Best Pedal Kayak Under $2000?

[heyitskirby]

I'm in the market for a pedal kayak and want to spend less than $2000. 

 

I'm looking to fish the bays and backwaters around Tampa Bay as well as the Hillsborough River.  I'm 5'8", 160 LBs.  Would like to keep it around 12' max as I'll be carrying it around in a F-150 with a crew cab and regular bed.

 

Any input is appreciated.  Several options out there and difficult to tell the difference on websites meant to sell you crap.  This will be my first kayak.

 

 

[Tizi]

I am 5'8" 150 and I have and highly recommend the Old Town Topwater PDL 106.

[CountryboyinDC]

There used to be only one at that price point, the Perception one.  I would say that @Tizi is spot on for cost and feature set.  The pedal drive is the same as the one I have on my pedal kayak (OT Predator PDL) and it's confidence inspiring in terms of build quality.  At 10' or whatever it is and I'd guess from the ones I've seen 34-35" wide, it's probably not the most efficient kayak built.  But these pedal drives are so much easier than a paddle to use for propulsion, I don't think it'll bother you any.  And that short length keeps the weight down and makes it handy.  

[archman]

Hobie compass is around that price. I have an outback and love it. 

[michaelb]

Best is going to be pretty subjective and there are many considerations. I am biased, because I bought a kaku wahoo kayak, and am attracted to open decks and the look of hybrid kayak/paddle boards, but to me the most interesting peddle kayak on the market is the kaku zulu:

 

https://kakukayaks.com/collections/zulu/products/kaku-zulu

 

The zulu may or may not be sold out right now, and is brand new this past year. But it seems like you should demo some of these boats and get a feel for what you like and what will work best on the kind of water you want to fish. 

[Hook2Jaw]

Check out the Old Town Salty PDL 120 and the Topwater 120.

[THE_Vue's]

Native 1st with reverse.  

 

Slayer 10

Titan10.5

Max 12

Or wait for new Max 10.  

 

[heyitskirby]

Thanks for the input everyone.

[MakoMark]

Buying a kayak has so many options today it requires you  to understand how you will use it.  Twenty  years ago  I  built a 14 foot Severn ( Greenland style) CLC design kayak from 1/8 ply.  It weighed  36 lbs, padded like a dream , and was very stable at 34 inches.  I paddled that from Baja to montana and many lakes and bays in Texas.  At the time I  felt that anything under 14 ft will not track well. I have owned several kayaks from folding to inflatables. 

  My Severn has started to delaminate ( should have used the okume ply) it did provide 20+yeas of service.  I live on the Oregon coast but a friend in the Florida keys wanted me to come help start a fishing business.   I decided to buy a light $500 kayak to put on top of the truck. 

  For reasons I  won't go into, the trip was canceled  and so I added the the trip cash to the kayak budget.  The peddle kayak didn't  have  the side to side motion so maybe I  could get away with 12 foot, absolutely no shorter, I  still may want to paddle.  After 3 months of researching the hobie mirage drive was far superior  for, weeds, shallows, ease of leg motion, and drive size and weight.  I started looking at the hobie 12 passport. The local dealer didn't  have one and the hull durability  seamed suspect.  The local dealer did have a compass that was ordered with the 180 kick up drive that the guy backed out.   So in December of 2021 I purchased  the seafood green compass.  I was happy to see the rear rod holders were the new inserts.

   I  worked selling and rigging fishing boats for twenty years and the idea of rigging my new kayak was very appealing.  I had a Lorance hook reveal 5 gps ff on a bigger boat and that was moved to the compass with a 12 volt battery. Next I added  some rod holders, moved the round hatch up front and put the horizontal hatch with bucket.  I had a 12 foot boat trailer that I modified for the the compass with a large box on the tongue to stow all the gear and a big roller at the rear.  Put a large pad eye on the bow for wench with safety chain  and ratchet strap in the back.  I  added two h rails on either side of the seat and an anchor trolly with anchor, rope, and bouy.

  Next I  installed the Texas power paddle with lithium battery and drive motor that attached to a new rudder. It came with a small rotary dial that attached to rudder handle for the throttle.  I also purchased the hobie sail and added the roller furling.

  I then raised the seat 1 inch with raisers and a kayak seat cushion. Two plano boxes, one for river and one for ocean for under the seat. Put a yellow cooler behind the seat with four rod holders and added the two side pockets. Reworked an old net with new netting and  bungy system to hold net and rods in place.  Got the mini hobie bin and attached to the h rail with new fishing pliers and knife.

   Lakes and rivers are fun but for me the ocean is the E ticket ride! That required a new dry suit, booties, hobie pfd with whistle, hook knife, and waterproof vhf.  Then added a light pole with flag.

  After ten trips to lakes and rivers I  felt confident to try the ocean.  Luckily the day had no wind  (10mpn in afternoon) and 2 ft 14 seconds (flat) .  Launched out of Sunset Bay motored 2 miles south to Simpson reef. Hundreds of seals and sea lions, thousands of seabirds with babies. Caught some nice blacks and Cabazon.  Meet a guy launching with a hobie PA 12, fished with him all day (he had to peddle the whole way)  but was very fast with the turbo fins. The next day I purchased the turbo fins for the compass. I saw 7 other kayaks fishing at Simon reef, everyone was a Hobie!

  The cost you ask, a little over $500 @ $7k.

[Koz]

Seastream Angler 120 PD. I've written a few reviews about it here on BR.

 

I've had mine for over 2 years and it had been great. I don't have any regrets.