I want to upgrade!

I have fished and hunted out of my ocean kayak Drifter for years. As I age I think it's time to invest in something a little more comfortable.
The Old Town sportsman pdl 120 realy catches my eye.
My question is, Do any of you folks use it for ocean fishing, and how we'll does it perform in big water?

I use the PDL 106 which is the same thing just a foot and a half shorter. I love it! It's awesome in the ocean, super stable, spacious, the elevated chair is comfy. I love the rod holders and cargo space, fits my fish finder quite easily, it's relatively light without the Peddle system so it's easy getting it on my car for transport. Been on lakes and the Ocean in ideal (and less than ideal) conditions. I would highly recommend!

I almost got that kayak and have seen people use them. Pros are lots of space and stability, rod holders including a nice forward leaning one, comfy seat, good pedal drive. The main con is that it’s big and heavy. The people i see with that yak have had trailers.

I've heard the same actually, the 120 is a bit heavier which makes it difficult to put on a car. The 106 is definitely a little more manageable in terms of weight

My fishing buddy had one of those and he wound up replacing it with a Hobie Outback (what I have) after a few years. The major drawback for him was the weight. We fish a lot at Pigeon Point where we have to haul our kayaks up and down a bunch of steps. You really notice how heavy that thing is compared to other kayaks. The seat is also quite high so the center of gravity is higher as well. He tipped over a couple of times when it was choppy when I didn't have any problem at all.

I have the 120 Sportsman PDL and agree that the 106 is a bit lighter. I’m 45, 5’7”, 165 lbs, and have never had any issues loading or unloading my kayak. I use a kayak assist loader that attaches to the car’s glass window. For lake use, that thing is a dream—stable and comfortable with plenty of deck space. I mainly fish in the ocean now, and it handles really well. I prioritize stability and comfort over speed and weight.

Thanh

You should take what jp52 says about center of gravity seriously if you fish the ocean, and especially in a supremely sharky spot like pigeon pt

I know people love the hobies but years ago I test drove one and felt like I was sitting too high, maybe they’ve changed that

But then Im used to sitting at water level on all my kayaks

My fishing buddy had one of those and he wound up replacing it with a Hobie Outback (what I have) after a few years. The major drawback for him was the weight. We fish a lot at Pigeon Point where we have to haul our kayaks up and down a bunch of steps. You really notice how heavy that thing is compared to other kayaks. The seat is also quite high so the center of gravity is higher as well. He tipped over a couple of times when it was choppy when I didn't have any problem at all.

The Outback is not exactly a lightweight, and there's a ton of stairs at PP. It must be quite a workout to get your kayaks up to the top.

I've always wanted to launch my AI there, but the thought of dragging it up all of those stairs at the end of the day has persuaded me to go elsewhere...

That must have been some bad weather to flip all the videos I have seen were guys are trying to get it to flip are comical

It’s been said a million times but definitely demo what you are looking at before buying. There have been several kayaks that I really wanted to like but they just didn’t work out for me. 

Everyone’s body type is a little different and what works well for one person might not be the best for for you.

If no demos available nearby try coming to an Ncka event. In my experience everyone is super friendly and willing to let you take their kayak for a quick spin, bribes in the form of a drink are always welcome of course 

 

Thanks for your input every body, I know a test drive would be the smartest thing to do, but they are on sale at Clavey in Petaluma for $2,646 out the door.
So my wife and I are going to head down from Lakeport this morning and pick it up,
I feel like a child waiting for Christmas morning.
This is going to be quite the upgrade form the O.K Drifter.
The only thing that I'm concerned about is rough ocean conditions, I have been on the ocean when it was EFIN! sporty in the Drifter, not to the point of being scared, but dam close.
My buddy fishes a Hobie, Compas and he is usually with me when I fish the ocean, and watching him kick around in an elevated sitting position freaks me out.
Watching YouTube videos of you all fishing in big swells in your kicky boats freak me out.
Not having a paddle in my hand is going to be a strange feeling, so if you see a fat guy at Albion in a Sportsman 120 pdl and he still has a paddle in his hand don't laugh.
I am super excited for all the lake stuff,  jump shooting water foul out of this thing is going to be Amazing!
I will always have the Drifter if I can't hack it in the ocean.
Thanks again for the input everybody! I hope everyone enjoys the three day weekend, explain to your kids why they have a three day weekend!
And for all you Bad Ass M Efers who answered the call from the bottom of my heart... Thank You For Your Service!!!

Good for you!  I've been eyeing that kayak for a while - please post your impressions once you get it out a couple times!

Hi all,

I got one and really love it ......except it is truly a tank..... I can load it but it is heavy.

For me it is very stable....I acutually had to try really hard to get it to roll.... like stand up with straps to the handels and really lean to get it to go.... also a little difficult to roll it back over..... do able but not easy.... staps or ropes help.

but very stable fairly fast.... stock rudder sucks bad.... get a bigger one made of alum but then the deployment lever is taxed .  I only use this in the salt as I have a newport skiff for the lakes as the old town is so big when I go fishing/camping I have no room for camping equip.

All in all would be the one id buy again.  But it is really f&(%$_5 heavy.

Troy

Troy

Well fortunately my trip to Clavey with my wife did not turn out the way I thought it would.
We pulled in the parking lot about 12:30 and I spotted my boat outside in the ready to pick up area. My wife and I stood over it ogling over the new addition to our fleet,
The first thing I had my wife do was go to the bow handle and I went to the stern and we both lifted.
We lifted the boat and we kinda looked at each other  with a shocked look on our face.
I agre it's not a light boat, but the ergonomics of the front handle and the fact you can pick up the rear with both hands was very comfortable,
We were both happy about the weight being extremely manageable, so at this point our first impression were great,
Wile cruising around the shop Jeff had another  Sportsman 120 pdl in a Steel Cammo color and it looked sweet.......so my wife who also paddles a drifter is starting to realize how much of an upgrade this boat is going to be,
Well the picture will explain the outcome

Congrats on getting a double upgrade!