Finally! Seastream Angler 120 PD Pedal Kayak Review

[Koz]

For those that don't know, Seastream kayaks are a division of Feel Free kayaks. This kayak was delivered 11 days ago and due to being busy at work and then three straight days of rain, today was the first day I had a chance to put this on the water. It has been really frustrating because the kayak has been sitting in one of the meeting rooms at my hotel and we literally sit on the shore of Lake Oconee.

 

But today was a sunny day and the hotel was slow for a change so I wrapped it up at 4 pm. The first order of business was strapping the kayak to the ABN universal kayak carrier that I purchased. Let me be the one to tell you, it's not universal. The hull is a pontoon style design and between it's width and then taper on both the bow and stern I had a heck of a time trying to find a good way to strap it up. Either the strap slipped because of the severe taper or it wasn't long enough where the hull was parallel. I ended up running the strap through the rear scupper holes, but it still wanted to roll of the cart. I'm going to have to make an add on modification to provide more transport stability.

 

Transport stability was crucial, because I had to maneuver the kayak out of the meeting room, down the hall, around a corner in the lobby, out the front door and then around the building and down a steep (20+ degree), winding concrete path down to the lake. The kayak and pedal drive alone on this 12' 3" kayak are about 120 pounds. Luckily, I made it down without incident.

 

For now my kayak is pretty much bare bones. There was plenty of room in the back for a milk crate and I could probably fit a small cooler back there as well. I brought two medium, BPS utility boxes and they easily fit under the seat. I stored the kayak trolley behind my seat. There's plenty of storage in the bow as well, but I didn't use it. Frankly, with the pedal drive between me and the bow it would be a pain to access anything up there while out on the water.

 

We have a seawall at the back of the hotel, and although it's rocky I launched from there. Obviously, the pedal drive was up and out of the water when I launched. I paddled out a bit and deployed the drive. You really have to slam it down to get it in place, and then I locked the drive. I immediately realized my seat was too far forward. Unless you put the kayak up on blocks you can't really test the seat and pedal position until you get in the water.

 

The seat has fixed positions, so you can't make micro adjustments to find the perfect fit. I imagine that feature can be found on more expensive pedal kayaks. For me, this turned out to be a negative. The first and second stops were too close, and at the third stop my leg was fully extended on the pedal out position. Like on a bike, full extension is not ideal over the long haul or for efficiency of power. I may have to add a little sticky padding, but a further seat adjustment might help. More on that later. But the good news is that I was hopping around on the kayak in the wind and chop to adjust the seat and I didn't dump it and roll over. It's a stable watercraft.

 

The wind was blowing about 8-9 mph and there were stronger gusts. The water was a bit choppy at times and that had me a bit worried since I'm only moderately experienced with paddle kayaks and this was my maiden voyage on any pedal kayak. I was also worried that the wind would make it a trying day on the water. But my worries were all for naught. This craft was unbelievably stable through the chop and moderate boat wakes and unlike being on a paddle kayak on a windy day, the Seastream made it easy to fish in the wind.

 

After engaging the drive, the first thing I did was test the rudder and the turning radius. I've read some people complaining about the turning radius of their pedal kayaks, but I had no issue with sharp turns. Granted, you can't pivot on a dime like you can with a paddle kayak, but the Seastream has instant reverse so on the times that I drifted to close to a dock to turn I could easily backpedal and navigate out of there, even in the wind.

 

One thing that was frustrating was that anytime I had to turn full starboard I had to lift the side seat strap out of the way. I also felt the seat could be a little higher. But as I found out later this evening, the seat is height adjustable. I did not realize that. Raising the seat should address those issues and a third issue I had today.

 

That third issue came from the pedal position. As I mentioned earlier, my legs extended too far on the out stroke. But this third issue came when I was jogging the kayak as my legs were parallel to the hull on that out stroke. Having to constantly jog in the wind it felt like I had to keep my legs in the air all of the time and that got uncomfortable. But when I raise the seat it will be more of a down stroke than an out stroke and that should fix that issue as well. It should allow me to move the seat up one notch and I may not have to add padding to the pedals. Rookie mistake on my part with the seat height.

