Prowler vs. Trident 13 / 15

What are the differences?  The Trident is about $200 more, and same size seat width, and same capacity, a little wider.  They call the Prowler the Prowler Trident.  Going to try before buying one, if I buy one instead of an Outback.

I would like to know the difference as well.  The other major difference that I can see is that the trident has the rod pod storage as well.  I like the idea of having the rod pod, but I also tend to be some what minimalistic when it comes to fishing gear so a leaner boat like the prowler appeals to my sensibility.

It seems the Prowler has the Rodpod also.

Trident T13 and T15 have rod pods. Prowlers do not. Prowlers have a small bucket to store swim baits and such not able to get a rod in there but could threw the front. The rod pod is great I own a t13 and would not trade it for anything. I have no problem keeping up with friends that have lets say T160 a really fast boat known for speed. No rudder is need really. The T13 and T15 have a sonar shield as well a place to mount your fishfinder. The T series has unlimited storage.

If your gonna spend the money on a new kayak spend the extra 200 on the tridents they are IMO and alot of peoples opinion the best kayak out there. Will save you the money in gear in the long run...

So, other than the rod pod and the width, are there any other significant differences between the two boats?  I like the fact that the prowler is a little lighter than the trident and a bit narrower.

The Prowler 15 (now a discontinued model) is a lot lighter and paddles quicker than a Trident 15 (IMO). The Trident 15 was made for the bigger and taller guys and it sits higher off the water than the P-15.

Note: the P-15 does have the option of installing a small circular hatch right in front of the seat BUT if you weigh more than 200 lbs, I recommend that you DO NOT install that hatch. Because the P15 sits lower to the water, that hatch will be useless.

Having paddled both, I still go to the P-15...but that's just me.

I don't know where you live but you can demo both kayaks at the Aquan Sports boat house located in San Mateo. Call the main store in San Carlos for an appointment (650) 593.6060

* NCKA members get 10% off 

I used the search and found this and have extra questions

Is there any significant stability difference? I'm thinking of the 13' models

I'm 5' 10" @ 220#. I do mostly lakes, some delta. Would like to do ocean fishing & crabbing.

Is there a difference in ease of paddling?

The trident 13's weight capacity would not be a good fit for you. The Trident 15 would. Same beam just a little longer. It actially paddle faster than the 13 I think. Clavey Paddlesports in Petaluma or Adventure Sport in Sacramento have 15's in stock.

I am way bigger than you and I use the Trident 13. Unless I have an exceptional sense of balance, I doubt stability is going to make much of a difference for you between the two.

For me the difference between the Prowler 13 and Trident 13 came to the footrests and layout. I strongly dislike molded in footrests on the Prowler 13.

Just my limited experience though.

I love the moulded footwells. It gives me more room for a booted foot. Plus the fact I don't have to move the rests to change foot position. Try them out bro.

The trident 13's weight capacity would not be a good fit for you. The Trident 15 would. Same beam just a little longer. It actially paddle faster than the 13 I think. Clavey Paddlesports in Petaluma or Adventure Sport in Sacramento have 15's in stock.

I'm 225# and owned both a T15 and a T13 at the same time.  I gravitated towards the T13, and never had any issues with weight capacity.  The speed differences were negligible in my mind, but I felt the T15 had more windage.

As Rhyak stated, the rod pod of the T13 is worth using it over the P13.  That, and the Prowlers were notorious for being a wet ride.  At 220#, the P13 footwells will be full of water.

-Allen

I must not have been reading my speed on the gps right then. I could have sworn I was working harder on the 13 to achieve the same speed in like conditions. My bad.

I must not have been reading my speed on the gps right then. I could have sworn I was working harder on the 13 to achieve the same speed in like conditions. My bad.

The GPS isn't going to tell you how hard you are working!     To me, I felt I was working harder on a T15 to correct for windage, than I was on a T13 to correct for speed.  Now, if there was a rudder on that T15, the story might be different.

Interesting story ... we all talk nostalgically about how fast the old Prowler 15's were.  I  paddled one for a week last year up in Alaska.  They weren't all that.

-Allen

Polepole wrote:

Interesting story ... we all talk nostalgically about how fast the old Prowler 15's were.  I  paddled one for a week last year up in Alaska.  They weren't all that.

There is a saying in racing " You're never as fast as when you're slow." As when you are beginning, starting to get some skills, and it feels really, really, fast, so much is going on, flying by...

Then you actually get fast and it slows down before your eyes while you fly.

Those first days are always remembered as fast.

I'm trying to stick with a 13' because for now it has to go in the back of my Dodge Dakota.

I'm in Union City. Anyone know where the closest place to try these two out would be?