Submitted: 03-11-2002 by dkehlenbach 
I bought my Captiva last fall to meat the need for the diverse paddling my wife and I do. We live in southern NJ, so there are bays, estuaries, lakes and of course, the ocean. So far, the Captiva performs very well. I have had it out in waves, wind and currents, and it has handled quite well. If you are looking for a stable, roomy boat that is at home on lakes, rivers and large bodies of water, the Captiva will do nicely. Since it is stable, it is the ideal platform for fishing, photography and birding. My reasoning for the "8" is two-fold. First, the forward bulkhead needed additional sealant on both sides. Second, the hatch covers are quite flimsy. I am going to get a second pair of covers, just in case. A friend of mine has a Carolina - he has had no problems. I wish Perception would go with the tried-and-true VCP design (the hatch covers are almost the same dimensions). Other than that, I am truly happy with the Captiva. I plan to add a "Yak Pads" seat to enhance comfort, as my legs have a tendancy to fall asleep after one hour in any kayak. |