 

Anyway, after getting the pedal position a bit better and testing the rudder I headed out of the cove towards open water. I immediately noticed that I could really zip along with that pedal drive. Even against the wind I never felt I was fighting the current. The only thing that slowed me down was when I got winded when trying to go all out for a while. But I covered half a mile in no time at all.

 

The next step was testing the fishability of the watercraft. At first it was a bit challenging fishing in the wind, especially with a moving bait. Jogging the pedals worked to an extent, but I also needed to work the rudder to try and hold the bow. As the day progressed I got better and better at nailing that initial rudder setting to keep the bow pointed in the right direction as I drifted.

 

In the 2+ hours I was out there, the fishing was lousy. I landed one small striped bass and that was it. But again, I didn't travel far because it was late in the day and my first time on this craft. On Saturday I plan to spend most of the day on the water and cover a lot of the lake in my area.

 

Conclusions

 

First off, I am not associated with Feel Free or Seastream and I definitely have not received compensation for writing about this kayak. In fact, I'd venture to say that the Seastream / Feel Free team doesn't even know I'm alive. I'm just an old guy that wanted a pedal kayak and this one fit my budget and it's a good looking kayak. But id the Feel Free folks ended up sending me some swag I wouldn't ship it back ??

 

But because my only prior kayak experience was renting paddle kayaks I was extremely worried that I may have dropped a decent amount of  money on something that I ended up not liking and it would end up on eBay. I'm not worrying anymore. I really, really like this kayak.

 

The seat was an issue today, but as I mentioned I missed the ability to adjust the height. I'll make the adjustment next time out. The seat was very comfortable, so that's a plus. The rod holders in back of the seat were plenty deep for my long handled baitcasters, and they were easy to reach. I appreciate they added the safety clips just in case they fall out of the holders, but unless you dump the kayak I don't see that happening. There are two spots to lay down rods and there are rod tip protectors if you want to bring four rods on board.

 

Can you stand up on it? Yes. I stood up when I pulled up to our dock and placed the pedal drive on the dock before I pulled the kayak out of the water. However, with my seat in the near forward position I worry about barking my shins on the pedal drive if I'm standing up. Plus, it was a bit choppy and it was my first time out so I didn't stand up and fish. I'll give that a try at a later time.

 

I don't like that there is no dry storage. I didn't bring my phone with me because I haven't purchased a dry bag with me (that's why there are no pictures from today on the water in this post). I don't like that I could not get it to seat flat on the kayak cart and there was not a good position to strap it to the cart. I'll have to make a modification to the cart. I worry about trying a scupper hole cart with a kayak that weighs 100+ pounds. I don't like that there's no built in cup or bottle holder to keep a drink handy.

 

I do like that it has a UNI track system built in and I don't have to drill holes in the kayak to mount one. I plan to get some electronics at a later point, but there's no specialized, recessed spot on the hull for a transducer so I'll need one of those swing arm attachments for a transducer.

 

Everything else about this kayak I really, really like - especially the price. You can buy it on the Seastream site for $1,539 but I got it on one of the many other websites out there for only $1,399 plus shipping. They also sell replacement parts on the Seastream website should anything break. I'm sure there are better - and more - expensive - pedal kayaks out there. But I also wouldn't consider this to be an entry level pedal kayak. I read a lot of reviews on pedal kayaks in the $1,300 - $2,300 price range and they all seem to have a decent amount of concerns about quality or complaints on the operation of the craft. I just see that with this one nor did I experience it. I'm sure as I use it more there will be things that were different, but I sincerely doubt that I will have buyer's remorse.

 

I'm pretty frugal and I was worried about dropping a chunk of change one something that was marginal or finding out I didn't like it. But even with the not so ideal conditions on the water today and having to learn the ropes of a pedal kayak I'm very happy. It was easy to fish in those conditions. The kayak was quick and navigated well. I covered a ton of water today and two things struck me when I came ashore - I wasn't wet and I wasn't worn out after 2+ hours of pedaling.

 

However, pushing the kayak back up that long, steep hill and putting it away was brutal. THAT tired me out. I wanted to lock it up out back of the hotel (and take the pedal drive, seat, and rudder with me), but after 20+ years in the hotel industry I don't trust leaving it out there with guests.

 

Bottom line - if you're thinking of getting a pedal kayak you need to consider this one. If you live in the Lake Oconee and want to check out mine just let me know.

