Submitted: 06-15-2009 by Henry
Just purchased a Malibu 2XL from REI and am very satisfied with this boat. I am 6ft 2 inches, weigh 240lbs and was looking for a high volume boat that I could take my two dogs out on and occasionally use as a tandem. I also needed it to be light enough for me to carry by myself. 61 lbs is light for a tandem with as much volume as this boat has. It feels like an honest 61 lbs to me and I can get it up over my head and carry it with no problem; in fact it feels just a tad heavier than my Ocean Kayak Scrambler XT.
I glued some closed cell foam to the top of the oval hatch so I could rest it on my head when carrying it. This foam also helps when popping it up like you would with a canoe to get it up over your head. google Homer Stringer technique for lifting and carrying a canoe.
Today I took it out with a friend who weighs 170 lbs and my dog that weighs 55 lbs and it was very stable with over 460 lbs in it. I sat in the back and my butt didn't get wet with the scuppers open. My friends butt got just a little wet. We were using the Ocean Kayak seats that came with the boat and have little thickness on the bottoms. Had my friend had a thicker seat, say at least an inch, he would have stayed dry.
The boat has plenty of volume. Ocean Kayak really did there homework to design such a do everything boat like the Malibu 2XL. Also the boat tracks well even with an inexperienced paddler in the front. I am glad I bought the boat and would highly recommend this versatile sit-on-top. I used to have an Ocean Kayak Malibu the 12 foot tandem model and the XL boat is light years ahead of that design; much roomier and not that much heavier to carry. I will be using it to fish most of the time. It is so stable I will be able to take my 120lb Rottweiler out when I go night fishing.
After 30 years of kayaking and several boats: Wilderness System, Islander, Old Town, and Ocean Kayak; I can say with confidence, this boat is a definite keeper. |