Vibe Yellowfin 120

Vibe Yellowfin 120 is the bigger brother of the super-popular Yellowfin 100. It caters to paddlers that need a little more capacity and/or speed than the Yellowfin 100 can offer.

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Size and Weight

Vibe Yellowfin 120 is a 12-foot (366 cm) kayak with a 33-inch (84 cm) beam. It weighs 65 lbs (29.5 kg) without the seat, which makes it a pretty lightweight boat in its class. You can still drag or carry it around almost as easily as its smaller sibling, the Yellowfin 100. The weight difference between the two models is only 8 lbs (3.6 kg).

Capacity

Surprisingly, the Yellowfin 120 does not offer a lot of extra capacity when compared to the 10-foot model. The 12-footer is rated for 400 lbs (181.4 kg) while the Yellowfin 100 can carry up to 375 lbs (170 kg), so the difference is minimal. Vibe is been somewhat generous with the capacity ratings of their boats, so if you feel like you’ll be pushing the limits of the kayak, you should probably look at other models with more capacity.

Features

Vibe Yellowfin 120 essentially offers the same feature set as the Yellowfin 100 does. While it is not exactly feature-packed, it does offer all you need for a great fishing or recreational experience.

On the bow, the kayak has a rigid plastic handle with some padding on the inside. The handles, updated in 2019, are quite comfortable and solid and make it easy to handle the boat or drag it around. Sadly, the Yellowfin 120 does not have a skid plate on the keel, so dragging it over harsh surfaces is not recommended.

Next, there’s a relatively large tank well on the bow, which is covered by a PVC tarp. The tarp has a sewn-on paddle park and is secured with a bungee cord. An interesting feature is that you could remove the cover completely and use the storage platform as a small passenger compartment for a dog or a kid.

There are four short gear tracks on the bow, two on each gunnel. These spots are perfect for GoPro mounts.

Further back, there’s a molded central console with a small tackle toss tray, a Scotty mount plate, and a cup holder.

The footrests are adjustable. There are two long top-loading gear tracks at the foot level, one on each side. Unlike the 10-foot model, Vibe Yellowfin 120 does not have flush-mount rod holders in front of the seat, so it only offers two rod holders while the Yellowfin 100 has four.

Right in front of the seat, there is an 8″ watertight hatch with a waterproof bag inside for dry storage. It leaves enough space to stand on but you can’t move around like on some other boats in this class. We would prefer to have some more open deck space instead of that hatch.

There are four scupper holes on the deck. They come with rubber scupper plugs, which is really convenient.

On both sides of the seat, there are tackle box slots that take standard Plano 3600 boxes. Both are secured with bungees to your boxes will be safe. There’s also some storage space under the seat.

Behind the seat, there are two flush-mounted rod holders which also come with covers. There are two bungee-secured paddle holders (it’s great to have those on both sides when you’re fishing).

The rear tank well is pretty large and will take an average size cooler, milk crate, or dry bag. There are two more plugged scupper holes there for water drainage.

Vibe Yellowfin 120 comes pre-rigged for a rudder (a rudder kit is sold separately for $99.99). The rudder is tow-controlled and adds another level of control, especially in rough waters or when fishing.

Seat

Vibe Yellowfin 100 features Vibe’s updated Hero seat. It is a padded aluminum frame seat made from a breathable, quick-drying material. It is pretty comfortable and durable. In the 2019 upgraded version, the backrest folds flat (the previous version could not do that). There are no low and high positions and you can’t move the seat fore and aft like in some higher-end models. However, you can easily remove the seat from the kayak and use it as a beach chair, which is really great for kayak camping.

Performance

Vibe Yellowfin 120 offers a well-balanced combination of stability and speed. It has a pronounced keel that runs the whole length of the boat, helping it pierce through waves and track really well. Point the nose where you want to go, and the Yellowfin 120 will get you there.

The backside of this is that the Yellowfin 120 is a little harder to maneuver. It wants to go straight, and you may need a couple of extra sweep strokes to turn. Unlike its smaller counterpart (the Yellowfin 100), the Yellowfin 120 is probably not the best option for small creeks and tight places. The optional rudder will make this kayak more agile, of course.

Vibe Yellowfin 120 offers great primary stability. Most of the time, you’ll feel safe either sitting or standing up. Unfortunately, the seat’s only position is pretty high, which limits the stability of the boat. You also get blown around quite a bit when the wind picks up.

With reasonable care, you’ll have to problems standing up and sitting back down. However, if you do a lot of stand up fishing, you might want to look at models that have a larger, flat standing area and maybe some padding on the floor to improve traction and dampen the noise.

Construction and Materials

Vibe Yellowfin 120 is made from High-Density Polyethylene using the rotational molding technology. Beads of polyethylene are poured into the mold as it gets heated up and slowly rotated so that the material fills up every nook and cranny. After the mold cools down, you get a one-piece construction that is extremely rugged and durable. Kayaks manufactured with the rotomolding process tend to be long-lasting and sturdy.

The downside of polyethylene is that it is a very non-stick material. If you manage to put a hole in the hull, you can’t just glue a patch to it. The most effective way to patch the hole is to heat-weld new HWM PE or HDPE plastic pieces (or the same material) into the crack. It’s best to use a flat surface such as a soldering iron or blow torch by utilizing welding techniques to bond the material for an air-tight lasting patch.

Warranty

Vibe provides a limited lifetime warranty for defects on all new kayak purchases and one year on the attached parts. This warranty covers only Vibe products that are purchased from an authorized Vibe dealer. This warranty applies only to the original purchaser and may not be transferred. Proof of purchase must be presented at the time of the warranty claim. Normal wear and tear are not warranted.

In case your Vibe kayak gets damaged during shipping, Vibe Kayaks recommends the following:

If you find any significant damage, such as holes or deep gouges, have the carrier document in writing a detailed description of the damages before signing anything, take pictures, return the damaged kayak to the driver, and contact Vibe immediately.

If you find minor damage, such as minor scratches, dings, and dents, note the damage on the Bill of Lading, take pictures and accept the shipment. You can contact Vibe with any questions.

If the product is signed for without damage being reported or if the driver leaves the property without the damage being reported, Vibe Kayaks won’t be able to replace it. You will have to pay return freight charges (which range from $185 – $390) to get a replacement or accept the kayak as is.

New items are eligible for a full refund within 14 days of purchase.

To read the full terms of Vibe Kayak’s warranty, click here: https://vibekayaks.com/pages/warranty