 

 

[CountryboyinDC]

For the seat adjustability, you may find you want to add some padding after you sit for a while.  My pedal kayak doesn't have as comfortable a seat as my paddle kayak, and I realize that mostly when I go 3 miles or so without stopping (which hasn't been that many times).  

Dry storage, particularly for your phone, is a ziplock bag, and the a pocket in your PFD.  You're definitely going to see something you want to take a picture of pretty quickly.  There are also a number of floating (important) and waterproof phone cases that you can take photos while they're on.  I haven't personally used any of them, so I won't recommend any.  I got one for my wife, but she got a new phone that's waterproof, and never used it.

[Eric 26]

Thank you? That was great review, although I’m not in the market for a pedal kayak hoping to save enough for a lower end paddle one this year, I really enjoyed reading your review.

[Koz]

The ABN Universal Kayak carrier turned out to be not so universal. I'm sure it's great for narrower and lighter kayaks, but it has been a struggle to use on my kayak.

 

I have to navigate a twisty concrete path from the hotel to the water. Going downhill isn't too bad, but pulling 130 pounds of kayak and gear uphill on a trolley that doesn't seat well is a giant pain.

 

I ordered a CTUG that gets here in a few days.

 

If you look at the photo, where the path disappears there's a steeper drop that curves to the right and down to the docks and my launch area. The other day it was hot and humid, and after spending 4 hours on the water I thought I was going to have a stroke pulling it up that hill.

[Smalls]

  On 5/7/2021 at 2:16 AM, Koz said:

I do like that it has a UNI track system built in

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Until you have to buy adapters to install anything. I absolutely hate the uni tracks. 

[schplurg]

How do you like the kayak now? I ran across this model today while looking up lower priced pedal yaks.

 

How do you turn the rudder and which side is it on? Both maybe? 

[Koz]

  On 8/4/2021 at 2:44 AM, schplurg said:

How do you like the kayak now? I ran across this model today while looking up lower priced pedal yaks.

 

How do you turn the rudder and which side is it on? Both maybe? 

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 I still love this kayak. One thing I have noticed is that I can be out on the water 4 or 5 hours and I'm still comfortable in that seat.

 

The rudder control is on the left and that works out just fine for me. However, when you move the rudder full starboard the seat strap can get in the way. It's annoying at first, but it quickly becomes second nature to lift it with a finger or to while maneuvering.

 

There are a few other things that I wish were better:

 

1. I wish the seat was an inch or two higher. Not only would that solve the minor rudder control annoyance, but I they SOT kayaks I used to rent were a little higher and I like that. Of course, the trade off with the higher seat is the changed center of gravity that makes the kayak a bit more tippy.

 

2. It's heavy. The kayak weighs 94 pounds, the pedal drive 22, and I add to that with a milk crate of tackle, small cooler, fish finder, C-Tug, and whatever else I am carrying. Since I have to pull the kayak up a big hill from the lake to my hotel that can be a pain. But even stripped down, it's heavy to pick up and try and get water out through the single drain plug on the stern.

 

3. The hull is sealed so you can't readily put a through the hull transducer in it and the hull design isn't conducive for mounting a transducer with side scan. So I had to buy a YakAttack arm for my transducer mount.

 

4. I do wish it had a sealed dry storage hatch for my phone and wallet just in case something happened on the water.

 

Speaking of the C-Tug, don't waste your time trying any other kayak carts. Get the C-Tug. I could not believe how much easier it made it to haul this thing around.

 

None of the items above are even close to deal breakers. It handles wakes and waves really well. Not once have I ever felt unsafe out there on the big lake dealing with wakes and waves. The only time I get wet out there is stepping in the water to get in or get out.

 

My average cruising speed is 3.0 - 3.3 mph going at an easy pace. I can cover a lot of water out there.

 

It's very easy to fish from, especially if you traverse the bank or the docks. I can float out there and spend most of my time fishing instead of positioning the kayak. An occasional slight rudder adjustment or pedal forwards or backwards is all it takes. It's fantastic having instant reverse by just pedaling backwards and not have to reach somewhere to flip a switch to go into reverse.

 

I like that I can store 2 Plano boxes under the seat instead of having to reach back into my milk crate over and over.

