Old Town
Kayaks
Old Town Canoe is one of those venerable companies that have been around for over a century, and Old Town kayaks are worth considering if you're in the market for a new boat.
We recieve a lot of email from paddlers all over the world, and owners of Old Town kayaks seem to be among the most loyal group of boat owners around. Paddlers rave about OT's comfortable cockpits, sturdy construction, and stability on the water.
Just as with
any other kayak brand, we've heard a few complaints about Old Town
kayaks, mostly minor issues regarding seat comfort and the tendency for the
rubber hatch covers on some models to leak. But these negative comments have been relatively few
and far between, and you'll find Old Town owners to be a
loyal and happy bunch overall.
Old Town Canoes
-- the company
Located in the town of Old Town on the Penobscot River in northeast Maine, Old Town Canoe
has been around since 1898. The company's first wood and canvas
canoe was built founder A.E. Wickett behind a local hardware
store. Wickett's canoes were a hit, and the company was
incorporated as Old Town Canoe Co. in 1903
The word spread about Old Town Canoes, and the company was producing upwards of 400 boats per month in 1906, a phenomenal number considering the manufacturing methods of the day. By 1910, Old Town was boasting itself as the Canoe Center of the World, with 3,500 canoes built that year.
Over the following decades, Old Town Canoe moved into a converted shoe factory near the Penobscot River. The first Old Town kayak was produced in 1940, a wood and canvas boat. The company continued to grow and thrive, and eventually became the world's largest canoe manufacturer.
In 1974, Old Town Canoe was purchased by Sam Johnson of S. C. Johnson Wax, making it a subsidiary of Johnson Wax Associates. That company later became Johnson Outdoors Inc. Old Town Canoe is now part of a prestigious family of quality companies including Carlisle Paddles, Dimension Kayaks, Escape Sailboats, Extrasport PFDs, Leisure Life Ltd., Necky Kayaks and Ocean Kayak.
In 2003, Old Town produced its one millionth boat.
The Products
As we said in the opening, Old Town kayaks and canoes
have a loyal following. Users have raved about their roomy and
comfortable cockpits, good handling characteristics, and the quiet
and warmth of OT's 3-layer Polylink 3 hull material. OT has
updated their hatch covers, using a twist lock system that
eliminates much of the leaking problem of the older covers.
The Old Town kayaks also seem to track well, even without a rudder. The Loon series of kayaks are great for exploring lakes and wetland areas, but not ideal for day touring. The Castine, Nantucket, and Adventure boats are longer, have more storage capacity, and are more suited for touring. For general recreation, you'll probably want to go with one of the Casco or Otter models.
Old Town recently introduced its Predator Series, a
line of canoes and kayaks specifically designed for anglers and hunters.
These boats are stable, relatively small, and light weight, and
can be easily car-topped or loaded into a pickup.
As mentioned
earlier, we have heard some complaints about the Old Town kayaks,
but most of these have been small gripes about leaking hatch
covers and the hulls scratching easily. One user wished that there
was a drain plug on his Loon 111.
Conclusion
These few minor faults aside, we would still highly recommend a
Old Town kayak to anyone considering a new recreational
or touring boat. The OT boats feature solid designs,
rock-solid construction, and their Polylink 3 hull material is a
winner. They offer a wide selection of accessories, and a fit and finish
that's second to none.
Top
Old Town Kayaks For 2010
Old
Town Dirgo XT 140
The Dirigo XT 140 takes innovation to an all-new level. The ACS
seat has been ergonomically engineered to maximize your comfort
on the water. It's an ergonomic Extrasport® XtraComfort™ seat
with on-deck adjustment capability. There's a removable
child/pet seat for a passenger weighing up to 60 lbs. Foot
braces are also adjustable for optimal comfort and leverage.
Stabil-form™ hull design keeps your track true. For storage
there's a glove box hatch, a Space Hatch™ and bulkhead.
Adventure 125 XL Touring
The Old Town Adventure 125 XL Touring Kayak has a hull that uses
three-layer polyethylene for low weight, stiffness, and built-in
flotation, and the XL boasts a shallow V-hull design for
stability. Lets also say you want a super comfy seat where the
back-rest adjusts forward, back, up and down, and the seat pan
angles up or down. And youd like adjustable foot pegs and a bow
and stern hatch for your lunch. Yup, the Adventure 125 XL sounds
just about right.
Old
Town Rush Kayak
Stable and easily maneuverable, the lightweight Rush Kayak from
Old Town® Canoe has a roomy cockpit perfect for enjoying a few
hours out on the water. The Rush comes with an Ergo-X high-back
padded seat for all-day paddling comfort.
