Old Town Sportsman 106PDL- Inputs/experience?

[XingEyeballs]

Just curious if anyone has one? Experience? Looks like an upgrade to the topwater PDL with a different seat. I’ve been looking at one for a couple years just really hard to find anything to look at. Want to use it for small lakes and rivers where the bass boat just isn’t a good fit.

[rds_nc]

It looks like a good kayak. I think the 10' kayaks are a little small if you can handle loading/unloading a 13 footer. I'm not sure if that model has a recessed transducer spot; you're going to end up putting something big on there if you're used to having a Helix 12. Since kayak fishing is the fastest growing segment you might be able to find some stuff on YouTube about it. Of course there aren't a whole lot of guys out there with a stable of yaks for side by side comparisons.

[XingEyeballs]

It looks like a good kayak. I think the 10' kayaks are a little small if you can handle loading/unloading a 13 footer. I'm not sure if that model has a recessed transducer spot; you're going to end up putting something big on there if you're used to having a Helix 12. Since kayak fishing is the fastest growing segment you might be able to find some stuff on YouTube about it. Of course there aren't a whole lot of guys out there with a stable of yaks for side by side comparisons.

Thanks for the input, really good videos on them on YouTube now but seems like a lot of them just were sent one and have to tell you everything they love about it because that’s the spoon that feeds them. Open to the 12’ model too but I really want to stay portable and easy. They do have a transducer Mount and I’ll likely rig a helix 10 to it that I have set up already portable for ice fishing. Lot of money for a yak but it seems to have a lot of really good/nice features and would let me take advantage of a few lakes that I can only ice fish

[rds_nc]

Thanks for the input, really good videos on them on YouTube now but seems like a lot of them just were sent one and have to tell you everything they love about it because that’s the spoon that feeds them. Open to the 12’ model too but I really want to stay portable and easy. They do have a transducer Mount and I’ll likely rig a helix 10 to it that I have set up already portable for ice fishing. Lot of money for a yak but it seems to have a lot of really good/nice features and would let me take advantage of a few lakes that I can only ice fish

I've got a 6' bed with my Tundra and put my 13' Slayer in no problem. If you have a shorter bed and wanted some more peace of mind you can get a bed extender from Yak Attack or just a dry wall support for the trailer hitch. As far as portability beyond putting it in the bed of the truck I usually back right down ramp to the water's edge and drop in. Same thing coming back out. You're used to taking a boat out so you know how to read the flow of traffic in and out at the ramp. Lots of carts/wheel options out there too to make moving it easy.

[Mechanic Bob]

With the standard bed height of a F150, I don't think you will have any problems load and unloading. I have a Slayer 13 and a F250 Super Duty and being an older guy, it does take me some effort to load it. That is why I'll use my trailer when I can.