 

I am still trying to find the best place to put my Lowrance unit. Remember, when fishing that big pedal drive is in front of you so you have to take that into account when reeling in and setting the hook. Then if you have a fish finder that's two obstacles you have to contend with when fighting a fish. I tried it on the right, the left, back on the right, but now I think I will move it back on the left again. I have the finder mounted on top of the battery box, so maybe I'll try moving the battery behind the seat so the fish finder is not up as high.

 

I don't regret this purchase one bit. I love this kayak.

[schplurg]

Thanks for the great response. I think I remember a thread where you couldn't decide where to put your screen. I still want to mount mine on the seat to my side, at least on my Ride 115. But it isn't in the way really. 

 

I think I'd want the rudder on the right because I use my left hand to hold the rod. I do it for tendinitis but I'm normally right handed. I can fish either way though. Have to think about that.

 

It's one of the cheapest pedal yaks I've found, and I can't find anything on Craigslist except Hobies right now. Seriously, it's weird.

 

Thank you for the detailed reviews, I actually found this on Google searching about this yak. For all the negatives - no through-transducer etc, for the price it sounds very good. And ya it's heavy!

[Koz]

  On 8/5/2021 at 6:43 AM, schplurg said:

I think I'd want the rudder on the right because I use my left hand to hold the rod. I do it for tendinitis but I'm normally right handed. I can fish either way though. Have to think about that.

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If you throw a baitcaster with right hand retrieve I bet at first you thought it was weird casting with the right hand and then transferring it to the left. But after a few days you didn't notice the transition anymore.

 

That's what it's like with the occasional bump to the rudder while fishing. I don't even notice it anymore.

 

I'd try it out for a while before you do any drilling and filling.

 

Maybe those $3,000 pedal kayaks are better, but I've never tried one of those so I don't know. What I do know is the Seastream ticks all the boxes for me and there is nothing that makes me regret my purchase.

 

I also seem to have bought at the right time. I paid only $1,399 and the price has gone up since then. I bought mine from WaterWays USA, and I have a suspicion they are actually owned by Seastream/Feel Free. They are located only 15 minutes from Feel Free, they use the same Shopify template, and they only sell FeelFree brands. But here's the strange part - their prices are lower than on the FeelFree, SeaStream, and other brands that they own.

[schplurg]

I actually cast the BC left handed. Right handed feels weird because that was my first BC and I just did it lefty. I can do both though. I cast weird though, often over my right shoulder, and the few times I've skipped I hold it lefty but swing it righty. Weird yep.

 

But with spinners I cast rightie then switch, I just haven't gotten used to casting a spinner lefty, and I never bother to work on it. I can do it but the finger release is odd to me.

 

Do you think that the rudder handle can be changed, shortened or altered so it doesn't hit the seat? Maybe pop the knob off? I read a review where the guy is 5' 11" and the rudder knob actually hits the metal frame of the seat. That worries me.

 

And I wonder if there is a way to raise the seat. I can look into that, maybe there's an aftermarket bracket or seat. Small quibble and not a deal breaker. I have to drive a few hours to see any kayaks for sale so trying to learn all I can. Thank you for the help!

 

I see this yak for $1500 on one site. I'm also looking at the Makos. Mako 10 might be okay but it seems low on storage even for ten feet.

 

Thank you again!

 

Edit:

In this video review the guy I THINK says that the rudder handle can be adjusted. In other words, if the rudder isn't straight you can calibrate it. By purposely calibrating it too far to one side I wonder if the knob hitting the seat would be an issue?

 

Looks easy to replace for someone handy enough to make a different one, or buy one.

 

I'm liking this yak.

 

Review from Headwater Kayaks. Very positive.

 

 

[Koz]

  On 8/6/2021 at 12:40 AM, schplurg said:

Do you think that the rudder handle can be changed, shortened or altered so it doesn't hit the seat? Maybe pop the knob off? I read a review where the guy is 5' 11" and the rudder knob actually hits the metal frame of the seat. That worries me.

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Anything can be changed with time, effort, and knowledge. But I think it would be a royal pain for most to do that. If I were you, I would email Seastream and ask. They are very responsive to any questions.

 

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And I wonder if there is a way to raise the seat.

