Sportsman Salty PDL 120? (aka: OK Malibu Pedal)

Hi everyone,

While initially looking at paddle yaks, I've continued researching and I think pedal would be the way to go for me. I'm still softening up the wife to the price jump, but I'm confident that I will prevail!

That said, I'm still not willing to spend Hobie type of money. If I was though, I'd probably be looking at the Revo 13 or the new generation Outback. If Hobie offered a lifetime warranty on the hull, then I'd consider making the jump in price, but they don't, so I won't.

Those concerns have pushed me towards Old Town. I'm really interested in the Sportsman Salty PDL 120. It's relatively brand new, so there's not a lot of information out there (I've already searched this forum and others). Also, I'm about 99.9% sure the Salty is the same exact kayak as the newly redesigned Malibu Pedal. I believe the only differences are the branding and hull color choices, and the fact that the Salty comes with EVA deck pads. I prefer the high visibility colors of the Malibu Pedal line, and could add deck pads myself.

I'd like to know what people think about that kayak for the delta and inshore/coastal use. Does anyone have experience yet with the Salty or the redesigned Malibu Pedal? Since the Malibu has been around a few years, input on the older models could still be helpful also, especially if there are concerns that have been addressed in the redesigned hull.

I haven't ruled out the "regular" Sportsman PDL 120, because I'm not cheap enough to let $300 make my decision, but my understanding is that the hull design of the Salty/Malibu will likely provide better secondary stability, while the regular Sportsman hull will provide better primary stability. Feel free to correct me, but the increased secondary stability would be more beneficial in moving water.

All input is welcome, and thanks for staying with me on this long post!