KayakGearReviews.org

Item Review by Kathryn Doiron

Edited by Ken Bigelow

January 7th, 2010

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Product Information:

 

Manufacturer	Old Town Canoe (Johnson Outdoors Watercraft Inc.)
Website	http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/
MSRP	$1029 USD
Weight: (stated)	53 lbs (24 kg)
Dimensions:	Length: 14 ft 6 in. (4.4 m)Width: 24.5 in. (62.2 cm) Cockpit: 15.5 x 32 in. (39.4 x 81.3 cm) Deck height: 14 in. (35.6 cm) Max load range: 275 – 325 lbs (124 – 147 kg)
Material	Single layer polyethylene
Colors available:	Cloud (blue and white), Yellow

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Product Description

The Cayuga 146 is a touring style recreational kayak. The kayak has a nice shape and looks the part, with long sleek lines, large cockpit and a little bit of rocker. The kayak comes with convenient carry handles front and back that are held to the kayak with bungee cords. There are two hatches with bulkheads to keep the compartments dry. The hatches have a strap and buckle system to keep the hatch covers in place. Not only do the hatches have a line to keep them attached to the kayak, but the lock system creates a large X over the hatch cover to keep it securely in place. There is a small day hatch with a screw on lid for small items, such as a water bottle, located just in front of the cockpit. The kayak is equipped with a set of bungee decklines on the front and back. There is a small bungee attachment near the side of the cockpit to help keep a paddle from drifting off when not needed. The foot pegs are adjustable. There is an optional rudder kit and optional thigh brace kit. The seat is made of soft foam and adjustable.

Impressions

I was impressed with the Cayuga the first time I saw it. This kayak looks longer than it actually is due to the sleekness of its lines. It does not look wide or short which is what I often associate sizing-wise with a recreational kayak. This kayak looks like it can actually track in a straight line and go somewhere with ease. I was really eager to get it out on the water for the first time. The kayak also comes with a nice foam seat that is quite comfortable to sit in. I found that the cockpit coaming seemed to come up a little high but was not excessive, just a bit more then my other kayak. The foot pegs were easy to adjust and the seat back can be adjusted for more comfort. I liked the color of the kayak too, it was not a solid blue but rather a swirled blue and white.

On Water Use

I have taken the Cayuga out on numerous trips in and around the Washington DC area, mostly on the Potomac River. I have detailed a few of the trips below to give an idea of typical use.

My first use of the kayak was for a short touring trip of about 2 miles (3.2 km). I took a little time to get the foot pegs in the right position and play around with some of the features. The hatches are easy to use and the inside seal is soft foam. The small front day hatch has a screw on lid that has a rubber o-ring seal. The foot pegs were easy to adjust and I was soon out on the water enjoying the day. The trip was on a small waterway at low tide and with no waves. The kayak handled very well and tracked in a straight line. I was happy with that. The kayak is quite stable but not so stable that I couldn’t give some edge to my strokes and efficiently turn the kayak. I did notice that my water bottle didn’t want to go into the small day hatch, the cockpit coaming was a little too high and close which interfered with the bottle’s entry. I had help carrying the kayak from my car to the put in and it was then that I noticed the bungee cord really holds the handles to the kayak. I had a bit of trouble getting my fingers under the handle to pick up the kayak.

The next trip was again about 2 mi (3.2 km) and was at the same put in but this time I went out to the river. Once on the river I encountered waves as well as boat chop. One very large boat went by and the Cayuga pushed through the wake very nice and smoothly. I did get water in the cockpit as I didn’t have a spray skirt on. But the kayak remained upright, stable and took the wave nicely. I did try to fit my spray skirt to the kayak but not only was it not large enough around, but the seat back is high over the coaming, and the rim of the coaming didn’t seem deep enough to keep a spray skirt on. I will try with a larger spray skirt.

Another trip out was for about 4 hours with a tour group. These were paying clients who wanted to see the area by water. The tour was again along the Potomac north of Great Falls, Maryland. There was some minor current on the river and more current at the put in. The kayak handled very well and was comfortable to sit in during the four hour trip. The trip was through a riparian water area and being able to get in close to the reeds and grasses was a real treat.

Another trip, again a 4 hour touring trip, took place down near the monuments along the Potomac near Washington DC. The trip started out in a secluded area to give new paddlers time to get used to their kayaks, then we were out on the river with the boat traffic. The Cayuga handled the wake from the boat traffic very well. I never felt unstable in the boat even when I ran through several wakes, splashing water inside the cockpit.

