If your perception of a kayak is a sun-faded, sit-inside piece of plastic with an aluminum paddle, you’re about to go from black-and-white to high-definition LED. Today, kayak fishing rigs resemble bass boats or center-consoles more so than paddleboards. And the leading edge might be a new kayak from Bonafide called the XTR130. Not all that different from what a fishing skiff offers, the XTR130 has room for two anglers to sit, stand and fish.
Possibilities to modify the nearly 13-foot kayak—which features 700 pounds of capacity—are eye-opening. The Bonafide XTR130 comes in four color options, including Andros Green, Top Gun Grey, Steel and Camo, and has an upper and lower deck. (Yes, you can step up to the forward deck.) The vessel’s bow is designed for casting and sight-fishing, but it’s also where the trolling motor mounts to a factory-rigged bracket, and electronics are incorporated via various optional configurations. Yes, live sonar and down-scan sonar can run in conjunction with each other on this kayak. A single 100-amp-hour lithium battery powers the trolling motor, sonar systems and lights all day. There’s space for all of it too. Bonafide’s optional crossbar allows kayakers to run two sizable screens, such as Garmin’s Ultra 106sv 10-inch monitors.
Both forward storage areas handle wiring and lithium batteries, but what’s unique is within the largest hatch up front. Quickly remove the lid—taking up a sizable portion of the front deck—and that’s where a second angler sits on a swivel-mounted chair connected to a track. Remove the chair and return the hatch into position, and the kayak converts from a tandem fishing machine back to a one-angler vessel.
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Amidships, there’s standing space fore and aft of the main sliding swivel seat. Owners can add foot steering for a bow-mounted Minn Kota or MotorGuide trolling motor and steering/throttle for a stern kayak motor from ePropulsion, Newport or Torqeedo. The tracks, which allow the seat to move forward and back, also double as prime areas to mount electronics or a forward-facing sonar stick and transducer. For those who want to keep the tracks clear, there are still multiple mounting points for electronics.
At the XTR130’s stern, a mounting bracket for a kayak motor—Bonafide works closely with Newport and ePropulsion—comes standard. There’s also space for another lithium battery and wiring, motor-mounted lift lines, and steering to motorize Bonafide’s rig. One might ask, “Why two motors on a single kayak?” The stern motor serves as the power to get to a spot, while the bow trolling motor lets anglers cover an area while fishing.
No paddle? No problem. Treat the XTR130 like any boat, but without the monthly payments that go with it. The vessel’s tow eye is standard, meaning this 170-pound fully rigged kayak is best loaded in and out of the water with a trailer. Boat registration from the Department of Motor Vehicles is probably necessary. And a transducer will likely be sticking out the back of the vessel’s hull too.
But to see the Bonafide XTR130 and experience how far kayaks have come—and what they can do—is just next-level.
Five Standout Features
- Kayak Cockpit: Configured for a solo angler, this open deck is where you can stand, control your rear propulsion, check a panel of electronics or grab rods from horizontal storage.
- Comfort Zone: The elevated seat turns 360 degrees on a swivel, plus it has plenty of storage beneath and behind. Also, it’s a great spot to rig your forward-facing sonar transducer on the side rail.
- Power Play: To get to fishing spots, you need power to push this 40-inch-wide, 12-foot-long ’yak. Mount a rear electric motor from makers such as Newport or ePropulsion.
- Forward Deck: There is battery storage in the compartments below, plus an upper deck platform for stand-up fishing. Mount a second seat for another angler up front, complete with rigging for a sonar display.
- Max Movement: Mount a trolling motor to an available base at the reinforced bow. A grab handle, grip points below the gunwale, and even a tow eye allow anglers to maneuver or trailer the XTR130 easily.