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The metal cross bars of the seat drop into molded slots. so you could not raise the seat by  putting padding or something under there. I know there are seat risers you can buy for other kayaks, so maybe there is something out there that will work with teh Seastream. But again, that not only changes the center of gravity but it also changes your leg/foot angle for pedaling.

 

That's not a bad thing, because my original impression was that I would prefer slightly more of a down stroke on the pedals.

 

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I'm also looking at the Makos.

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Mako was my first choice when looking at a pedal kayak, especially the price point. But the more I read and the more videos I watched I decided to stay far, far, away from them.

 

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In this video review the guy I THINK says that the rudder handle can be adjusted.

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It's a simple metal cable from the rudder controller to the rudder. Now that I think about it, if I loosen the nuts at the rudder and add more tension to the cable it should take care of that issue where the knob butts against the seat. It might be a two person job - one to hold the steering knob in place while adding tension to the cable and securing it.

 

When the guy in the video talked about the steering knob being a bit flimsy, I think that's because with lower cable tension there is a little bit of play in the knob. I'll look into this in the next few days and report back here.

 

Two other kayaks I seriously considered were the Brooklyn Kayak pedal drive and the Hoodoo Tempest. I really didn't like the look of the Brooklyn, there was no standing platform. and it didn't seem well organized for fishing. I would also have to install tracks on the Brooklyn for a fish finder, and the way the kayak was molded it would have been hard to find a spot that did not interfere with the pedal unit.

 

The Hoodoo looked good, but I don't like the under the hull rudder. I would rather have the retractable rudder on the Seastream since it's less likely to get damaged in transport. Also, because fishing is the primary use of my kayak, deck organization is important. On the Hoodoo it did not look like I could fit both a milk crate and a cooler within easy reach of where I am sitting. Heck, I don't think you can fit both in the back of the Hoodoo.

 

I was close on buying the Hoodoo, but it was always on backorder. The Seastream is also 2" wider and provides greater stability and that's important to me, especially since I fish on a big lake with lots of recreational boat traffic.

[GDEY]

So I’ve had the same Seastream for a while, I think I have the first blue camo one they ever shipped. I agree it is a great kayak, very stable, and it moves through the water nicely. A couple of things I wish they would change.

 

Agree they should have a cup holder molded it. I bought a heavy weight cup holder and I have Velcro on either side of the seat, where the cup holder attaches. I too slid Plano boxes under the seat,  it I absolutely hate the strap holding the seat being in the middle of the kayak. I really wish they would find another way to attach the seat and leave more room for standing with tripping over that strap. Little boxes go too far back under the seat and bigger ones do not fit because of the center strap. I like the Vibe Shearwater system and wish the inside of the SS was similar. I eventually put a Plano 3600 in my crate which solved some of the storage issues, but you have to turn around which is inconvenient.

 

The rudder control is fine but the cables need constant adjustment to keep them tight. I too use a Scotty mount for my fish finder and yes the track needs adapters to use just about any brand, they should change the track system. What I really hate most of all is the extra flooring they put in. It has slots along the side so water can drain, but the slots are big enough for lures ( mostly soft plastic, and Crappie lures) to slide under also. In addition sand and gravel goes under too. And don’t drop food in case it slides under, it gets stuck and then rots and stinks. The only way to resolve is to remove the extra flooring. But to do that you can never get the screws lined up again, because they are just randomly drilled into the body of the kayak, so you end up with a ton of silicone and extra holes in the floor of the kayak. Worst design ever! I ended up snaking 1/4” poly tubing around the edge of the floorboard to minimize the problems.

 

In the end I would still keep the SS over other brands, but there are a few things I hope they change.

 

George 

[Koz]

  On 8/7/2021 at 12:04 AM, GDEY said:

What I really hate most of all is the extra flooring they put in. It has slots along the side so water can drain, but the slots are big enough for lures ( mostly soft plastic, and Crappie lures) to slide under also. In addition sand and gravel goes under too. And don’t drop food in case it slides under, it gets stuck and then rots and stinks.

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I honestly haven't encountered that. Because I pedal in my bare feet, I keep my deck clear of any hooks that might accidentally pierce my foot and leave me writhing in agony. ?

