FS Digest

So the Vibe Shearwater 125 is available for pre-order now with an estimated March delivery. Ever since this yak was announced I knew it was what I'm looking for in my next yak. I'm primarily a freshwater fisherman, but I also live near the coast and having a yak that could handle both fresh and salt is great for me. I also fish lots of smaller ponds and having the system convert quickly and easily between pedal and paddle is also a huge plus.

I'm having a great deal of hesitation on submitting a pre-order right now though. It's a very large purchase and I'm hesitant to throw that much money down based on a few videos I've seen from a trade show. Anyone else feel the same way? I'd rather see the actual finalized product in someone's hands so I can see how it performs before I commit.

Also why can't Vibe have a dealer anywhere in the Northeast? Really hate the idea of paying for shipping since there's nowhere for me to pick one up in person and test it out.

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by Gref

FS Digest

Haha nope I do not feel the same way, I jumped right on it! I'm super pumped for March now. Hopefully I won't regret the decsision, but I'm not too worried. Vibe's other kayaks have been well reviewed so I'm confident this will be a hit.

If it helps, I didn't have to pay shipping. The purchase has already cleared and there was $0.00 for shipping lower 48 states it said.

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by ATWrongTurn

FS Digest

Well that's good to know that shipping is free. I still think I'm going to hold off for the time being though. I really wish they had a dealer somewhere in NY/NJ/CT.

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by Gref

FS Digest

I am very excited about this kayak, but I was put-off by the 100% deposit amount to pre-order. I expected maybe a 100-200 non-refundable deposit, or something like that. I do plan to purchase the kayak but not via pre-order. I contacted my dealer in Louisiana, they said they have 4 on order to ship as soon as they are available and I was the first person on the list, I can refuse the hold when the time comes.

Who knows how this will all shake out, but I'm excited about it! I want to know how stable it is before I purchase. I have a Jackson Cruise 12 as my first fishing kayak, and at 6ft 250lbs, I can barely stand in it. I won't be purchasing another kayak unless I can stand and fish comfortably. If the Shearwater comes up short, I'll be getting a Bonafide SS127.

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by speederson0

FS Digest

I'm about the same size as you, and standability is my top priority as well. That's why I'm hesitant on this, I want to see some stability tests first. Like i said in my post I have no dealers withing driveable distance, so I'm going to be stuck looking at other's videos to make the final decision.

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by Gref

FS Digest

I am 6’9” 270lbs and I tested a lot of kayaks and the only kayak I felt comfortable standing in was a hobie pa 14.

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by Thisiswrong11

FS Digest

I figure if big-man Chad Hoover can stand up and do whatever he wants out of the SS127, I could too. I'm not expecting the Shearwater to be as stable as the SS127, based on hull design. But I'm willing to sacrifice some stability for speed and paddling performance, and the I like the features better. As much as they are marketing their sit/stand platform, they must be somewhat confident about it.

I am expecting Bonafide to release something exciting that rivals the Shearwater in modularity and release a paddle or pedal kayak. They'll probably announce it as soon as I purchase the Shearwater ;)

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by speederson0

FS Digest

I learned my lesson on pre-ordering when I was disappointed by $60 video games. I'm definitely not going to put down $1000+ for a kayak I've never even seen in person before, let alone demo'd. I trust vibe to deliver quality products but too many things could go wrong to make it worth it imo.

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by LiarWithTheAce

FS Digest

I'm struggling not to pre-order it. Good luck and let us know!

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by Ieatplaydo

FS Digest

Honestly the only point to pre-order this is to get the loot bag and red piping and special colors I believe. If colors aren't important to you and function is, wait to see how it reviews. The hype train will come and go...this model of kayak will be here moving forward, and if there are issues, it might be worth waiting for a 2.0 or 2021 version. I doubt there will be many, if any issues, but you never know and YMMV.


That being said, Vibe makes good kayaks and stable ones too. The SW125 is likely to be pretty solid on that front as it seems to be more stability oriented than performance oriented from what I've gathered. At this point we can only assume until it is released.


I expect this will be a hit though as it checks off a lot of boxes for a lot of folks in the kayak fishing arena. If it were me, I'd wait and see though. I prefer a little instability for paddling performance over dock-like stability, as I want speed and maneuverability for more dynamic water and those days when I choose to kayak and not fish (less often but still happens).


For those that do pre-order, I'm sure you're in for a sweet yak. Looking forward to hearing what you think come March!

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by kursah

FS Digest

It's my understanding that they are all spoken for and now you will have to wait for retail release anyway. It's a killer boat and I for one will be getting one in 2021 to replace my SG110.

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by Sporkwonder