Submitted: 02-23-2004 by TN-RiverRat 
Just finished my first weekend lake/river trip in my new OT Loon 138. Overall I was very pleased with the craft's performance. The polylink 3 material does help insulate the colder water temperature. The stability was very high. Speed was adequate, especially for a boat this wide. Turning is slower than some other kayaks, but the boat isn't made to run whitewater.A few same details. The rubber lining around the edge of the cockpit slides off easily. I don't know if its supposed do that. I plan to glue it on with scotchkote adhesive. Its no trouble to replace the liner strip, I just can't see any reason to have it slipping off whenever I rub against it getting in/out of the kayak. Secondly, I took off the nuts on the bolts securing the seat frame, used low-strength locktite and resecured them. OT places small protective rubber caps over the end of these bolts. They fall off easily. I removed them and coated the bolt ending in plastidip/plastisol. It will serve the same purpose and not fall off. In summary, this is my first personal kayak after years in canoes. I think it is an excellent craft for beginners and people wanting a stable craft with the ability to carry a fair amount of gear. The construction is solid and well thought out. I wouldn't hesitate to by another, as it suits my needs. It is not a serious whitewater craft, not or a long distance touring vessel. But for what it is designed for, it does handily. Solid durable construction at a reasonable price (mine cost $589.00). |