Ocean Kayak Ultra 4.3 Ocean Kayak Ultra 4.3

Recently I had the opportunity to “test drive” Ocean Kayak’s no Trident Ultra 4.3. The little brother to the Ultra 4.7, the 4.3 comes in the 14’ flavor and has got some great new features.
I have ridden in a few different Ocean products, the Prowler series being the kayak that caught my attention most when I first got into the sport. I was very excited when the opportunity arose to take the 4.3 out on the water.
The very first improvement made to the Ultra series vs. the standard Trident and Prowlers, is the fixed handles. This may seem petty however on more than one occasion I have had a grind in my teeth when helping a good buddy of mine maneuver his Trident with the string attached grips. The new fixed grip handles make lifting, loading, dragging, carrying, and all other aspects of manhandling the Ultra a much more manageable task.
Moving along, the front hatch cover was also altered. Ocean adopted the lock seal type hatch cover into the Ultra series. After hours on the water, the hull remained completely dry.
At a quick glance, one might think the slender center hatch known as the “Rod Pod” on the Prowler and Trident models was left untouched. One would be wrong. The new hatch actually rotates on a swivel when opened. On one side there is a built in water bottle, and the other side has an abundance of mounting holes for all of your accessories and electronics. The center hatch closes and is latched down and creates an all but waterproof compartment. I became so confident in the dryness of the center hatch, I placed my camera, keys, phone, and a few other important items in the hatch during my excursion. Nothing got wet or damaged.
So, what is a fishing kayak without rod holders? Exactly, it isn’t a fishing kayak. The Ultra 4.3 comes with 4 flush mounted rod holders, two rearward and two forward. I really became a fan of the forward rod holders. Part of my fishing technique was leaving a line dragging the bottom while placed in the rod holder, at the same time another. I was able to keep my eye on the rod in the holder while working my other lure.
Moving along to the rear of the Ultra 4.3, Ocean modified the tank well. The tank well is very roomy allowing for your own crate, tackle bags, and other gear. However, Ocean also now makes a fitted insulated storage pod that slips right into the tank well of the 4.3 and 4.7.
Overall, I was very pleased with the kayak. The kayak drains itself very well, keeping me dry(as dry as one can expect in a kayak). The upgrades to the Ultra series were well thought out and serve their purpose effectively. The Ultra tracks well, even without a rudder system. It is just an all around good platform. I would confidently recommend this kayak to anyone looking for a great quality angling style kayak.