# opinions on Pelican Castaway 116



## Fisherdad1

I would love to buy a Prowler Trident 13, but I can not swing that right now. I saw the pelican castaway 116 at Academy for less than $400. I have read mixed reviews on the internet. I did not seem much about using it in the gulf.

Does anyone here use a Pelican Castaway in the gulf. Opinions on its stability and performance from users would be appreciated. I'm about 215 lbs and I don't want to make a mistake by purchasing something that I will be unhappy with, but I can not afford what i really want.

Fisherdad


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## dangermon

i'm the same weight and decided to get a used Ocean Kayak Drifter and have been very happy with the stability though it is a wet ride... good to leave a 100lbs between your body weight and the boat's capacity... the more the better. you might get more for your money buying used... but they may have updated this model.


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## musthavesaltair

I bought my castaway about 2 weeks ago, and went about about 5 times so far and i love it. I dont know how stable the more expensivekayaks are but the castaway is pretty stable. I could not justify or really afford anything else at the moment either. I have not gone out in the gulf or out in choppy waters yet but i have installed some out riggers in case i do. When i went out the other day i put them on and i stood up on the yak and fished for a lil bit, but if you are going to go out for a long period of time i would suggest a better seat.Good luck and hopeeveryones' opinion can help you out!!!!!


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## Badfisherman

I have a castaway and have had it in some very choppy conditions. Worked fine for me and I plan on taking it out this summer in the gulf.


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## Bonsaifishrman

Just put up a starter kayak on craigs list pensacola.


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## Bduv

I bought a used Castaway a few years ago as a starter yak. It wasnt bad for the price, but it didnt have the stability that I was looking for. I would definitely suggest some sort of outriggers.

You may want to look at the Future Beach at West Marine $499. The hull design looks much more stable and the deck layout looks good as well. 

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/403124/377%20710%20894/0/Kayaks%20/Primary%20Search/mode%20matchallpartial/30/0?N=377 710 894&Ne=0&Ntt=Kayaks &Ntx=mode matchallpartial&page=CategoryDisplayLevel1&isLTokenURL=true&storeNum=5005&subdeptNum=10&classNum=806

Not sure if they have a way to demo them.

Good luck on the purchase. Whatever you buy, you will love the sport.

Bryan


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## Private Pilot

When I had mine, I wasn't all impressed with the stability. Seemed a little tippy in my opinion. I would highly recommend making some outriggers. The seat pretty much broke my back in half. It was horrible.I got a Surf to Summit to fix that.


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## Herculined

l'd wait, I bought the castaway first, then broke down and spent $1000 four months later on a Tarpon 140 because I hated the Castaway. I'd sell some stuff you don't use anymore, or something, to get some cash. I have a buddy that uses a two person Ocean Kayak and just puts his seat in the middle of it. He found it used for $300 or a new one would cost you about $600, only $200 more than what you are looking at now, and it is much more stable and you would have alot more room. You would probably want to put a better seat on it, but the one that is on it will get you by for a while, then you could get a better one later on. 

The biggest problem I had with castaway, in the gulf, was the waves lifting up the front hatch and water getting in. The Stability sucked and the seat was horrible.


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## PAWGhunter

I have a 116 with heavy duty outriggers on it and its very stable. The only issue I would worry about in the Gulf would be how low the kayak floats. I've been in some pretty choppy bay action and it wasn't a big deal and I stayed dry, so a nice Gulf day should be ok.


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## countryboy_ucf

Three words... DON'T DO IT!!! 



I have had this kayak, bought it for a backup to take friends out in, but after I paddled it I knew I made a mistake. Tracking is non-existant and it constantly veers to the left. Stability is horrible compared to 99% of Sit on top kayaks in the market. I have taken this out in choppy conditions in the keys and ended up dumping out 20 gallons of water at days end (actually made it track better when it was full of water)...



If you like it, you probably have put too much money into fixing it, and you probably haven't paddled anything better. I know this is harsh, but you wont regret saving a couple hundred more dollars to by a nice used WS or Emotion Kayak... Then upgrading to a hobie later =)



Also Resell value sucks too, so I gave this kayak to my mom...


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## whitetailwarrior

i have that pelican and go out up to 4 miles only weigh 180 but my friend had same one at first he is about 230 and was out there with me, he did upgrade though. it is uncomfortable after a while but i still have mine and will be in the gulf again this yr


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## PAWGhunter

If you decide on this kayak then make sure your first upgrade is new weatherstriping for the front hatch. That bad boy leaks bad with the factory weatherstriping!!! A $8roll of marine weatherstriping from the Home Depot is the perfect amount to redo the top and bottom of the hatch.


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## Fisherdad1

I really appreciate all of the comments guys.

Fisherdad


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## Badfisherman

Kayaks are what you make of them---Every kayak is going to be different and you can usually make up what short comings they have with skill and technique and a little customizing.


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## Herculined

> *Badfisherman (4/13/2010)*Kayaks are what you make of them---Every kayak is going to be different and you can usually make up what short comings they have with skill and technique and a little customizing.


Yeah, but by the time he puts new weather stripping on it, andbuys or builds the outriggers, he could buy one he didn't have to do that stuff too.


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## Razzorduck

Last summer I watched a guy launch a Pelican from the beach. He got out about 100 yds and then had to swim it in due to water entering the hatch area. :reallycryingBoy was he mad and vowed to have a proper offshore rig the next weekend. He liked my Drifter as I paddled by to offer an asst.:letsdrink


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## chasintales

Both I and my wife fish the Pelican in the bay. It does take on some water, so I use our Prowler for the Gulf. I bought two of the three used and had some money to rig them the way I wanted them. I will say, I go about 250 and I fish about 6-8 hours at a time in the Pelican and don't have a problem with the seat. As a matter of fact, I have to hold my legs over on the Prowler because the leg area rubs my calf after about an hour of good paddleing. I enjoy the Pelican right out of the box. In the bay, it handles the current well and with my weight, the wind isn't much of a factor. A buddy of mine did use it fishing a couple of weeks ago and he complained about it turning left on him, but he was not sitting in it straight. Consider teh used route if you want to fish the gulf. The other thing that I know about the Pelican is that it is a two piece design and big surf landings could cause the seal between the halfs to leak.

Hope this helps,

Chris


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