin stocking more SOTs in the future.

Scott

Sportco had some yaks.  I think I saw wilderness ride up their, not sur if it was 11.5 or 13.5.

Poulsbo shop is gone ...not much help here 

Actually, they (Olympic Outdoor Center) just moved from Poulsbo to Port Gamble a couple of years ago.  They rent kayaks at their new store in Port Gamble as well as their old rental location at the Poulsbo marina.  They have some SOTs in stock.  Not sure if they have SOTs as part of their rental fleet.

West Marine in Bremerton has some SOTs including their West Marine branded Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120.  West Marine calls theirs a Pompano 12, it is the 2008 Tarpon model.  They normally sell it for $475 but put it on sale for $400 which is a good deal.  It is equipped with a couple of rod holders, 3 hatches, an anchor trolley, and a Scotty rod-mount base.  It may or may not come with 2 small dry bags that fit the 2 smaller hatches.  One of mine came with the bags, the other didn't.

I am new to kayak fishing, but have been kayaking for 11 years after decades in other boats including lots and lots of canoe fishing.  The Pompano/Tarpon is a good boat for the money.  So far I have just been crabbing with it, and it works well.  I liked it well enough to buy another for my wife.  It handles well in the wind, is pretty stable, and has a great balance between good tracking and easy turning.  All I've added so far is a seat and thigh straps.  Here's a picture of the yak in its native habitat.

Nice job I like it.  Especially for a SOT.  Why did you chose that paddle or did it fall your direction.  How do you like it? 

The paddle is a Greenland-style paddle.  I have been using them for about 10 years now and really like them.  They have about the same blade area as the euro-style paddles sold in most stores, but the Greenland paddles are easier on your joints, especially for long paddles.   Easier to roll a sea kayak with them as well.

For all of you do-it-yourselfers, you can make a nice paddle from a western red-cedar 2x4 in 4-8 hours.  You can also buy them in laminated wood or carbon fiber.  For more info see the link below on plans for building one.   You can sort boards at your local big box store to find a nice clear WRC board, but I normally go to a local lumber yard that I know carry's very nice clear cedar 2x4s.  Total cost of making one with expensive wood is about $20-25. 

http://www.qajaqusa.org/QK/makegreen2.pdf

Because the SOT is much wider than any of my other kayaks I need to make another Greenland-style one which is about 6"longer and has a wider loom (the distance between the start of the blades) but I have been too busy kayaking and crabbing to make one, but at least I did buy wood for one a week ago. 

Nice, thanks for the links.  Pine Cone.