Perception Outlaw 11.5 Kayak

[RichF]

Probably a longshot because it's so new, but anyone have any experience with this sucker?

[michaelb]

No experience, but I watched the video. Just curious, what about this particular boat interests you? The seat is very high, which may be great for sitting and fishing, but not so great for paddling in rough conditions and wind. So I would be reluctant to try buy that without demoing. But otherwise it seems like a great boat for standing and fishing (and maybe not for the paddling part).

 

I don't really get the trend for square back kayaks. I know it is for mounting motors and power poles. But I would be curious to see how two similar or identical boats paddled, one with a square back and one with a traditional shape. How does that impact tracking and overall speed, etc.

 

I would like there to be track forward of my feet. So the track in the handles are cool, but I would almost never mount anything in that area (it is where you paddle and hitting anything with a paddle stroke is very annoying). I also like track behind the seat, but that is less critical. It wouldn't be that hard though to install more track or mounts if you end up needing that. I see they have 3 solo mounting points, that may take a Ram mount, so that is ok but sort of expensive and fixed in position.

 

So there is my completely uninformed opinion.

 

 

[RichF]

1 hour ago, michaelb said:

No experience, but I watched the video. Just curious, what about this particular boat interests you? The seat is very high, which may be great for sitting and fishing, but not so great for paddling in rough conditions and wind. So I would be reluctant to try buy that without demoing. But otherwise it seems like a great boat for standing and fishing (and maybe not for the paddling part).

 

I don't really get the trend for square back kayaks. I know it is for mounting motors and power poles. But I would be curious to see how two similar or identical boats paddled, one with a square back and one with a traditional shape. How does that impact tracking and overall speed, etc.

 

I would like there to be track forward of my feet. So the track in the handles are cool, but I would almost never mount anything in that area (it is where you paddle and hitting anything with a paddle stroke is very annoying). I also like track behind the seat, but that is less critical. It wouldn't be that hard though to install more track or mounts if you end up needing that. I see they have 3 solo mounting points, that may take a Ram mount, so that is ok but sort of expensive and fixed in position.

 

So there is my completely uninformed opinion.

 

 

I want the ability to stand and easily mount a trolling motor. I actually don't even really like kayaking if I'm being honest. If I had a little more space where I live, I'd just get a Bass Raider or something like that to fish the small lakes around me. I need to get on the water and a yak is really my only option at the moment.  I was thinking about a peddle drive but I really don't want to spend the $$. And since I already have a nice electric motor, I figured this would be an economical way to get on the water.

[BMOE-RN]

I've been wondering about this yak, as well as a vibe sea ghost 130.  The way I see it, it's cheaper to put a trolling motors on it than get a peddle drive. 

[SWVABass]

Old town is giving pedal drives a run for their money. Just saw a new one out with a minnkota installed to include spot lock. Think is was going for 4 g’s. Pretty sweet set up though.

[RichF]

1 hour ago, BMOE-RN said:

I've been wondering about this yak, as well as a vibe sea ghost 130.  The way I see it, it's cheaper to put a trolling motors on it than get a peddle drive. 

That was my thought, especially since I have one already.  The sea ghost looks nice but I like a more open deck.

21 minutes ago, Swbass15 said:

Old town is giving pedal drives a run for their money. Just saw a new one out with a minnkota installed to include spot lock. Think is was going for 4 g’s. Pretty sweet set up though.

Those are cool but no way I'd drop that kind of coin on a yak. That's a nice down payment on an actual boat!

[michaelb]

there may be better kayaks for mounting a trolling motor. How were you thinking of doing the mount? I have a kaku kayak, and they have predrilled inserts for a mount. Other kayaks may also be ready to set up. Depending on how you are mounting the motor, these adapters from YakGadget look cool (I don't have a trolling motor and like to paddle, but some days it would be nice to power along for a few miles and fish somewhere new out of the wind).

 

https://kakukayaks.com/

 

even if you don't get this mount, this site may give a clue as to models that are set up for motor mounts, which includes vibe.

 

https://www.yakgadget.com/

[Matt Eisen]

55 minutes ago, RichF said:

That was my thought, especially since I have one already.  The sea ghost looks nice but I like a more open deck.

Those are cool but no way I'd drop that kind of coin on a yak. That's a nice down payment on an actual boat!

Rich, my advice if you want a kayak, ESPECIALLY if you "dont like kayaking that much", the peddle drive is worth every cent over the paddle kayak. And I bet money their are cheap pedal drive options out there, even if theyre only 10 ft long they're worth it.

