Customer Reviews

Pelican® Pursuit™ 100 Deluxe Sit - In Kayak

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am a novice kayaker and don't have a lot of experience with kayaks but I own this one and I was very impressed with what I got. The kayak is constructed of two pieces: the Ram-X hull and then a resin top piece. I know better kayaks are all one piece but this kayak is constructed very solidly and the two pieces are joined VERY tightly. The "waterproof" aft compartment is not actually water proof but is really handy and besides, if you really want to protect something from water you should put it in a plastic bag anyways. There are no shock cords on the front of the kayak but there are preset spots for you to put the pegs in for them. There is also no paddle holder but it'd be pretty easy to rig up your own. It's rather tippy when you are first getting in but offers a nice, stable ride when you are sitting in it. The fit pedals are nice but one thing you may not like is how they are mounted. There are actually screws drilled through the submerged part of the hull that fasten the the pedals in and this gives an opportunity for a leak. But overall, if you are just getting into kayaking or looking to pick up an additional one, this is a great kayak and a great buy.

My sister bought one of these for $230 retail, that is extremely cheap for this boat considering what you get. That is, a versatile, stable and fast moving quality recreational kayak. We have taken this thing everywhere, it has even been in large open water many times such as the Gulf of Mexico! My sister has not once had a problem, the boat is stable and even out in 2-3ft rolling waves. A bungee deck could be useful, although it does not have one, there is a stern hatch which you can keep some things in. I highly recommend this boat to anyone who likes kayaking or thinking about getting into it. You can use it anywhere and we have put this thing to the test from quiet calm waterways to choppy lakes and ocean. This boat fits fine (with the tail gate down) in my Chevy Silverado pickup with a few bungee cords.

For the price this is a great deal. Ride is extremely stable even in a little chop. I have one now and plan on getting three more for the rest of the family.

I got my Persuit at Gander Mountain on sale for $220. I've also seen them at Dunhams for $220. Even at that price I still think the Pursuit is cheap and feature lacking. The seat is uncomfortable and holds water on your rear. The hatch in the rear picks up and holds tons of water. Tracking is terrible. If I don't constantly paddle or perform maintenance paddles it starts to turn backwards. It is difficult to even take a drink of water without it spinning around. The handles broke off within the first two or three times out. Storage is very limited for a 10' kayak. The dry hatch in the rear takes up almost all of the stern storage area even though only a bread loaf size box exists. I have extensively modified mine to make it better (added a watertight bulkhead and cut out dry hatch re-designed the hatch cover to be more watertight, added cup-holder, replaced handles with stronger system, added front bulkhead and storage hatch, different rigging, modified the seat, etc.), and I must say that it is usable but I'm still looking to replace it after only a month. My friend found an old town that was a closeout last year model for the same price I paid for this and it is light-years better. If I were to do it again I would try to spend $350 or more on a new model (not Pelican) or search craigs list for something affordable that someone else is done with. You really do get what you pay for, and I'm not saying Pelican is selling junk, I'm saying that Kayaking is infinitely more enjoyable with just a few qualities that this Kayak is lacking.

Edit. I forgot to mention, My pursuit came with a Pelican paddle which is absolute garbage. The coating on the shaft began cracking and flaking off within an hour of use and was grinding into my hands and causing blisters. In addition to that it has a very inefficient shape which causes uncomfortable oscillations when paddling. It was free with the kayak so I can't complain much, but if you do wind up getting the same deal I did, I would recommend throwing the paddle away before you leave the store.

The one piece of information I have to give you on this boat is this. I have been researching kayaks for about 4 months. I didn't want to spend alot of money, but I couldn't find anything under [.....]. I bought this one two days ago at academy outdoors in OKC for way less than half(200) No paddle included. One thing that I have to stress is the fact that nobody advertises these boats for cheap on the internet. I had to go into a real store to find it at a bargain. Everywhere on the www has it between 309-500$. I have seen it Multiple times for way less. I even saw it in the sale circular for Attwoods (249) Now remember there is no sales tax on these items because you are expected to pay an exise tax of .375 of the origainal purchase. You will have to get it registered and tagged to take it on any state waters. No big deal( 30 bucks for three years). Also, I got the orange bladed paddle (84 incher) at the same place for 21 dollars. It is advertised everywhere for 89.99. You can even buy this paddle at walmart for 21$. So don't be fooled but the web. You can find these things alot cheaper in a real store. Oh yea, and by the way, this is the sweetest boat ever you have to buy it. I am 6 2 225 and it works great for me.

I wanted a really light kayak (so I could toss it up on my cartop easily) that I could use to get some exercise on the Erie Canal. And for $180 this was perfect.
That said, it is really slow, tracks horribly, isn't very comfortable, and the material is so thin that it can't last very long.
But for what I wanted it for, and for the price, it is fine. So 3 stars. Its not a $1,200 kayak.

Another review said it wasn't stable. You could probably stand up in it; don't know what he is looking for.

site to store at walmart provides the kayak for 248 + whatever applicable tax in your neck of the country, and shipping to the store nearest you is free... sure beats the 500 advertised on amazon through target...

I got this nice looking kayak at academy sports for $200 and bought a $20 paddle. Very cheap way to get into the water.
I used it a few times and had a lot of fun. Even in big waves, it did pretty well and was stable. Tracks ok, but could be better. I got very wet but it was a hot day. I then planned to get a spray skirt for future outings. Don't bother, it will not work.

Smaller problems
rear hatch is not water tight and very small.
seat holds water
foot room is too small to put feet upright(size 10 men), resulting in a little discomfort (would be bad for long trip-over hour)

Biggest problem
with this boat is that it's not made to use with a spray skirt.
The rim is poorly designed and doesn't have enough lip to keep a spray skirt attached. I've read many other reviews that say the same thing.
I bought 3 different spray skirts now and none will stay on even with 2 people holding all sides.
After failing with generic skirts, I purchased the pelican skirt made specifically for this kayak.
It is worse than the generic ones I had bought first. Will not stay on. First the skirt itself was made a little too small and second the lip is just too small to keep the skirt attached. I put some board wax on the rim and it helped some but about every 5 minutes it would slide off again.

This is a cheap boat that would be ok for hot days playing around in a lake (no rocky rivers due to light hull material). You will get wet if there are waves and a little always comes in from the paddles, but if your ok with that it's a fine starter kayak.
If you can afford to pay a hundred more(lots of better kayaks available in the $300 range, you will get a lot more kayak and be able to use it with a spray skirt in cooler weather- Keep dry.

I have to recommend this as a poor buy due to lack of spray skirt compatability, water tight hatch etc.

We have two of these and I highly recommend them as a low cost way to enter the sport. This kayak is for the weekend novice who doesn't want to spend more than $500 to see if they like it. The hull is wide, tough and stable. Overall it is a little too chunky for any kind of real speed, but has been a wonderful boat to teach the kids with. Despite two kids learning how to launch, maneuver, and "dock", it has held up beautifully. Keep in mind it is inexpensive, and so there are some issues. For example, it does not have the most comfortable seat for a tall adult. The tracking is off too (banking slightly to one side when gliding-paddle up) but overall it has provided solid performance and it has shown exceptional durability.

I don't like this boat and I'm trying to sell mine. It is uncomfortable and it's tippy in the water.