Review Detail

The Trident 13 performs quite well in big water where ocean swells, surf and chop are going to be expected. The hull design is one of the best on the market when it comes to fishing the salt water conditions in my opinion. I was impressed on the first voyage with this boat and have been using it on several trips for about one month.

The 2013 model comes with the Comfort Hybrid seat which is fairly good. However I decided to replace it with a Surf to Summit GTS Pro model seat. I could easily see many people would be content with the Comfort Hybrid though. The Modular Fishing Pod is what a lot of other companies are now copying because it was a good idea. The large opening does not leak and allows me to store rods/reels and other items in the hull when launching or landing in surf. I have been able to easily fit one piece seven foot rods in there and have not tried my seven and a half footer yet. This protection provided by this feature will extend the life on my equipment since it will be less exposed to the salt water. The top of the Modular Fishing Pod is where the Cannon Rod holder that comes with the kayak fits nicely. At first I did not believe I would find this rod holder useful but in fact it is a good spot to place the rod when I am doing a cast and move fishery (like for bass). I can cast a few times and don't have to turn to my side and behind me to put the rod away to move onto the next spot, instead it is right there in front of me. You could easily troll with the rod in front of you as well by using the Modular Fishing Pod because it fits Scotty products such as the Rocket Launcher without any special attachment or addition, but you could also troll with the Cannon.. The Modular Fishing Pod also has places where you can mount other products by screwing into the pod itself.

The Sonar Shield is in a good spot and is where I placed my Lowrance X-4. It is out of the way for when the time comes to land a big fish. I drilled a hole and ran the cables for the sonar down under the hull and to the battery, mounting the transducer in the hull using Duct Seal.

Behind the seat in the tank well there is a spot where a Plano Marine box fits perfectly. This permits easy access to more tackle and I mounted a Mighty Mount base to the marine box so I can run a YakAttack flag when I want. Even with the marine box in the tank well there is plenty of room in this area for fish or whatever you want to put in there. I would guess I could fit a decent sized cooler back there or the kitchen sink if necessary. The two flush mount rod holders are a treat and perfectly located for trolling. Just put your rod in the holder, let the line out and turn on your clicker to troll.

In the cockpit the footing area is flat and if in calm waters a person with decent balance could stand and cast. The ergonomic foot rests are comfortable (more so than Wilderness Systems for example).

The kayak is about 1-1.5 feet longer than the Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 yet weight is close to the same and the carrying capacity is much higher. You could fit a good sized halibut on this boat no problem. With the carrying capacity and ability to handle rough water this is a solid boat for certain. All of the holes/screws in the kayak are water tight such that the screws do not go through the hull but into molded areas which are designed to take them. Therefore there are no water leakage worries for me. I also like the skid place on the back of the boat. This is an area which receives a fair bit of wear and obviously was a smart move by Ocean Kayak to make it replaceable.

The kayak tracks well without a rudder but is somewhat susceptible to being blown around in the wind. Some people will insist on a rudder but I don't see a need for one unless you like them a lot or you prefer to troll with a downrigger or mooching rig with heavier weights.

This is a quality boat made in the U.S.A.