 

The one thing I don't understand is why kayak makers don't put a watertight hatch for Plano boxes in front of the seat or even a hatch with configurable tackle storage. Then on the sides have small pull out trays or drawers for soft plastics, hooks, etc. Use a simple twist lock to keep them closed. Those side trays don't have to be big at all. But it sure beats having to twist around and grab a Plano from your milk crate.

 

Someone really needs to put some thought into cockpit design for fishing kayaks. It would be a game changer.

 

Are you listening Feel Free / Seastream? My guess is at least one of you has come across this thread.

[schplurg]

I'm now looking at the Old Town Sportsman, which seems to be an upgraded Topwater. $2000.

 

Problem is they are hard to find in stock. One store that has them in stock will cost me an extra $450 in tax and shipping. Another has no tax and cheap shipping but not available until November. Yikes.

 

I still may go cheaper, but I like the dry storage, the ease of running in-hull electronics, transducer area, the seat, and I know the drive is top quality. Everything is, and I like the overall design.

 

Speaking of storage, there are two pockets in front where you can slip a Plano box in each.

 

Still just looking around.

 

Edit:

I found some Sportsmans near Sacramento I can pick up myself. But I still need to wait until I use my yak a few more times. Maybe I'll do that this coming week.

[GDEY]

  On 8/7/2021 at 12:46 AM, Koz said:

I honestly haven't encountered that. Because I pedal in my bare feet, I keep my deck clear of any hooks that might accidentally pierce my foot and leave me writhing in agony. ?

 

The one thing I don't understand is why kayak makers don't put a watertight hatch for Plano boxes in front of the seat or even a hatch with configurable tackle storage. Then on the sides have small pull out trays or drawers for soft plastics, hooks, etc. Use a simple twist lock to keep them closed. Those side trays don't have to be big at all. But it sure beats having to twist around and grab a Plano from your milk crate.

 

Someone really needs to put some thought into cockpit design for fishing kayaks. It would be a game changer.

 

Are you listening Feel Free / Seastream? My guess is at least one of you has come across this thread.

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Check out the Vibe Shearwater they figured it out. I hope others do too. 

[Koz]

Here's an update on some recent developments:

 

The other day I went and did a maintenance inspection on the kayak and was looking for a way to adjust the rudder control so it didn't bump the seat. That's when I noticed that both of the rudder cables were frayed (see photo below). I'm thankful that they did not snap when I was out in the water, especially when I was night fishing last week. FWIW, I do have a paddle strapped to my kayak just on case the pedal drive goes out or in case I need the paddle to steer if the rudder has issues.

 

What concerns me is that I've had this on the water probably only 15-20 times. I contacted Seastream and they suggested that perhaps I had the cables too tight. I don't think so, but maybe that was the case. However, what is disappointing is that there was no mention of this in the instructions. You would think that would be key.

 

Second, the rudder control handle now has a lot of play in it, perhaps from the cable loosening as it frayed. But the entire housing for the control unit feels loose. All of the screws on the surface are tight, but there's substantial wobble in the housing.

 

I haven't opened it up yet as I was waiting for the new rudder cables to be delivered (I order two pairs!). They came in tonight, so tomorrow I will bring my tools to work where I store my kayak and start taking things apart tomorrow night.

 

None of this is going to be a deal breaker for me, and it shouldn't deter anyone looking to buy this kayak. But I suggest keeping a spare set of cables on hand.

 

It would seem to me that the best solution would be coated cables, but I'd have to check the diameter of the cable conduit to see if they would fit. I'll post again when I get this sorted out. I'm worried I might find some fraying issues at the rudder control handle as well.

 

 

 

[schplurg]

Yikes. Might think about replacing how the cable is mounted as well. That nut/bolt setup looks like it's tearing the cable. Maybe it was just too tight and smashing it.

 

I'm going to get an Old Town Sportsman PDL 106 this week. Been looking at them. The extra $500 will buy me peace of mind plus a lot of features. 

 

Hope this kayak continues to work out for you. Seems good for the price but the whole rudder thing needs attention. I bet you can fix the housing problem or find a friend who can help.

[Koz]

I replaced the rudder cables on my kayak the other day and it wasn't too much of a pain. But it won't quite move the rudder full starboard.

