Love my Tampico 140S! Just finished my second season with it and could not be happier. As a newbie last year, after much reading and talking at my local kayak store, I went to demo days where I tried numerous kayaks. No matter how many I tried, nothing could compare to the Tampico. It just felt right....comfortable, handled well and glided through the water like a hot knife thru butter.
Light weight makes it easier for me (female) to put it on the car as I do a lot of paddling by myself. As told by the sales staff, a kayak I could learn and grow my skills with. Have not regretted this purchase. Would highly recommend this kayak!
Deets: 14ft long, 23.5 inches wide, 45lbs. 250lb capacity, 38 x 18 inch cockpit, made of Trylon.
About me: Male, 125lbs, 5'6", 10+ years instructing and sales experience
Pros:
The Tampico 140S has a low profile deck (minimal windage) and prominent keel line which provide for excellent tracking performance. The outfitting of the Tampico 140S is exceptional, especially in the cockpit where sea kayak-like features (back-band and integrated thigh braces) make you feel like you’re wearing the Tampico 140S and allow you to take advantage of its great secondary stability for lean-turns and bracing.
Cons:
The low profile deck requires the paddler to sit with their knees in a very flat position which may be uncomfortable if your are inflexible. If this is a problem for you too then you should consider trying the Tampico 140L which has a slightly higher deck and a different cockpit configuration that provides more room for your legs
Summary: The Tampico 140S is an excellent, light touring kayak for the small/mid-sized, beginner/intermediate paddler looking for something to take out on near-coastal day trips.
Full Review:
kayakdave.com/2012/09/06/hurricane-tampico-140s-review
Tampico 140s (s = smaller cockpit size and thigh braces)
About me: Male, beginner, 157lbs., 5'11"
Even though I am a beginning kayaker I wanted an intermediate-level craft that I could "grow" into. I tested out several polyethylene, recreational kayaks such as the Tsunamis (Wilderness Systems) and Kestrels (Current Designs). I then noticed on Paddling.net the Tampico 140s, a Trylon plastic that resembles and mimics thermoformed fiberglass at less than half the cost (purchased for 35% off the MSRP of $1349 at my local kayak shop in Minnesota). Hurricane Aqua Sports describes their Tampico series as "touring," a class above "recreational."
On paper the Tampico 140s seemed great. On the water it was even better. When I tested the rig I felt as if I was a better kayaker because the Tampico 140s allowed me to manipulate as opposed to fight like I had with other kayaks I rented. The 45 lbs. Tampico tracks nicely and edges adequately for a learner like me. This kayak also handles the chop quite well, which I dealt with on my very first tryout after purchasing. Soft chines produce better secondary stability versus primary.
The back-band is low, similar to the advanced rigs, which will allow proper rolling technique. My posture is not the best, but I feel alright after a couple hours of paddling. The seat itself is just as comfortable as any other I've tried. The two rubber hatch covers close and open without hassle.
I bought this boat after evaluating several day touring boats. I had test paddled the 135L and liked most of the features except it did produce a noticeable bow wake at about 3.5-4 mph. I purchased a 2008 140S model and they had fixed this bow wake.
The 140S has many nice features including the molded knee braces, subset deck rigging, and a slightly upturned bow. I am 5'10", 155 lbs and wear a size 8.5US shoe and the boat fits me very well and is very comfortable. The boat is comfortable to paddle at 4.5-5MPH with a nice smooth quite glide. The boat is also easy to roll as it is fairly narrow 23.5" and has a low deck. I would recommend this boat as a great value for a day touring boat.