Comments about Pelican Pelican Castaway 116 Deluxe Kayak:

after reading some negative reviews i wasnt sure what i was getting myself into but after trying this kayak out in the surf in south texas i am very pleased. it handled very well and was easy to get in to at about waist high water with 2 foot swells. once i was on the kayak, i had no problem going through and over waves. the only problem i noticed was that it liked to turn back towards the ocean when i was going back in. this could have been due to the current or possibly bad tracking on the kayaks part. i have read many reviews about it taking on water through the storage hatch.....first off, im not sure why the made the storage hatch open when the lid is off, i.e. it goes throughout the kayak and isnt just two or three inches deep.......thereby making it possible to fill up with water and sink.....however, after spending 45 minutes getting bombarded by waves that were coming over the hatch and hitting me, it only took in about a quart of water total.....all i did was tighten the straps down as tight as possible and made sure the hatch was covering the entire hole. a little foam insulation will cure the problem. definitely not a reason to give this cheaper, yet promising kayak a bad rating by any means. i got it with an employee discount from my sporting goods store for [$] which is simply unbeatable.

Comments about Pelican Pelican Castaway 116 Deluxe Kayak:

This is a great kayak for the money. However, I did not like the footrests as they are hard to adjust when underway. A huge problem is that it was shipped shrink-wrapped instead of boxed! It arrived scratched and gouged, but Boaters World does not correct its errors. Buy at your own risk.

Comments about Pelican Pelican Castaway 116 Deluxe Kayak:

i don't like having a wet rear end. if you have short arms, buy a rod mount & attach it flush to the inside between your seat and knee the swivel attachment holder included should fit into both mounts. dont be afraid to slid over board and do some wade fishing. my friend wishes he had purchased this model

Comments about Pelican Pelican Castaway 116 Deluxe Kayak:

it is a lot of fun to camp in and fishing is easey

Comments about Pelican Pelican Castaway 116 Deluxe Kayak:

My first was the castaway 116 deluxe. Good price. Stable but I wouldn't stand up. No structural problems ever. Easy to outfit. Front rod holder too far forward. In surf it noses in and seat has no scupper so it stays wet. I plan to try a full seat. I am critical but I still bought 2. Better ones are double the price. It's a good buy as a starter but it will make you want better.