 

I don't own the new outlaw, but I own the Perception Pescador 12.0 (not to be mistakened for the pescador pro, mines a lower model). I like my kayak, my biggest problem with it is it doesnt have the fancy seat like the out law or the pescador pro have, and mines not a pedal drive.

 

I never liked the pedal drives at first, for no reason, and after time out on the water I SOON LEARNED the obvious benefit of having pedals. Think about it, whether youre fishing fresh or salt, you can have the rod in your hands,  move in and out of stuff without ever having to put your rod down, pick up the paddle, adjust, put the paddle down, pick the rod back up, and then start fishing again for the fish you just spooked. Thats literally what happens with the paddle kayaks everytime youre out on the water. Aka major pain in the ass

 

***I strongly recommend you find a pedal drive option thats within your budget, and find a good seat. what I mean by a good seat is one thats up high. The guy above talking about "it affects your ability to paddle" is nonsense. I dont't mean to be mean but its only 2-3 inches higher it doesnt affect anything i promise. The main benefits of the seat is it helps your back to last all day (youll be amazed how much your ass and back hurt) and you can see the fish in the water better

 

***MY ADVICE TO YOU IS TO FIND A PEDAL KAYAK WITH A nice seat, biggest advice,

P.S. If you want a kayak that will allow you to stand, look for a kayak that is AT LEAST 33-35 inches wide. that is the minimum

[RichF]

10 hours ago, michaelb said:

there may be better kayaks for mounting a trolling motor. How were you thinking of doing the mount? I have a kaku kayak, and they have predrilled inserts for a mount. Other kayaks may also be ready to set up. Depending on how you are mounting the motor, these adapters from YakGadget look cool (I don't have a trolling motor and like to paddle, but some days it would be nice to power along for a few miles and fish somewhere new out of the wind).

 

https://kakukayaks.com/

 

even if you don't get this mount, this site may give a clue as to models that are set up for motor mounts, which includes vibe.

 

https://www.yakgadget.com/

I like the idea of the pod mount. Having the motor in front of the yak is ideal for me. I was looking at yaks with removable sonar pods and watched some vids of guys modding them to add motors. Seemed too complicated since I don't have a bunch of tools or shop space.  That's why I was thinking stern mount. Thanks for the link man. Those mounts definitely open up some options!

9 hours ago, Matt Eisen said:

Rich, my advice if you want a kayak, ESPECIALLY if you "dont like kayaking that much", the peddle drive is worth every cent over the paddle kayak. And I bet money their are cheap pedal drive options out there, even if theyre only 10 ft long they're worth it.

 

I don't own the new outlaw, but I own the Perception Pescador 12.0 (not to be mistakened for the pescador pro, mines a lower model). I like my kayak, my biggest problem with it is it doesnt have the fancy seat like the out law or the pescador pro have, and mines not a pedal drive.

 

I never liked the pedal drives at first, for no reason, and after time out on the water I SOON LEARNED the obvious benefit of having pedals. Think about it, whether youre fishing fresh or salt, you can have the rod in your hands,  move in and out of stuff without ever having to put your rod down, pick up the paddle, adjust, put the paddle down, pick the rod back up, and then start fishing again for the fish you just spooked. Thats literally what happens with the paddle kayaks everytime youre out on the water. Aka major pain in the ass

 

***I strongly recommend you find a pedal drive option thats within your budget, and find a good seat. what I mean by a good seat is one thats up high. The guy above talking about "it affects your ability to paddle" is nonsense. I dont't mean to be mean but its only 2-3 inches higher it doesnt affect anything i promise. The main benefits of the seat is it helps your back to last all day (youll be amazed how much your ass and back hurt) and you can see the fish in the water better

 

***MY ADVICE TO YOU IS TO FIND A PEDAL KAYAK WITH A nice seat, biggest advice,

P.S. If you want a kayak that will allow you to stand, look for a kayak that is AT LEAST 33-35 inches wide. that is the minimum

I hear you man. I was really considering it simply because of ease. The idea of just slapping the drive in and going is really appealing. Wouldn't have to worry about batteries and mounting, etc.  But then I thought: I really like to stand and fish and peddle drive won't allow me to do that (since I'd have to peddle to move). So many decisions!

[Cristine Cornell]

I bought the Outlaw for fishing and crabbing in south Louisiana. It’s a roomy kayak but it’s definitely made for calmer waters. With the high seat, it’s not good in the wind. If you add an ice chest, it works like a sail. I’ve taken it out twice and both times were disasters. It’s probably a great kayak for fishing in regular lakes, but I definitely bought the wrong kayak for the conditions down here. Most people here buy Hobies because they handle the higher winds and strong currents better. I’m either going to look into mounting a trolling motor to deal with the wind and currents, or sell it. Like I said, it’s probably a great kayak, it just doesn’t work for the conditions I’m fishing in. I see people mentioning an affordable pedal kayak. One good option is the Hoodoo Tempest 120P. 