Wear

So far, the kayak is holding up quite well, but I find that the plastic does feel rather thin. It has accumulated a few small scratches on the bottom from some of the rockier launching and landing points but nothing that would cause leaks or problems. I have to be very careful to not tie the kayak down too tightly as I noticed it caused some deformation in the plastic hull the first time I tied it to the car. I haven’t had any issues with leakage from the hatch covers but I did notice that one of the seals on the front bulkheads wasn’t completely water tight. After leaving the kayak on top of the car during a rain storm, the previously dry compartment had water in it after the rain. The kayak is easy to drain upside down, and most of the water drains out. The seat has drain holes in it so at least I wasn’t sitting in a wet seat at the start of my paddle. The bungee cords across the deck are still in great shape and I haven’t noticed any slack in them yet, despite the amount of sun the kayak has received. The bungee holding the carrying handles to the deck are still just as tight as when I first got the kayak, which still makes it a little difficult to pick up the handles from the deck. Given the amount of sun the kayak has seen this summer, I find that the color still seems as vibrant as when I first received it. The plastic is still in nice shape and doesn’t seem to be drying out. I haven’t noticed any drying out or cracking of the plastic.

Wrap-up

I have enjoyed using the Cayuga for recreational paddles. The kayak is easy to handle but can also be controlled. I had no issues edging the kayak into turns nor did I have trouble keeping it in a straight line. The kayak was easy to paddle, the bulkhead covers easy to use and the front day hatch a nice touch. I found that it handled the boat wakes nicely without any noticeable degree of instability, this was regardless of whether I took the wake head on or broach to the wake. I did have a few minor dislikes with the kayak. I didn’t like the way the cockpit rim curled back on itself mostly from a self carrying point of view. While I don’t tend to self-carry my kayaks too far, I do have to get them on and off the car sometimes by myself. The way the cockpit rim curled back, I found it uncomfortable on my shoulder to the point of being painful. I ended up getting help whenever I could after that first carry. I also found that I didn’t care much for the back placement of the carrying handle. The handle is not placed at the back of the kayak, likely to accommodate the optional rudder. As such, I noticed that the kayak tends to bump my leg more when I carry it. Plus the handle is off-center forcing me to do the carry with the kayak always on my right side. I like to be able to switch hands on longer carries. The picture below highlights the positions of the carrying handles, it is easy to see that the back handle is not all the way back.

The comfort of the kayak is definitely a bonus. I have plenty of leg room and toe room. While I don’t have huge feet, my size 9 feet did have plenty of room. I found I could easily keep my legs inside the cockpit or pop my knees outside to rest against the cockpit rim and still feel comfortable. The seat itself is super comfortable. I really enjoyed the foam and how it conformed to my butt. I didn’t care for the back support as much though mostly due to the height of the seat back. With such a high back, I couldn’t lean back to stretch out, nor could I comfortably use a spray skirt. None of my spray skirts worked with the large size of the cockpit opening so I just didn’t use one.

Summary

Pros

- bulkheads prevent swamping and wet gear

- small day hatch is handy for small items

- very comfortable seat, easily adjustable foot pegs

Cons

- bungee on the handles make it hard to easily grab the handle

- no real decklines to grab onto

- day hatch a little too close to coaming, waterbottles must be short to fit

This concludes my review on the Old Town Cayuga kayak. Thank you for reading this review and I hope you have found the information contained within valuable and useful.

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Personal Information:

 

Name	Kathryn Doiron
Age	33
Gender	Female
Height	5′ 8″ (1.7 m)
Weight	150 lb (68 kg)
Email	kathryn ‘at’ kayakgearreviews ‘dot’ org
Website	http://kayakergirl.blogspot.com/
Location	DC, MD, VA area

Paddling Bio: I started seriously kayaking in the summer of 2007 and bought an Impex Force Category 4 as my first real boat that fall. I started whitewater kayaking in the summer of 2008 with a Jackson Classic Fun and now I also have a Jackson AllStar. I currently enjoy white water, flat water, ocean surfing and sea kayaking and look forward to getting more into rafting. I tend to get out on the water several times a week during the height of the kayaking season. I have even paddled with the Ice Pirates at the height of winter. I am hoping to do an expedition trip in the following year.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, January 7th, 2010 and is filed under Flatwater Kayaks.