I just picked up my new ascend fs12t kayak at bass pro. I took it out this afternoon for a test run, and I really like the way it handles. My one question is about the spray in foam that is in the dry storage area. I assume this is for extra support, but there is quite a bit of it. The foam is blocking the area where I would like to put my transducer for my FF, it is also taking up space that I could use for extra storage. Does anyone else own this kayak? If so, did you take any of the foam out? I want to cut it out, but don't want to mess up any extra support it may give. Any information is appreciated.

Thanks

This was discussed last summer and someone with pretty good knowledge of the kayak said it should not be removed. You might try searching for something within the last year on this forum. I could have that wrong, but that's my recollection...

I'll give it a try. Thank you

The foam in the Ascend is for structural purposes; I wouldn't remove it. Also, never assume the inside of the kayak is dry storage. Anything you don't want to get wet needs to be in a dry bag or at the very least a heavy duty ziploc bag.

I owned the Ascend. You don't want to remove any of it. I loved my Ascend until it died a couple of months ago (fluke scupper hole accident). The plastic is not very thick on the Ascend FS12T, which is why it's so light compared to a lot of newer SOTs. After my scupper hole got cracked, I tried a number of unsuccessful repairs. During that time, water would get inside, and it deterioriated the foam. I could notice definite differences in the way the boat functioned as the foam deteriorated.

I was considering drilling through the foam and using piping to reinforce the hole structurally to give me more access through it, but when the scupper hole no longer seemed fixable, I abandoned the idea in favor of a new kayak.

Thanks guys!

I added extra foam to my FS12T. I put in a 8" hatch in the aft compartment and some pvc conduit. That gives me a way to run battery wires to the back if I decide to keep a battery there. For now, it's in the front hatch.

I know what you mean about it being thin though. When I strap it down to the cargo rack, I can see the plastic bending. It looks like it comes right back, but I worry anyway.