 

I dropped one of the screws under the deck plate, and while removing the deck plate was easy, when all the screws were out it was a bit warped and it was a pain to put back. That's because you need to line it up perfectly so you don't end up creating a new or wider hole in the plastic.

 

I still live the kayak, but it's been so hot and muggy lately and the fishing has been so slow it hasn't been that much fun out on the water. I can't wait for fall.

[schplurg]

Thanks for all the info on this kayak, Koz. It helped me a lot even if I didn't end up buying it (I'm picking up the Old Town Sportsman PDL tomorrow). Other than the rudder issue it seems solid. For the price that pedal drive unit seems very good.

 

Have fun with it!

[TnRiver46]

  On 8/20/2021 at 3:46 AM, schplurg said:

Thanks for all the info on this kayak, Koz. It helped me a lot even if I didn't end up buying it (I'm picking up the Old Town Sportsman PDL tomorrow). Other than the rudder issue it seems solid. For the price that pedal drive unit seems very good.

 

Have fun with it!

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Congrats on the PDL!!

[yelkcrabG]

I've referred to your review a few times as I wait on my Angler 120 pd to arrive at the dealer.  Been waiting since Aug 1.  Frustrating however its given me the time to read/watch everything Angler 120 PD.

 

I've been brainstorming the cable issue since learning about it breaking on people.  What keeps bugging me is that a couple years ago I spent a great deal of saddle time riding centuries throughout the state of Alabama and not once have ever frayed or broke a cable (brakes or derailleurs).  I change gears and brake very often so I know there is wear and tare. 

 

Because I am not a Angler 120 PD owner, officially, I'd like to comment from your picture which has been a great help.  After looking at the cables on my bike(s) I see that none of them are rubbed by a side-to-side moving barrel like your photo suggests.  If that entire barrel pivoted when deflected, it really doesn't matter, i think, how tight the cable is secured inside the barrel via the hex screw as long as the edges of the cable hole are not rubbing the cable.

 

So my dumb question is, what if the lock nut securing the barrel is loosened a bit to allow the barrel to pivot, could that stop the cable from being rubbed by the barrel and fraying?  I did watch the Youtube guy who showed how to replace the cable and noticed that his barrel didn't pivot as he was feeding the cable through the barrel.

 

Again, thanks again for the review, its fun to read while i wait and wait and wait....

[Koz]

  On 9/10/2021 at 8:42 PM, yelkcrabG said:

So my dumb question is, what if the lock nut securing the barrel is loosened a bit to allow the barrel to pivot, could that stop the cable from being rubbed by the barrel and fraying?  I did watch the Youtube guy who showed how to replace the cable and noticed that his barrel didn't pivot as he was feeding the cable through the barrel.

 

Again, thanks again for the review, its fun to read while i wait and wait and wait....

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I do have it looser this time. So far, so good, but I haven't been out on the water much the past 3 weeks. The water temp has been near 90 and the bass were not biting so I gave it a rest for a while. But for the past week the daytime temps have been only mid 80's and nighttime temps have been in the low 60's. That should have cooled teh water down a little, so I'm heading out in the morning.

 

Honestly, I wonder why they don't have coated cables. I may try and find a few inches of some rubber tubing to slide over the cable, but I'm not sure if that will make it too large to thread through the hole. I may have to drill it out.

 

Nevertheless, I still love this kayak. I just added a new Flambeau Premium Tuff Krate with some rod holders so I can bring 4 rods with me. The two stand up rod holders built in to the kayak are great. But the lay down ones aren't ideal for me with my YakAttack CellBlok battery mount and fishfinder along the rails.

 

I was lucky with my order. Within two weeks of serious shopping it was available on the Waterways USA website. I'm pretty sure that Seastream / Feel Free owns Waterways. They are located near each other in NC and Waterways sells only Feel Free brands.  But the price was cheaper buying from Waterways.

 

Hopefully you live in an area where you have soft water year round and you get a chance to use it when it finally comes in. Let us know what you think when you get it. In the meantime, if you don't work out go ahead and start now. This thing is heavy to lug around!

[schplurg]

The cable connectors at the rudder on my Sportsman PDL pivot so that the cable is never pulled to the side or twisted, bent. I think that is the key. Looks like it should be doable on the Seastream.