Old town sportsman 120 pdl

[stros]

Looking for anyone that has any feed back on Old Town sportsman pdl . I am looking at one currently as well as a Hobie Compass. I am wanting something I can car top and handle by my self. At 62 I am concerned about weight. I tested a compass last summer and liked it a lot but have not been able to test the old town. I like the layout of the old town and warranty. I know that some people have had some cracks with the Hobie’s. I want to use it for fishing and exploring the tributaries of the bay. Maybe even use it for some nature photography. I have a Yakima roller rack to help with loading it on my Honda CR-V. Any feed back would be appreciated!

[dsaavedra]

I have not used one personally but I have heard nothing but good things about the Old Town PDLs (Sportsman and Topwater). Heard the warranty is great and the PDL drive is one of the best prop style drives (Old Town and Native are frequently ranked at the top).

[ronaultmtd]

106 pounds vs. 68 pounds...Old Town is a tank...

[summersoff]

106 pounds vs. 68 pounds...Old Town is a tank...

Good gravy, is that right, 106?!? Anything over 80lbs, you'll some type of an assist. If you're just going back bay tribs, just get a 60LBS 10' something, or a pickup.
The rollers and the Yakima assist bars are great but it puts a ton of pressure on your rudder as you're tilting the nose up. I would always cringe when I used mine, hearing my rudder creak as I loaded the yak.

[Oldbayrunner]

My take from cartopping a 13.5 105# kayak at ages from 66 to now 72. Yes it is easier to car top a lighter kayak. A heavier one can be very manageable if one rigs a roller system, which I did for 5 years, or loads from the side. Last year bought a taller bigger SUV which made it more difficult to load my kayak so I picked up a Rhino T-loader off a member on here and it was a game changer. As far as the rudder the rudder on the Pdl 120 it flips up over the top so that wouldn't be in the way at all with the bow angled up on top of the car. So IMO either could work easily if done right.

Due to knee injuries I can't peddle so I have to base this next part from fishing with friends with both a prop style & Mirage drive pedal system. IMO the mirage design is going to allow you to traverse through shallower water areas that a prop below the hull would have to be tilted up out of the way. Also the Mirage will not foul as much if one hits grassy areas. So I would consider these for your decision.

My car with the T-Loader on the back

[J.A. Veil]

If you are open to other ideas, consider one of the lightest name-brand pedal drive kayaks on the market -- Native's Slayer Propel 10. I used one for 6 years before my leg issues forced me to give up pedal drives completely. The hull weight is only 62 lbs. The seat and Propel drive (both easily removed for cartopping) add another 19 lbs.

Native has announced that they will produce a "next generation" version of that kayak -- the Slayer Propel Max 10 later this year. http://www.snaggedline.com/showthrea...10-pedal-kayak

I would not be surprised if the Slayer Propel 10 is discontinued once the new kayak is out. The Slayer Propel 10 has been out since fall 2014, and I see some used ones up for sale. It is a roomy and comfortable pedal drive kayak.

[stros]

Thanks for all the input and experiences. A lot to consider. Trying to make the right decision so I will be able uses it as much as possible. I am going to check on the other options that were given.