[RichF]

24 minutes ago, Cristine Cornell said:

I bought the Outlaw for fishing and crabbing in south Louisiana. It’s a roomy kayak but it’s definitely made for calmer waters. With the high seat, it’s not good in the wind. If you add an ice chest, it works like a sail. I’ve taken it out twice and both times were disasters. It’s probably a great kayak for fishing in regular lakes, but I definitely bought the wrong kayak for the conditions down here. Most people here buy Hobies because they handle the higher winds and strong currents better. I’m either going to look into mounting a trolling motor to deal with the wind and currents, or sell it. Like I said, it’s probably a great kayak, it just doesn’t work for the conditions I’m fishing in. I see people mentioning an affordable pedal kayak. One good option is the Hoodoo Tempest 120P. 

I appreciate the response! Sorry it isn't the right fit. I'm brand new to kayak fishing and all the research has been overwhelming. I was actually looking at the tempest 120p but don't think I want to drop the coin since I won't be able to demo it (or really use it a ton). With all the accessories too...sheesh.  I think I've decided on the 3 Waters Big Fish 105. Cheap, supposedly very stable, and highly modifiable.  

[Florida_Strain]

Sorry im late to the party on this thread. Ive been kayak fishing for years in all kinds of freshwater scenarios. I've had a cheap sit in kayak, a pedal drive, a sit on top tandem, and currently a nucanoe frontier 12 with a trolling motor. I too am considering the outlaw next, which is what brought me to this thread. I've been hawking it since they first showed it at Icast. The nucanoe is a genius idea with poor execution. Its my most loved and most hated kayak of all time. Probably the most stable platform out there, and feels more like a small boat at times than a kayak. I already have an affinity for perception as i own a pescador pilot. Another VERY stable platform, that pedals and paddles very well. Some poorly thought out amenities like rod holders that don't hold rods, and small recesses on the gunwales to set stuff on (i guess) that dont really work kinda leave me puzzled, but what it lacks there it makes up for in performance. While pre fishing for a tourney recently i ran across two older gentlemen (one was 88 the other in his 70's) both in outlaws with trolling motors, who touted it for being easy to handle even at their age. Both were rigged up two different ways, but both seemed quite easy, though one would require you to have an aluminum plate fabricated to fit that recess on the stern, unless somebody is already making one. I can tell you fishing big lakes here in florida....i want that motor. The wind is unpredictable and crazy here, and i do a lot of offshore fishing. Im not sure this particular hull design will handle it, but im close to just pulling the trigger on it myself to try it out. If it doesn't work out, ill sell it. From seeing one in person and looking at how if could be set up with the motor i already have, im more than intrigued.

I should also note that for a total of under 250 dollars, plus the cost of your chosen mounting hardware, you can add a 30lb trolling motor including battery connectors, breaker and wiring.

Edited June 19, 2020 by Florida_Strain
added info

[michaelb]

I don't see that the Big Fish has a built in mount for a trolling motor? I don't need more kayaks and shouldn't be shopping, but have you seen the new Yupik? this is the first new kayak I have seen that makes me yearn for a new kayak (it is very much similar to the style of the Kaku's, in terms of open deck and uncluttered options for rigging). This costs a lot more than you are looking. My one question about the yupik would be about how well it paddles and tracks, particularly in rough conditions (it would be fine on flat water). It has a micro pole mount, which should work for a trolling motor adapter, but I would check that detail first to make sure.

 

https://store.jacksonadventures.com/jackson-kayak-yupik/

[flyfisher]

Not having paddled the kayak i can only go based on what I see and I am not impressed.  It looks like a combination of Bonafide, jackson and vibe all thrown into a blender and hoping it works.  Also it seems to be pretty heavy for a boat not even 12' long which is a concern when transporting.  

I also noticed you saying you aren't really into kayaking I am gonna say that you probably won't be happy fishing from one then.  Pedal drives are ok but not worth it anymore to me, might as well motorize in majority of cases.  Also if you can store a kayak you can store a raider type boat.  the kayak you posted is 11.5'x35" and around 16" deep.  A pelican 10e is shorter at 10'2" but wider at 50".  didn't have specs on depth but i am guessing almost twice as deep as a kayak.  The space taken up for both would be very similar.

[dickenscpa]

I was like someone above, didn’t see the benefit of pedals. I fish the KBFTN trail where motors are not allowed. The first tournament I fished the conditions were very tough. Not many fish were caught and you had to cover a lot of water to do it. Out of 64 boats 61 had pedals and the the 3 paddle only guys got skunked, me included. 
 

