Ultra 4.7 maiden voyage

The maiden voyage was awesome! It's fast, it's stable, it's dry, but most of all.... it's cool.

We had a less than stellar fishing day, but I did manage to get blood on my fancy new Tupperware. A 19” striper was my only catch of the day. So far my I really like the new ride. It’s huge compared to the Tarpon 100 I was paddling. That’s going to be my son’s boat until he outgrows it. I was amazed at just how fast I could paddle it and not only go that fast, but keep it up. The length will take a little getting used to compared to my old one, but that’s to be expected. I can’t wait to get it out in the salt to see how it handles rough water. The look of the hull says to me that it’s going to be so much drier than my old yak. Shelter Cove here I come. Like anything new it's going to take a while before I really have a feel for it, but here are my initial impressions. They’re in no particular order.

The stability was great. It never felt tippy at all.

It was a dry ride. The foot wells didn't have pools of water in them like the other yaks I've paddled. The butt area stayed dry too.

The rudder was a great help in the handling department. I still have some adjustment I need to do, but that's easy. I'll have to get used to correcting course with the rudder instead of with the paddle.

It’s fast and glides well. I got to our fishing spot with much less effort.

The center hatch is great, but I do have a concern. Water collects in the low spots so when it’s flipped over you’ll get water in the storage area. Most of it will drain off when the hatch is lifted. Most of it drained well, but the deeper pocket at the rear didn’t want to drain until you put the hatch past vertical. I got a little splash in the storage area that way. Only a couple of ounces of water, but still it would be nice not to have that happen. Being able to put stuff in the center hatch area and have it stay totally dry was great.

The front rod holders are a little close for me to be able to take a full paddle stroke with rods in them. I can still paddle just not quite a full stroke. Once I'm drifting it's nice to have them there. A little shallower angle would be nice, but they're still great to have.

The live well area is nice to store stuff in when it's not being used as a live well. It keeps the stuff from sliding out of reach. I'll probably get the live well kit in the end, but the area is still very useful.

I'll need to work on the seat adjustment. It slid down a little when I tried to lean against the back. I wonder if a piece of grip tape under the seat bottom might help this.

The rear storage area is huge. I bet I can fit a limit of WSB's in there.

The front hatch has an inner seal/cover that's hard to stretch back on. I'm guessing a little practice will help that.

I need a couple of vertical rod holders behind me to store un-used rods while in the water. I may get the internal rod storage tubes soon. That would also take care of most of that need.

It’s a bit heavy, but I can load and unload it from the truck by myself. Having a second person help makes it way easier though. My truck is kind of tall so that makes it tougher than it would be otherwise.

It’s camo so I can duck hunt from it WAHOO!

I really need more time on it to discover everything about it. I think it will really shine out in the ocean. Too bad rockfish season doesn’t start for a while yet. It’s going to seem like forever waiting for Shelter Cove. I just hope the weather cooperates so I can take it out.

Gabe, that is one sweet looking yak my friend.  It was a pleasure meeting you today. jim

Thanks for the test drive report
I want to check it out at Shelter Cove
Tad
 

Anybody take any pics of you OTW? Glad you like it so far Gabe. Yes the ocean will be the ticket I thnk for that craft.

"The front rod holders are a little close for me to be able to take a full paddle stroke with rods in them. I can still paddle just not quite a full stroke. Once I'm drifting it's nice to have them there. A little shallower angle would be nice, but they're still great to have."

Actually the forward rod holders were designed to use while rigging up (tying knots, etc.) not necessarily intended to be used while paddling.

Glad you are liking the yak thus far, I cant wait till mine arrives - I've got some new ideas for the pimping process

See Ya Soon,
Eric / Yakhopper

Gabe, nice ride. Wish they made em here so they were more affordable. You may be able to fit a limit of ghosts back there, but you dont want em there. All that weight aft makes any yak impossibly unstable. I learnt this the hard way

Anybody take any pics of you OTW? Glad you like it so far Gabe. Yes the ocean will be the ticket I thnk for that craft.

I wish there were some pics. The guys I usually fish with all seem to have a camera on the water, but not yesterday unfortunately. The ocean is calling me.

Actually the forward rod holders were designed to use while rigging up (tying knots, etc.) not necessarily intended to be used while paddling.

Glad you are liking the yak thus far, I cant wait till mine arrives - I've got some new ideas for the pimping process

See Ya Soon,
Eric / Yakhopper

Great info about the front rod holders. Actually I used them for that and they're great for that. I'll have to pick your brain for some of those pimping ideas.

Gabe, nice ride. Wish they made em here so they were more affordable. You may be able to fit a limit of ghosts back there, but you dont want em there. All that weight aft makes any yak impossibly unstable. I learnt this the hard way

Great tip. How many pounds did you put back there anyway?

I'll definitely have it up at Shelter Cove if anyone wants to check it out. Of course there may be more in the NCKA family by then.

I had a 30# in the tw. As I got the 50# in I did a "quick flip". With my 100# dog in the tw its almost impossible to keep upright. Imo it would be beast to keep at least one on your lap

GAbe you're getting me stoked!  I felt a little tippy initially when i launched my ultra for the 1st time, but the secondary stability was rock-solid.

For the center hatch lid, try fitting a little sponge for the bottom.  When you want to flip, just pull the sponge out and squeeze.

or, just kleep a sponge handy, lots of yak anglers do (personally I keep losing mine....)

Allen

I had a 30# in the tw. As I got the 50# in I did a "quick flip". With my 100# dog in the tw its almost impossible to keep upright. Imo it would be beast to keep at least one on your lap

I'll keep that in mind as I don't have any desire to do a "quick flip". I don't mind keeping one in my lap.

GAbe you're getting me stoked!  I felt a little tippy initially when i launched my ultra for the 1st time, but the secondary stability was rock-solid.

GAbe you're getting me stoked!  I felt a little tippy initially when i launched my ultra for the 1st time, but the secondary stability was rock-solid.

For the center hatch lid, try fitting a little sponge for the bottom.  When you want to flip, just pull the sponge out and squeeze.

or, just kleep a sponge handy, lots of yak anglers do (personally I keep losing mine....)

Allen

The sponge idea sounds like the ticket. It was the semi circular area right at the back of the center hatch that holds the water. A small sponge would be easy.

I know what you are talking about with the initial tippy feeling, but it's pretty small and I got used to it quickly.

It's because of the rounded keel. Incorporated, I think, from the Scupper Pro, fastest yak OK ever made.

Gotta get some blood on my decks...GAbe you got me beat.  One burger headed your way.

Allen

Gotta get some blood on my decks...GAbe you got me beat.  One burger headed your way.

Allen

I'll take you up on that. 

I was also thinking itwas the rounded shape, but what do I know?

Allen/Gabe,

Do you guys mind sharing the price you paid for the yak?
OK lists the MSRP at $1600, which at that price I think my personal preference would be to take the plunge and pay for a Revo or a bit more for an Adventure. But, the hull design and potential speed of the 4.7 interest me.

-Jay

Jay I haven't paid for mine yet...and I pay a discount price, so not the best reference on that end....

 Part of that high msrp is it comes standard with all the hatches, seat, scupper plugs bungies, etc.  Center hatch is also part of the additional expense.  Oh,  the rudder comes standard, you can't buy it without the rudder.  Better style also than the old OK rudder system.

Allen