I started out in a FeelFree Lure and it was my first kayak and no pedals. It was very stable but paddled like a bathtub. I didn’t give Perception much of a look at first because I saw a lower end model at a big box store and wasn’t impressed. 
 

I was gonna buy a Big Fish 108 with pedals and stay in the FeelFree family. On a Saturday Hook1 put “Sold” on it for me, but they’re closed on Sunday and Monday. So I read and researched a LOT waiting on Tuesday. The BF 108 is a first year model. I think they’ve had an issue with every aspect of that kayak. 
 

When I showed up to get it they had a Perception Pro Pilot on the floor. 2017 was the first year of that kayak and it had first year problems as well, but 2020 is the fourth model year and I love it. No issues whatsoever and I cover more water than my bass boat. 
 

I wanted the simplest pedal drive made by man. The first thing I did was take that drive completely apart. Super simple drive. I re-greased the two gears on top and two on bottom with Lucas marine grease and went fishing. 

[HookInMouth]

On 3/26/2020 at 10:29 PM, RichF said:

Probably a longshot because it's so new, but anyone have any experience with this sucker?

I've got some time on one. It's stable, but not as stable as my Voodoo's or SS127's. Which is odd, because to my eyes, the hull looks like the hull of an SS127, just wider. So I would think all things being equal it would be as stable or more. But alas, all things aren't equal. Just not sure what the big difference is. But it's in the same "ballpark" stability wise. So it's stable. 

 

It's not as fast as the SS127 or Voodoo either and doesn't paddle as well. But it's a great kayak for that price range. Maybe, IMHO, the best in that price range. It's a solid well made yak. Yeah, it doesn't perform like the SS127 but it's less than half the cost of a 127. 

 

It's a good choice if that's your budget. If you have specific questions I'd be glad to help. 

[RichF]

27 minutes ago, HookInMouth said:

I've got some time on one. It's stable, but not as stable as my Voodoo's or SS127's. Which is odd, because to my eyes, the hull looks like the hull of an SS127, just wider. So I would think all things being equal it would be as stable or more. But alas, all things aren't equal. Just not sure what the big difference is. But it's in the same "ballpark" stability wise. So it's stable. 

 

It's not as fast as the SS127 or Voodoo either and doesn't paddle as well. But it's a great kayak for that price range. Maybe, IMHO, the best in that price range. It's a solid well made yak. Yeah, it doesn't perform like the SS127 but it's less than half the cost of a 127. 

 

It's a good choice if that's your budget. If you have specific questions I'd be glad to help. 

Thanks for the info.  I actually went with the Big Fish 105.  They have a custom bracket that you can attach a trolling motor to and fits in the sonar pod.  Haven't gotten it yet but that would make it much better.  It's a good yak I suppose (I have very limited experience).  I can stand in it pretty easily.  Not a great paddling kayak though.  And it's friggin heavy for 10 ft.  

[HookInMouth]

On 6/19/2020 at 3:13 PM, RichF said:

Thanks for the info.  I actually went with the Big Fish 105.  They have a custom bracket that you can attach a trolling motor to and fits in the sonar pod.  Haven't gotten it yet but that would make it much better.  It's a good yak I suppose (I have very limited experience).  I can stand in it pretty easily.  Not a great paddling kayak though.  And it's friggin heavy for 10 ft.  

Big stable fishing kayaks are never great paddlers. Some are better than others though. I think you made a good choice. Enjoy man. Congratulations.

[Kirk McLinn]

Love my Hobie PA14.  

[TnRiver46]

I paddled a perception outlaw the other day and it was a bear. I was paddling twice as hard as my fiancé and she was leaving me in the dust. It felt like I could do a cartwheel on it though, I stood up through some rough waves and rapids 

[J. Michael]

Hello:

 

I am looking for a kayak to fish the inland bays of the Laguna Madre in far South Texas.  What I plan on doing is putting a rack on my boat and then transporting the kayak to the shallows.  Most of the water I fish is 8"-3', and I would primarily be poling the craft and sight fishing for reds and specs.  Currently, I just wade fish and am very successful, but as I get older, wade fishing oyster mucks gets tougher-and tougher.

 

I met this fly fisherman this past fall who was fishing a Solo Craft and slaying the fish using the poling method.  In my conversations with this fisherman, he suggested a stand up kayak which led me to the 11.5 Outlaw.  I am thinking about going ahead and pulling the trigger on this deal, but I thought before I wrote the check, I would reach out to some other fisherman.

 

Thanks,

Michael